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Automatic transmission won't automatically engage lower gears


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Hey guys.

 

This is pretty out of no where but yesterday when I was leaving work I put my truck in drive and it seems like its in a higher gear than it should be.

What I mean is I give it some gas and it has to rev up for a good little bit before I get any kind of speed, as if in too high a gear when driving a manual.

 

Decided to utilize the 3 and 1-2 selections on my shifter and when I put it in 1-2 and then switch to 3 at the appropriate time and the to Drive after that I can get it to go through the gears just fine.

 

Thus, The problem seems to be with the automatic changing of gears while in Drive.

 

I have not done anything to try to remedy the problem yet but my first thought is something must be up with the TCU.

 

Someone at work suggested it may be something with the torque converter but I not want to go down that road if I do not have to.

 

Anyone have any thoughts?

 

For now my plan is to pull the TCU and clean it up and apply electronics cleaner to both ends of the plug.

 

Suggestions appreciated!

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This is indeed the way the transmission behaves when the tcu is unplugged and/or the trans fuse is removed/blown. I would look at the fuse first, and then the connections, like you're doing. Also check the wiring under the truck and in the engine bay, trans connector are near the trans dipstick.

 

Make sure the wiring's ok before dicking with solenoids or the torque converter. Pretty sure if a solenoid went bad that it wouldn't shift at all.

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Your link opens up this same thread just in a new tab, at least on my phone...

 

 

:doh:   Fixed it. Too many AW4 threads at the same time..............

 

 

 

I noticed that.

 

Thanks everyone.

 

I checked the 7.5 fuse at the fuse box and it was good.

I'm going to check the inline fuse near the tcu next.

Will report back with findings.

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All right so I pulled the lower dash panel and checked the inline fuse near the TCU and it was good.

Just for the hell of it I replaced it anyway and checked to make sure I have 12v on both side with my volt meter.

 

Since the fuse was good I went ahead and pulled the TCU and cleaned both sides of the connection with QD electronics cleaner.

I also went ahead and did the same for the two plugs near the dip stick.

 

After all that the symptoms have not changed.

 

I am still convinced its the TCU since I can drive it just fine by manually shifting with the 1-2,3,and Drive selections.

 

Anything else I should try before searching for a replacement TCU?

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Disconnect the firewall connector and check the three solenoid coils with an ohmmeter (pins E, F, and G to pin B-Ground) on the transmission side, especially S2, for ~15 ohms. If S2 is open it won't shift into second or third gear.

 

Image Not Found

 

http://comancheclub....-into-4th-gear/

 

http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=1053970

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Disconnect the firewall connector and check the three solenoid coils with an ohmmeter (pins E, F, and G to pin B-Ground) on the transmission side, especially S2, for ~15 ohms. If S2 is open it won't shift into second or third gear.

 

Image Not Found

 

http://comancheclub....-into-4th-gear/

 

http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=1053970

 

Thanks hornbrod.

 

Ok, so I back probed the white, violet, and blue wires at the TCU with the meter and got 13.3,13.2, and 13.4 respectively.

I tested with everything plugged in and the truck off.

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Assuming I've tested it correctly, decided it was easier to test at the TCU as per \/\/\/, I think my solenoids are testing good.

 

You can also check the solenoid coils via the TCU connector, pins C14, C15, and C16 to ground, with the firewall connector plugged in of course. .

 

The AW4 manual says 11-15 ohms; replace if reading is above or below the specified range. Mine all read on the high side (~15) within .5 ohm of each other. 

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