Transmission Prog...****....

[BFEINZIMER]

Hey,

Well I guess it happens to the best of us, i was drivin from my buddies house this morning to get food and I get to mickkeyd's, and on the way back I couldent get it to shift, It felt like it was in nutral (but the engline was pulling....

So it flashed Transmission Prog, I say ****, and stop the car to check this out on Google from my phone. So I did the only thing I could, limp back to his house (closer than home)...

Now I'm stuck here with my car, I'm only 17 (not mechanically smart), fearing the worst. I've let the car sit for awhile and tried to use it again but its has the same symptons though the cehck control hasent displayed anything.

So I've been reading about ATF fluid and DME and speed relays...I'm totally confused and kinda lost, so really whast the first logical step I should take?

Thanks

Brian

[BFEINZIMER]

ok so i drove it home, with my dad behing me...it was kinda funny cuse i had to go up a hill so i did it in reverse... and i was on the proper side of the road, going the right direction, but the car was facing backwards and a car cmae up "behind me" haha it was funny but f'ed up realizong my car is broken and i havta be a work in about an hour from now, but again not being mechanically smart, im not sure where to start even taking/looking into the car even after reading some forums stuff and the e34 trans program page......

[BFEINZIMER]

well what i did not write is that on the electronic display is shows shifts throught the gears in E and M so the shifter should be clean n all...but it is defenatly in limp mode...but the other weird thing is that trans prog only came on for a minute when this first started, i havent seen it again or anything fo that matter other than the narmal fasten seat belt and such int he check control...so come monday when reapir shops open im kind of lost of who to talk to first...ima call this place first i think

http://www.highlinemotorcars.com/service.htm


anyone, does anyone have ANYTHING to say?????

[Brazilianbimmer]

Start by checking the transmission fluid. (With the car running on idle.)
The dipstick should be on the driver side of the engine near the firewall.

[BFEINZIMER]

Ok, Ill run the car and pull the dip stick, clean it and redip it, after what should i be looking for when I pull it out the second time? Just for fluid?

[Brazilianbimmer]

The oil should be clear red and between the two notches on the tip of the dipstick. Hopefully near the top one. If it is low, find some Transmission fluid (dexron II) and carefully add it through the same opening the dipstick goes into. Use a small funnel and call yourself lucky if this fixes the problem!

[BFEINZIMER]

Ok so I ran the engine to operating temp....pulled and cleaned the stick, then redipped it and this is what I have:

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f62/BFEINZIMER/dip1.jpg
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f62/BFEINZIMER/dip2.jpg

Now you can't see it that well but I can see a bit of ATF on the top bulge so it coveres the area...I repeated this twice, same result, so I shut off the engine, removed, cleaned and redipped, and reread the stick, and it looked perfect with the fluid clearly between the 2 ticks, unlike it was showing with the engine on (even though I only left it in secral seconds before I re-read it...)

Ok, so next please haha

[Jon K]

Call local bmw graveyard. ask for a 5 spd and pedal assembly.

[jonsocal]

These two should be checked to see if you are getting the correct amperage from each. It is important in these cars (or so I have read). Keep us updated on how this turns out....

JSK

[CharlesAFerg]

You've potentially got an amazing paint job, but it's really cloudy... You could make that gorgeous real quick and for pretty cheap.

[BFEINZIMER]

Thanks about the paint...

ok so I need to get the electronics checked, but i havta decide on a place to get it towed to, I think I only have liek 1 more tow with AAA so I better use it wisely...anything I should ask the different mechanics when I call them tomorrow, and should I start with a transmission specialist?

[Ferret]

Question!

Is it going *bong* Trans Program as you start the car or is it doing it after you try and move the vehicle?

[Ferret]

Also, you've had someone fitting a new chip recently havent you?

