RPMs Higher Than Normal
 

Hello,

So lately I have noticed that my RPMs have been higher than what they were in the summer months. I live in MN and since it got cold, I have noticed that at around 65 MPH, I was usually at around 1600 RPMS in the summer is now at 2500 RPMs and I feel as though my transmission does not want to shift. My driving habits have not changed and nothing else has changed as far as I know. I am also getting poor gas mileage since this happened.

Anyone have any ideas what could solve this issue?

Thanks!

Justin

need a Major tune up... when i got my alero, i was @ 65 with about 2750, and now i'm @ about 1550 @ 70... major tune up required

What would I need to get done if I bring it in? Is this something I can do myself? This car is costing me a fortune....

Justin

Some computers don't let the car shift if it's veeery cold. Dunno if that's your problem, but does it go away once it's all warmed up?

Also, did your shift lever bend.. or anything weird like that? If it was in "3" instead of "OD" or whatever that would cause that (does on my Buick at least).
Get a buddy who knows electronics to test the PRNDL switch to make sure it's in the right spot. Could've shorted out internally or broke... if the computer saw the switch saying you were in "3", that's how it'd drive.

if it was in 3, then the light on the dash would view as 3, the Cluster lights get the signal from the PRND thing

1600 RPM's good greif. I assume this is the 3400 correct? My LD9 2.4 does exactly 2000rpms at 60.

^x2 1600 is only a dream

excuse me? i'll get video or photos if you're so damn adamant...

^ i meant dream for me, not you. power to ya if you can do it, i wish i could.

oh... lol, it's just running really good i gues, TCC is letting it slip a lot

ya the same thing happens to me i might get my car tuned today.

Ah gotcha, wasn't sure if it had a light signal or what.

Still, my thinking is in the trans... maybe. Unless the rpms are so high that you gotta mash the pedal all the way down to make it go that fast.. in which case the trans wouldn't shift because it'd see high load.

Make sure your power's there:
first... does it accel OK? If not, they you very well may not have the power to cruise at low rpms like you used to. if it pulls just the same, chances are you'll be ok, but if you'd like run through these tests

pull the plugs... are they ok? good.
resistance on wires should be around 1k ohms/ foot.. make sure they're ok..
use a spark tester to make sure you have enough power from all 3 coils (should be able to do at least 30kV)
Run a compression check. 4th puff should be 150.. little higher's good, much lower.. ehhh. 1st puff should be at least 1/2 the 4th puff. If the 1st puff's low, but it pumps up ok in the end.. bad rings stealing all your power.

Run a leak down test, too. 10% leakage is good. 20% is acceptable. 30% + you need to look into. Listen for where the air comes out, too.
-intake- burned injector valve
-exhaust pipe- burned exhaust valve
-dipstick- works bore/ rings
-bubbles in the radiator neck- blown headgasket

Check for fuel pressure at the rail.. if it's OK chances are you're good. Clogged injectors would misfire and set a check engine light.

If it passes all of those tests it should probably have enough power to cruise at a low rpm like it should.

To diagnose the trans:

Well, try taking it out and very slowly accelerate. Look for 5 shifts... 4 gears and the TCC lockup. If it doesn't shift 5 times you lost a gear or the TCC.

If you did indeed lose a gear, and the car's not cruising in OD..

check your trans fluid... is it nice and red? Or is it dirty black?
Has it ever been flushed?
Miles on the transmission?

It may need to be flushed, the oil passages may be clogged, or something.. who knows. If it's been 50000 miles or more since the last flush/ pan filter change, DO IT.

When you drop the pan see what's in it.. if there's metal, sorry you're toast, it's time to pull it and open it up to see what blew up. It should be a layer of slimey stuff (clutch material). If there's anything in the pan that isn't a very fine powder/ is chunky.. you're lookin at cash monies.

Check to make sure all the solenoids work.. might need to take it to a shop for that, but if you're lucky you've got a mech buddy...
They make manual shifters for this process.. basically you unplug the trans from the TCM, and in it's place plug in a box that lets you manually shift gears and engage/ disengage the TCC. If you can manually shift it through the 4 gears and TCC, then you have a bad TCM or bad wiring between it and the trans.

If you did indeed lose a gear because of a solenoid.. you'll have to do some surgery and replace the solenoid/ solenoid block, whatever it is.



That's what I'd do.

i doubt you lost a solenoid, it would throw a trans code... srsly man, just do a damn tuneup...

Damnit Nate you keep thinking of things I forgot :P

being in school for 3 hours a day with the teach drawling on about seamless shit like this i guess helps...

Damn, I am going to have to do some checkin on this thing thanks to clutch. I had a SVS light on for a while, but no code was being thrown. Then out of now where it went away, so I have no idea. My main thing is that I just want it to last long enough for me to get a new car, so if the transmission is going, I want to knwo what I can do to make it last as long as possible...oh well...thanks for the replies.

Listen the trans is NOT going.... just do a tuneup, and itt'l go right down