[PRAY]

Not sure what I broke or how to narrow it down. Car has been acting strange for a while now. It hasn't 60fted very well and has had some vibration/shudder in shifts and every now and then wouldn't command the correct lock up or shifts. During burn outs it would take forever to shift into 2nd where before it was instant on the bump.

Once the DS broke a couple weeks ago I attributed all the issues to that going bad. I got the new DS in and things seemed to be alright. After the last dyno session all seemed to be well. I burned down 5.0 three times on the way home and things still seemed fine. The next day I went to do some street testing and the car shuddered and felt like it misfired so bad above 5K I aborted 2 runs. Looking over the logs all seemed well but there was some really sporadic KR that wasn't there the day before on the dyno or street logs. The car didn't feel all that strong.

Since then, every time the car is locked up it feels like crap driving it. It is really bad in the morning's when everything is cold. It feels like a horrible misfire and TM pulling timing. But it doesn't really show anything on the scanner. If you tap it and get it out of lock up it kind of goes away. But lets say you are trying to pass some one in a higher gear locked up it will buck and surge and show some KR every now and then.

I pulled all the plugs last night and all seemed well. I didn't have time for a leak down or compression test.

Took it to the track today and everything was WAY off. 60ft's sucked even though traction was goodish. MPH was way down. I was getting that really bad misfire and bucking/surging feeling and the car wasn't hitting my commanded lock up points or shift points. I narrowed down the KR to basically cylinder #5 even though I added fuel and pulled the timing back across the board. So I ended up desensitizing the #5 cylinder to see if the "misfire" misfire would go away. With the same timing in that cylinder it basically took care of the actual "misfire" feeling for the most part except at the end of the track.

I made a few changes and made a final pass. I had to pedal it once or twice, it didn't hit commanded lock up or shift points and it started banging and misfiring when I hit 5th so I let out at about the 1K ft mark. The car did it's normal slow down procedure. I have all of my decal TM in it. When I went to turn up the hill on the return road the car started revving way to high. Like when it is stuck in comp mode in D. This happens most of the time at the end of the run so I usually get off the gas and back on once or twice and it is fine. This time it just kept free revving.

After the shack I was basically done. I made it about 100 yards with the car revving up and what not and pulled it over. It would not do anything in any of the gears after that. Here is the weird part. If I reflash it I can get it to run and drive for about 15 seconds or so then it shut off or will just free rev. I even tried deleting all of the diagnostics and it still does it. Obviously the trans is seeing something out of whack and cutting the connection or something. But I can't figure out what "it" is. Line pressure, rpm difference, stator speed, pump pressure, shaft speed? What is going on? I am going to drop the pan tomorrow and see what I can see. To me it seems like a converter issue but what do I know.

Anyone else run into any issues like this?

Oh, yeah, and something keeps kicking my car out of P.E. around 90 mph. Did it on the dyno the other day and after some changes it went away and it was doing it all day at the track. This thing is tripping me out.

[Megahurtz]

Subscribed. I have a Torque Management gremlin as you know. Feels like misfiring but its not. I still suspect the converter.

[PinHead]

+1 First guess would be the converter.

Second, I would check the Trans Fluid Pressure during operation.

What does the Trans Fluid look/smell like?

It also sound like, when you blew the DS, it might of broke something else in the Trans.

Anyway I'd pull the Trans and Bench test w/converter. I wouldn't keep driving it in that condition.

No trans codes would tell me that the TCM etc is working Ok.

PE= ?

[PinHead]

Also check the all the connections at the Trans. When the DS broke it could of knocked a connection loose, (but that should of threw a code)??? I've seen stranger things through.

[PRAY]

So I dropped the pan and it is full of a graphite colered powder. Looks like the crap that comes off my rear diff magnet every time I change the fluid. I am assuming it is clutch material. I am just not sure if it is from the trans or converter. At least there is no metal or anything like that. The fluid doesn't smell burnt but it is pretty dark. It just smells like used trans fluid to me. It all stinks. I monitor the trans temp pretty religiously.

I am still leaning towards it not being the trans. I did notice a weird whirring noise from up around the converter and a really random low speed noise like a marble bouncing around. It has all been coming from around the converter area. I talked to my trans guy and he said that they have been seeing pump issues with these trans alot lately. He said the pumps are very sensitive. He also said that how the TCM connects with the valve body is touchy. I was going to drop the trans and swap the stock converter back in and see what happens. But now I think I am going to send the converter to Circle D and the trans to him for a build up. I will see if he can do a bench test first. With how the fluid looked I definitely want to flush my entire trans fluid track. I don't want any of that crap getting into my new stuff. It will be nice to finally get what the motor is actully making to the rear wheels.

I looked for PID's to log line pressure but couldn't find anything. Just shift pressure and TCC lock up pressure.

I haven't seen any TCM codes but I think there is another way I have to look for them instead of just looking for your standard codes. I am not super awesome at all the features of HPT still. I meant to double check today after I tried to pull it into the garage but I already disconnected the battery. I got side tracked with some other stuff going on with customers today.

[KingLT1]

Graphite colored material is normal...Does not sound like a trans issue. Just guessing, I am going to say it's converter related.

[PRAY]

Originally Posted by KingLT1

Graphite colored material is normal...Does not sound like a trans issue. Just guessing, I am going to say it's converter related.

