VS slips in overdrive only when hot and under load

[VPbomb]

Car: 97 VS Ute Serries 2 193,000kms- Column shift auto
Issue: See below for details, but car slips under load when hot in overdrive only
Transmission serviced about 3,000 km ago when diff was rebuilt.

I know there have been a few slipping trans threads, but couldn't find the exact symptoms to mine.
I was towing a large fridge on the freeway so the revs where a little high than normal (about 2.5K). The car would slowly increase the RPM before it would start to rev out. This has happened once before, but pulling over/turning the car off and on has previously fixed it (mind you my other issue is car wont crank over when it's warmed up, so battery goes flat trying - not fun on the side of a freeway 2.5 hours from Melb with no prick pulling up to give me a jumpstart!)
The whole way home it seems that once under load like going up a hill sitting around 2.5K, same issue would happen. Sometimes backing right off to lower the revs then increase it would behave for a little.
Seems that when I left it in 3rd gear sitting on 3K, it drove normally (except I sat on 90-95 in a 110), and putting in overdrive downhills worked.

As this only happens in overdrive, is it the trans starting to go or possible stall converter issue?
I checked codes last time this happened and nothing, but will try and check tonight. Also haven't checked colour of fluid.

Thanks in advance.

[Clint_G]

how heavy is the fridge. been told by a few transmition places to never have the car in over drive when towing or carrying heavy loads

[Brett_jjj]

Have you serviced the transmission at all lately?Theres a filter in there that needs replacing periodically.Its not that hard to replace it yourself,if you can change the engine oil and filter,you can change the transmission filter.You just need a transmission filter kit to suit your model and 5 litres of dexron 111(3) auto trans fluid.The filter kit is around $25 and the fluid is around the same price,both are available at most auto outlets etc.The filter kit includes a new pan gasket,the filter obviously,and a new filter seal.Most times though once an auto transmission starts to slip like you have described,its usually on its way out unless its something simple like low fluid or blocked filter etc.

[VPbomb]

Clint_G: Really, never knew this. I regularly have my 1000cc track bike in the back with all the gear (actually last Fridat before this happened I drove a few hours to phillip island) which weighs more, but think the size meant poorer airodynamics as it had to remain up right, hence why it was straining that 400rpm more.

Brett_jjj: The trans got serviced about 4 months ago and has since done about 3,000km. I assumed that they changed the filter as it was done at Preston auto & diffs, so hate to think they only change fluid. I'll check the colour of the fluid tonight and see if it's worth changing again with a new filter. Have done this on other commodores with no drain plug and it's a pain.

Cheers

[Brett_jjj]

Yeah,if its been serviced recently then its probably on its way out and will more than likely just get worse..Id get hold of a good second hand auto and fit that,you can pick up good ones fairly cheap.Otherwise its around $2000 for a fully reconditioned auto transmission for these cars..

[Bizmark]

Or you could do a manual conversion if that tickles your fancy

Cheapest and easiest option is to find a good 2nd hand auto, relatively simple swap.

As for the car not cranking over when its warmed up, does it also die while driving? A possible culprit is the crank angle sensor (if the ecotecs have one). Pouring cold water on them gets them going again for a little while.

[FstStig]

I was towing a large fridge on the freeway

Sure hope it was in a trailer and there was no beer in it, be a good way to get out of speeding fine though if cops pull you over, just jump out and open up the fridge offer them a few coldies lol.

[VPbomb]

Yeah,if its been serviced recently then its probably on its way out and will more than likely just get worse..Id get hold of a good second hand auto and fit that,you can pick up good ones fairly cheap.Otherwise its around $2000 for a fully reconditioned auto transmission for these cars..

Damn, don't say that! Well, it's starting to look like a trans then.

Or you could do a manual conversion if that tickles your fancy

Cheapest and easiest option is to find a good 2nd hand auto, relatively simple swap.

As for the car not cranking over when its warmed up, does it also die while driving? A possible culprit is the crank angle sensor (if the ecotecs have one). Pouring cold water on them gets them going again for a little while.

Happy with the auto for now. Might source a 2nd hand auto, but you sure a column shift auto is the same as a normal auto? I heard the selector is on the other side or some shyt, in which a few people scared me off doing the t-bar conversion so I could get a centre console and make shifting gears easier.
Funny about that actually, I had the CAS replaced only last week as I thought it would fix this exact issue (as it happened only once before, so just took the pre-caution and replaced with a new one)! They also said the balancer or what ever looked good when they replaced the sensor. They car has only died once when going around a corner, but I replaced the sensor after that.

[VPbomb]

Sure hope it was in a trailer and there was no beer in it, be a good way to get out of speeding fine though if cops pull you over, just jump out and open up the fridge offer them a few coldies lol.

Nah, fidge was on the tray in the ute... and unfortunately no cold ones which I would have downed while waiting on the side of the freeway!
Oh and if any of you reading this drove past a white ute on the site of the freeway near Bendigo Sunday morning/midday with a fidge on it and jumper leads hanging off the side (or me standing there holding them looking helpless)... damn you for not stopping!

[VPbomb]

Just checked error codes, and it returned: Code 76 - Air/Fuel ratio variation between left and right banks
Also, the Trans fluid looks a little brown and has a slight burnt smell to it. I may have even seen a small patch of this oil by the side of the road where I first turned my car off when it was revving out but assumed it was another random issue and motor had a slight leak. Not sure what all this means though.