[BFEINZIMER]

The Transmission Prog only came on once for sevral senconds as I remember...I havent seen the computer error since then, its like the computer thinks everything is ok, but the actual symptoms of limp mode are there...and yea I had an EAT chip put in sevral weeks ago...

Ok so when I come home from school I'm gonna start calling places, any way I should apporach this over the phone (cartain questions to ask about their shops)? Thanks...

[Ferret]

Can you force it down a gear by pulling the shifter down into 2?

Or does it like, totally ignore you?

Any strange noises from the box?

[BFEINZIMER]

Well not any crazy noises but it seems slightly rough....and yea, it totally ignores me, Auto (E)/(S), Manual (M), in any shift position, it wil only operate in 3rd (limp), Reverse and Neutral/Park. So I'm going recheck the fluid, the e-box connections...and start calling around..but I mean anything else, from anyone, please I'm so lost...

[BFEINZIMER]

Ok, so I rechecked the ATF. The fluid level is about halfway in between the 2 lines and the fluid color is a wine red, ok right? But my father and I noticed that about 2-3 (closer to 2, bit I don't want to keep doing it ;)) seconds after starting it (just starting), a noticable clunk can be heard from the comaptment. A grinding clunk...I'm gonna walk up to this place http://www.leonstransmission.com/index.html ina few minutes to ask some questions and what not...so is there anything I should ask in perticular or what not...?

[BFEINZIMER]

bump...i took it to that tranny shop hes gonna drive, diag and do some other tests for free and let me know whats up

[BFEINZIMER]

ok so its 12:53 im goin gback to bed...i just drove it to the tranny shop...alomost got creamed but i had the headlight/fogight on and i was flashign the warning and the hibeams kinda funny lookin and luckly dident get creatmed by 3 cars....ughhhh

[632 Regal]

dude your low of fluid, the level raises with the engine off because the torque converter drains into the pan.

use dextron III, you must have a leak if you lost that much fluid.


Ok so I ran the engine to operating temp....pulled and cleaned the stick, then redipped it and this is what I have:




Now you can't see it that well but I can see a bit of ATF on the top bulge so it coveres the area...I repeated this twice, same result, so I shut off the engine, removed, cleaned and redipped, and reread the stick, and it looked perfect with the fluid clearly between the 2 ticks, unlike it was showing with the engine on (even though I only left it in secral seconds before I re-read it...)

Ok, so next please haha

[BFEINZIMER]

dude your low of fluid, the level raises with the engine off because the torque converter drains into the pan.

use dextron III, you must have a leak if you lost that much fluid.


I'm not sure If I allready wrote this, but I retested it on a flat level surface, and it was halfway in between the 2 tick marks...would that be considered low, or just within the level?

[632 Regal]

that would be between the level, I would top it off at least, reboot the computer and hope this thread gets lost in history.

Good luck man!

I'm not sure If I allready wrote this, but I retested it on a flat level surface, and it was halfway in between the 2 tick marks...would that be considered low, or just within the level?

[BFEINZIMER]

Ok so I just came from the tranny shop...

The diagnosis he gave me:

"FLUID BURNT, SLIPS IN ALL FORWARD GEARS. CODE 27 PRESENT"

Now I asked if this code 27 was from the tranny computer or the engine computer, he said engine...but what is 27? He explained to me that if you rev it high enough (which he showed me) the computer picks up the fact that your appling alot of power, but your going nowhere (no speed), so it displayes TRANS PROGRAM as a result of that...and thats the Code 27.....?

Anyways, he gave me a quote of $650 USD to to give it an autopsy, and a MAX price of $2450 (including the $650) to do a rebuild. So does eveything sound? Legit..?

[632 Regal]

get a good used trans, change the filter and have it installed. From what I read it's about a 50/50 chance the rebuild will work, lots of horror stories.

[BFEINZIMER]

Well I mean this guy sounds good...hes part of a small company (check the link above) and its offered by a 2 year/24,000 mile warenteee **** i cant spell lol...how do those prices look though?