I tend to concur with you with how everything went. There are guys out there with twice the power I have on stock converters. TQ is what kills transmissions I honestly don't have a ton of that.

[Snowblind]

This sucks to hear, hope it all works out for you. No chance you would want to try warranty claim with the dealer ? It's a looong shot but the worse they can do is say no.

[Blk16SS]

Sorry to hear it Bro! I really doubt its the transmission.. My buddy Sam over @ AMP pushed around 1200hp through his A8 for over 2yrs before it finally let go..

[Turbo_RORO]

Originally Posted by PRAY

So I dropped the pan and it is full of a graphite colered powder. Looks like the crap that comes off my rear diff magnet every time I change the fluid. I am assuming it is clutch material. I am just not sure if it is from the trans or converter. At least there is no metal or anything like that. The fluid doesn't smell burnt but it is pretty dark. It just smells like used trans fluid to me. It all stinks. I monitor the trans temp pretty religiously.

I am still leaning towards it not being the trans. I did notice a weird whirring noise from up around the converter and a really random low speed noise like a marble bouncing around. It has all been coming from around the converter area. I talked to my trans guy and he said that they have been seeing pump issues with these trans alot lately. He said the pumps are very sensitive. He also said that how the TCM connects with the valve body is touchy. I was going to drop the trans and swap the stock converter back in and see what happens. But now I think I am going to send the converter to Circle D and the trans to him for a build up. I will see if he can do a bench test first. With how the fluid looked I definitely want to flush my entire trans fluid track. I don't want any of that crap getting into my new stuff. It will be nice to finally get what the motor is actully making to the rear wheels.

I looked for PID's to log line pressure but couldn't find anything. Just shift pressure and TCC lock up pressure.

I haven't seen any TCM codes but I think there is another way I have to look for them instead of just looking for your standard codes. I am not super awesome at all the features of HPT still. I meant to double check today after I tried to pull it into the garage but I already disconnected the battery. I got side tracked with some other stuff going on with customers today.

Pray I am in a similar boat. My problem is the trans slipping at high RPM, Missing shifts, was thinking about the converter being the problem, now I'm thinking trans, I'm really hoping it is tune related. If I can get the tune ironed out and the trans cant hang with the torque I'm making then there a real big chance that a th400 is going in the car to fully get rid of a trans problems for good (hopefully). Also on some of the forums on FB there are plenty of guys having trans problems.

[PinHead]

Originally Posted by PRAY

So I dropped the pan and it is full of a graphite colered powder. Looks like the crap that comes off my rear diff magnet every time I change the fluid. I am assuming it is clutch material. I am just not sure if it is from the trans or converter. At least there is no metal or anything like that. The fluid doesn't smell burnt but it is pretty dark.

It sounds like you may have multiple problems, (one maybe worse than the other).

I'd be a little concerned about the excessive amount of debris material in the pan,(I wonder if Blackstone Labs could test it for ya).
How long has that trans fluid been in since last change?

I'm interested what the Trans Guy finds when he bench tests your converter.

Why not have him bench test the entire trans? That'll give you an idea about line pressures etc.

You're on the right track through. I'd definitely do a thorough flush before installing any parts.

Thanks for the update

[PRAY]

Originally Posted by Snowblind

This sucks to hear, hope it all works out for you. No chance you would want to try warranty claim with the dealer ? It's a looong shot but the worse they can do is say no.

I thought about it but in my book that would fall under "ill gotten gain". I started avoiding anything like that many, many years ago. If the trans is trashed then it is not GM's fault and it wouldn't be right to try to get them to square me away. I am sure the trans would have lasted forever had I left it alone.

The Converter I am sure will be taken car of by Circle D.

With everything that is done to the car and how much work it would take to try to get it back "looking" stock I would still just end up with a stock trans in the end.

[PRAY]

Originally Posted by PinHead

It sounds like you may have multiple problems, (one maybe worse than the other).

I'd be a little concerned about the excessive amount of debris material in the pan,(I wonder if Blackstone Labs could test it for ya).
How long has that trans fluid been in since last change?

I'm interested what the Trans Guy finds when he bench tests your converter.

Why not have him bench test the entire trans? That'll give you an idea about line pressures etc.

You're on the right track through. I'd definitely do a thorough flush before installing any parts.

Thanks for the update

I flushed the trans at 1,200 miles originally. Then we did a full flush with new filter when we put the converter in. I think that was 5-10K miles ago. I probably should have done a flush a couple K after the converter install.

I am sending the Converter back to Circle D regardless for a check up and possibly a re-stall. It was one of the originals and there may be some updates I can get. I have to drive the trans about two hours away to drop it off. I am sure my Trans Guy will do what he needs to get it all figured out. I am hoping to have an in depth conversation with him today before we make a final plan.

[PRAY]

Originally Posted by Turbo_RORO

Pray I am in a similar boat. My problem is the trans slipping at high RPM, Missing shifts, was thinking about the converter being the problem, now I'm thinking trans, I'm really hoping it is tune related. If I can get the tune ironed out and the trans cant hang with the torque I'm making then there a real big chance that a th400 is going in the car to fully get rid of a trans problems for good (hopefully). Also on some of the forums on FB there are plenty of guys having trans problems.

Post up what you find out. This is still my daily driver and I love the A8. I just need to get it all checked out and lined out. I am honestly tired of seeing my ride on jack stands in the garage.