Passin gear problem? Possibly DHP?! HELP!

[ecko70]

So just today my SVS light came on. When I give it gas to go into passing gear it feels like I am repeatedly mashing the pedal and letting off. I thought it might be a fuel pump until I took it out tonight, where I am not getting any headlights when my ebrake is released. not sure what the problem is. Any ideas?!

[rixGAphx]

Well, to me the symptoms don't seem to strongly indicate the fuel pump.
Even tho you've gone to the trouble of removing it, I think you need to look elsewhere for the problem.
Before reinstalling the FP, make sure it's good. I'm not sure of the way to test it when it's out of the car.

It *might* be your alternator/cables/battery, or possibly all 3 at this point.

The GA does NOT like lower power from the battery, and even tho the 'batt' light doesn't illuminate, there might not be adequate amperage getting from the battery.
The tranny has a couple of electric servos, and if power is low they will slip (feels like low fluid in other auto trannies).

Check the battery cables, they must be tight and shiny brite (even inside the molded rubber boots, where water can enter and silently corrode the metal inside).

Go to an AutoZone/Checker, most will rent you an OBD-II code scanner for free (just put down a deposit or credit card).
Read the codes.

With all the fiddling, by this time your battery is prolly dead. Take it out and to a store, to see if it will hold a charge.
Leave it overnight for charging, or slap a household charger on it.

Put the battery back in, maybe even jump it from a friend's car.

Good luck.
-Rick

[RocketFast321]

is it a svs or ses? The 'zone can't read read svs codes

[ecko70]

Sorry for the misunderstanding. I meant I took the car out not the fuel pump. When I took the car out last night I noticed the headlights did not work...only the brights. It has no trouble starting at all. Im now leaning towards it being the DHP computer since I'm not getting any headlights when the ebrake is off. and It is an SVS NOT an SES

[sunrunner_pei]

If your bulbs are burned out, that will trigger the SVS light. Could also be a fuse for the headlights. DRLs use the high-beam element at a reduced power, so it *could* be that your headlighs burned out. Worth a shot.

[ecko70]

Ok so that might explain the headlights...but Im not understanding why the headlights AND the car not going into passing gear are out at the exact same time?

[rixGAphx]

Is it the DLR's that come 'on' but only at the 'brite/hi beam' setting;

or

Is it the headlights, when 'on' at the stalk, are HI only and won't dip to LOW beam?

I'm thinking something wrong at the handbrake switch, since it gives signals to DLR's, ETS, and ABS.

Something in the ETS controls could be backing the throttle off (actually, it retards the timing and closes down the FI to simulate backing-off the throttle).

-Rick

[ecko70]

Alright I was tinkering around with it just now and it turns out that the SVS light was just a burnt out lightbulb...it was a Silvania Silverstar bulb and the highbeam on it worked, but not the low beam. Replaced it and it knocked out the SVS light...but I still have no idea why the car will not shift into passing.

[ecko70]

I havent gotten a chance to see if the battery is low...how do I do that? I have a charger but its at my dads across town..and id prefer not to drive the car down there :-/

[rixGAphx]

The only accurate way to test a battery is to have a shop put a 'full drain load' on it.

Not something you can do with a home charger.

Basically, they connect it to a massive load (heating coils, like in a transformer). This simulates trying to turn the engine even when everything is cold on a winter morning.
They measure if it can still produce 12 volts after 10-20 seconds of simulated cold-cranking.

Forget about the battery for now, since your SVS light problem is solved.
* * * * *
Consider it a coincidence that you have another problem, related to 'shifting into passing'.

What do you mean by 'passing gear'?

On a GA, we cruise on the highway at about 60 mph / 2500 rpm.
This is 4th gear + Torque Converter lock-up.
* If we come to a slight hill, the car 'downshifts' a LITTLE and the rpms rise by about 100: This is the TC Lock-up disengaging, it is NOT a true downshift.
* If we're again cruising at 60 / 2500 and we want to pass somebody, we stomp the pedal and two things happen:
1. The TC lock-up disengages, and,
2. The tranny downshifts to 3rd.

If we've manually-downshifted to 3rd, climbing a steep hill at 60 / 3200, and the hill gets even STEEPER, we'll slowdown and the tranny will downshift to 2nd. The engine will be screaming, but the car will run after this brutal downshift.
What passing gear

If we know which 'passing gear' won't engage, I think we can puzzle this thru.

-Rick

[ecko70]

Well like I said I have a DHP and have had it about a month or so w.o problems till now. What I mean by passing gear is basically at ANY speed when I put my foot into it the RPMs look like they have hit a rev limiter (except it is around 2.5k RPMs) and the car will jump or jolt forward and then stop. Its REALLY hard for me to explain. You know the feeling when you are gonig a slow speed and you slam the breaks really quick and let off and slam them again really quick and let off....its that jerking motion but it does that when I put my foot into it.

[ecko70]

They told me I need a new ignition coil and my middle wire is burnt out. Im a little dumb when it comes to this kinda stuff. Any help here?

[ecko70]

Well I went ahead and replaced all 6 plugs and wires as well as the burnt out coilpack. Purs like a kitten now; fixed it all!

[rixGAphx]

Glad that you're smoothly (and not too expensively) back on the road!

Thanks, too, for posting the solution.
-Rick