Transmission Problem ?

bgetz · 07-04-2006, 06:09 PM

June 30, 06 I took the SSR in for some service workas follows: hood prop rod storage clip, 4th tailgate seal, a miss that was putting fuel soot on the tail gate, drive shaft tink.
They plugged into computer and gave it the update which should take care of the running rich / engine miss. Ordered the latest / greatest driveshaft.
The Tech said the update was alot of transmission "stuff' and some engine mods: MY PROBLEM IS: at times when I stop at a stop sign (or whatever) I notice upon pulling out that the transmission is NOT in 1 gear (automatic), so what I did to prove it was manually pull it into 1st and it would downshift. I would do this after about a 20 or 30 foot start. It doesn't happen all the time but it does occur once or twice out of 10 stops.
I'm wondering if it was the update? It did do it "slightly" before this, but not like now.

Ricochet · 07-04-2006, 06:44 PM

Have you tried giving it a lot of gas from a full start? It may just be part of the shift program to save gas if you dont call for a lot of giddy up from a stop.

bgetz · 07-04-2006, 07:03 PM

I didn't think of that, will try

WOW_FCTR · 07-05-2006, 08:40 AM

Your tailgate leak:

If you are getting water in the rear corners of your tail gate, you may need them to "build" up the seal rather than replacing it. It took a while for them to fix mine, but they did (They never replaced my seal, just built it up where the groove wall wasn't high enough)

JimGnitecki · 07-05-2006, 11:16 AM

The automatic should ALWAYS be in 1st froma dead stop. Even if you drive "granny style", and it shifts into 2nd quickly, it ALWAYS starts in 1st. Something is wrong and needs dealer diagnosis.

Jim G

Greg Ducato · 07-06-2006, 07:33 AM

I agree with Jim, this trans should always start in first gear. Have the dealer check this again and don't believe them if they tell you it is normal, if this condition persists it can cause internal trans problems.

JimGnitecki · 07-06-2006, 08:17 AM

Bgetz: And Greg Ducato should know. He owns and runs Phoenix Transmission, where I got my own SSR transmission strengthened to handle its new power.

Jim G

WOW_FCTR · 07-06-2006, 09:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JimGnitecki

The automatic should ALWAYS be in 1st froma dead stop. Even if you drive "granny style", and it shifts into 2nd quickly, it ALWAYS starts in 1st. Something is wrong and needs dealer diagnosis.

Jim G

When CruzinEd was first doing autocross people suggested that he put it in second gear so that he would only use frist and second, but it turned out that it just stayed in second. It never went into first. I will have to try it with mine again today and see if I just remembering things wrong

JimGnitecki · 07-06-2006, 09:54 AM

The transmission, if it is like other automatics I have used over the years, behaves dffferently when 2nd gear selector position is selected specifically.

In that "2"setting, many automatic transmissions DO start out from a dead stop in 2nd gear. The purpose of this feature is to enable a vehicle to get moving under extreme low traction conditions (e.g. glare ice, or snow on an uphill street). The idea is to limit the torque being transmitted to the ground when operating on a low traction surface. When I lived in Minneapolis, this feature got a regular workput on my cars and trucks.

But, in any other selector position, at east as far as I am aware, the vehicle should start from a dead stop in 1st gear.

Jim G

frank belk · 07-06-2006, 10:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WOW_FCTR

Your tailgate leak:

If you are getting water in the rear corners of your tail gate, you may need them to "build" up the seal rather than replacing it. It took a while for them to fix mine, but they did (They never replaced my seal, just built it up where the groove wall wasn't high enough)

there is a chevrolet bullitin on this leak repair

bgetz · 07-12-2006, 06:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JimGnitecki

The transmission, if it is like other automatics I have used over the years, behaves dffferently when 2nd gear selector position is selected specifically.

In that "2"setting, many automatic transmissions DO start out from a dead stop in 2nd gear. The purpose of this feature is to enable a vehicle to get moving under extreme low traction conditions (e.g. glare ice, or snow on an uphill street). The idea is to limit the torque being transmitted to the ground when operating on a low traction surface. When I lived in Minneapolis, this feature got a regular workput on my cars and trucks.

But, in any other selector position, at east as far as I am aware, the vehicle should start from a dead stop in 1st gear.

Jim G

Jim G is correct.... If I leave the shift lever in "normal" gear "D" it WILL start out in 1st gear BUT if I have it in 2nd it WILL start out in 2nd gear. Most likely the traction aspect that Jim mentioned.
Try it.... It's meant to operate this way.
Another problem solved. Can we consider this an "EASTER EGG" of sorts?
Thanks Jim for the help!

JimGnitecki · 07-12-2006, 08:07 PM

I have always hoped that those two foolish decades in Minnesota would someday do some good for someone . . .

Jim G