Aw poo..... tranny not behaving

So it's rainy here today.

I was pulling out into traffic, somebody was coming faster than I thought, so I got on it a little. Little tire slippage but by no means was I gunning it. No biggie.... Then my check engine light comes on. And now my truck is shifting pretty hard. Will rev up higher than normal like it doesn't want to shift (3500 rpm), then shifts hard into the next gear.

So what did I do this time?

Heard tell of the TCU fuse blowing in the early XJ´s. Late erractic shifts/lockup. Might be talking through my exhaust opening, on this one. I don´t really know the AW-4 that well. Had a few of them, never had many problems, an occasional oil change wouldnt cure.
Seen the same problem on many 700R4´s, could be related. The two main causes, were a handfull of tranmission pieces in the bottom of the pan, usually lost a gear or two completely, with that one. Usually first and reverse, with a really late shift into third.
The second, was a bit of crude caught in a passage way or ball check valve (put there, not when you spun the tires, but when you backed off the gas suddenly, under the wrong load conditions). I´m not recommending this! I´d only try it as a last resort, shortly before buying a replacement tranny. Put it up on jack stands and shift from reverse to low at a low idle (use the brakes a little) five or so times. Take it for a test drive and see if anything changes. I´ve had a couple of improvements and a total cure with this methode. But I´d guess, it would be possible, to completely lunch a tranny this way. Seems to sometimes dislodge obstructions in the passageways. I can picture, half dozen auto tranny specialists, having palpitations reading this.

Well, it seems to do it between all shifts. I didn't hear or feel anything that would lead me to believe that I actually broke pieces off... so it may be just some sort of blockage.

Didn't know the check engine light would light for tranny problems.

I also know nothiing about trannys:anon:

I have a warranty, but imagine with the 33s & snorkel the dealer would just laugh at me.....

Any other thoughts?

I was doing some reading and perhaps it could be the TPS? Someone was saying a bad TPS caused theirs to have similar problems after they washed out their engine compartment. Well I have dual hood vents, and it has been raining constantly....

Could be the TPS, but I would first try readjusting the transmission kickdown cable. You may have jsut knocked it out of adjustment.

I'll try anything....How does one adjust that? Special tools?

Does it still downshift, when you put the pedal all the way to the floor?
The TPS is something else, I´ve had little trouble with, at least in my Renix XJ´s. I´ve drowned them and washed them many times. Maybe I´ve just been lucky.
My newest XJ (88) had some shift problems (late shifts), a load of new oil seemed to cure. Also changeing from ATF 3 to Dexron III, seemed to add new life to an old tranny.
Seems possible, during acceleration the tranny was trying to shift, the converter maybe starting to lock, then suddenly backing off the gas and the tranny switching from power to coast to brakeing, then a possible pump overpressure from the wieght of the vehicle, during conflicting operations, could cram a piece of junk into an orifice or valve. Seen it often in 700R4´s.

Haven't tried to floor it..... fearing it will rev too high.

Has worked flawlessly till just now though.

What does the FSM call the tranny kickdown cable?

Had the codes read by the Zone .... replaced TPS ... seems fine now

hey locked up, nice website

Thanks

It keeps me out of trouble .....

Hopefully one day my XJ will be as nice as some of the ones I see on here

warranty

you probably could have talked the dealer into covering that. Depending on which warranty and how many miles you had.

Yeah, but the dealer is on the other side of town ... and I believe the warranty I have setup has a deductable or some such garbage of $50 ...

I'm saving the trip to the dealer unless the engine or tranny explode cause I've messed with everything else

Ill bet you got it right,my '90 did this exact same thing just before it stayed in first gear.New TPS fixed all.