Well, my old girl has let me down. Returning home from a trip I noticed that every now and again she would lose a gear, the engine revs and then off we'd go again.

However, by the time I was within about 15 miles of home and had to leave the motorway the problem suddenly got worse. The van would lunge from gear to gear, then simply refuse to change up or down selecting second which I assume is the limp home mode.

So I pull in at the first oppertunatiy check the oil etc. I'd do that back on the motorway when it first began, but I thought it prudent to do it again! The oil was fine with no funky smells ot anything. So I figured I'd limp it home.

So off I go again and the transmission is shifting fine, then at about 5 miles from home it begins again, however, I also noted that the speedo needle suddenly flicked up to 120mph and back down again right at the moment of the problems re-emergence!

So my question is: do you think its the shift solenoid pack or something else? And is there a meens of testing other than a replacement.

 

If the speedo went to a random unrelated speed to what you were actually doing I would imagine that has something to do with the output speed sensor? I need to change the temperature/range sensor on mine. Not fun and games at all.

 

Well I know these units had a bit of a reputation in other Chrysler models so it was my first thought, although my initial plan is to do a filter and fluid change and cross my fingures. However, since posting I've been doing a little more on-line research and it appears to be a common issue with Voyagers, GV's T&C 4sp auto's in general and one of the symptoms is the speedo. However, the symptoms can also point to a failure in the control modal, although I hope to conform or rule that out with a code read.

The down side is the problem of obtaining one. I called around a few places this morning and those willing to allow me to remove it from a transmission are asking stupid amounts of money. My only other option may be to purchase from the US! There's a couple of dealers I've bought from in the past and one of them is offering a recon unit for £67 including shipping.

As with anything like though, its just really bad timing!

 

I would get the codes read and see if you can get the clutch volume index readings to see how much you have left on the different clutches. I hope it is nothing to dramatic and an easy fix.

 

Yeah that's what I'm hoping to do this week. Although if I can't find an independent garage to do it my problem will be actually getting to a Chrysler dealer as the closest is just too far away to drive like it is!

If I'm looking at having it transported then honestly I'll be looking at a replacement vehicle and I doubt it will be another GV. Its not that I don't like it, that couldn't be further from the truth. I'd driven them for a long time when I was in the US but what I hadn't counted on back in the UK was the distinct lack of reasonably priced parts and few places that are willing to take a look at it when needed.

 

Well the good news is the filter and fluid change has solved the problem, however, it did bring something else to light. That is, there is a garage receipt from the previous owner for a recon transmission and a later one for a filter and fluid change. However, this transmission has not seen new fluids even I suspect, when it was fitted! Therefore, I can only conclude that his garage of choice were intact ripping him off, charging for work they simply weren't doing!

This however is not the first time I've found a problem that he had paid the same garage to repair with new parts but they simply hadn't. Anyway, the fluid was mostly just a thick layer of gunk in the bottom of the oil pan covered with the fresh fluid I'd top off with a few months back!

Anyway all seems to working very well which is a huge relief!

 

Good I'm pleased for you. Its been long said on all Chrysler forums that a complete change of ATF+4® cures many problems including the weird, unexplainable and apparently unrelated happenings. I look at it the other way around .. .. in a case of "I don't know / not sure / parts darts" the cost of an oil only change is often the best money wasted on diagnostics. You also saved me a trip, I thought I was going to have to leave gods country [the Boro] and venture into the wilds of Durham without a passport to give you a free diagnostic read.

 

haha, yeah I certainly live in the wilds here, or it feels like it at times LOL!

Although I really should have known better. usually when I buy an auto I always do a filter and fluid change BUT, given that my GV came with such and extensively documented history I accepted that the work which had been paid for actually had been carried out. Lesson learned!

 

Millions of ATF+4® video's and tech arguments on % solids, smell, taste, viscosity, colour tests around the world but in the final analysis when faced with and uncertain cause and expensive diagnostic tools the old school top down 'suck out and put in fresh oil' seems to cure the core problem and its many secondary unrelated gremlins caused by the three bitches we know as the BCM, TCM, and ECM getting into a [data] cat fight over who cased the problem. I'm extreme light and low mileage user of the GV but I've long supposed that a dealer read costs £100, and needs to be done more than once, even then the outcome and suggested next steps are not clear - hence the argument that "the cost of an oil only change is often the best money wasted on diagnostics"



I was in Consett just last Wed, nice ride to the middle of nowhere ! Best of luck M8.

 

Unfortunately the cost involved with getting it to a dealer really put that out of the picture. Its an old van and so I do have to consider its worth in all of this. The one on Scottswood Newcastle wasn't interested and the only other I could find was down near Thornaby which meant having it transported, so I figured I'd take the old school rout. hahahaha. Although I do need to replace my code reader. Unfortunately, I sold it along with a lot of stuff as I was in the processes of moving to the US. Then the recession put an end to that and I just haven't replaced that much.

And, what had you done to warren being outcast to Consett? hahaha