Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) TCC hunting

[tking]

Between 1300 and 1500 rpm under light accell. my TCC locks and unlocks. Sometimes it seldom does it and other times it drives me nuts. (nutty-er ) It's been very bad for a week now. Seems to be worse when towing.



Fluid level and condition are OK. My build date is 1 month past the cut off point for the TCC flash. My dealer checked and said the flash was not available for my truck. Apparently they punch the ecm part# into their computer to see if any updates apply. The were several but not the TCC flash.



Questions, questions.



Has anyone had the flash when the Bulletin didn't apply, did it do any good? My dealer won't do it. I may be able to get it done anyway. Will I toast something?



Any chance filter and fluid would help?



What are the symptoms of a TCC going south? Maybe its dying a slow death?



Any issues w/ the TPS like the 12valvers?



Any chance the other flashes might help. Don't know if I want to go that route as some have posted the their truck didn't run as well. The dealer tech wanted to do the updates and see what happens. I said I'd think about it.



The truck has 77k miles. I've only had it 3 months. Didn't appear to have been bombed before but did have a goose neck hitch.



18 hour trip planned this weekend. If I drive REAL fast it won't be an issue.

 

[ecpeters]

Been There done that. I have a 99 that we just fixed 2 weeks ago. The dealer had to replace the PCM under the 8 year 80,000

mile EPA rules for emission parts. I had the trans rebuilt with DTT

TC, VB,Clutches,Input shaft & Hub that were treated. Plus a new switch in the trans. I still had the problem. I had the pcm reflashed no good. Replaced the tps no good. Had to let dealer go

through all the testing they have in their book. That took 5 weeks & as many trips to the dealer in the end they replaced the pcm. I have read up about this problem on the DTT web site forum and have seen that some people have had luck by moving the tps wire harness from the rest of the wire harness and it cleared the problem for them. Best of luck hope this helps.

 

[MD500E]

My 98. 5 just started doing the same thing about 3 weeks ago. It's real anoying!!! I bent the mounting plate for the kick down cable on my transmission the other day about 3/8 inch twords the rear of the truck to make the shift points a come a little later. This some how made the tc problem go away too. wow!, 2 for the price of 1! I have not had it unlock on me since! My guess is that the problem only happened under light throttle, so by bending the bracket the transmission thinks the throttle is 1/4 when it is really 1/8. And it never really acted up over about a quarter 1/4 throttle before. Hope this may help a bit. Might not be the correct solution but it might help get you through your trip.

 

[tking]

Thanks guys

Hey krussell, tweaked my kick down cable bracket... . no joy



Did raise the shift points some though.



Cepeters, your story is the kind of thing I'd like to avoid. Sounds like quite an ordeal.



With all the bombed trucks out there, can somebody tell me what a dying TC or TCC acts like. Please, please please.

 

[Shooter]

Had to have it done on my y2k. Go to a different dealer and if they wont do it under warranty then pay the $75 or so and get it done. Your stealer is not going to do any thing for you. Don't ya love it when they " fix " the printout instead of the truck. They could always just reflash the PCM or ECM.



If it is not a problem when under a moderate accel then you could drive a little more aggresivly. These trucks do not like to be driven like a 90 yr old is behind the wheel.

 

[tking]

Shooter

You had the FLASH done on your y2k? You didn't say, but can I assume it fixed it?



If I drive harder it is less of an issue. There are times when driving between 45 and 50 mph (often in traffic) when it's a royal pain.



I think I know where I can get it flashed. Wish me luck!!



Todd

 

[Charliep]

I'm going through the same problem with my 98. 5. The reflash lasted 20 miles! Moving the kickdown cable position alters the behavior, but the problem still exists. It is clearly an electrical interference problem - Dodge states this in the reflash TSB - but no real root cause for fix has been identified that I have seen. I can't find any reference by the problem NOT being solved with a new APPS, but!?

Bill Kondolay say they have good luck unwrapping the wire bundle leading to the APPS and separating the wires - back about 3 feet which must be a giant pain in the butt. Someone else suggested wrapping a ground wire around the wires coming out of the alternator. I'm going to clean the connection to the APPS thoroughly, and try the alternator ground solution and see what happens.

