TRANS problem

[JaycenK]

Hello all,
Ok so I bought a Mega Monster transmission and torque converter about a month ago. They are similar to what preformabuit dose with their transmissions. I installed it and did as their instruction said for start up and filling of fluid. Everything was fine ran great had firm shifts no leaks fluid level was good. I went to pick up my daughter from school at 4pm. It ran fine with no problems. at 7pm I load up the family and back out of the drive way and shift it in to drive, I give it some gas, it didn't move very well and I thought I left the e brake on, I look down and realize the e brake is not on. I shift it to 1st and give it gas, then more gas and finally it starts to move but I quickly realize it started out in 2nd gear. I looked down to see if I had it in 1st again and it is. I stopped, put it in park and shut the car off and waited a min then fired it back up and tried to take off again this time with it shifted in to regular drive, same thing happens, but this time it tries to take off in 3rd gear so I pulled it back into 1st again and it shifted to 2nd. I then put it in reverse and backed down the street to my drive way and checked the linkage (it was fine) checked the fluid (it was full and did not smell burned) then shifted it from park to reverse and then from reverse to drive back and forth several times and it shifted fine. I then backed out again and tried to drive down the road and same thing again. in regular drive it tries to take off in 3rd. if I pull it to 2nd it goes in to second. If I pull it into 1st it stays in 2nd.

I'm so sorry this is so long but dose anyone have any idea as to what could be causing this?
I am going to call monster on Monday when they open but I'd like some input as to what can cause this problem. Thanks all

[performabuilt]

Sounds like your setting limp mode, I would scan for codes first. Probably a bad solenoid or something of that nature.

[JaycenK]

Hey I appreciate your reply. I should have just bought my trans through you guys like I planed on doing in the first place. Monster is local to me, only about a 30min drive but all the hassles are really getting annoying. I don't have a clue about Automatics. I also don't have an obdII scanner. I will see if I can get one to scan it. Is there anything else I can look at if I don't come up with any codes? Or should I prepare my self for having to pull the damn thing again?
Thanks so much for your response Preformabuilt!!! You just showed me a lot of character and my future trans related purchases will be with you in about 6 to 8 months for a 700R4 truck trans.

[JaycenK]

This was posted by 95Z at another forum. I pulled the plug off and put it right back on and backed down the drive way and had 1st gear again. I had pushed the plug down yesterday but no change. After I pulled it off and put it back on I had 1st gear again.
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The transmission is going into fail safe/limp home mode. It is probabally an electrical problem. Double check the main connection on the right side of the trans. If this is loose, or if trans is not getting power from the computer it will go into the limp home mode too. You won't have OD either and the car is suppose to start in 3rd until you manually select a lower gear, then it goes down to 2nd. You should be able to have the computer scanned to tell you what code the trans is throwing to at least lead you in the right direction.

[performabuilt]

You are just going to need to get it scanned most likely the answer will present it self then

[JaycenK]

OK so I have had this problem with limp mode with my rebuilt monster trans for a while now and I have been to monster to have them (SCAN THE TRANS) but all they did was put a manual controler on it and it worked fine. I went to gm and had them SCAN THE TRANS and there were no codes. I have tried all types of things and I have come to a dicission to have them replace the trans and TC. As a last ditch effort to see if I could get the damn thing to work I went ahead on the advice of a local trans guy and over filled the trans by one quart and and cleared the computer of codes again. Would you belive that it works? I have all gears again but it has some trouble down shifting to 1st but it runs good except for the trail of smoke I leave behind when I turn more than 3500 to 4000 rpms and trans fluid comes out the vent tube on top. Is this the sign of a weak pump? Anyone know why it works with to much fluid but not with it filled correctly? Thanks guys

[JaycenK]

Oh yea has anyone ever had a converter with a knocking sound coming from it? sounds similar to a rod knock

[performabuilt]

The fluid is coming out the vent because your overfull. I would pull the pa and make sure theres a filter in there?
as for the knocking nose check that your converter bolts are tight and that the flex plate is not cracked

[JaycenK]

Scratch anything I have said about this thing working. All of it failed in the end. So what was really going on? I had a trans that was slipping in first gear or not engaging first. So I called Monster back and told them they said we will build you another one. This was last Friday. Sunday I decide to mess around with the car some more and retest engine sensors like the MAP, & TPS. They all tested fine so after rereading the 4l6OE manual again I decided to take my TPS and MAP sensors off and change them out for a couple of spares I have around the garage. As I removed the MAP sensor (I have never taken it off) I see that the ribbed for her pleasure grommet around the probe is completely crushed on one side. I decided to stretch it out a bit and use a small screwdriver to feed it and the map probe back into the hole. I decide to not stop there and test the car again like I should have but to go ahead and change the TPS even though it tested fine.

I have a fully functional transmission again. It wasn't the wire harness, I changed it, it wasn't the solenoids in the trany, I changed them also, it wasn't the computer, YES changed that as well, and it wasn't the trany, which I almost changed. It was a $7 dollar grommet (that you have to get from GM by the way) that caused me 2 months of scratching my head instead off my nunads. From what everyone I talk to tells me is that this is Impossible and I say evidently NOT. I think they should have said Improbable.
How did it happen? The car had a leak in the back part of the intake gasket and it was taken to GM for a repair and GM must have taken it off and not reinstalled it correctly. I am taking the car to MONSTER on Thursday to make sure they think the trans is fine and not damaged from this. I will let you all know soon how it went Thanks for all the responses guys.
:nana: