Codes and Torque convertor lockup

[Roger Heflin]

A story from the f-body list, this was I believe with a 97 f-body,
someone with 94-95 code may want to check and see if there is a
similar code in theirs and how the computer reacts if that code is
set.  I did not see a code like this in the 93 computer.

				Roger


On my way up to St Louis last week, I had driven around 400-450 miles
when I noticed that the RPMs moved around a little too much when
giving it gas.  Tapping the brake pedal briefly 
confirmed that the torque converter wasn't locking up.  Oof.  Pulled
over to the side of the  road, killed the engine, started it back up,
took it up to 85-90 and it still wasn't locking up. 
 Didn't set the SES light off, though. Took the next exit and pulled
in at a gas station to check fluid level -- pulled the dipstick 
out and it was covered with foam.  At this point I was starting to
wonder if I was going to miss the event _and_ have to tow the damned
thing 450 miles.  Luckily, I spotted a Pontiac/GMC 
dealership down the block (wish I could remember the name, it was
right as you entered Illionois  from KY..), so I limped over there
(with the tranny shifting pretty harsh now) to try and borrow 
a Tech2.  "Yes sir, that'll be $58." Oof again.  Since I don't have
much of a choice though...  the transmission guy at the dealership
showed up to go with me and check out the car; we went 
and hooked the tech2 up and it pulled out an 1870 code, which is for
transmission slippage. I  was starting to wonder if I was going to
need a new tranny at 45 miles, until the tranny guy 
told me he's seen this several times before, and that it's not a
mechanical problem at all.  Apparently the OBDII PCM (not sure about
OBD I! ) is a little trigger happy when it comes to detecting
transmission slippage, and as soon as it does, it unlocks the
converter to prevent damaging the transmission.
Not sure how that's supposed to help considering it doesn't set a
light and will literally boil your tranny fluid  out, while your only
clue to what's going on is the tach reading a couple hundred RPMs
high.  Fooking brilliant, GM. Anyway, the conclusion was, my tranny is
fine, the fluid didn't get burnt (!) but I will  probably change it
anyway considering what it's been through... and, after talking cars
with the tranny guy for a while, he decided to forget to do the
paperwork for me, so I was spared that  nice little $58 charge --
yeah! :^)
 
Christer (investing in tranny cooler next)