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Thread: Overdrive issues

  1. #101
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    Re: van 1987 4wd doesn't pass on the 5th gear

    hi kamesama980,

    thank you to take time to answer me about my prob, my english is not that perfect.... what i mean is that i count the speed(gear) changing until i pass on the 4 and then from there i can drive to 85 mil/h if i want it to but i m at 4000 rpm nearly....
    i just feel my poor engine under my seat and it s not good knowing tjat if it was shifting in the 5 gear it would be cruising at around 2500 rpm!

    i just read some article and maybe i would have only 4 speed tranny? how to know?

    as well my overdrive stay on unless i press and keep pressing the button on the shift central command, i read some article on that forum and i thought if i change the overdrive thermo switch ( which i can find info about only on that website) as well with the temp sender it might change the information to the tranny and shift in 5th gear....

    i m lost and can t figure that out at the moment...



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  3. #102
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    Re: van 1987 4wd doesn't pass on the 5th gear

    Quote Originally Posted by Willotquentin View Post
    hi kamesama980,

    thank you to take time to answer me about my prob, my english is not that perfect.... what i mean is that i count the speed(gear) changing until i pass on the 4 and then from there i can drive to 85 mil/h if i want it to but i m at 4000 rpm nearly....
    i just feel my poor engine under my seat and it s not good knowing tjat if it was shifting in the 5 gear it would be cruising at around 2500 rpm!

    i just read some article and maybe i would have only 4 speed tranny? how to know?

    as well my overdrive stay on unless i press and keep pressing the button on the shift central command, i read some article on that forum and i thought if i change the overdrive thermo switch ( which i can find info about only on that website) as well with the temp sender it might change the information to the tranny and shift in 5th gear....

    i m lost and can t figure that out at the moment...
    English IS about the stupidest language on the planet. Heck you can confuse the heck out of mechanics by mixing them from different regions. one from new england says the engine has a skip, one from about anywhere else says it has a miss.

    Do you have an automatic or manual transmission? your comment about the "button on the shift command" makes me think you have at automatic. Unless it's had a MUCH newer transmission swapped in, you only have a 4 speed transmission. manuals (stick shift, standard, the ones with 3-pedals for your feet) are the ones with 5 gears. 4 speed autos may seem like they have a 5th gear due to torque converter lockup.

    With the auto, just let it shift on it's own. Don't try to control it. If you have to hold it down, the OD button on the shifter (command) is broken, you should not have to hold it down to use 4th gear. It should stay in the position to use OD on its own, the only reason to take it out of OD is if you are towing or have a long uphill climb.
    Last edited by llamavan; 03-24-2019 at 12:20 PM. Reason: removed response to previous post, which has since been deleted
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  7. #103
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    Re: van 1987 4wd doesn't pass on the 5th gear

    hi kamesama980 ,

    thanks again for all the informations!

    Yes it s an automatic tranny, i guess it has only 4 gears.... that s not that good... i had a lot of old car and only manual shift ( i'm from Europe ) and if i had knew that ,i would probably not buying it!
    i like feeling the engine and understand when something goes wrong with it, i unfortunatly can t do that going 70mil/h on the highway during 3 hours at 4000 rpm.


    I know a lot of people would say that is normal to go at 4000 rpm but i feel that the engine should be cruising at 2500 rpm.... not 4000 !


    for the overdrive i might not understand what is the purpose of it..... should i let the overdrive off ( that means the light is on, on the dashboard ) when i m driving on the highway or should i press the button (which is broken on the shift and doesn t old the position) to make the light goes off and i guess the overdive on....?








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    Re: van 1987 4wd doesn't pass on the 5th gear

    you want overdrive on. button down. indicator light off on the dash. if OD is off - your van's running on 3 gears - not 4 so your rpms will be way high at freeway speeds

    OD option is for driving around town with more pep or keeping the transmission from jumping around from 3rd to 4th to 3rd when lugging up hills

    the OD is tied to a switch located under the temperature sending unit. a lot of people have fixed problems with OverDrive by simply unplugging the wire from this switch

    other van users have said comfortable cruising speed for these vans is something like 70-75 max

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  9. #105
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    Re: van 1987 4wd doesn't pass on the 5th gear

    hi Yes i saw that discussion about it and already took them out few days ago.... the wire were rotten on the sender and the OD switch...they just fell apart

    i notice that soon the both of them were disconnected the temp gage didnt work anymore but for the OD nothing really change... less

    i already order the temp sender and hope i did well for the OD switch because i can t find any info about it or even part ( the only one i found is that one (Part No.: 89428-28030
    SWITCH, TEMPERATURE))..... is it that one for the overdrive switch?

    do you know by any chance where i could buy the both connection ( wire connector) for the temp sender and OD switch?