 

[Motorhead]

Does anyone know what the re-flash TSB # is? Chris

 

[SnoKing]

Try this. Disconnect both batteries for 30 minutes. Reconnect. Turn key on but do not start the engine. Push the throttle to the floor slowly and let up. Turn the key off. Drive and test. This recalibrates the APPS. Helped mine. SNOKING

 

[Motorhead]

I'll try it... thanks

 

[Strick-9]

There are two different types of torque converter clutch hunting that occur frequently.



One type of hunting is under light throttle from 56-68 mph. This hunting is caused from electrical noise affecting the TPS reading. The alternator wiring is in the same harness as the TPS wires. Pulling the TPS wires out of the wiring harness reduces the amount of interference in the TPS signal. The PCM constantly reads the TPS signal and decides when to lock and unlock the converter. If the input signal is erratic, the PCM constantly locks and unlocks the converter.



Another type of hunting occurs at 38-45 mph. The PCM is programmed to lock the converter at a specific vehicle speed under light throttle. This programming changes slightly from year to year, but the same symptoms are always present. If the vehicle is driven near the speed at which lockup occurs, the PCM will repeatedly lock and unlock the converter.



This often happens in slow traffic where the vehicle speed is hovering somewhere near the lockup speed programmed into the PCM. This isn't a problem with the vehicle. Lockup has to occur at some speed and everyone has different driving habits. Some people's driving habits make the problem appear worse than others.



You shouldn't be towing while locked up at 1300-1500 rpm anyways.



-Chris

 

[Southern Ram]

I had the same problem on my 98. 5. Replaced the TPS switch didn't help but the master tech I know added two more grounds to the Dodge computer and the problem stoped. This idea also helped a friend with the same problem. Dodge enginers said that RF noise from the lift pump was wy it started. In other words a couple of $ in material fixed it.

 

[tking]

Thanks Snowking

I recalibrated the APPS and all is well. Don't know how long it will last but so faf so good.

 

[SnoKing]

Great, worked for me also. SNOKING

 

[deezuldon]

CHECK OUT THE OTHER THREAD ON THIS SUBJECT!!!

DON'T MEAN TO SPOIL THE PARTY OVER HERE, BOYS, BUT GO TO ANOTHER THREAD TITLED "NEED SOME TRANS ADVICE". STARTED BY ED FIELDING BACK ON AUGUST 7TH, ON THIS E X A C T SUBJECT!



COME ON OVER AND READ - READ - READ - THERE'S SIX PAGES ON THIS ISSUE - SO FAR! YOU'RE MISSING OUT - COME TAKE A LOOKSEE!



C YA OVER THERE... .



DEEZULDON

 

[icarus33]

The TSB is 18-02-99 and can be read about in the '98 model year on the Technical Service Bulletins header at the top of the TDR forums page. This is the flash that took care of my truck with your symptoms. If you install a temporary "mystery switch" ( info can be found on the tdr and maybe still on the TST website), one can force a ground onto I think pin six of the transmission electrical connector on the transmission itself. This would allow you to force the Torque converter into lockup with a ground and if it runs fine, the transmission is good. Then you'll definately know that the problem is with the PCM or the wire not applying the necessary ground to the transmission.



I used this method for t'shooting a 12v with the same problem and determined that the transmission was good. This led to the Throttle Position Sensor needing replacement, end of story.



ic

 

[tcourse]

My 98.5 did the same thing

at 76,000 miles. Recalibrated the APPS, didn't help.

Had the reflash and problem gone.



TC

 

[Justbeamn]

I did the TSB and it worked better for about a day!! I read on here about resetting the APPs and to my suprise I can't MAKE it hunt. I was all ready to get rid of the thing. The dealer tried several times for the fix and nothing helped.



The $35 subscription to TDR has paid for itself more times then I can count.



Thanks to all.



Devon

 

[monkeyman]

Same thing!

I installed a Torque Locker on my 2002 3500 Dually, and problems started. I removed it and still had Torque Converter breaking in and out at slow accel. So went to dealer who I have good realationship, and as truck has only 7600 miles on it. They reprogrammed the Computer and it stopped, it also added the fact that now I can idle my truck without any problems, it speeds up idle automatically.

Ask dealer about the computer upgrade that came out Sept 2001, for 24 valves.

Rick