Chrysler Repair: 41TE trans failure: 93 AC-body New Yorker, wheel drive car, chrysler new yorker

Question
QUESTION: Hello Roland:

I have a 1993 Chrysler New Yorker 5th Ave with the 3.3 & I believe the 41TE transaxle. Last week, while accelerating onto a highway with a full vehicle (five people total), the car

suddenly shuddered, stumbled and I heard a metallic bang and it would not continue to drive. The engine recovered and ran well until I pulled over. I looked for obvious signs of a

problem, such as checking under the vehicle for a broken half-shaft, checked the fluid, etc. I found nothing apparently wrong. However, after that inspection, I put the car back into drive

and it slowly pulled out and did drive forward up to about 45 MPH but didn't seem to want to upshift It did finally go up to third gear, but I kept speed down for safety. I intended upon

limping home if I could, but when I took my foot off the gas to slow down and take an exit ramp to turn around, the car shook violently, as if I were running over bricks. I kept it moving

and it drove forward until I took my foot off the gas again, after which it would no longer move forward then, or after I stopped. The engine ran fine, and when I shifted through the gears I

could hear the sound of the solenoids buzzing and a light bump going from park to drive to reverse, but there appeared to be no connection to the drive wheels. If I could liken it to

something I am familiar with, it reminded me of a rear-wheel drive car when the spider gears blow out. Until that point in time, there were absolutely no signs of trouble prior to this.

There apparently are no transmission-related codes as the check engine light is not lit. I pulled codes anyway and got 11, 32 and 55. I expected 11 & 55. Code 32 does not appear to

be related.

The car has 176,000 miles on it now. I have had it from 130,000 miles. Aside from minor repairs, the car has run and driven very well since I have owned it, and I have maintained it

well. When I purchased the car, the transmission was very clean in relation to the rest of the engine bay, the fluid was clean, red and did not smell burned, so it appeared it had been

recently rebuilt or replaced. The owner at that time only had it for a short period and could not confirm that, but he did not have it done. It has sat in the driveway for about a week, and

yesterday I enlisted some help to push it in the garage. Before we pushed, I started the car and out of curiosity put it in drive and to my surprise it pulled forward under power! It would

not back up though. I got it up on jackstands and inspected the driveshafts and both appear to be fine. I can turn either wheel and the other turns through the transmission in the

opposite direction, so I don't think the CV joints are bad. If I start the car and put it in drive, the tires will turn forward but it will not shift out of 1st gear and will not go past 20 MPH on the

speedometer unless I would really rev the engine. It will not go into reverse and made some strange noises when I tried. I now have an older used Snap-On scan tool with a Chrysler

cartridge installed that will cover this car, so if there is anything I can use that for in diagnosis, please let me know.

Before I choose to either permanently retire the car or go to a transmission shop, I was hoping there may be something further I can check and possibly repair on my own. I don't want

to junk the car because I just did a LOT of work on it and I just plain like it a lot! I just installed new tires, brakes, rotors, a power window motor, fixed the hidden headlight motor, installed

new plugs, wires, belt, hoses . . . and that's not all, but you get the point. As far as taking it somewhere for repair, as much as I want to keep it, at 176,000 miles I can't justify spending a

lot of money on it either.

You helped me tremendously in the past with this and other Chryslers I own, and I hope you can help again.

Thanks,

John

ANSWER: Hi John,
The symptoms you describe sure sound like internal problems that require opening up the transmission.
There is a blue 6-pin "data link" connector that if you have the proper mating connector to match up with Snap-on tool you should be able to see what the fault codes are which are stored in the transmission controller. That connector is under the dash on the far left side, and it has pins arrayed 2 x 3 rectangularly. I have the '92 manual that tells about the meaning of the various 2-digit fault codes you might get out from that blue connector, if you can get them. It might be an issue with the solenoid pack or valve body so checking for the codes would be worth it before considering a removal for rebuilding. Also measuring hydraulic pressure at the several diagnostic ports might prove relevant. The mileage on the car is about where one would certainly expect trouble with internal clutches, etc.
Roland

