My 1996 Grand Caravan (well, Grand Voyageur, actually) with 3.3 engine and 4 spd tranny is sitting in my driveway with tranny issues (I think....). It has 202k kms (125k miles) on it, and had been running fine. Drove it about 60 miles last week, came home for lunch, and when I went to leave again (backed up fine, then shifted to D) it went BRRAAACKKKKK!!! and stalled. I was able to coax it back into the driveway (not really sure what gear I used to do that with...), and now if I try to move it, as soon as I put it into gear, the engine stalls out. Transmission fluid it is right up, and clean. I put the OBDII unit on, and it shows no codes. Plus, I've tried to get it to generate codes on the odometer, but no success. I've tried swapping out the relays in the underhood fuse box ...no luck.

I've done a bunch of searching here in the forum, and on the net. Most suggest it might be the TCM or the Shift Control Solenoids ...but the tranny does not seem to be in LIMP MODE ...so not sure what that means. Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!!

 

sounds like the converter is not unlocking. A trans shop can test the pressure & possibly fix it with a valve body fix. Do a google search on the "service manual" for the van. I found one online, one is Scribs, another is a sharing site, but don't remember which one.

 

I agree, the torque converter is not unlocking, and you will not get any transmission codes other than P0700. You need to go into the TCM for those codes.

 

So, you guys are saying this is not a do-it-myself fix? I have a manual that covers both the 31 TH transaxle, and the 41 TE ...I'm assuming I have the 41TE in my van, as I have the TCM (under hood on front passenger side) and, of course, the solenoid control unit on the lower front driver side of the transmission. I also have a 99 Caravan with the same components ...is there any tests / comparisons I can make between the two?

 

The 31 TH is the 3 speed trans, the 41 TH is the overdrive trans.

Not impossible to fix or look at, but it is more difficult than just a filter/fluid change. The lock up converter solonoid needs changed, possibly cleaning the govenor in the valve body. The manual should provide a trouble shooting guide on where to id the pressure ports & how to measure the pressures.

The TCM should be ok, just a stuck solonoid. A trans shop can have it tested & fixed in a half day, if they are any good.

 

I'm going to change the fluid and filter first. Some suggest using compressed air to blow the fluid out of the bottom oil cooler to ensure getting all the dirty fluid out, and in the process perhaps this might free-up any blockage issues in the valve body and solenoids. As seen in this YouTube DIY: Any thoughts??

 

Finally getting around to picking up a filter kit and trans fluid tomorrow (I live out in the country and have to travel 60 miles to nearest city for parts) and was wondering if someone could give me a heads up on how much +4 trans fluid I will need. The service manual says 3.8 litres (4.0 qt) for a "fluid change" and 8.6 litres (9.1 qt) for an "overhaul / service". Since I plan on draining the cooler as well, I assume it will take more than just the 3.8 litres ...or should I ? At $8.50 per litre here in Canada, that's $34 ...or $68 for the overhaul / service quantity. As I plan on using compressed air to remove as much fluid as possible ...would it be the higher quantity? Or perhaps I should go with the 8.6 litres, and do another fluid change after a few hundred miles. Comments??

 

I would get 2 liters, that way you will have some left over.

 

Hmmmmm. If I got 2 litres ...then I'd have to go back and get 2 more, in order to have at least 4 litres to do the fluid change. I'm no mathematician, but I had figured at least that much out!

 

IMPORTANT UPDATE: haven't got around to servicing the transmission yet (on vacation this coming week, so its top of my list now) but I think I made some progress today. I also have a 99 Caravan, with the same transmission, so I swapped out the TCMs to see if that would make any difference: no luck. I also got a replacement solenoid unit (got a super deal on a Borg Warner unit) and plan to put it in this week. I was out this evening taking some parts off (air filter box, etc) to make it easier to get the shift solenoid unit out. While doing this I noticed that the battery tray was right full of water!! (checked, and it wasn't battery fluid). Where the heck would that have come from?? Anyway, I noticed that the water had been overflowing from the tray, and running down onto the wiring connectors below it. So, I removed the battery, and soaked up all the water in the tray with paper towels. The tiny drain hole in the tray was plugged with sand and crud ...poked it clear to allow everything to drain. ALSO, once I had the battery and airbox out, I could see clearly back to the back end of the transmission. It looked like there was a bunch of mud back there, so I stuck my gloved hand back in there to scrape it out ...and it was soft and mushy feeling. So I started pulling stuff out, and it turns out there was a huge mouse nest back there!! Took out more than half of a 4 litre ice cream pail of fuzz, and felt and grass and sticks, etc.!!! Anyway, back to the water issue: realizing that the water had been overflowing onto the wiring and connectors, I unplugged the connectors and dried them out with a hair dryer ...plugged them back in ...re-installed the battery, and started up the van. It went into reverse!! and I backed it to the end of the driveway ...put it into drive and drove it forward!! Torque converter is no longer locked up!!!! I haven't road-tested it yet ...waiting until I have someone around to help in case I get stranded somewhere ....but I'll do that in the next day or so. I'm REALLY relieved that the problem is well on the way to being solved (I hope!) Still plan to do the filter and fluid change ...not too sure if I should also put in the replace shift solenoid unit. Advice?????