Can only drive forwards gears AFTER engaging reverse?!

[Matt Wright]

Sheesh that's a lot, thanks Chris/Jon.
I'll have a look at the Opie oils now that I have time and a trip north (to somewhere) is looking good. Gav might get a knock on his door too just for fun, I've given himenuf stick lately

Just emailed Oilman.. Will see what he says for ATF and engine oil.. You know should really change the oil filter when one changes the oil!

 

[Andrew Prince]

You know should really change the oil filter when one changes the oil!

Or change the oil when you change the filter

 

[Matt Wright]

Hm.. I'm going to take the truck in to have the gearbox looked at this weekend cause it's totally fine the one minute and then at around 1300 revs, there's that funny clanging/grinding noise and it just doesn't feel right. It's also still not figuring out which gear it's supposed to be in at the right time when accelerating..

It actually CUT OUT just after driving up Wimbledon hill - in the middle of the clanging noise so there's something amiss there

So, will let you know what the status is on the weekend..

 

[Matt Wright]

Hi guys

The issue seems to be sorted or being sorted today. The diagnostics revealed that there is an issue (no explanation of exactly what) with the soleniods so today the wiring loom and solenoids are being replaced. The guys at KSM auto cannot see any issue with the internal workings of the box so that's luckily no the issue [touch wood]

Thanks a lot for your help in troubleshooting this Jon - sounds like you were spot on again
Matt

 

[Gav Peter]

Excellent news Matt

PS - you need to update your sig line

 

[Andrew Prince]

Glad you got it sorted It was cutting it fine

 

[Chas]

Good news Matt, I'm glad KLSM got you sorted , not long now, about a week or so?

 

[Gav Peter]

Try 2 days Chas!!!

 

[Chas]

Bon voyage Matt

 

[Matt Wright]

Hi all

As Andrew mentioned, there has been progress on the gearbox front - but not all good I'm afraid..
I haven't called KSM (the guys who did the diagnosis and fitted the parts) but I think it's very safe to say that all is not well with the truck unfortunately. To be frank, I'm rather annoyed after shelling almost £500 for this job which is way more than any work done to date on the truck. Paid for work which amounts to just one thing which was getting the fuel tank re-fitted which was something I couldn't do. Every other thing I've done with help from one of ya of myself..

Symptoms a few weeks ago were :
Car would not pull off without really revving for a while as it took of sllloooowly (Jon mentioned this was not good to do so I've only done it once I think luckily)
If you engaged Reverse and then drive it pulled off 100%
Gearing while driving was odd - the truck wouldn't get in to "overdrive" / the high gear and always felt like it was revving higher than it should have been
I figured out pretty quickly how to work around this ie rev it a bit and then ease off and it figured it out and stepped up in to the high gear and the turbo engaged properly and I could feel the boost

Since then, I had the 2 solenoids replaced and the wiring loom. I was at work up to the last minute and my friend took it in to get it done so we don't have any info other than that the parts were fitted and a full ATF flush done (which I was going to do anyway)

Japie (trip team member) couldn't start the truck on that day so the pumped the fuel line a couple times and it was fine for the rest of the afternoon and evening while we packed. Started her up Saturday morning and headed out but after about 800metres, I could feel it wanting more fuel / shuddering so I adjusted the fuel pump with the 6mm socket up a tiny bit and it got better. But.
* Seems like there are 2 problems now btw *

I wasn't able to get the truck to drive faster than 30mph, regardless of the amount of revving. In fact, easing right back to what felt like a very little allowed the gearbox? to figure out what was going on and gradually speed up.
As said, I think I had 2 issues at this point in time and after chatting to Andy P, agreed it was fuel related and to give it good drive to clear it out. It hasn't been driven more than 20 miles in aaaages. Things did improve and I managed, through figuring out how to drive it, to get her up to 50 and then 60mph. This allowed us to just make the ferry which is why I was stressing!

