Throtte position sensor wasn't bad after all.

[Loren]

For the last several months, my 1995 automatic has been shifting poorly. From what I learned in the magazine and on this web site I was pretty sure that the throttle position sensor (TPS) was going bad.

I was half right. I bought a new one ($135, discounted price from my local dealer), but before I installed it I thought I would practice the linkage adjustment and voltage test before I removed the old one.

Whadda know? The old one was reading at least 0. 9 volts low at all positions. Adjusting the linkage got the voltage back to where it should have been. I didn't need to install the new one at all. I knew that you have to test the new installation, but until now I didn't know that the old one could go out of adjustment.

The truck now shifts like it was new. I doubt that the nice dealer parts guy will take back the TPS, since it's an electrical part, so I guess that whoever buys the truck will get a spare.

Moral: Don't spend the money for the new part until you're sure you will need it.

Loren

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2000 Quad Cab, 4x4, short bed, six-speed: U. S. Gear exhaust brake, MileMarker Select Drive viscous coupling, Velvet-Ride spring shackles, Painless Wiring circuit box, Optima yellow-top batteries, Super-Glide 5th wheel hitch, Reese folding ball gooseneck hitch, Drawtite front hitch receiver, Tekonsha Sentinel brake controller, Westin nerf bars, Clarion sound system
1995 Standard Cab, 4x4, long bed, automatic: Firestone Ride-Rite air springs, torque converter lock-up switch, 4" cat-back exhaust, Reese 20K 5th wheel hitch, Reese gooseneck hitch, Hayes Micro Control trailer brake controller, 100 gallon bed-mounted fuel tank with 12 volt electric pump & fill nozzle, Swiss Cap fiberglass cap

 

[Missouri Mule]

Loren your right on. To bad your learned the moral to late. Check everthing out before buying something you don't need.

 

[Bill Kondolay]

Loren,

You learned the very good lesson about being a good technician. Never throw parts at something unless you know the part is bad.
Well done.

Bill Kondolay
Diesel Transmission.

 

[Loren]

The truck has 85,000 miles and the TPS has never been changed. From what I have read, I thought that I was really overdue. Naturally, I jumped on the TPS. I was half right.

My friendly Dodge dealer took the part back after I told him that I never installed it. He might not have done it for everyone, but it was nice that he did it for me. I took the credit against my new seat covers.

Loren