I suspect that my TC is going into lockup too soon while in OD. The second that I hit 45mph, it engages at which point I can only really accelerate if I go into boost. If I were on a road trip this wouldn't really be a problem, but I'm primarily driving within the county, so I tend to keep it in Drive instead of Over Drive. I may be losing a few mpg, but I'm more curious to know wether anyone thinks this may be a sign of things to come.
218,000 miles on transmission - fluid nice & pink/red, filter just changed two weeks ago - no debris in pan.
Oh, and what is it that dictates when TCL takes place? Is it something that's plugged into the transmission, or the PCM, or?
Thanks.

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1996 Bonneville SSEi
- Stock Is A Bad Word -
3.6, FWI, 1 Range Cooler, and Energy Endlinks couldn't prevent a spun bearing.

Could this be related to the TPS? If it's seeing a low angle, I could understand it allowing lockup early.

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WHITE WHINE - 1992 SSE Supercharged 236.26 ci (.040 Over) 15.090 at 90.2 MPH on old engine w/ slipping trans & melted O2 sensor - Gen 3 M62 and matching TB, Gen 2 Pully, Zillamotorsports Ported LIM, YT 1.72 Roller Rockers, SII FPR & Injectors, Hypertech Thermomaster chip w/ 160 Thermo, TransGo Shift Kit, Infinity/Pioneer Speakers & a 10" Alpine Type R Sub, all the watts, 140 amp Alternator, Ricepipe CAI w/ heatshield, Pilot Angel Eye Foglights, Clear Corners, '02 17" Chrome Bent 5's, Magnaflow F-Body Muffler and Hi-flo Cat, Ceramic Coated Ported Exhaust Manifolds, Fan Override, Monroe Reflex struts, red calipers
2009 G8 GT - Sport Red Metallic, loaded, SOLO Axlebacks, Rotofab Intake, Tuned, autodim mirror, removed intake manifold cover, HSV GTS triple gauge pod, two tone red-hot shifter and HSV SuperSport steering wheel, GXP rear sway bar and diffuser, 3.45 diff and various Camaro suspension bits, LED Taillights

What's the TPS? What does the angle have to do with that? Engagement angle? Physical angle in relation to its mounting in the engine bay?

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1996 Bonneville SSEi
- Stock Is A Bad Word -
3.6, FWI, 1 Range Cooler, and Energy Endlinks couldn't prevent a spun bearing.

That's the throttle position sensor. It tells the PCM how far you have the gas pushed. It's signal is taken into account, along with speed and gear (and maybe a few other things, like if the engine is up to normal temp or not) to determine when the TCC should lock up. If your TPS is showing a low throttle angle it'll confuse the PCM.

If you look at the throttle body, it's the sensor on the opposite side from the throttle cables. There should be a little arm on the sensor that is against a pin on the throttle shaft and it should move with the throttle.

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WHITE WHINE - 1992 SSE Supercharged 236.26 ci (.040 Over) 15.090 at 90.2 MPH on old engine w/ slipping trans & melted O2 sensor - Gen 3 M62 and matching TB, Gen 2 Pully, Zillamotorsports Ported LIM, YT 1.72 Roller Rockers, SII FPR & Injectors, Hypertech Thermomaster chip w/ 160 Thermo, TransGo Shift Kit, Infinity/Pioneer Speakers & a 10" Alpine Type R Sub, all the watts, 140 amp Alternator, Ricepipe CAI w/ heatshield, Pilot Angel Eye Foglights, Clear Corners, '02 17" Chrome Bent 5's, Magnaflow F-Body Muffler and Hi-flo Cat, Ceramic Coated Ported Exhaust Manifolds, Fan Override, Monroe Reflex struts, red calipers
2009 G8 GT - Sport Red Metallic, loaded, SOLO Axlebacks, Rotofab Intake, Tuned, autodim mirror, removed intake manifold cover, HSV GTS triple gauge pod, two tone red-hot shifter and HSV SuperSport steering wheel, GXP rear sway bar and diffuser, 3.45 diff and various Camaro suspension bits, LED Taillights

It would look something like the black chunk here, with the little arm coming out one end resting against the pin on the throttle shaft.

