So i'm driving around yesterday testing my boost gauge, and all of a sudden the Orange Arrow warning light on the dash comes on and starts flashing on and off. I think it's the transmission light (same one that comes on when you shift into low gear). It seemed to be driving fine still...just the flashing light.

So i continue to drive but start heading home. after a few miles the engine feels like it's bogging down...not nearly as much power as it should have. Then i notice a really bad tapping noise. All the time the orange arrow light continues to flash.

I was able to get it back home, but have no idea what the hell happened. Could it be that i overpowered the transmission now that i finally got the boost levels up to where they should be (~15psi)

I pulled the codes but nothing relating to the transmission appeared.

Here's a video of the noise...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5clHIpaOKGQ


Any ideas? [/align]

 

Are you sure the tappping noise was coimng from the transmission or the engine? IF you start the car and leave it in park or put it in neutral, you should be able to determine if the noise is from the tranny or the motor. Before starting it up, I would check the transmission fluid and the motor oil and coolant levels just to be safe. Good luck,

Glenn

 

Yea, all the fluids are fine...not 100% sure the noise is from the transmission. Just assumed that b/c the flashing arrow which i thought was related to the tranny...

I started it up again today, and the noise is there in park, neutral...all the gears. And worse, when i shifted into reverse or drive the car stalled out. No idea what that's all about.

 

Didn't you just rebuild that lovely engine of yours?

 

The ECM has probably engaged limp mode; the RPM rises but the acceleration is sluggish.

If the arrow is still flashing, there should be acode(s) in the TCM. I would re-try retrieving the codes and clearing it. After that, I would double-check the fluid level. My 850 used to go into limp modes with our favourite flashing arrow (+ Incorrect Gear Ratio code), and all it needed was a half quart of Dexron-III/Mercon.

I am not sure as to the tapping noise. It could be normal valve lifter noise, in which case you may like to try using full synthetic 5W-30 engine oil during cold winter + Mann filter. If not for the lifters, it could be from the serpentine belt/timing belt area? Finding the source of a noise is one of the hardest tasks.

When was the last full tune up? Any codes from the engine ECU?

See what Tech has to say on this.


JPN

 

+1 to JPN. It sounds to me like the noise might be coming from the engine if it does it no matter what gear the tranny is in.

 

Did you tried ratcheting your gear lever few times to make sure that its not contributed by bad PNP switch? - regarding the arrow light

+1 for JPN and Psaboic on the noise issue. From the video, its not very abvious but seems to be coming from engine/lifters. I will also check the timing belt and make sure that it has not jumped because of failing tensioner or any idler going loose.

 

Well, another thought I have which may here can validate is that If the main bearing on the shaft that goes into torque coverter is broken/damaged, It will make similar noise irrespctive of which gear you are in and will create enough friction to make the engine loose power. I am not sure if that is the case then the transmission still needs to be opened apart to replace it or is it better worth to replace the whole tranny.
I hope this is not the cause in your case Ludeless.

 

Did you remember to tighten the flywheel and or torque converter bolts really good?

 

Wow lots of replies...I'll try to hit all the questions...

Yes...this is on the fresh rebuild. and JUST when it was starting to wake up from the deep slumber. I had just figured out the boost problems and it was feeling like a whole new car. DOH!

Tech - all the flexplate and torque converter bolts were tight...I did them all with a torque wrench and double checked the #'s.

harry - What do you mean 'ratcheting the gear lever' to check for hte PNP switch?

The noise isn't that obvious on the video, and it sounds similar to lifter noise....although this noise is a more constant tapping...happens probably at 4x the speed of the typical lifter noise. Sounded a lot more 'rotational' if that makes sense

I don't think it's t-belt related...i'm sure the noise of pistons crashing into valves would be a lot worse sounding. That and when i did the rebuild, i put a new pulley, tensioner, and belts on.

I'm wondering if it could be just the Torque converter. When i was putting the engine back together originally, i didn't have the TC seated properly in the tranmission when i bolted the bell housing back to the block (didn't line up the grooves in the TC shaft and compressed the trans housing all the way)... As a result of that, i warped my flexplate and possibly damaged something in the TC or trans... I heard a couple loud pops, but nothing was leaking or grinding from what i could tell...so i re-assmebled it correctly the 2nd time w/ a new flexplate. It's been OK for the 700 miles that are now on the rebuilt engine, but it wasn't until this weekend that i was finally hitting the higher boost levels...so i'm wondering if that extra power was enough to put it over the edge (since it may have been about to break from whatever damage i may have caused during that incident).

I just checked the A1 codes for Trans and got this one. (By the way, the normal code reader did not pull this code...had to do it w/ the thing under the hood)

3-2-3 - Slipping Lockup

Someone at work asked me today if our cars had lockup torque converters. He was guessing that was the problem.

What do you guys think?


I've already decided if I gotta pull the engine again, i'm going to do it right and do a 5 speed swap. Just really didn't want to spend a bunch of $$ on it at this time...nor was i looking forward to crawling around on a cold michigan garage floor again this winter... meh...

 

I would start but checking the torque converter bolts again. Did you use Loctite?
I wonder if they backed off some. It almost sounds like a torque converter loose due to loose screws. On the other hand I have also seen one crack making the same noise.

 

Checked the 6 bolts, and they're all secure...no signs of anything rubbing on the back of the flexplate either.

Strange thing is that when i rev it up, while still in park, the noise goes away temporarily.

 

Yes very strange. Not sure where to tell you to go from here besides pulling stuff apart again.

 

I grew up in Westland, Michigan. I feel your pain about cold garage floors during a Michigan winter!

 

How about removing those six bolts holding the TC to flywheel and then running the engine ?

just a thought that this might give you and isolation of the problem to be in engine OR transmission.