The car: 1991 Jeep Cherokee, 190,000 miles, automatic, 4WD.

The trip: 194 miles from Chicago to Grand Rapids, MI. 14 degrees out.

The problem: 70 miles into the trip, 65 of which are highway, the
torque converter unlocks and locks repeatedly for about 10 miles. Stop
at the rest stop, shut car off for 5 minutes, proceed. 50 miles later,
same thing, but this time it tries shifting into third, then back to
fourth, then re-locks. Then unlocks, relocks for a few miles, etc.
Then it's fine the rest of the trip.

The work done: Flushed transmission fluid. I figured it couldn't hurt
and now I know the last time it's been done. It was orange before the
flush.

The result: On the way back today (also 14 degrees out), it does the
same thing, only once, after about 100 miles.

The diagnosis: Bad solenoid causing the clutch on the torque converter
to unlock and lock randomly, also causing the TCU to think that I'm
accelerating when I'm not, hence the downshift.

The question: How close is my diagnosis? Is there any way to test the
TCU? And can I get the torque converter solenoid from anywhere other
than a dealership?

-moitz-
j dot meuzelaar at gmail dot com

 

Your year had a torque converter lockup problem, but you're not
describing it. I'm guessing your computer gave up. It's the same as a
AW4:
http://www.transonline.com/transdige...ers/index.html
God Bless America, ßill O|||||||O
mailto:-------------------- http://www.----------.com/

j.meuzelaar@gmail.com wrote:
>
> The car: 1991 Jeep Cherokee, 190,000 miles, automatic, 4WD.
>
> The trip: 194 miles from Chicago to Grand Rapids, MI. 14 degrees out.
>
> The problem: 70 miles into the trip, 65 of which are highway, the
> torque converter unlocks and locks repeatedly for about 10 miles. Stop
> at the rest stop, shut car off for 5 minutes, proceed. 50 miles later,
> same thing, but this time it tries shifting into third, then back to
> fourth, then re-locks. Then unlocks, relocks for a few miles, etc.
> Then it's fine the rest of the trip.
>
> The work done: Flushed transmission fluid. I figured it couldn't hurt
> and now I know the last time it's been done. It was orange before the
> flush.
>
> The result: On the way back today (also 14 degrees out), it does the
> same thing, only once, after about 100 miles.
>
> The diagnosis: Bad solenoid causing the clutch on the torque converter
> to unlock and lock randomly, also causing the TCU to think that I'm
> accelerating when I'm not, hence the downshift.
>
> The question: How close is my diagnosis? Is there any way to test the
> TCU? And can I get the torque converter solenoid from anywhere other
> than a dealership?
>
> -moitz-
> j dot meuzelaar at gmail dot com

 

Your year had a torque converter lockup problem, but you're not
describing it. I'm guessing your computer gave up. It's the same as a
AW4:
http://www.transonline.com/transdige...ers/index.html
God Bless America, ßill O|||||||O
mailto:-------------------- http://www.----------.com/

j.meuzelaar@gmail.com wrote:
>
> The car: 1991 Jeep Cherokee, 190,000 miles, automatic, 4WD.
>
> The trip: 194 miles from Chicago to Grand Rapids, MI. 14 degrees out.
>
> The problem: 70 miles into the trip, 65 of which are highway, the
> torque converter unlocks and locks repeatedly for about 10 miles. Stop
> at the rest stop, shut car off for 5 minutes, proceed. 50 miles later,
> same thing, but this time it tries shifting into third, then back to
> fourth, then re-locks. Then unlocks, relocks for a few miles, etc.
> Then it's fine the rest of the trip.
>
> The work done: Flushed transmission fluid. I figured it couldn't hurt
> and now I know the last time it's been done. It was orange before the
> flush.
>
> The result: On the way back today (also 14 degrees out), it does the
> same thing, only once, after about 100 miles.
>
> The diagnosis: Bad solenoid causing the clutch on the torque converter
> to unlock and lock randomly, also causing the TCU to think that I'm
> accelerating when I'm not, hence the downshift.
>
> The question: How close is my diagnosis? Is there any way to test the
> TCU? And can I get the torque converter solenoid from anywhere other
> than a dealership?
>
> -moitz-
> j dot meuzelaar at gmail dot com

 

Your year had a torque converter lockup problem, but you're not
describing it. I'm guessing your computer gave up. It's the same as a
AW4:
http://www.transonline.com/transdige...ers/index.html
God Bless America, ßill O|||||||O
mailto:-------------------- http://www.----------.com/

j.meuzelaar@gmail.com wrote:
>
> The car: 1991 Jeep Cherokee, 190,000 miles, automatic, 4WD.
>
> The trip: 194 miles from Chicago to Grand Rapids, MI. 14 degrees out.
>
> The problem: 70 miles into the trip, 65 of which are highway, the
> torque converter unlocks and locks repeatedly for about 10 miles. Stop
> at the rest stop, shut car off for 5 minutes, proceed. 50 miles later,
> same thing, but this time it tries shifting into third, then back to
> fourth, then re-locks. Then unlocks, relocks for a few miles, etc.
> Then it's fine the rest of the trip.
>
> The work done: Flushed transmission fluid. I figured it couldn't hurt
> and now I know the last time it's been done. It was orange before the
> flush.
>
> The result: On the way back today (also 14 degrees out), it does the
> same thing, only once, after about 100 miles.
>
> The diagnosis: Bad solenoid causing the clutch on the torque converter
> to unlock and lock randomly, also causing the TCU to think that I'm
> accelerating when I'm not, hence the downshift.
>
> The question: How close is my diagnosis? Is there any way to test the
> TCU? And can I get the torque converter solenoid from anywhere other
> than a dealership?
>
> -moitz-
> j dot meuzelaar at gmail dot com

