HELP!!! 25,000 mile Transmission slipping/slamming 2nd gear

[Krinkov]

Just returned home yesterday from a 2500 mile road trip. No issues...car was running perfect. This morning my wife tells me she took the car to visit a friend and on the way she floored it off a light. The car shifted like it should during the hard take-off and all the rest of the way to her friends house. When she left her friends house the car immediately began having problems on the 1-2 shift. My wife brought the car directly to me to look at.

If I take off slowly, say 10% throttle the car goes through first gear then during the gear change if revs up slightly and abruptly goes into secong gear. If I give it say 50% throttle the car revs WAY up during the gear change then SLAMS into second.

I tried resetting the TCM...nothing. I reset the shift firmness to "Stock"...nothing. I unhooked the battery for five minutes...nothing. I tried to check the trans fluid but with the items I had available it was hard to get a good read as to level. I did notice the fluid looks like it just came from the bottle, and has no strong odor. No obvious leaks, no light/codes. All other shift are normal.

I find it really hard to believe my trans just "fried" all the sudden. Is it possible a solenoid has failed or something? Maybe a hard part has broken in the trans? I did take it to the strip a week earlier (12.69) but have had zero issues with it until now.

What do you guys think?

UPDATE - 6/20/12 - Trans is fixed

Tech noted among other things...

"perform driveability test and found no codes. on test drive found trans flare shift on 1-2 and bumps on 2-1...remove trans and completely dissass clean and inspect. found F1 orc has stacked and failed causing flare. Found K1 snap ring has come unseated."

And here is the list of parts...

Valve
Clutch-outer carrier
Plate-intermediate
O-ring-Trans oil pump
Piston-B1 Clutch
Clutch-front sun gear sprag
Piston-K1 Clutch
Seal-Trans
Seal-Trans
O-ring
Fluid-ATF+
Seal-Output Shaft

Looks like the mighty NAG1 can be broken even behind a stock motor
Kind of a bummer...

[sound&security]

well first thing to do is check the trans fluid level and color and smell.. its normal to smell like fish with synthetic trans fluids

[Daphod74]

How long ago was your FTI torque converter installed?

[Krinkov]

Approximately 6000 miles ago.

Installed by me...fluid level verified by dealer.

[Daphod74]

If you use autostick, does it also fail to respond to the shift on 1-2?

Also - is this a stock TCM?

[Krinkov]

If you use autostick, does it also fail to respond to the shift on 1-2?

Also - is this a stock TCM?

Stock TCM.

Just tried autostick. If the shift is performed under load it does the same thing...rev up/slam. If the shift occurs while maintaining a speed/rpm then it seems to shift normal.

[Daphod74]

I agree with S&S: definitely get the fluid level verified by the dealer for starters. Since you're not seeing dark fluid or noticing a burnt smell, then it seems to rule out burnt clutches and maybe the solenoids/harness should be checked next (before going deeper) - assuming the fluid level is ok. I would think at your mod level, the transmission should hold up however, I have broken a sprag in a TH400 transmission in a stock car because of a plugged valve body caused by a flush and felt similar slippage - although mine was in 1st gear and worse from a dead stop.

[Rupert]

I had a similar issue, only it came on all of a sudden, and it was my TC clutches had came apart and went...everywhere. You havent had any leaks? so if the fluid level is good I'd suggest you drop the pan and look at whats in it, get a new filter to install before you drive the car any further. Tear the old filter apart and see if its clogged on the inside. As far as I know FTI TCs aren't prone to failure, but IF theres a problem with the TC or, say the valve body, catching it now could save you the 4k it cost me to rebuild my NAG-1. I hope its nothing serious and you figure it out soon.

[Krinkov]

Dealer just checked the fluid...level is spot on:-(

[Rupert]

so fluid level is good....Q. Does it ONLy do this in the 1-2 shift? how about other gears and the 3-2 downshift. I fit only does this onthe 1-2 upshift the maybe its isolated to the selinoid.....or some other part of that control portion. when u autostick under light load it shifts normal so Im guessing its not shifting correctly under part throttle let alone WOT.

[Krinkov]

All other up shifts & all down shifts seem normal. If I release the throttle to during the 1-2 up shift it doesn't do it either.

It's as if whatever clutch/band is responsible for loading the motor during the gear change, just isn't working. The motor just "free-revs" then slams into second like a neutral slam. The more throttle, the worse.

Given the fact this happened all the sudden I gotta think either it's electrical, or a part has simply snapped inside the trans.

Trouble is I don't know how to test it, and if I take it to the dealer I have to pull the converter, differential, and programmer off or I'm certain they will fight my warranty claim.

What a bummer.

[fnkychkn]

All other up shifts & all down shifts seem normal. If I release the throttle to during the 1-2 up shift it doesn't do it either.

It's as if whatever clutch/band is responsible for loading the motor during the gear change, just isn't working. The motor just "free-revs" then slams into second like a neutral slam. The more throttle, the worse.

Given the fact this happened all the sudden I gotta think either it's electrical, or a part has simply snapped inside the trans.

Trouble is I don't know how to test it, and if I take it to the dealer I have to pull the converter, differential, and programmer off or I'm certain they will fight my warranty claim.

What a bummer.

ya think?

[Krinkov]

After a re-read that did come off sounding kind of dumb. I was really just trying to explain the pickle I'm in...hoping someone else might have a suggestion on how to confirm what exactly is going on in my trans (other than simply dropping it off at the dealer).

Still, thanks for the productive comment!!! I now understand how you pushed your post count over the 20K mark :-)

[fnkychkn]

as i read all posts in this thread, i had started to assemble a plan of attack for you but when i read that post, i just gave up.
why are you posting your plans to commit fraud on a public forum? smarten up, bud!

[Krinkov]

Ok then. Thanks.