The truck is now loaded for the trip though but it's not nearly as heavy as others I've driven - it is carrying lots more than normal though
The other major issue is that I will be cruising along at 55 - 60mph, bang on 2000rpm with no issues until I hit the slightest incline. That's pretty much tickets for it.
I make sure that I keep revving delicately so that it keeps in the high gear and go as far up as I can. At some point though it just gears down to 2nd? and no matter how much or little I rev, it doesn't go faster or slower - the revs go up, but there is zero increased power
She usually lurches forward if I rev like a racing driver so I'm sure the awful wind resistance box I have on the top and the weight isn't helping but I find it hard to believe a 4.2l engine would literally run out of steam.. It's the equivalent of driving a 1.3l car at full pace and when you come up to hills, it gradually slows down and then speeds back up as you near the top. In this case you can see the directly relation of the extra hill angle using more of the power..

So, we caught the ferry and drove all the way to Switzerland with the same scenario which is now :
Cannot pull off most times from the first start in the morning in Drive, I need reverse. Subsequent pull offs are ok in Drive
The gearing is off and still often feels like I'm always a gear lower than the very rocket like overdrive gear usually engaged on the motor way
Hills immediately give the above reaction

I will check the fuel line as soon as it's a) not pitch dark, b) not snowing or raining hard, c) warm enough to do so, d) I can get to my sockets which are neatly packed at the back!
If there is a fuel blockage though, most of it must have blown through? as I am able to get up to 60mpg where before it was 30
I'm far more concerned about the gearing as the diagnosis machine at KSM said that "it needed the solenoids and wiring loom replaced" which has been done. I assume they wouldn't have let it out of the door knowing there was a fault but.. They're great guys so I'm hoping..

That's about as much info as I can give right now. I have to shoot off now but will get back online later on tonight. Hopefully tomorrow as well..
Any suggestions very very much appreciated And expect more questions as always And any more info in situations you have please fire away...

Thanks guys
Matt

 

[Andrew Prince]

I will check the fuel line as soon as it's a) not pitch dark, b) not snowing or raining hard, c) warm enough to do so, d) I can get to my sockets which are neatly packed at the back!
If there is a fuel blockage though, most of it must have blown through? as I am able to get up to 60mpg where before it was 30

After 700 odd miles, I think you can probably rule out a fuel blockage. I presume you mean 60 mph not mpg! Unless someone snuck a Prius engine in there when you weren't watching - this would also explain the sluggish performance on hills

What has your fuel consumption been like? Any noticeable difference from previously - I know it's hard to compare when you've added a ton of kit on the roof etc.

I think we need a gearbox guru to make a diagnosis here - Dr. Widlsmith springs to mind

Best of luck and give us a shout if there's anything that can be done on this end (other than lending you my 80 )

Cheers,

 

[Matt Wright]

What has your fuel consumption been like? Any noticeable difference from previously - I know it's hard to compare when you've added a ton of kit on the roof etc.

We got 410miles from 130litres...
Not great as we got over 600 on the same tank when we drove northern Scotland to London
- We are in severe head on driving winds though, lots of snow
- I'd guess we have around 400kgs of kit which is also new
- the storage box on the roof is 400mm high so pretty much a shield

Did 200 miles today and burned around E50 of fuel so it's going to have to improve for the rest of the trip. I'm guessing the extra fuel is being burned when I have to rev it to try and shift through the gears / drive normally vs experimenting / no snow and better weather..

Offer of your truck greatly appreciated, can I start with the gearbox please
Thanks A

 

[Dave Docwra]

Hi Matt,

Would be worth Checking the Throttle Position Sensor is returning when the throttle is released.

 

[Matt Wright]

Hi Dave
Thanks for the tip- can i ask what that might change? Reason I ask is that I seem to have varying issues? An immediate change when approaching hills, revving passed a certain point yields no more power etc.
Thanks a lot
Matt

 

[Jon Wildsmith]

This is sounding pretty tricky for a remote diagnosis Matt, especially considering some pro's? have had a look and it still has problems. If an auto is reving more than you think it should and feels like something is slipping that's generally a sign that the clutch bands are slipping and that's something you need to avoid if at all possible. The further you travel with it in this condition the more likely a box replacement gets

There is an electronic TPS on the injection pump which helps the ECU decide what gear you need and gear change timing. That can cause eratic, sloppy and harsh gear changes if it's out of adjustment but not constant slipping.

