1992 Holden Jackaroo Auto transmission not transmitting!

BRAINTEASER

MEMBER
1992 HOLDEN JACKAROO
70,000 MILES

Hi, for a while this 3.5l V6 petrol auto SWB Jackaroo has *intermittently* had the 'check transmission' light come on. There is no repeatable event that makes it happen. We have spent hours in 4wd in the mountains and it has been fine but drive to the corner shop and it can spit the chewie! When the light is flashing the transmission is in 'limp home' mode. By simply turning the engine off and back on again the transmission works fine again so I have been told it is likely to be one of up to 15 sensors that cause the computer to *think* there is a problem.
Last week on a drive it started slipping slightly when driving but only in 3rd and 4th gears. I was trying to find a transmission place to look at it (I'm in a small country town in Australia) but didn't find one before the events of today.
Today it has escalated in as much as the transmission is not working at all - no forward or reverse movement. This happened on a short (1 mile) drive. It started by slipping just after leaving home and very quickly did nothing and had to be towed home.
Fluid level is fine [new oil only 1000 miles ago, old oil had no signs of anything untoward and nothing stuck to the drain magnet], the oil is clean and no smell or taste of burning.
The engine starts and runs as normal, when the selector is moved into [any] gear position the engine revs increase slightly but there is no sign of vehicle movement.
A suggestion from an ex-mechanic friend is the pump seal has blown or the pump itself may have failed, therefore no hydraulic pressure?
I have seen on the schematics there is a solenoid for the torque converter - if that stopped/stuck would that cause these symptoms?
In short, I'm stumped! I haven't even worked out how to get it in my driveway so I can work on it yet, pushing it uphill wouldn't be fun :-)
Any help/suggestions would be most appreciated

5 Replies

MHPAUTOS

MECHANIC
31,937 POSTS

The torque converter solenoid you refer to will be the lock up clutch and this will not be the problem, you should start with a scan to see what the code is that has caused the check light to activate and I would also get a transmission line pressure test doe this will give a good indication as to pump and governor condition, start here.

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Monday, August 26th, 2013 AT 4:39 AM

BRAINTEASER

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3 POSTS

Okay, fiddled around for a month or so, finally conceded defeat and towed it to a mechanic.

He tells me there is a broken wire on a solenoid above the oil filter but the major problem is a large amount of 'slop' in the rear clutch. He tells me it needs a new transmission.

I now have 2 questions:
1. Will an auto transmission from a later model fit [with or without minor modifications/changes]?
2. How easy would it be to convert to a manual transmission?

Any advice would be appreciated, thanks in advance.

Brian

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Sunday, October 6th, 2013 AT 9:19 PM

MHPAUTOS

MECHANIC
31,937 POSTS

Check with a wrecker for compatibility, you will need the exact same transmission or the electronics will not work with your ECU, as for a conversion, that is a big job, and it can be very expensive, you will be far better off fixing what you have.

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Monday, October 7th, 2013 AT 3:36 AM

BRAINTEASER

MEMBER
3 POSTS

Thanks again for the information - it seems the vehicle (or me) is cursed! Got a second hand transmission from a wreckers, paid a mechanic to replace it and this one only works in 1st & reverse. I am told this is a sign of internal problems - take it out and rebuild it! This seems to me like an answer from someone that can't be bothered finding & fixing the problem [but I have been wrong before] but would rather take the 'easier' and most lucrative [for them] option.
What thinketh you fine folk - am I indeed wrong again [could it be as simple as a solenoid failure for instance] or does the transmission man speak the truth?
Cheers again for your time.
Brian

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Sunday, November 24th, 2013 AT 6:43 PM

MHPAUTOS

MECHANIC
31,937 POSTS

The transmission should have a basic warranty it may be cheaper to get them to supply a replacement transmission, to re build may be rather expensive, if you have your original transmission maybe you could get a quote on re building that one.