legacycentral bbs

Well, let me explain this the best I can. Monday there was snow as I drove to work. The car felt a little weird kind of like it was only front wheel drive. When I got to work however, I stopped and spun the tires with my head out the window and clearly saw the back tire spin.

At lunch time on Monday I took the car out and got it a little sideways around a corner of the parking lot on the snow. When I came to the end of the parking lot the whole car shuttered and sputtered and when I came to a stop the engine stalled. I put it in park and it started back up but not that well. I put it in gear and it stalled instantly. I restarted it and tried putting it into gear a couple more times trying to give it gas as I did and the car would roll a few feet and stall.

It seemed to me like the TC was locked up or something. So after stalling 3-4 times I started it and reved up to about 4k and dumped it into drive. well, all the tires spun on the snow and it made some interesting sounds (no metal breaking gear grinding sounds) and then the car was fine. So, I drove the car to lunch and back and home without problems.

Tuesday I took the car to work again without a problem. When I went out for lunch I was backing out and the same thing as the day before happend only this time in reverse. it would only drive if I revved the shit out of it and dumped it into drive. it drove fine to and from lunch from there and drove fine home until I noticed the CE light on. I have not had time to check the codes but plan to. What do you guys think this could be? Any thoughts or help would be appreciated.

oh yeah, I have the 4eat

edit by jason for paragraphedness

Check the ECU & TCU for codes....no sense in guessing.

yes, I need to do that, it just seemed as though there was something very wrong mechanically so I thought I'd ask if anyone has experienced anything like this. I'm not sure there would be a code for broken crap in the drivetrain

Are all the tires the same diameter?

yes....still have not had tme to check codes, I'll check them tomorrow

ok I finally had a chance to check the ECU and TCU codes.

ECU
21 = Water Temp Sensor
23 = Air Flow Sensor
45 = blah blah, the fuel cut was hit which I know.

TCU
32 = VSS vehicle speed sensor

so not what I was expecting but itr gives me a head start. am going to go redo all of my FCD wires and remove all the t-taps that I used to make it a quick install. I'll reset the ECU and TCU and see how it goes. any comments?

IIRC, my VSS gave me some trouble on my old 92. Some times it would have trouble starting up. As for the rest, it sounds like the TC is binding somehow.

Clear codes and see what comes right back.

But if it's intermittant, check all the wiring for cracks, etc.

I have been in detroit for a week but I came home last night and drove the car. All seemed well. This problem only comes up when its snowing so it seems. I think the car might be having a hard time engaging the rer wheels. How does that work anyway? It is some sort of a clutch right?

sounds like the solenoid for the TC might be occasionally sticking.