    Anyway it s a huge change knowing that i have a 4 speed and not 5

    i'll be driving i guess at 60mil/h at 3000rpm
    .... i still feel bad for the engine



  10. #106
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    Re: Overdrive issues

    Quote Originally Posted by timsrv View Post
    I mean the OD didn't work when the van was cold (even though I had the OD engine temp sensor disconnected). After the transmission warmed up, then it would shift. For the 1st few months of that eventual failure it would take about 1 mile or so of freeway driving before it would shift, then for another few months it would take 2 or 3 miles. After a year or so it would take 5 or 6 miles, then it eventually stopped shifting into OD altogether. During testing I verified it was powering up, but it wouldn't change positions (stuck).

    Shortly after I replaced the solenoid (which solved that problem), the transmission started shifting weird. It would not want to shift out of the low gears when floored. If I babied it, it would shift, but if I floored it again it would drop all the way down to 1st (even if I was going way too fast for 1st). It would only do this while the transmission was cold and would start shifting normal again when warm.

    So I figured it must be an issue with the transmission fluid (which was synthetic and only about 2 years old). I had only put about 30k on that fluid, but I changed it out as a final "hail Mary". Over the course of 3 days, that problem gradually went away and all was good. So, almost exactly a year and 15k miles later it starts doing that low gear shifting thing again. I decided since that transmission was original and had over 250k miles on it, it was time to go. I pulled it and swapped it out with one from one of my parts vans (about 150k miles on that one). I was a little worried because that transmission had been sitting in that van for over 15 years. But that was about 4 months/5k miles ago and all is working good. I'm using the Volvo OD solenoid in this one & it's performing excellent. I'm using Amsoil synthetic ATF. Tim
    Hey Tim, thanks for all the good info. What is the Volvo solenoid part #, not the "repair kit" but the actual solenoid.

    thanks again, don

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    Re: Overdrive issues

    Other than the wire connection Volvo #1239928 will interchange. Here's a list of eBay auctions (most of these are aftermarket): https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_fro...Desc=0&_sop=15.

    As mentioned earlier in this thread I got the cheapest one and it has been working fine, however it does leak out the top past the wires. The leak isn't terrible, perhaps 1 quart every 6 months.......but a leak is a leak and it makes a mess under there. If I were to get another I'd probably snag a used OE one or perhaps get a more expensive one off eBay.

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  14. #108
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    4TH gear only works sometimes

    Hey guys,so my van runs real good and drives fine but my trans only shifts into fourth gear once in a while,usually after i have been driving on the highway for about 10 miles.After it shifts it always shifts after thatve as long as im still driving.If I STOP and shut it off for a while unless its just afew minutes I have to drive for a long while again before it shifts into fourth.But yesterday i drove over 20 miles in 3rd and it never shifted into 4th.I m getting sick of this problem!

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  16. #109
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    Exclamation Overdrive Not Engaging

    Hey there all, when I bought my van (1986 cargo 2wd auto) the overdrive worked fine but it's been a few months since it's seen anything faster than 70kmh and I realised the OD wasn't kicking in.

    The transmission works fine all round no issues at all but hitting the OD off button has no change in effect and the engine revs quite high trying to do anything more than 85kmh.

    The OD light comes on and off with the button but because the transmission works fine in general I don't think it's a mechanical problem probably an electrical problem but I could be wrong.

    Is there any common things I should be looking into that might cause the OD not to engage? It's probably good to mention the fluid is clean and filled to the right level.

    Thanks!