[Brett_jjj]

Id clear the error code by removing the negative battery termial for a minute or two.Then recheck them to make sure you are only getting code 12 and that it cleared properly,then after driving for a hour or so,recheck the error codes again to see if it has returned,if it has,this confirms theres a problem somewhere.(sometimes, if your lucky, error codes can just set from a "one off glitch" ).
The gregorys says that possible problems that could cause error code 76 to set, could be-blocked injectors,faulty spark plugs, or leaking exhaust or inlet maifolds on one side of the engine.I know that faulty oxygen sensors can also cause this code to set,they will also cause it to use more fuel than it should.If the oxygen sensors have done more than 100,000 k's,they should be renewed.I doubt this code will have anything to do with the transmission slipping problem but it still needs to be fixed at some point if you want it running right..

[VPbomb]

Thanks bret_jjj. I actually had genuine holden spark plugs fitted last week when i had the CAS done, and they also said they cleared the codes. New o2 sensors went in months ago and i also re-wired earth at the ecu for it. I've done a lot of other things but always suspected a vacuum leak, so possible it might be inlet manifold. Will clear codes and re try at some point, cheers

[VPbomb]

Anyone wouldn't happen to know if a 6HDD transmission will be an easy change over for my 7HCD (Column shift)? I didn't realise that the Column shift autos were different, just thought it was just the linkages. If anyone knows, let me know asap.
Cheers

[hako]

I don't think it is a straight swap - see VN column shift gearbox, straight swap with t-bar?
To get some breathing space you could try a tin of transmission treatment designed to firm up worn transmission....sometimes it works...but only temp. From the sounds of it if you had an external trans oil cooler fitted you may have had it last longer as they do tend to get hot when towing.

[FstStig]

Oh and if any of you reading this drove past a white ute on the site of the freeway near Bendigo Sunday morning/midday with a fidge on it and jumper leads hanging off the side (or me standing there holding them looking helpless)... damn you for not stopping!

Yeah sorry about that, I was going to but then decided going to get laid was the better option. Hope you found some help

[VPbomb]

I don't think it is a straight swap - see VN column shift gearbox, straight swap with t-bar?
To get some breathing space you could try a tin of transmission treatment designed to firm up worn transmission....sometimes it works...but only temp. From the sounds of it if you had an external trans oil cooler fitted you may have had it last longer as they do tend to get hot when towing.

Mine has a trans oil cooler from stock. I'm not going to risk it as I transport by track bike around regularly, so would hate to break down with that on the back (worth more than the car!).
I spoke to a few people which say I might be able to swap over the selector shaft from my gear box to the 6hDD one as it is slightly longer (not sure if i'd have to pull the case off for that?)... but no mention about the transmission cooler lines as I thought I read somewhere the difference between the 6hdd and 7hdd was bigger lines... hopefully the fittings are the same.
Cheers guys, think I might take the gamble.
Luke.

[VPbomb]

Yeah sorry about that, I was going to but then decided going to get laid was the better option. Hope you found some help

No worries. Is that your car in your sig? If so, i'm never stopping for a white VT if it's broken down!

[hako]

Mine has a trans oil cooler from stock. I'm not going to risk it as I transport by track bike around regularly, so would hate to break down with that on the back (worth more than the car!).
I spoke to a few people which say I might be able to swap over the selector shaft from my gear box to the 6hDD one as it is slightly longer (not sure if i'd have to pull the case off for that?)... but no mention about the transmission cooler lines as I thought I read somewhere the difference between the 6hdd and 7hdd was bigger lines... hopefully the fittings are the same.
Cheers guys, think I might take the gamble.
Luke.

Mine has the 7HDD with screw fittings on the radiator and stock external cooler (which is pretty small)...I've seen people cut the trans oil lines near the trans and then rejoin with hose to avoid the hassles of removing the lines from the trans.
If I were towing anything large, I'd replace the stock external cooler for one suited to a V8 or 4WD...they have them on Ebay for under $200. Good Luck.

[VPbomb]

Mine has the 7HDD with screw fittings on the radiator and stock external cooler (which is pretty small)...I've seen people cut the trans oil lines near the trans and then rejoin with hose to avoid the hassles of removing the lines from the trans.
If I were towing anything large, I'd replace the stock external cooler for one suited to a V8 or 4WD...they have them on Ebay for under $200. Good Luck.

Good point, didn't think of cutting the lines and joining them that way to make it fit.
Cheers

[VPbomb]

Okay, for other people searching this site that want to know what's required to transfer a floor shift auto into a column shift VS (as I searched everywhere on this site and the net without any true answer including ringing auto "specialists"), then got the answer of a guy from ################ site and sounds like it can be done:

The selector in the trans has to be swapped over, the 7HCD will have a longer selector shaft, because the inhibitor switch bolts to the trans rather to the shifter in the car.

Its pretty easy to swap the shafts over if you know what your doing. Sump off, remove the detent spring. remove the 14mm nut on the inside of the shaft, unclip the spacer. its a good idea to get a small file and remove the small chamfer that the nut creates, its important to do this other wise it the shaft will be extremely tight in the bore.
then just slide the good shaft in and bolt it up.