Why did I visit the rev limiter....?!
04-10-2006, 04:48 PM
#1
Why did I visit the rev limiter....?! I have a 98 Formula A4 with about 90k miles on it. I keep up with the maintenance VERY maticulously. Although I can't speak for the previous owners
So I was driving around the other day, came to a long straight road, of course
WOT, dropped a gear and took off. Ran out 2nd and expecting to hear the tires chirp into 3rd I instead heard the sound of the rev limiter!!! I didnt believe it so I stayed in it and lookd at the tach only to confirm what I was hearing.
I was not shifting manually (never do , theres no point) so why did I visit the rev limiter. I feel like my trans might be on its way out. it seems kinda shakey right before the converter locks up and seems to shift harder down low than it used to. and visiting the rev limiter instead of 3rd only confirms what I have been feeling.
What do you guys think ??
So I was driving around the other day, came to a long straight road, of course
WOT, dropped a gear and took off. Ran out 2nd and expecting to hear the tires chirp into 3rd I instead heard the sound of the rev limiter!!! I didnt believe it so I stayed in it and lookd at the tach only to confirm what I was hearing.I was not shifting manually (never do , theres no point) so why did I visit the rev limiter. I feel like my trans might be on its way out. it seems kinda shakey right before the converter locks up and seems to shift harder down low than it used to. and visiting the rev limiter instead of 3rd only confirms what I have been feeling.
What do you guys think ??
04-10-2006, 06:43 PM
#5
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check the trans fluid and look for tiny metal shavings... but if there are shavings dont try changing the fluid, the shavings are what is making your trans still work at all if its at that point...
04-10-2006, 07:25 PM
#6
It doesnt feel real bad yet, I just noticed it seems to be acting funny. I dont have any idea the last time the trans fluid was changed. It's been at least 15k miles since that is about how long I've had the car and I havent changed it yet. Would trans fluid that needs to be changed real bad have some sort of effect like this??
04-10-2006, 10:27 PM
#7
it will trow a code, but it won't set the SES light. it MAY set the SVS light if the cxar has one. anybody with a code grabber can check. look for"transmission component slipping" or "transmission adapts out of range". the biggest thing that makes me worry is you say it shifts hard every now and then. this is likely the PCM commanding maximum line pressure in an effort to save the tranny, because it thinks the tranny is on the way out.
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04-11-2006, 03:08 PM
#10
I had it scanned at autozone and no codes were present. Does this mean its ok , or not necessarily ??
I'm thinking maybe I was just having traction issues since the roads are still pretty cold here. I was dropping to first then running it out and hitting the rev limiter (not 2-3 like i said before) But when it drops to first it spins the tires pretty bad but I couldnt tell if it was spinning them all the way until the limiter or not, I sure didnt hear it, but I couldn't feel it either....
I'm thinking maybe I was just having traction issues since the roads are still pretty cold here. I was dropping to first then running it out and hitting the rev limiter (not 2-3 like i said before) But when it drops to first it spins the tires pretty bad but I couldnt tell if it was spinning them all the way until the limiter or not, I sure didnt hear it, but I couldn't feel it either....
04-12-2006, 12:54 AM
#13
Hate to tell ya man, but your trans is probably on its way out, mine went out at around the same milage and after it started hitting the limiter it lasted maybe 3k more until it bit the dust. You can check your trans fluid and see if its low/burnt, if it is low you may luck out and just have to fill her up, but since you havnt hit it before its probably at an ok level, if its burnt (not red and doesnt smell sweet) its going to go out soon, sorry man that sucks! I'm on my 3rd tranny now and its no fun, especially when I'm in school and 20 but I have to have a car.
04-12-2006, 01:00 AM
#14
Originally Posted by Trust
Hate to tell ya man, but your trans is probably on its way out, mine went out at around the same milage and after it started hitting the limiter it lasted maybe 3k more until it bit the dust. You can check your trans fluid and see if its low/burnt, if it is low you may luck out and just have to fill her up, but since you havnt hit it before its probably at an ok level, if its burnt (not red and doesnt smell sweet) its going to go out soon, sorry man that sucks! I'm on my 3rd tranny now and its no fun, especially when I'm in school and 20 but I have to have a car.
I really have a feeling that it is traction related but I don't know for sure.
I did a little "donut torture testing" tonight and it felt fine, I whacked the rev limiter once... but that seems pretty normal during a donut (which happened in my fantasy world of course)
04-12-2006, 10:04 AM
#16
I think you would know its a traction issue or not, mine used to nail the limiter going into 2nd because my tires sucked, and that was when I just had a cam and exhaust, but never into 3rd, I dont see with your mods being able to hit the limiter going into 3rd due to traction, unless your tires are horrible, it was on ice or something like that. Also its unlikely that you didnt hit the limiter going into 2nd but then hit it going into 3rd because of traction.
04-12-2006, 10:45 AM
#18
Originally Posted by Trust
I think you would know its a traction issue or not, mine used to nail the limiter going into 2nd because my tires sucked, and that was when I just had a cam and exhaust, but never into 3rd, I dont see with your mods being able to hit the limiter going into 3rd due to traction, unless your tires are horrible, it was on ice or something like that. Also its unlikely that you didnt hit the limiter going into 2nd but then hit it going into 3rd because of traction.
04-12-2006, 10:59 AM
#19
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Another thing you can do is, do a regular tranny filter change and pour in some type F fluid instead of the Type III. If your tranny is going out this will help make it last longer and it wont hurt a thing. Lots of guys run Type F even with brand new built tranny's. I've ran it in mine for about 3 years untill I recently had my tranny bullitized. Once I get some miles on it I'll switch back to Type F.
If the search feature would go past 06 there's a lot of old threads about people using the Type F.
If the search feature would go past 06 there's a lot of old threads about people using the Type F.
04-12-2006, 11:22 AM
#20
Originally Posted by WhiteRhino
Another thing you can do is, do a regular tranny filter change and pour in some type F fluid instead of the Type III. If your tranny is going out this will help make it last longer and it wont hurt a thing. Lots of guys run Type F even with brand new built tranny's. I've ran it in mine for about 3 years untill I recently had my tranny bullitized. Once I get some miles on it I'll switch back to Type F.
If the search feature would go past 06 there's a lot of old threads about people using the Type F.
If the search feature would go past 06 there's a lot of old threads about people using the Type F.
Also as far as going easy on it until I can afford it, I can afford to rebuild it / break it (as well as alot of other stuff) but I'd really rather not dip into savings for that.