Blinky Power Light at startup after 1000 miles trip home

[Ryan]

Hey guys. I'm sure some of you know about my 1000 mile trip between Illinois and Massachusetts to bring BWana's SVX home. Car drove like a DREAM on the highway, but definitely needs a tuneup and belts. Anyway, here's how the transmission did.

At first she shifted like she should. After about 100-200 miles it started doing the hard clunk into 1st, and hard clunk into second. After about 400 miles it did the clunks into gear, then the high rev and clunk into 3rd. I tried to make educated guesses as to when it would shift and not be giving it gas at the same time to ease the clunk. I noticed today on the second leg of the journey that the POWER light blinks for that 8 seconds after you start the car. I think it may have started this morning when I woke up, but it may have been on last night too (was struggling for an hour and a half to find a hotel with vacancy so I wasn't too with it).

Now my plans to help the tranny are to get the Small Car shift kit, Permacool filter and temp guage, and Superflow cooler if the temp gauge shows too high of a temp. Do you think this will resolve the long distance problem shifting, and should I be worried that my POWER light is on without being Small Car modified yet?

Thanks!
Ryan

[Chiketkd]

Congrats!

I think the mods you plan will definitely help the trans, but I'd check with Bwana (if you haven't done so already) to make sure he hasn't done any of those yet.

-Chike

Originally posted by Ryan
Now my plans to help the tranny are to get the Small Car shift kit, Permacool filter and temp guage, and Superflow cooler if the temp gauge shows too high of a temp. Do you think this will resolve the long distance problem shifting, and should I be worried that my POWER light is on without being Small Car modified yet?

[immortal_suby]

Is the resistor behind the battery unplugged?

Have you pulled the codes from the TCU to figure out what error it shows yet.

[Ryan]

To my knowledge Bwana hasn't done anything to it. He said he wanted to do a tranny cooler install but never got to it.

I think I see the cable you're talking about, Immortal. Does it look like what I took a picture of? It has a green/red and a green/white wire going to it. It was just sitting there unplugged. What does it plug into? I don't see anything that it would reach nearby, and the wall where the battery is is bare.

And, I ask as a no0b, how do you check the codes?

[immortal_suby]

Yes that is the cable - It should plug into a resistor that is mounted on the fender right there - I don't see one on your car - you might want to check with Bwana on that.

The resistor causes the TCU to lower the line pressure during shifts. Unplugging it will cause firm shifts and a hunting for gears symptom on deceleration with the gear selector in 3 or 2. It will also cause the power light to blink on startup.

Here is the procedure for extracting error codes from your TCU.

The 16 blinks just means that there is a code being stored. You'll have to run the self diagnosis to actually see what that code us.

The "Power" light indicates transmission codes. The following self diagnosis will show any fault codes for the transmission.


To perform the self diag test for EXISTING problems
1) Warm up engine by driving at speeds greater than 12mph.
2) Stop vehicle and turn ignition switch OFF.
3) Turn ignition switch ON and make sure POWER indicator lamp comes on.
4) Turn ignition switch OFF.
5) Move selector lever to D and turn manual switch ON.
6) Turn ignition switch ON.
7) Move selector lever to "3" and turn manual switch OFF.
8) Move selector level to "2" and turn manual switch ON.
9) Move selector lever to "1" and turn manual switch OFF.
10) Partially depress accelerator pedal (to turn idle switch off).
11) Check code as displayed on POWER light. Blinking once every 1/4sec is normal.

To perform the self diag test for PREVIOUS problems
1) Warm up engine by driving at speeds greater than 12mph.
2) Stop vehicle and turn ignition switch OFF.
3) Turn ignition switch ON and make sure POWER indicator lamp comes on.
4) Turn ignition switch OFF.
5) Move selector lever to "1" and turn manual switch ON.
6) Turn ignition switch ON.
7) Move selector lever to "2" and turn manual switch OFF.
8) Move selector lever to "3" and turn manual switch ON.
9) Move selector lever to "D" and trun manual switch OFF.
10) Partially depress accelerator pedal (to turn idle switch off).
11) Check code as displayed on POWER light. Blinking once every 1/4sec is normal.

Trouble codes:
11 Duty solenoid A
12 Duty solenoid B
13 Shift solenoid 3
14 Shift solenoid 2
15 Shift solenoid 1
21 ATF temp sensor
22 Atmospheric sensor
23 Engine revolution signal
24 Duty solenoid C
25 Engine torque control signal
31 Throttle sensor
32 Vehicle speed sensor 1
33 Vehicle speed sensor 2


----------------------
Long blinks are counted as 10's and short blinks are counted as 1's. In other words, two long blinks and two short blinks would be a code 22. One lone blink and one short blink would be a Code 11 (which is likely what you'll get, but, check it anyway).

[Ryan]

Man that's weird. I don't know why it would be missing. I sent Bwana an email to see if he still has it. If not I'll have to figure out who's parting out. Was there certain years just for this or was it every year they had the resistor?

Thanks a ton for the code info. I'll see if I can figure out which code it is tomorro when I change my belts.

[immortal_suby]

The resistor was there for every year. He must have had it unplugged and then just decided to remove it or something.

I ran with it unplugged for a long time just to get harder shifts - then when the smallcar shift kit came along there was no need to leave it unplugged anymore.

You should be able to get one at a scrapyard or if someone is parting out. A few people on here have built them also with parts from radio shack - a search might turn up the post about it, I can't remember who it was.

[Bwana]

Woah, odd I didnt see this earlier.
Ryan, I sent you an email.

Yes, the resistor was unplugged, and I think it's in my closet somewhere. That is what causes the blinking power light.

I think I took it out completely because the screw was loose, and I didnt want to lose the resistor.

[Chiketkd]

That explains everything. Seems like you have nothing to worry about Ryan. The disconnected resistor can explain all of the problems you noticed on the ride home in the car and the flashing light on start-up...

-Chike

[Ryan]

Can you say happy camper?

[Chiketkd]

Booyeah!

-Chike

P.S. I love the dancing banana man!

Originally posted by Ryan
Can you say happy camper?

[Earthworm]

To be safe check for multiple error codes. With the resistor unplugged you will get error 11.

[odepaj]

What if I get a code 11 but the resistor is plugged in and I dont have a smallcar shift kit?




Dustin

[dwd1985]

The resistor could be too old and might not be working properly anymore. There is a write up in the how-to section on how to replace the resistor yourself for $3 and alittle time with a soldering gun. Or you could just by a whole new resister assembly and screw it in.

[ensteele]

Originally Posted by odepaj

What if I get a code 11 but the resistor is plugged in and I dont have a smallcar shift kit?




Dustin

Dustin

Code 11 is Duty solenoid A Your resistor may be bad if the codes have not been reset and the solenoid was unplugged. I would check it, clear the codes and then drive it and see what happens. Good luck.