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Hi RolandL

Thanks so much for the guidance. I am on the fast track of learning how to use the scan tool. Here's what I've got so far (note all tests are run with drive wheels off ground):

CODES:
36 - Fault immediately after shift
52 - Gear ratio error in 2nd
54 - Gear ratio error in 4th

I ran the ATM tests (key on, engine off) and that cycled the solenoid actuators, but I don't know if the open/closed readings on the scan tool indicated if that was actually what position they were in, or if that was what they were supposed to be and I had to check them somehow. So I next scrolled to the data section and noted the pressure switch readings as follows (key on, engine off, park):

OD pressure sw - OPEN
2-4 pressure sw - OPEN
L-R pressure sw - OPEN
GEAR - NEUT

I then started the vehicle (still in park) and got:

OD pressure sw - OPEN
2-4 pressure sw - OPEN
L-R pressure sw - CLSD
GEAR - NEUT

Next, I applied the brake & shifted into DRIVE (OD) and read:

OD pressure sw - OPEN
2-4 pressure sw - OPEN
L-R pressure sw - CLSD
GEAR - 1st

I took my foot off the brake and allowed the engine RPM to raise to 900 and it was still showing 1st gear with the same readings. Then I accelerated to around 10 - 15 MPH on the speedo (around 1200 RPM on tach) and that changed the readings as follows:

OD pressure sw - OPEN
2-4 pressure sw - CLSD
L-R pressure sw - OPEN
GEAR - 2nd

Now it gets ineresting. I increased engine RPM to around 1500 but it would not shift out of 2nd gear and the readings came up as:

OD pressure sw - CLSD
2-4 pressure sw - CLSD
L-R pressure sw - CLSD

Then I took my foot off the gas & braked the front wheels to a stop and those readings never changed. I would have expected them to go to OPEN again. It also shows that it is in LIMP mode.

Next, I ran CVI (clutch volume index) test and it came up as follows:

LR - 57 (acceptable range according to manual - 35 - 83)
OD - 86 (acceptable range according to manual - 48 - 150)
2-4 - 65 (acceptable range according to manual - 20 - 70)
UD - 39 (acceptable range according to manual - 24 - 70)

In REVERSE, all pressure switches show OPEN and there is no movement in the drive wheels.

I know this is a lot of information to digest, but I hope my detail helps you to guide me in the next step for testing/possible repair. If I am reading things correctly regarding how these transaxles operate, being fully electronically controlled means that if those solenoids fail, it won't know what to do internally regarding shifting or anything. Is that a correct assumption?

Thanks again Roland, and I look forward to hearing from you.

Take care,

John

Answer
Hi John,
Based on your observations, the pressure switches are in the proper configurations for the gear shift setting and operating condition. The fault codes 50 and 52 are shown to be interpreted as:
speed error codes (ratio of input to output sensor wrong) and while the 50 code alone offers a multitude of possible causes (speed sensor error proper, electrical connection to solenoid pack from transmission, internal transmission problem)  the 52 code is shown as only being caused by an internal transmission problem, i.e. an issue with the mechanical parts of the transmission not the electrical or solenoid pack and thus implying that the transmission needs to be removed/opened/repaired. The only 'benign' causes of a 52 are: low fluid level, faulty cooling system, internal solenoid leak, valve body leakage, regulator valve, stuck/sticky valves.
You could discuss this situation with an independent shop with Chrysler experience to consider whether it would be worthwhile replacing the solenoid pack and/or examing the valve body, both of which can be done without removing the transmission and which may in the course of a rebuild be done anyway in the hopes that such servicing would solve the problem without too much duplication of time/parts. Otherwise it would appear that the trans has to be removed to find damaged clutches/planetary gears/accumulator seal rings/clutch seals/reaction shaft support seals/input shaft seal rings and replace as needed.
None of the codes point to the solenoid pack however, nor the speed sensors, and the hydraulic pressures seem to be proper.
That is the best I can give you. Given the mileage on the trans it is likely not something that can be fixed without removing it unless you have some hard evidence of a rebuild recently.
The 36 code also points away from anything related to the electronic controls and suggests that the issue is either due to hydraulic or mechanical problems.
Roland