Oh learned friends.....

HELP... over the last couple of weeks I've noticed a problem which , upon reading here, sounds like TC gone south...

Drive along as normal, coast a little and then gentle acceleration and get this nasty vibration and judder between 30 and 50 mph. It passes as soon as i hit 50, doesn't;t really do it very much if i drive with meaning (i.e. not gentle acceleration). I don't hear much of a noise but maybe slight rumble...

Does this sound like TC..? I had the gearbox oil and filter changed last year, car is just about to turn 100K but I use it every day now as I've gone and got a job 75 miles away... I really can't afford to have it off the road for a long time so need to get it diagnosed/fixed soon.

If it is the TC, I also believe that if I don't get to down it will destroy hr gearbox as well..!

Doe anyone know if i'm ok to use it (for a matter of weeks) until I can get it done or if I should drive it harder to avoid the judder etc...

Also - My indy has hurt himself so looking for a reasonable/trusted indy in/around the Chelmsford/Colchester area..?

Thanks folks....

 Ash
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2016 SDV8 AB

Sounds like TC problems, however saying that, TC failures in the 6hp box are few and far between, especially at that mileage so it could be something else.

Would tally as TC as the lock up happens at about 50 so below that you are getting slip.

Have you checked the calipers for binding. I had a judder on my 3.6 which was there under acceleration too and it was braking as well as acceleration. Check for a lot of heat after a run.

Hope it's not the TC. There is nothing that can't be fixed with a hammer😜😜
FFRR 4.4 SDV8 Autobiography Santorini Black.
Fiat 500x 1.4 multiair Lounge 2015
2010 LR D4 Commercial 2.7 TDV6

^+1 for a binding brake calliper. I had a similar vibration, found a rear brake causing the disc to get very hot.

Had this on my 3.6 after towing heavy caravan round the south of France. Changed the oil and added two tubes of DR tranny instant shudder fix. That was two years ago, been fine since.

http://www.lubegard.com/images/item15.jpg

Don't know about the TDV8, but I had a similar vibration at light loads around the 50 - 70 mark in my TD6 and turned out to be 2 duff injectors. 2004 Vogue TD6 - Remapped
2008 Porsche Cayenne S
1998 Lotus Elise

hmm - not had error codes come up on the dash but might IID tell me more..??

Cheers Ash
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2016 SDV8 AB

Don't know if these new fangled TDV8s are more intelligent when it comes to throwing error codes. Certainly the TD6 throws no errors with injector issues. May be able to check fuel trim values in IID to see if there are any anomalies, but failing that I guess it's the same leak-off test that's done on TD6s. 2004 Vogue TD6 - Remapped
2008 Porsche Cayenne S
1998 Lotus Elise

Don't know if the Iid will diagnose the TC.

Have you checked the calipers yet? There is nothing that can't be fixed with a hammer😜😜
FFRR 4.4 SDV8 Autobiography Santorini Black.
Fiat 500x 1.4 multiair Lounge 2015
2010 LR D4 Commercial 2.7 TDV6

Sorry for the delayed response.

I checked the callipers and none of them seem to be hotter than the others but its but i was by no mean scientific about it.

Is there an accurate way to diagnose it if it is the TC. I'm going to take it to Gratech in Maldon tomorrow but would be keen to know if they would be able to diagnose it rather than guess..

I don't really want them changing parts without knowing if it will fix it.

Any ideas?

Thanks gang Ash
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2016 SDV8 AB

Using a piece of diagnostics kit like the Faultmate enables you to record live data (in this case you need engine speed and turbine speed) allowing you to determine for sure if it’s the torque converter lock-up clutch at fault. The capture rate on the Faultmate is only around 1Hz but it’s sufficient for diagnosing something like this.

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Admin note: this post has had its images recovered from a money grabbing photo hosting site and reinstated

Thanks Phil

I've booked into these guys on Friday for a mega flush.. £400 all in.

He tells me there is no real way to be sure if its the TC has gone bad but it is rare - 9 times out of 10 an oil flush will fix the problem but it is by no means a guarantee.

So - open to opinion I guess but advice on this would be good - I had an oil change 10k ago but not a full flush so I guess only about 50% was actually changed. Ash
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2016 SDV8 AB

Unfortunately the Oil Change/Flush is "Wishful Thinking" - I've had to have the TC's replaced on two early L322's, both around 120,000 miles and both were 2004 models and failed within a few months of each other.

I would suggest there are various factors at play here, but mainly the age of the oil and the mileage - hence why we've not seen too many of the newer box's TC's fail yet

There is a definitive way of testing the TC that RRPhil has given you above - a decent transmission specialist should be able to run these tests for you.

You're about to spend £400 on a flush... I spent £400 on labour, £237 on a reman TC and £150or so on oil- all done for under £800, which frankly, you may find you're going to have to do anyway. 

I hear you Dan

That was my quandary - other than RRPhil, no one has been able to tell me they can "diagnose" the problem. they want to throw money at things to see if it works with no guarantees given..

Not sure how to proceed if I can't find someone that can offer the correct way to do it. Im also panicking that time is against me. Travelling 150 miles a day to work and back is going to continue to stress the TC of thats the issue so I need to get it in somewhere soon.

Now my local indy, who can't do the work has suggested it could be gearbox software updates (which probably need doing but won't in my opinion be the cause of the issue) so the plot thickens more...

Anyone got any suggestions of where I could trust in/around Essex to help fix this?

Thanks Ash
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2016 SDV8 AB

bump - sorry guys - Any recommendations for Essex area to take the cat to for diagnostics on TC..?

Cheers Ash
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2016 SDV8 AB

And it gets worse... Just phoned an Auto Transmission specialist in Chelmsford and was quoted £1200 +vat to fit a new TC..!

 Ash
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2016 SDV8 AB