2002 SE torque converter not locking up?

Brunin · Dec 20, 2012

Heat still works great. Engine temp gauge reads normal when hot. I will call the shop today over lunch and pick their brain, see if they 'tweaked' with anything else...

Brunin · Dec 20, 2012

The shop gave the usual answer, "well it could be a number of things but we only did the stuff you asked us to". They did offer to have a tech ride with me and hook up their scanner to see if any codes are being thrown. CEL hasn't ever been on.

So now I just have to find the free time to get back over there. Might still replace the t-stat for $10 just because. More to come...

UTIaccord · Dec 20, 2012

2750 does sound a bit high for an auto tranny, find a shop with a good scan tool and get them to hook it up and ride with u, there should be a PID (parameter identification data) for the TCC, it will tell wether or not it is engaging on the scan tool, other than that i would say check your tranny fluid level and color, if its brownish or black you have clutchs and/or bands in the gearsets that are slipping and burning up, if the level is low then you will have low mainline pressure which will cause the clutchs and bands to slip which will cause your high rpm problem

moral of story, goto a shop with a good scantool

honestly that tranny could run for awhile like that if u dont mind having slightly high rpms and causing other problems lol but ours 5speeds run around 3k rpms in 5th doin like 70 so its not like ur rpms are gunna kill ur gas milage
but u may whined up having to get that tranny torn apart to check the cluch disks and servo bands

Brunin · Dec 21, 2012

When I drove to the shop this AM, it was a 30 min highway drive (70 to 75 mph). Parked car, turned off engine, and immediately felt radiator hoses. One was super hot, but the one that connects to thermostat was cold. I take this as a sign that the t-stat didn't open up at all. Luckily it was only 15* out, so no overheating.

And no codes from the shop today when they drove it. They said it drove great, but agreed that 2750 RPM felt a bit high. They seemed confused about the TC 'kickdown' that I have not been experiencing, weren't sure what would be causing that, and that it should throw a code if it wasn't working. They also said that when they drove it, both hoses got hot.

My hunch is still that it's a bad (or at least moody) thermostat. Going to have them replace it today, and see what the weekend brings. Also going to get the old t-stat back so I can check it in a pot of boiling water to see if it was still functional.

More to come...

001Stunna · Dec 21, 2012

After a 30min hwy drive both your hoses should be hot. The top should be hotter then the bottom, but the bottom should not be cold.

When you are in fourth gear and you press the accelerator to rev the engine does your revs gradually increase with speed? or do the revs jump non consistent with speed?

If the latter then yes your TC is not locked.
In my 99 F23a1 when going about 130-140km/h (80-87mph) I am at about 3000rpm

Brunin said:
When I drove to the shop this AM, it was a 30 min highway drive (70 to 75 mph). Parked car, turned off engine, and immediately felt radiator hoses. One was super hot, but the one that connects to thermostat was cold. I take this as a sign that the t-stat didn't open up at all. Luckily it was only 15* out, so no overheating.

And no codes from the shop today when they drove it. They said it drove great, but agreed that 2750 RPM felt a bit high. They seemed confused about the TC 'kickdown' that I have not been experiencing, weren't sure what would be causing that, and that it should throw a code if it wasn't working. They also said that when they drove it, both hoses got hot.

My hunch is still that it's a bad (or at least moody) thermostat. Going to have them replace it today, and see what the weekend brings. Also going to get the old t-stat back so I can check it in a pot of boiling water to see if it was still functional.

More to come...

Akingkhan · Dec 22, 2012

I just got home while keeping this post in mind so I kept track of my rpms n I was running right around 2600 @ 70 mph in 4th gear

Brunin · Dec 26, 2012

001Stunna said:
After a 30min hwy drive both your hoses should be hot. The top should be hotter then the bottom, but the bottom should not be cold.

When you are in fourth gear and you press the accelerator to rev the engine does your revs gradually increase with speed? or do the revs jump non consistent with speed?

If the latter then yes your TC is not locked.
In my 99 F23a1 when going about 130-140km/h (80-87mph) I am at about 3000rpm

When I'm in D4 and I accelerate, the rpms increase gradually. So maybe the TC is locked, and for some reason the original timing belt change just made things a bit louder and rev higher?

Also swapped the thermostat, but no change after that. This AM on the way to work, bottom radiator hose was still cool after 30 min highway drive, but it was only 8 degrees out, so maybe thermostat didn't need to open up?

Haven't had a chance to check overall MPG yet, used to get between 28 and 30 mpg with normal work commute. I suppose with no codes or overheating problems, that will be my next step.

Thanks for all the advice, I'll keep posting news.