AW-4 trans problem

[kingcht]

i have a 87 comanche with 4.0 and an AW-4 auto trans. I just change the radiator and alternator. I went for a little drive and now the tranny won't shift out of 1st. It has been sitting for about a month. It did shift fine before. Any sugestions?

[mvusse]

Check the fluid.

[ratrapp]

see if you can manually shift it.if so you may either have a bad tps or a bad shift solenoid.

[HOrnbrod]

Check your transmission coolant lines and make sure you didn't crush one when changing the radiator.

[kingcht]

Fluid is full, the coolant lines are in good shape, and can't shift manually. I'm thinking TPS. It was changed at about 220,000 and now it's at about 325,000. Autozone has them for about $40.

[HOrnbrod]

Check to see if you have 5VDC on the TPS connector center pin:

 

THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR (TPS)

NOTE: Digital voltmeter must be used to check TPS.

1) Note location of TPS electrical connector. See Fig. 5.

Turn ignition on. Using digital voltmeter, check output voltage at

center terminal with throttle plate closed (idle position) and wide

open (full throttle).

2) With throttle plate closed (idle position), output voltage

should be greater than 200 millivolts. With throttle plate wide open

(full throttle), output voltage should be less than 4.8 volts.

3) Ensure output voltage gradually increases as throttle

plate is moved from closed to wide open throttle. If no voltage

exists, check for defective wiring circuits or connections. Replace

TPS if defective.

[cruiser54]

This might simplify things. Be sure to check the square "trans" side of the TPS connector.

 

RENIX TPS ADJUSTMENT

 

Before attempting to adjust your TPS be sure the throttle body has been recently cleaned.

It's especially important that the edges of the throttle butterfly are free of any carbon build-up.

 

IMPORTANT NOTE: Using the positive (red) lead of your ohmmeter, probe the B terminal of the flat 3 wire connector

of the TPS . The letters are embossed on the connector itself.

Touch the black lead of your meter to the negative battery post.

If you see more than 1 ohm of resistance some modifications to the sensor ground harness will be

necessary. The harness repair must be performed before proceeding.

I can provide an instruction sheet for that if needed.

 

MANUAL TRANSMISSION:

 

RENIX manual transmission equipped XJs have a three-wire TPS mounted on the throttle body.

This manual transmission vehicle TPS provides data input to the ECU. The manual transmission

TPS has three wires in the connector and they're clearly embossed with the letters A,B, and C.

 

Wire "A" is positive.

Wire "B" is ground.

 

Key ON, measure voltage from "A" positive to "B" ground by back-probing the connectors..

Note the voltage reading--this is your REFERENCE voltage.

 

Key ON, back-probe the connector at wires "B" and "C". Measure the voltage. This is your

OUTPUT voltage.

Your OUTPUT voltage needs to be seventeen percent of your REFERENCE voltage. For

example: 4.82 volts X .17=.82 volts. Adjust the TPS until you have achieved this percentage. If

you can't achieve the correct output voltage replace the TPS and start over.

 

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:

 

RENIX automatic transmission equipped XJs have a TPS with two connectors. There is a flat three-

wire connector, same as the manual transmission vehicles have, and it is tested the same as the

manual transmission equipped vehicles--FOR ENGINE MANAGEMENT RELATED ISSUES.

 

However, the automatic TPS also has a square four-wire connector clearly embossed with the letters

A,B,C, and D. It only uses three wires and provides information to the Transmission Control Module.

 

Key ON, measure voltage between "A" positive and "D" ground. Note the voltage. This is your

REFERENCE voltage.

 

Back-probe the connector at wires "B" and "D". Measure the voltage. This is your OUTPUT

voltage. Your OUTPUT voltage needs to be eighty-three percent of your REFERENCE voltage.

For example 4.8 volts X .83=3.98 volts. Adjust the TPS until you have achieved this percentage.

If you can't, replace the TPS and start over.

 

So, if you have an automatic equipped XJ your TPS has two sides--one side feeds the ECU, and

the other side feeds the TCU. If you have TRANSMISSION issues check the four-wire

connector side of the TPS. If you have ENGINE issues check the three-wire connector side of

the TPS.

 

For those with a MANUAL TRANSMISSION--the TPS for the manual transmission XJs is

stupid expensive. You can substitute the automatic transmission TPS which is reasonably priced.

 

Revised 11-28-2011

[kingcht]

That's the ticket I just replaced the tps and adjusted it. She's up and running. Thank you all for the help.