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    Re: 4TH gear only works sometimes

    Quote Originally Posted by Torry33 View Post
    Hey guys,so my van runs real good and drives fine but my trans only shifts into fourth gear once in a while,usually after i have been driving on the highway for about 10 miles.After it shifts it always shifts after thatve as long as im still driving.If I STOP and shut it off for a while unless its just afew minutes I have to drive for a long while again before it shifts into fourth.But yesterday i drove over 20 miles in 3rd and it never shifted into 4th.I m getting sick of this problem!
    After reading through this thread i ordered the Volvo solenoid off ebay.I will ley you know if that fixes it.

  18. #111
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    Re: Overdrive issues

    1st thing both of you should do (if you haven't already) is disconnect the OD thermo switch (picture above). If that doesn't fix, then check to see if voltage is present at the solenoid with the OD turned on. If there's no voltage, then replacing the solenoid won't help (unless you're replacing with one of those bypass devises). Tim

  19. #112
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    Re: Overdrive issues

    Quote Originally Posted by timsrv View Post
    1st thing both of you should do (if you haven't already) is disconnect the OD thermo switch (picture above). If that doesn't fix, then check to see if voltage is present at the solenoid with the OD turned on. If there's no voltage, then replacing the solenoid won't help (unless you're replacing with one of those bypass devises). Tim
    Hey Tim thanks!I did indeed disconnect the thermo switch without results.Ordered the Volvo overdrive solenoid on Ebay and it came today,slapped it in and ya baby!ITS back!i got 4th gear!

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    Re: Overdrive Not Engaging

    Quote Originally Posted by Kinecty View Post
    Hey there all, when I bought my van (1986 cargo 2wd auto) the overdrive worked fine but it's been a few months since it's seen anything faster than 70kmh and I realised the OD wasn't kicking in.

    The transmission works fine all round no issues at all but hitting the OD off button has no change in effect and the engine revs quite high trying to do anything more than 85kmh.

    The OD light comes on and off with the button but because the transmission works fine in general I don't think it's a mechanical problem probably an electrical problem but I could be wrong.

    Is there any common things I should be looking into that might cause the OD not to engage? It's probably good to mention the fluid is clean and filled to the right level.

    Thanks!
    hey there,my 4x4 van was doing the same thing and a Volvo 240 overdrive solenoid fits and fixed mine.ebay has them for around 50 bucks.

  21. #114
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    87 O/D switch. Overdrive . Switch will not stay engaged. O/D works only if I hold it

    Hello. I have another 87 van. And BTW Tim you were spot on with my other van Overdrive not working. You showed me how to bypass the thermo sensor in the trans and sure enough, O/D worked right now. Thank you again. New problem is now with another van that has bad overdrive switch. Got one off of ebay and now need to install it. I bought a downloadable version of the factory service manual and could not locate how to remove the gear shift handle to get to the overdrive button and connector. Can you help me out?

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    Re: Overdrive issues Maybe a toggle switch "Fix"?

    I realize that this thread is ancient, but I have run across an 85 van with an auto at a good price. She says the solenoid isn't working so it doesn't want to go over 30 MPH. That sounds like something other than the solenoid to me. But on the off chance that you guys say she's right, is it possible to just toggle this in somehow? Would it be a hot wire to the solenoid through a switch or a grounding wire from the solenoid?
    Or should I just take along a drill and do what the one guy posted in this thread did?



    Quote Originally Posted by timsrv View Post
    That indicates a problem with the overdrive system (not the cooling system). Keep in mind the OD system should engage at 55 deg C (131 deg F) so even a stuck open engine thermostat will allow the van to warm up enough to activate the system. If your heater works correctly (blows hot air) then your coolant temp is definitely above 55 deg C.

    When the van fails to go into overdrive, the 1st thing to do is check the 7.5A fuse in the top center of your fuse box:


    This fuse also supplies power to your gauges and some of your warning lights, so if that stuff works then it's probably not it, but it's easy to check so you should check it anyhow.

    If the fuse checks good take off your center console and inspect all of the wires in this area. Make sure they are all connected securely and free of damage. Note: shorted or grounded wire(s) in this area can prevent your OD from working, so make sure the wires have separation (not pinched together) and make sure the wire insulation is intact with no exposed copper. Pay particular attention to the blue/white wires and the little blue box that sits up in front of the shifter (under the console cover). That box is your overdrive relay (on 2wd vans only). Note: the 4wd van has a slightly different / more complicated OD system, but since yours is a 2wd we'll stick to 2wd for the sake of this discussion.