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WHITE WHINE - 1992 SSE Supercharged 236.26 ci (.040 Over) 15.090 at 90.2 MPH on old engine w/ slipping trans & melted O2 sensor - Gen 3 M62 and matching TB, Gen 2 Pully, Zillamotorsports Ported LIM, YT 1.72 Roller Rockers, SII FPR & Injectors, Hypertech Thermomaster chip w/ 160 Thermo, TransGo Shift Kit, Infinity/Pioneer Speakers & a 10" Alpine Type R Sub, all the watts, 140 amp Alternator, Ricepipe CAI w/ heatshield, Pilot Angel Eye Foglights, Clear Corners, '02 17" Chrome Bent 5's, Magnaflow F-Body Muffler and Hi-flo Cat, Ceramic Coated Ported Exhaust Manifolds, Fan Override, Monroe Reflex struts, red calipers
2009 G8 GT - Sport Red Metallic, loaded, SOLO Axlebacks, Rotofab Intake, Tuned, autodim mirror, removed intake manifold cover, HSV GTS triple gauge pod, two tone red-hot shifter and HSV SuperSport steering wheel, GXP rear sway bar and diffuser, 3.45 diff and various Camaro suspension bits, LED Taillights

FWIW, the TCC on my Buick will lock right at 45 mph if accelerating gently. And it'll hold lock as long as it can, even when it loses lots of speed. I've kept it in 3rd to stop the gear hunting up steep hills going about 45-50 mph.

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2012 Chevrolet Cruze Eco - Current car

1999 Buick LeSabre Custom - Former car

Learn from the mistakes of others, that way when you mess up you can do so in new and interesting ways.

Interesting.
Thanks for the input thus far.
I'm off to work now - I'll check back when I'm off.

_________________
1996 Bonneville SSEi
- Stock Is A Bad Word -
3.6, FWI, 1 Range Cooler, and Energy Endlinks couldn't prevent a spun bearing.

Here's our Techinfo for testing the TPS. Hopefully someone will chime in if it's much different than the 93 the article was written with.

viewtopic.php?f=48&t=9098

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WHITE WHINE - 1992 SSE Supercharged 236.26 ci (.040 Over) 15.090 at 90.2 MPH on old engine w/ slipping trans & melted O2 sensor - Gen 3 M62 and matching TB, Gen 2 Pully, Zillamotorsports Ported LIM, YT 1.72 Roller Rockers, SII FPR & Injectors, Hypertech Thermomaster chip w/ 160 Thermo, TransGo Shift Kit, Infinity/Pioneer Speakers & a 10" Alpine Type R Sub, all the watts, 140 amp Alternator, Ricepipe CAI w/ heatshield, Pilot Angel Eye Foglights, Clear Corners, '02 17" Chrome Bent 5's, Magnaflow F-Body Muffler and Hi-flo Cat, Ceramic Coated Ported Exhaust Manifolds, Fan Override, Monroe Reflex struts, red calipers
2009 G8 GT - Sport Red Metallic, loaded, SOLO Axlebacks, Rotofab Intake, Tuned, autodim mirror, removed intake manifold cover, HSV GTS triple gauge pod, two tone red-hot shifter and HSV SuperSport steering wheel, GXP rear sway bar and diffuser, 3.45 diff and various Camaro suspension bits, LED Taillights

Just to clarify a small point...

Your 1996 SSEi has a 4T60E-HD...I don't know as much about the 65Es, it may be this way with them too (I know it is in later models like in our 09 Lucerne)...but your torque converter can lock (and usually does lock at this speed under normal driving) as low as 30 mph. A lockup at 45 mph is in no way too early, if it's actually locking up at that speed, you're either going pretty hard on the throttle or there's some other problem. You'd know cause your car would be revving high and there would be no "shift" at 30 mph.