There is a cable from the injection pump to the gearbox (the one that's not the throttle cable ) which runs to a hydraulic TPS inside the gearbox and controls the hydraulic line pressure. If this is out of adjustment / snapped / siezed it can cause slipping, lack of lock up, sloppy or harsh gear changes. At the injection pump end, check the cable moves freely with a bit of resistance and also that it returns correctly - there's a spring loaded valve on the other end basicly so it should pull itself back in. This is probably the easiest thing you can check, doesn't need any tools, won't take long, no excuses

EDIT: P.S. unless someone put an old gearbox in your truck there are 4 solenoids on the valve body not 2. Do you know which ones were changed?

 

[Matt Wright]

Hi Jon

Thanks for the reply, it's really appreciated given where we are and about to do.. I'll start tomorrow by calling KSM and getting a detailed analysis of what they did. It does sound like the replacement parts haven't done anything though based on what you've said and what I'm seeing..
Let me start with a call to them and checking the cable as you mentioned and I'll post a report asap.

I think I wrote a lot of symptoms / issues/ info - does any of it sound like it could be grouped in to 1 or more problems?
Would a video of it starting off help as a last resort?
(This is really getting interesting )

Thanks again
Matt

 

[Dave Docwra]

Is it slipping or refusing to change gear?

TPS will do all the Things as stated by Jon & it will aslo stop it from changing above second gear.

 

[Jon Wildsmith]

Did KSM check the state of the gear selector position sensor? That tells the gearbox what gear you have selected and they can get quite corroded inside and become unreliable. Quite easy to remove, take apart and inspect. Really it needs a systematic check of all the circuits and devices related to gearbox control to establish what is failing. Diagnosing it remotely all we can do is keep pointing you at different things to check and hope something works out

You may have a fueling issue but it sounds like your main problem in getting drive is the gearbox clutches slipping. I'll sound like a stuck record but if you keep using it like that then very soon now it will give up and won't go anywhere till the box has been changed or rebuilt, they really don't like it.

 

[Matt Wright]

Hi Dave

It's not slipping in and out of gear - it is capable of getting in to and staying in it's chosen gear choice
I just think it's choosing the wrong gear at times ie it used to always be in the highest gear, now it stays in the lower one and i have to trick it to get it in to the high gear by revving and then slacking off so it senses that it doesn't have to pull much and can remain in high

I refuses to gear up unless I trick it.. Gearing down it has no problem. Ie it's specifically a problem getting in to high gear and then staying in it + when I am in gear accelerating, there's a point around 2200rpm that regardless of how much I press the accelerator down, it just revs up and doesn't actually go faster (it used to leap forward if I did that)

- As I type this it almost feels like maaaybe it's just the way it is after adding weight, a storage box and rack? I just find it hard to believe an 80 couldn't make it up a slight incline without having to gear right down

Does that make it any clearer?
How / what do I check to see how the TPS sensor please (or is it described in the FSM which I have)

Thanks again guys
PS, going to take a movie and upload it at the hotel if I can tomorrow.. That way you can see what I really mean..

 

[Matt Wright]

And, Hi Jon again, just saw your other reply.

I doubt KSM checked the TPS. From my conversations with them they just attached the diagnostics device and it said that the 2 (note they only said 2 and not 4 as u said ) + the wiring loom needed replacing which is what they did + replacing the gaskets and doing an ATF flush (guessing that's obvious as they'd have drained it)

After reading you guys information, it feels a lot to me like a sensing issue, specifically the sensor (clutch) that gets in to the high gear.
Ok, so at present my game plan is :

Check the cable you mentioned for slack etc
Find out how to check the TPS is ok - easy / complicated / take off / risky / definitely mechanic required?
Take a movie of it in action and send it on..

Have to sign off now - they switch it off