1999 VT V6 4 speed auto problem, please help.

[XR-Lane]

Hi guys I joined a while back, but have not been on a whole lot. So please forgive me if I am posting in the wrong forum.

I experianced a problem with the auto in my VT today. I was driving down the freeway at 100 and all of a sudden it dorpped down to seccond or third, It just wont change up.

I checked the old gregories manual for what to check and want not, and then checked the trans fluid leval. The leval seemed to right, but the colour was a little off.

So I decided to change the filter and trans fluid (after looking at what came out, it needed it) , and the car still seems to be stuck in seccond or third, well it changes up but not past either seccond or third.

The car has done 160,000 and we bought it at 130,000. its been a great car the whole time we have owned it.

Im not sure if maybe the gear selector switch might sole the problem or maybe I need to have the trans flushed

Hope someone can give a little direction on what needs to be done.

Cheers

Josh

[XR-Lane]

I spoke to a mechanic that works close to my work at lunch today. He said it sounds like the TPS (throttle position sensor) might be shagged because its not sensing the throttle position and not enguaging overdrive. Sounds like he could be on the money, as I have drove it again after work today andits all fine driving around the 60 70 kay mark, but when driving 80 to 100 mark its not dropping the revs.

Is there anyone who can confirm this for me.

Cheers

Josh

[XR-Lane]

I hate to bump, but I am needing some info. Any clue as to where the tps is located in the VT?

Thanks

[alpha_au]

TPS is attached to the throttle body, easiest to take the throttle body off and give it a good clean

[XR-Lane]

Hey thanks mate. Have you had this problem before, if not have you heard of this. Do you think the tps could be the culpret?

Cheers

[XR-Lane]

Well the car has taken a turn for the worse. its practically undriveable now. it drives like a manual with a slipping clutch.

[accentstencil]

I don't think the TPS is the problem but I also don't know what is. The only thing you can really do is take it to an auto transmission specialist because I doubt that you will be able to fix it yourself. Good luck though.

[XR-Lane]

Yeah thanks mate. Im thinking along the lines of getting a recon unit and putting it in. If its shagged internally it may not be worth getting someone to fix it. I mean if the clutch plates a shagged, witch it what im thinking, then its basically going to be rebuilt anyway.

Ill look into what prices recon units are around adelaide on teusday.

Cheers

[kniever]

i had this happen to mine at about 160,000km, it ended up being the solenoids in the trans, cost about $300 for new solenoids and flush at an auto specialist.

do a search on here on how to read the error codes and then do the test, mine came up with the solenoids in the test, thats how i knew

[graham7773]

I agree with accentstencil, not tps. Sounds like the box is shot. Let us know what you are quoted for a reco box plus instal. From what I can see, prices vary wildly depending on where you are in this grand land of ours. Just by the way, I am getting a good low Ks VX transmission from Wollongong wreckers at Albion Park Rail for $125 plus $70 freight to Sydney, about 110K. If you can live with a second hand box, 02 4256 1288 is their number and they will quote and freight it to you

[XR-Lane]

Can get a second hand box thats done 603,000 ks for $800. Most likely be getting that one.

[FC50]

The car has done 160,000 and we bought it at 130,000.

So your box with 160k on the clock has shit itself

And you propose to fix it by replacing it with

a second hand box thats done 603,000.

Can anyone else see something wrong here?

[graham7773]

I hope that's a typo. 603,000ks is heaps for the VT. $800 sounds very steep for a VT auto as well. There are quite a few VT/VX boxes on ebay from $100 to $300. Even with freight they would come at a lot less than $800 unless you live somewhere like Carnarvon WA

[Dayvo]

So your box with 160k on the clock has shit itself

And you propose to fix it by replacing it with


Can anyone else see something wrong here?

Yes i can . You didn't use a full stop after the word "itself " Oh you mean putting a box in thats done 600,000 kays . I didn't think it was physically possible to find one with that many kays on it unless it belonged to the space shuttle lol

[ausrs]

I agree with accentstencil, not tps. Sounds like the box is shot. Let us know what you are quoted for a reco box plus instal. From what I can see, prices vary wildly depending on where you are in this grand land of ours. Just by the way, I am getting a good low Ks VX transmission from Wollongong wreckers at Albion Park Rail for $125 plus $70 freight to Sydney, about 110K. If you can live with a second hand box, 02 4256 1288 is their number and they will quote and freight it to you

I 2nd these guys ,very reputable business ,been around for a very very long time and they do not sell crap !

[XR-Lane]

Wow I sparked a bit of interest. That is a typo, 63,000 ks on that box.

[pablo]

PHEW!!!.....that's better!

[XR-Lane]

Yeah it is a little better. But the thing is, I have been told that particular wrecker has been known to lie through their teeth about the condition of transmissions, engines etc. So when they say 63,000 it could mean 160,000. Spoke to another guy today and he said it doesn't really matter how many ks the box has done, its always going to be the luck of the draw. So Im getting one from my local wreckers for $550 with a 90 day warranty, so I should be able to make sure its going to be alright before the 90 days is up.

Just a question for you guys. Is a VX transmission any better or is it just the same as the VT one?

Cheers

[graham7773]

much the same, interchageable with no mods, Mechanic is putting a 2000 VX transmission in my 12/1997 VT acclaim next week

[XR-Lane]

Thanks mate

[XR-Lane]

Picked up a VX trans today and started pulling the car apart. Man those trans cooler lines are hard to get to. And taking the cat pipes off the extractors, forget it lol. Also got some hydraulic fittings and will be adding a drain plug in the pan, in order to be able to drain and refill an a regular basis.

should have everything finished tomorrow.

[XR-Lane]

Well the car seems to be running great with the new trans so far. thanks for all your help guys.

[Jacko84]

drain plug in the pan WTF how are you ament to get all the stuff that resides on the bottom of the pan and clean the filter, anyway each to their own

[XR-Lane]

Mate the manual states the trans filter and trans fluid should be changed every 48,000 kays. I have already put a new filter in the new trans, and the reason for the drain plug is so I can drain and top up the fluid when I do an oil change in the engine. Im not forgetting about the filter, but I guarantee you that when I do change it next it will still be near clean because of all of the fluid changes.

Its called paranoid preventive maintenance man. If you change the fluid every 10,000 when it only needs to be done every 48,000 the fluid will always come out the drain plug clean, and there will not be any of this stuff residing at the bottom of the pan as you describe.

[Bushy]

also a drain plug would be also a advantage to stop mess.. so you can empty it then crack the seal not having to worrie about trans fluid going ever where if the pan lets go a lil bit to quick..