What does occur around 45 mph under normal driving is the 3-4 gear shift. It does feel like a lot is going on during the shift because if I'm not mistaken the TC allows a little slip during the shift and then locks back up immediately after. Thus, you get the feeling when applying around half throttle in OD that it downshifts twice...the TC unlocks and the trans downshifts to third. In speeds over 45 mph the 3-4 shift and TC lock work together.

Still, you're getting good advice...if it's not downshifting like it's supposed to the TPS is a good place to start...

The car's computer looks at a variety of things to determine when the shift takes place, the TPS is probably the biggest factor.

Also I don't recommend driving it in D for very far or long with your higher mileage transmission unless you have an aftermarket trans cooler. 4T60E's run hot and the only way they can really cool down without one is running around with the converter locked, this puts less friction on the fluid and therefore, less heat.
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-Dan
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2012 Nissan Maxima SV Premium • Super Black • Charcoal • VQ35DE • Bose • Factory HID • 5000k LED Int/Ext
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__I n n o v a t i o n__T h a t __E x c i t e s

Thanks - that's quite a wealth of information.

J - thanks for the link. I won't have time (or light) to test the TPS until Monday or Tuesday - which will give me time to dig out the multimeter.

LéS - It has, over time, seemed like it would downshift only with more and more throttle applied. Tonight, on the way home from work, with gradual appilcation, it took around 80% throttle to kickdown and by that point it seems too late. I don't want to feel like I'm lugging the motor and in my mind, I would be making that strain on the motor far worse by pushing 5-7psi in addition. By lugging, I mean asking alot from the motor below 1500rpm.
I don't really go more than 15miles in D. Since moving back into town, it's mostly a grocery-getter/inclement weather ride. I'll keep that in mind for greater distances, though.
I was under the impression that my vehicle had a seperate transmission cooler - or do you mean something with a greater capacity than stock?

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1996 Bonneville SSEi
- Stock Is A Bad Word -
3.6, FWI, 1 Range Cooler, and Energy Endlinks couldn't prevent a spun bearing.

Greater capacity than stock. By design, it can't keep the transmission fluid cooler than 195 degrees (or whatever stat you've got in there). Ideally, it should operate around 160 degrees.

15 miles probably won't hurt it.
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_________________
-Dan
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2012 Nissan Maxima SV Premium • Super Black • Charcoal • VQ35DE • Bose • Factory HID • 5000k LED Int/Ext
_
__I n n o v a t i o n__T h a t __E x c i t e s

The TPS will be the likely culprit, but you will want to check that... The PCM takes its load factors from the TPS, if its off at all the PCM can toss in the TCC too early under a load condition... So yes the TPS needs to be looked over...

So judging from the techinfo, this is not a pull, clean, reinstall, but a replacement operation if things do not read properly.
I looked at RockAuto & couldn't find it but did find it at gmpartsdirect for $52 - but they had two that might apply - one for "sfi," and one for "mfi." I'm assuming that if I needed it, I would be the sfi. Does anyone have a part#?

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1996 Bonneville SSEi
- Stock Is A Bad Word -
3.6, FWI, 1 Range Cooler, and Energy Endlinks couldn't prevent a spun bearing.

With all the experienced advice pointing to the TPS, it's the likely culprit. However, don't overlook the MAF. It's quick to clean if it hasn't been done in awhile. I experienced very similar symptoms on another vehicle because of a contaminated MAF. A simple cleaning with carb cleaner (VERY carefully with a Q-tip), then with electrical cleaner restored the correct operation of the TCC.

FWIW, the TCC had been locking up and holding under load to the point of harsh knocking and bucking. I originally thought it was TPS and replaced it, but it did not correct the condition. I took it to the dealer and they tried changing the computer, but that didn't correct the problem. Then I came across a TSB that pointed to the MAF. I tried cleaning it with electrical contact cleaner, but that did not clean it properly. Then I switched to carb cleaner on a Q-tip followed by electrical contact cleaner. That corrected the problem.

Good idea - I did it last year, but I'll have another look at it when I'm in there.

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1996 Bonneville SSEi
- Stock Is A Bad Word -
3.6, FWI, 1 Range Cooler, and Energy Endlinks couldn't prevent a spun bearing.