Aeroforce Gauge Causing TRanny Problems???

[soonercruiser]

I think NOT!
But, here goes the question anyway.

Over the last 8 months or so, the Cowboy Cruiser, a 2005 Turbo Lite with Stage 1, has been having problems with the tranny running in limp mode until the tranny warms up.
(Tranny won't shift past 2nd gear.)

In March, after I got back from the East Coast and had proiblem during the trip, MY fav dealer put in new crank and cam sensors, and that seemed to cure the problem.....for a while.

Again, around July, the same problem reoccurred. This time I was told they found the real culprit....a bad tranny temp sensor!
Since they had replaced the tranny sensor when I had the tranny flushed and serviced in the spring, they did it at no cost - warranty on the part.
It runs fine.....for a while.....

FAST FORWARD ANOTHER 2 months, and the problem is back!!!!
I made them keep it over several nights, so that they could run the Cruiser cold in the morning to encounter the limp mode first hand.
* The tranny temp sensor was sending 65,500+ degree readings to the Aeroforce Interceptor Gauge.
** Once the PT is driven for about 10 minutes, the tranny would warm up to 10-50 degree readings, and start shifting gears normally.
*** Sometime I could even fool the computer by shutting her off, and restarting 3 or 4 times.

AT THIS POINT I GET A CALL FROM THE SERVICE MANAGER.....SAYS THE AEROFROCE GAUGE IS THE PROBLEM???
They say, that they can unplug it from the OBDI port, and the tranny runs fine!
I am skeptical; but drive up the next day to pick her up, thinking that I can work out the problem with the Aeroforce techs.

NOOOOOO! I give it a try, disconnect the port, drive 8 miles down the road, and back, before again it finally starts shifting correctly!


In the mean time, I get an e-mail back from a Aeroforce service tech, who confirms my suspicions, that the gauge merely "passively" reads the info from the computer.
IT DOES NOT SEND INFORMATION OR DATA BACK TO THE COMPUTER!

WTF!
Either I've got my second bad tranny sensor in a row.
Or, there is something else going on tranny related.
**As, when the temps read normally, she shifts normally.

WHAT'S YOUR THOUGHTS????

[ptcruisersteve]

Is your engine light on? If so what are the codes?

How do you know the tranny is causing the limp mode?

[NitroPT]

Yes I have idea's but you really need to go to a "good" transmission shop and have them do a diagnostic evaluation check on the Transmission control.


Frank if it is and I am pretty sure from the little info you have posted so far that it is transmission related issue it would be very hard to give you answers to this problem without physically checking the transmission out from a experienced transmission shop.


Post up when you get you transmission checked!

[NitroPT]

The shop that did the diagnostic work seems more a general shop rather a specialized transmission shop. The AEROFROCE GAUGE gauge has been being used on hundreds of application as well PT Cruisers for years and could have easily been disconnect and a by-pass lead install if need to check function quality of the gauge and it operation and effects on a ECU/PCM control engine.

I am sure that you trust this shop and they may be a really good general repair and diagnostic repair shop but in the case of the A604/41TE it does take a shop that is more then just an average general repair shop or a transmission shop that is a little more willing to take interest in the 41te to help with work abilities.

The transmission itself is fairly easy to rebuild however most DON't do all the small upgrades during the rebuild and tend to simplify it rebuild and even less have practical experience with the many issues that can come up with these transmissions.

This is why most of the time I usually recommend NOT to DIY and seek a transmission shop to first diagnostics the Seuss. Then you can decide if you are up to tackle the work to correct the issue yourself.

[ptcruisersteve]

Because our OBDII Scan Tool does not tell us what most of the transmission codes are it makes it harder for us to diagnosis the problem ourselves.

Usually when a shop does a diagnosis and repair they are suppose to put down what the codes were that they found during the diagnosis as you are paying for it. Your paperwork should have this information on it when you got the PT Cruiser back.

When I took my PT Cruiser in for diagnosis and repair at the dealer I had to tell the service manager that I would be back every day until they told me what the transmission code was and they finally gave it to me four days later. They got tired of me coming back every day.

I agree with NitroPT about taking it to a specialized transmission shop but if it was me I would still want to do my own homework before taking it in to make sure I don't get overcharged or taken advantage of like some other members have.

[Handy_Cruiser]

It sounds like the shop was making a wild guess. Some shops are just no good at intermittent problems. They do something, problem temporary goes away and they pronounce it fixed. I figure that's the case with the Aeroforce gauge in this sad story.

I also recommend taking the PT to a transmission shop. However, I will bet that the shop will tell you that your pump pressure is low and that you need a rebuild. If they don't tell you this but instead have a simple and real fix, please report back with the name of the transmission shop. Because that will be a good one worth remembering.

PS: I'm sorry to be uncharacteristically pessimistic, but this is just the usual experience with transmission shops here.

[NitroPT]

This is not an early Torflite 727 or 904 or TH350

How could the pump be the problem when the description does NOT indicate a pump issue!!

Most Professional clean and well established transmission shop will scan the transmission codes that will be there which will be the clue to resolving the problem.



Not all auto repair shops specifically specialized shops are out to mislead or rip people off!!

[soonercruiser]

Yes, as I said my Fav dealer and tech have treated me very weel, and it is unusual for them to not come up with a fix immediately.
The problem is NOT "INTERMITTANT"!
It runs at limp mode until the tranny warms up, and stops reading 65,500+ degrees.


Looking at my past service records I see DTC Cdes mentioned in June...
-75=trans temp sensor
-28=shifter signal
-7D=Trans Temp High
* They replaced the Tranny Range Sensor.

In March...Crank & Cam sensors replaced for the same limp mode complaint.
I repeat, that the cold tranny limp mode and unusually high tranny temp readings have occured after 3 months after the March service.

So, this time the cold tranny reporting 65,500+ temps when cold is the issue; for about 10 minutes. Then it shifts normally.
(The failure to shift normally at first is between 2nd and 3rd gear)

[myckee]

Well, I believe what is happening is that for the first 10 minutes, your ecu is not receiving (and, or, not reporting) the trans temp. I too have a Aeroforce scangauge and on my 5spd car, there is obviously no trans control in the ecu, and as such, the gauge indicates the same 65,500 reading your gauge does. The obvious conclusion is that no signal, or no reporting of the signal will display the 65,500 reading on the gauge.

With that in mind, it may actually not be a fault of the transmission's electronics, but a problem with the ecu. Perhaps it is a poor or cold solder joint in the ecu itself that is affected by the temp of the ecu instead of the trans. When the ecu heats up, rather than the trans, the expansion of the component(s) allow contact to be made, and when cold, the contracted component(s) do not.

If the previous seller included the stock ecu, it would be a pretty easy test to swap in the original and see if the problem remains. Unfortunately I just sold my 05 turbo lite ecu/skim/key package so I can't send you one to try, if you don't have the original.

[NitroPT]

^ a fair thought but there will be a transmission code to show this . As per Mike a long time friend and transmission expert owner/operator at Capitol Transmission service!
Address: 6046 San Juan Ave, Citrus Heights, CA 95610
(916) 725-1866


Just a consideration:
Swapping out of parts to find a bad one is a poor practice often used by shops who many times charge for those parts claiming they were part of the problem. Even in the DIY world it is not a good idea as that practice could lead to causing other issues aside from the original. Proper diagnostic procedure usually result in finding the problem and or problem part the first time.

There are many contests for Auto technicians here in the US and abroad that they are given a time period to diagnose a problem. No parts are exchanged during the diagnosis.