bimmer down... where is the trans computer located

[attack eagle]

AS I was leaving my son's school today, the tranny wasn't wanting to shift properly, kind off fluttering in Drive, like it was slipping and not wanting to upshift. I had left y wife and younger son in the car with the engine running while I went in to get my older son, and it had been ine on the drive there, and all the other trips we made that morning.

Threw it in neutral turned off the car and restarted it, and it acted like it was grabbing two gears.

Did it again, and no forwards or reverse...

Revving the car to 3k gives very slight forwards movement but again feeling like it is in two gears... kind of jumping feeling. Doing this causes trans program message. Otherwise no message. Just sits like it is in neutral.

Checked the cable and it is moving properly, pan felt hot to the touch, disco'd the battery and let it sit or a few minutes, no change...


Any ideas other than complete transfailure, transpump failure, or torque converter failure? Thought about possibility of low fluid, but we just drained and changed it 2? weeks ago, no signs of leaking ATF fluid under the car.


I have class tommorrow from 9-3 and two papers due that i still have to write... and no backup car
jesus. I sure did not need this.


So to my questions:
I will check the kickdown switch for sticking when I go back later to try and tow the car home, I also wanted to disconnect the trans computer and reconnect it... but I have no idea where it is.
IF I have good speed signal to the tach, is that a sign that the speed pulse generator in the trans is ok? or is that one dedicated to the trans computer with another one elsewhere for the speedo?


Thanks for any insight... other than "that sucks," and "good luck" ;)


If it is going to cost me more than $1000 to fix, the touring is getting parked and I'l buy something crappy for $500 until I have time and money to do a 5 speed/ pedal box/ rear diff swap.

[CWB]

Thanks for any insight... other than "that sucks," and "good luck" ;)


sorry.....Sounds like your tranny bit the dust. you have an auto?

[wokke]

the computer is next to the Motronic. Passenger side in the engine compartment close to the bulkhead (this pic is taken from my 540, but it looks similar in your car):

http://www.wokke.de/Chiptuning/High%20Performance%20Chip%20Installation-Dateien/image009.jpg

But I'm afraid it is a tranny failure due to a sticky valve.

A good speed signal says nothing since the generator is in the diff and not the tranny.

Not too much of an insight but I hope it at least qualifies me for a "good luck" :)

[atl530i]

I guess it is time for a 5 speed swap :) But I am with everyone else on that one. It sounds like your transmission is going to need a rebuild.

[attack eagle]

thanks guys...

that's what I'm afraid off to.

Maybe something got loose after the recent fluid change and 'Kaput"

[X Mon]

Hate to say it but yes, that doesn't sound good at all. Mines getting finicky from time to time, but I'm now in the mode of drive it till it blows and then put the 5spd in.

I do have a spare pedal box if it comes to that.

[4500 RPM]

Sounds like trans swap time.

Lucky you! :)

[kalevera]

the computer is next to the Motronic. Passenger side in the engine compartment close to the bulkhead (this pic is taken from my 540, but it looks similar in your car):



Wolf, on E34 Tourings, the EGS module is mounted up and behind the passenger kick panel, much like in earlier (non V8) cars.

I still need a set of chips for my Touring from you...

[HE53]

Wolf, on E34 Tourings, the EGS module is mounted up and behind the passenger kick panel, much like in earlier (non V8) cars.

I still need a set of chips for my Touring from you...

+1.. I want going to say the same thing.. Your tranny computer is up behind your passenger front speaker/ kick panel. Take that out and you'll see the plug. There should be a couple bolts holding it up in there. I think you have to take the glove box off to get to the bolts, but Im not 100% positive.

I hate to say it, but I also agree with the other posts about it being in the transmission itself. Give the computer a look though just in case.

[attack eagle]

Yeah it is looking more and more like trans pump failure. About 4 hours later we went to go tow it home (thank god for integrated tow hooks!) I started it up, ad nada... not even a HINT of wanting to engage a gear... jsut free revved like it was in neutral.

The POS (94 Saturn SL2) sucessfully towed my pride and joy home and it is sitting in the driveway... need to find some strong backs to push it into the garage so I can cover it until I have time and money to mess with it again, by either trying to fix the auto myself, or going 5 speed. ( please let someone Smash a 525i-M locally)

For now looks like I'm going to drive the POS, get my mother in laws Expedition's CEl fixed , and get my sister in laws' old Geo Prism running properly for my wife to borrow. Maybe even buy it from my father in law on the cheap, since my wife likes it and she wants a nicer car.


