TCC Solenoid?

[lindyn]

Although I'm not getting a SES light, I'm having a problem that I believe may be TCC (Torque Converter Clutch) related.

It typically occurs when going 50-55 mph going up a hill. It feels as if the tranny is slipping, as the car vibrates quickly for about a second. It doesn't always occur, and sometimes a loss of acceleration is felt.

Any ideas?

Thanks for the help!
Ryan

[rixGAphx]

'97 V6, 10-yrs old, mebbe 120k miles?

A feeling of the tranny 'slipping' isn't a typical symptom of TCC trouble.
More often, the TCC will fail to disengage (which causes less torque multiplication and therefore less 'pulling power').

Frankly, it just sounds like your tired, 10-yr old tranny is just feeling its age.
Its internal pump produces less pressure, so the clutches aren't pressed together as tightly as when new.
The clutches' friction surfaces have worn, so they don't grip as well.
4th gear when climbing a grade is the toughest job for the car, and that's where the effects of wear would be noticed first.

If it's been a while, say 25k miles, a simple tranny fluid/filter change would do wonders.

Hope this helps,
-Rick

[lindyn]

Took the car to a local shop, fearing the worst (tranny probs). I just found out the plug wires were melted. Wow, what a relief--we weren't needing a four figure repair bill.

What are the common culprits that would cause plug wires to melt?

Thanks,
Ryan

[slowbird]

They melted and they weren't touching the Exhaust or other engine parts?

[rixGAphx]

Originally posted by lindyn
What are the common culprits that would cause plug wires to melt?Acytelene torches, flame throwers, propane torches, soldering irons, exhaust manifolds.

Only one of those is normally found anywhere near the spar plug wires.
The V6 has 'wire looms', little holders, that keep the plug wires away from the hot exhaust manifold.
Your looms might have broken or been removed, allowing the plug wires to droop onto manifold.

The only other opportunity for melting would have been a careless mechanic with a torch or soldering iron, while repairing some other item.
Even then, a torch *should not* have been necessary.
* * *
But any damage to the spark plug wires from melting would have resulted in either no effect ('cuz the wire core was still functional) or extreme mis-fire (since no spark was getting to the plug).
And the misfire would have caused the 'slipping' (more like 'skipping' or 'stuttering') and poor acceleration.

But misfire *should* have caused a P030x code and an SES light.
Hope this helps.
* * *
Perhaps Lindyn meant the, "...wires to the tranny electrical plug" were discovered to be melted.
This could cause some hesitancy/slipping/skipping in the tranny's shifting.
And wouldn't generally cause an SES light.

And also could only have been melted by contact with the nearby exhaust pipe.

I dunno, definitely strange.
-Rick