    Here's the relay used on 2wd vans:


    Here's the harness that goes to the switch:


    Make sure it's hooked up to this plug coming from the shift mechanism. Note: two of the wires inside this black protective tube are the OD switch wires. Since the switch side wires (actual wires coming from the shift lever switch) are subject to change color, always identify them by tracking them up to the shift lever or identify by the wire color on the "van side" of the harness. The colors on the harness are wht/blk & orange. One thing worth noting. The switch does not turn-on the OD (it actually limits it). Electrically speaking, when the switch is closed, the OD will not work and the "O/D OFF" indicator light will illuminate. When the switch is open, the "O/D OFF" light will go out and the van will be free to shift into OD (assuming there are no other issues).



    If the relay and wires in this area are hooked up and look good, then remove the passenger seat, peal back the carpet and remove the big engine access panel (Instructions on how to remove are covered HERE). Once off you will have access to your OD thermo switch.

    Here is it's location:


    The thermo switch is N/C (Normally Closed). When the van is cold (less than 55 deg C) it grounds out the OD circuit preventing the transmission from shifting into OD. Once the coolant temp hits 55C the switch opens and that enables the OD circuit. Because of the way Toyota set it up it's easy to bypass the thermo switch. All you need to do is unplug the gray harness connector to the thermo switch and that's it! If the thermo switch is the problem, then the OD system will now be active.

    If disconnecting the thermo switch doesn't work, then you'll need to check the OD solenoid on the transmission. It's on the drivers side of the tranny here:


    It is grounded through the transmission and is activated by a single wire. Here is where that wire connects to the harness:


    And here is the connector position when installed in the van:


    Before you get involved with testing components make sure the solenoid is in good physical condition and verify it's hooked up to the van wire harness. Trace the wires as far as you can to verify there's no physical damage to them either.

    If you are unable to resolve the problem at this point, let me know and I'll walk you through component level troubleshooting. Tim

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    Re: Overdrive issues

    The overdrive only comes into play after you're done getting up to speed and you ease off on the throttle. Even without OD you should be able to go up to 75 mph or so. The OD just helps to reduce engine RPM when you're cruising. If your engine is approaching RPM red-line at 30 mph and doesn't shift, then it's stuck in 1st gear and that could mean a transmission rebuild is in your future. It could also be something simple, but I'm no transmission expert, so I'd probably take it to a reputable transmission shop for an evaluation. If it simply doesn't have enough power to go over 30 mph and the engine isn't at high RPM, then it's more likely an engine related issue. I wouldn't waste much time with the OD system until you get the other more serious issue(s) resolved. Tim

    PS: the single wire going to the OD solenoid carries 12VDC +. With the key in the "run" position, you should be able to turn it on and off and hear the click of it engaging/disengaging. If you don't hear it, then it could be a bad solenoid, but odds are it's probably just not getting power.

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    Re: Overdrive issues

    Thank you suh!
    The seller was a fleamale who'd had it for quite some time but couldn't answer basic questions about it. That "30mph" sounded more like a "stuck in 1st gear" to me, too. But I had to ask "just in case" since I'm working on another van right now that's also an auto.

    Somebody either more knowledgeable or more adventurous (or both) than I finally bought it when her price hit $750.

    Hopefully I don't run into a similar problem on mine.

    Thanks again.

  25. #118
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    Re: Overdrive issues

    Tim,
    I having the same issues but with a 4wd 87 LE Van. Any chance you could explain this "more complicated OD system"

    " Note: the 4wd van has a slightly different / more complicated OD system, but since yours is a 2wd we'll stick to 2wd for the sake of this discussion."

    Thanks

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    Re: Overdrive issues

    Check out post #25, page 2 of this thread.

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    Re: Overdrive Not Engaging

    Quote Originally Posted by Torry33 View Post
    hey there,my 4x4 van was doing the same thing and a Volvo 240 overdrive solenoid fits and fixed mine.ebay has them for around 50 bucks.

    What Volvo part No. did it? Thanks

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