 

Check your Throttle Position Sensor (TPS). With the frequency of failure
that you've got it may not show up though. It may think you are accelerating
because of the sensor.

JoBo

<j.meuzelaar@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1105927683.684691.228100@f14g2000cwb.googlegr oups.com...
> The car: 1991 Jeep Cherokee, 190,000 miles, automatic, 4WD.
>
> The trip: 194 miles from Chicago to Grand Rapids, MI. 14 degrees out.
>
> The problem: 70 miles into the trip, 65 of which are highway, the
> torque converter unlocks and locks repeatedly for about 10 miles. Stop
> at the rest stop, shut car off for 5 minutes, proceed. 50 miles later,
> same thing, but this time it tries shifting into third, then back to
> fourth, then re-locks. Then unlocks, relocks for a few miles, etc.
> Then it's fine the rest of the trip.
>
> The work done: Flushed transmission fluid. I figured it couldn't hurt
> and now I know the last time it's been done. It was orange before the
> flush.
>
> The result: On the way back today (also 14 degrees out), it does the
> same thing, only once, after about 100 miles.
>
> The diagnosis: Bad solenoid causing the clutch on the torque converter
> to unlock and lock randomly, also causing the TCU to think that I'm
> accelerating when I'm not, hence the downshift.
>
> The question: How close is my diagnosis? Is there any way to test the
> TCU? And can I get the torque converter solenoid from anywhere other
> than a dealership?
>
> -moitz-
> j dot meuzelaar at gmail dot com
>

 

Check your Throttle Position Sensor (TPS). With the frequency of failure
that you've got it may not show up though. It may think you are accelerating
because of the sensor.

JoBo

<j.meuzelaar@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1105927683.684691.228100@f14g2000cwb.googlegr oups.com...
> The car: 1991 Jeep Cherokee, 190,000 miles, automatic, 4WD.
>
> The trip: 194 miles from Chicago to Grand Rapids, MI. 14 degrees out.
>
> The problem: 70 miles into the trip, 65 of which are highway, the
> torque converter unlocks and locks repeatedly for about 10 miles. Stop
> at the rest stop, shut car off for 5 minutes, proceed. 50 miles later,
> same thing, but this time it tries shifting into third, then back to
> fourth, then re-locks. Then unlocks, relocks for a few miles, etc.
> Then it's fine the rest of the trip.
>
> The work done: Flushed transmission fluid. I figured it couldn't hurt
> and now I know the last time it's been done. It was orange before the
> flush.
>
> The result: On the way back today (also 14 degrees out), it does the
> same thing, only once, after about 100 miles.
>
> The diagnosis: Bad solenoid causing the clutch on the torque converter
> to unlock and lock randomly, also causing the TCU to think that I'm
> accelerating when I'm not, hence the downshift.
>
> The question: How close is my diagnosis? Is there any way to test the
> TCU? And can I get the torque converter solenoid from anywhere other
> than a dealership?
>
> -moitz-
> j dot meuzelaar at gmail dot com
>

 

Check your Throttle Position Sensor (TPS). With the frequency of failure
that you've got it may not show up though. It may think you are accelerating
because of the sensor.

JoBo

<j.meuzelaar@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1105927683.684691.228100@f14g2000cwb.googlegr oups.com...
> The car: 1991 Jeep Cherokee, 190,000 miles, automatic, 4WD.
>
> The trip: 194 miles from Chicago to Grand Rapids, MI. 14 degrees out.
>
> The problem: 70 miles into the trip, 65 of which are highway, the
> torque converter unlocks and locks repeatedly for about 10 miles. Stop
> at the rest stop, shut car off for 5 minutes, proceed. 50 miles later,
> same thing, but this time it tries shifting into third, then back to
> fourth, then re-locks. Then unlocks, relocks for a few miles, etc.
> Then it's fine the rest of the trip.
>
> The work done: Flushed transmission fluid. I figured it couldn't hurt
> and now I know the last time it's been done. It was orange before the
> flush.
>
> The result: On the way back today (also 14 degrees out), it does the
> same thing, only once, after about 100 miles.
>
> The diagnosis: Bad solenoid causing the clutch on the torque converter
> to unlock and lock randomly, also causing the TCU to think that I'm
> accelerating when I'm not, hence the downshift.
>
> The question: How close is my diagnosis? Is there any way to test the
> TCU? And can I get the torque converter solenoid from anywhere other
> than a dealership?
>
> -moitz-
> j dot meuzelaar at gmail dot com
>