One of my local friends says he thinks it might be the first clutchpack, and he knows how to fix em if I can ever get the trans out of the car...

[HE53]

Yeah it is looking more and more like trans pump failure. About 4 hours later we went to go tow it home (thank god for integrated tow hooks!) I started it up, ad nada... not even a HINT of wanting to engage a gear... jsut free reved like it was in neutral.

The POS (94 Saturn SL2) sucessfully towed my pride and joy home and it is sitting in the driveway... need to find some strong backs to push it into the garage so I can cover it until I have time and money to mess with it again, by either trying to fix the auto myself, or going 5 speed. ( please let someone Smash a 525i-M locally)

For now looks like I'm going to drive the POS, get my mother in laws Expedition's CEl fixed , and get my sister in laws' old Geo Prism running properly for my wife to borrow. Maybe even buy it from my father in law on the cheap, since my wife likes it and she wants a nicer car.

:( Watch Craigslist. There are a ton of great deals on there.

[X Mon]

PM me...I may be able to help with ALL of the 5spd stuff, on the cheap.

[attack eagle]

I'll probably be contacting you once I take stock of my financial situation.

ON a positive note, when I went out to the car I was able to accelerate the engine and get it to clunk into gear... so I was at least able to get it up the driveway & into the garage out of the weather.

[wokke]

Wolf, on E34 Tourings, the EGS module is mounted up and behind the passenger kick panel, much like in earlier (non V8) cars.

I still need a set of chips for my Touring from you...

Now I realize that my English isn't the best:
what is EGS ?
what is passenger kick panel?

The picture I've posted is from my E34-540i touring BTW

If you need a chip just order it from me :)

Cheers
Wolf

[attack eagle]

kick panel is that part infront of the door on the interior... Ie the thing that holds othe passenger side speaker in the e34

[Goathumper]

yes

[kalevera]

Now I realize that my English isn't the best:
what is EGS ?
what is passenger kick panel?

The picture I've posted is from my E34-540i touring BTW

If you need a chip just order it from me :)

Cheers
Wolf

Yep, I was being stupid, should have said US spec E34 525 Tourings. No idea on other markets/engines. The only E34 540 Tourings in the states are not factory.

Are you still doing the $200 shipped deal? That must be killer with the exchange rates right now.

I will PM you.

[sfgearhead]

Yeah it is looking more and more like trans pump failure. About 4 hours later we went to go tow it home (thank god for integrated tow hooks!) I started it up, ad nada... not even a HINT of wanting to engage a gear... jsut free revved like it was in neutral.

The POS (94 Saturn SL2) sucessfully towed my pride and joy home and it is sitting in the driveway... need to find some strong backs to push it into the garage so I can cover it until I have time and money to mess with it again, by either trying to fix the auto myself, or going 5 speed. ( please let someone Smash a 525i-M locally)

For now looks like I'm going to drive the POS, get my mother in laws Expedition's CEl fixed , and get my sister in laws' old Geo Prism running properly for my wife to borrow. Maybe even buy it from my father in law on the cheap, since my wife likes it and she wants a nicer car.


One of my local friends says he thinks it might be the first clutchpack, and he knows how to fix em if I can ever get the trans out of the car...

dude that sucks. it's my biggest fear with our touring, even with a rebuilt tranny. if you're gonna pull it anyway i would go for the 5 speed swap. i wish i had the time to do one!

[moroza]

Just to make sure - have you checked the fluid level (since it died, not just before)?

My Honda was doing this a couple of years ago, and it turned out to be a slowish fluid leak because of an improperly installed front axle. That, and I think there's something about the E34 that makes one immediately assume the worst, instead of looking at the simple stuff first - a couple of days ago, I spent several hours uncovering wires and poking them with a multimeter to unsuccessfully hunt down a failed contact for my running lights, then about 45 seconds discovering that it was just a blown fuse.

[attack eagle]

I'll do it tommorrow, just crank the fill plug open enough to confirm the fluid is still in it.

I will say there were no signs of ANY leakage under the car, because that was my first thought. It was full 2 weeks ago.