Engine/Transmission (1994 - 1998) TPS Maintenance

[Dual EE]

My stock TPS lasted 8 years w/out any maintenance. When it started acting up-shifting in/out of lock up-I started spraying it with electrical contact cleaner. This usually lasted for about 4-6 months. Last year I purchased a new TPS because I got tired of it acting up when I wasn't in a position to clean it. The first new TPS started acting up after 6 months of service. I took it back and got another one. Now the 2nd new TPS has started acting up-shifting in/out of OD-after about 6 months. I removed and cleaned it. It's working as it should for now.



My question is this. How many of you with autos are having to clean their TPS about every 4-6 months. Is it only my truck that needs the TPS cleaned so frequently? We do have a lot of moister in the air here, but my truck is garaged every night. The replacement TPS's have been purchased from NAPA so maybe their quality is not that of stock? NAPA has a 1 year warrantee on it.

 

[ndurbin]

Atleast yours work after ya spray some cleaner on them. Mine seem just to take a dive after a year or two.



Nathan

 

[Dual EE]

Nathan,

Any ideas on what is causing them to malfunction?



Your old TPS did you try drilling small holes in the back to get the cleaner inside them? My old one, I drilled two hole about the size of the small plastic tube that comes w/the sprayers. Sprayed the cleaner into the holes and blow them out w/compressed air. There is a thread w/more details on this.

Good for 4-6 months in my case.

 

[Leon R]

Maybe I am just lucky, but I bought my truck new and have almost 200,000 kls on it and have never had a problem with my tps.

 

[rsaderlund]

Hey Don,

I know I shouldn't say anything to jinxs her but not a problem one in 93k with mine. Glad to see you cranked that thing up some. Are you coming down to Imlers? I think I will put mine on the rollers again to see what help the 370's did. Man do I need a new turbo housing... just might have one for the dyno day

 

[ndurbin]

No never have found a reason why.



I did put this last one in it's own wiring loom so maybe that will help some. The only thing I did to the other one since I've owned the truck is try to adjust the voltage.



Nathan

 

[Dual EE]

rsaderlund,

My stock TPS went 100k, so you have little more time. :-laf No, I probably won't make it to the Imlers event. Good luck to you though.



ndurbin,

I tried the rewire kit with no positive results.

 

[Howard Durand]

My stock TPS is still working fine. I never have had a problem with it causing the transmission to erratically shift in & out of lockup. When the truck was new, it locked itself out of OD a few times and eventually quit doing that.

Does anyone know if the TPS has the same specifications for all of the trucks or did they make different ones for different years.

My TPS measures 2400 ohms between the 5 volt pin and the ground pin while Joe George has one that measures 2700 ohms. His has a higher voltage on the signal pin at idle than mine. I think his reads close to 1 volt while mine only reads 0. 5 volt.

That is enough to make a big difference in when it shifts.



As to cleaning them, I have never done that to mine but on the ones that have, I wonder if they wouldn't stay clean a little longer if you filled the drive shaft pocket with a gob of silcone grease. It would seal it against moisture and contamination getting into the body of the TPS and, supposedly, does not attract dirt.

 

[K LeClair]

I tried a rewire kit as well. It didn't fix my problem :{ . I did end up cleaning all my battery terminal and all negative ground. I took my TPS off and cleaned cleaned it out with contact cleaner. I also looked at my brake switch and noticed it was ready to fall out of the holder . After doing all of that,I't hasn't given me a problem. I just did it 2 weeks ago,so I am keeping my fingers crossed.