My '89 Bro has given me an Amber Alert twice now while driving to work. I tried to check codes as soon as I parked this morning but it just flashes "12" and when starting the car, the light is off. Does this old ECM remember recent codes so that a mechanic could pull them using a scan tool? I know it's rather a simple computer compared with today's versions but it wouldn't make much sense for the computer NOT to store codes.

I can't be sure, at all, but it seems that, maybe, OD stops working after the light comes on; it came on at the same point in my drive today as it did yesterday: climbing a small incline while in OD. The light came on, I THINK it shifted to 4th, out of OD, and I continue on my merry way.

The drive home yesterday was smooth, no light, OD functioned fine.

Depends on what sort of code. Some are long term, some are short. Some reset when the car is shut down (short term) and some reset only with the battery being disconnected.

If OD is not coming on, then there is a failure that is kicking it into OPEN LOOP. So the ECM in open loop treats it like the engine is first started and O2 is not warmed up.

So I would look for O2 (rich or lean but this is unlikely your problem, do not rush to replace the O2!! maybe an overheated M/C solenoid or loose connector), stuck choke (probably run like crap if it was), bad thermostat (is engine temp below 150F?), bad TPS, bad CTS (coolant temp sensor).

That is a start, trying remember off the top of my head other OPEN LOOP sensors. Note, most closed loop sensors likely will not cause this problem, so O2, etc won't cause it.

Check the wiring to the HEI too, if that connector got loose and it lost EST, it would fall back to bypass mode.

Wow. We're way beyond paperclips.

I'm guessing it's not in open loop BECAUSE I still get that annoying LUGging when I come to a stop. It's not the solenoid. I pulled the fuse for the ECM a while back and drove it for a few days and didn't get that annoying LUG, but that was highly UNscientific research.

So my guess is that I'm just wrong. I can't diagnose a sneeze let alone a car.

I'll recreate the run on Saturday to get the light to come on, then I'll drive right over to Meineke's to see if they'll scan it.

I'll attempt to pay more attention tomorrow to see if i'm A) in OD when it happens; and B) if it drops outta OD.

Thanks for all the tips, I'll print this out later as a reference, in case Meineke starts trying to tell me everything is wrong. =P

If Meineke tries to replace even 1 more part than is actually wrong. Head directly over to the BBB. Complain loudly. This is one area that ticks me off.

There is 1 part wrong, almost NEVER, I emphasize NEVER (almost, there are rare exceptions, and I do mean RARE!) is there more than 1 part wrong. You are NOT paying them Remove and Replace parts to figure out which one fixes it and charge you for all of them, that is illegal, unless you signed something saying that you agreed to them doing that. If they do, go up the chain to the head office and complain and lodge complaints at the BBB.

I don't remember if there is a TCC Fault code, later cars there is. Most shops are filled with incompetent repairmen that are not school trained, and have no idea how to troubleshoot a car. Read up on my posts and Sal's posts on the TCC (also look for VCC or Viscous Converter Clutch or Torque Converter Clutch), as the troubleshooting is nearly identical.

1 problem, 1 part to fix it. Not many. Period.

They need to PROVE to you the parts are bad, take the bad parts with you to a competent shop and ask them to verify it, almost every part can be tested on the bench to prove that it is bad. Get the old parts!

Call local TV stations to do some investigative reporting, they love that sort of stuff. If they think they can do a good story on it, they will. Corruption and lack of good training on the mechanics is costing Billions of $$ to good honest people in the US yearly!!! Don't be a statistic!!

Sorry, ranting over. Shuttin up.....

Use the paperclip to read codes. Don't waste a dime on Meineke. As soon as at the SES light comes on (The "Amber Alert" or Service Engine Soon or Service Engine Now) stop, stick a paperclip in Pins A and B on the ALDL and read the codes. You may need to shut the engine off (disconnect the red wire to the HEI), but do not turn the ignition off. You may have to stall it to make it read. The light goes into a different mode when the engine is running (flashes rich or lean).

I don't have a FSM on the 89's, I am sure many members here do. I would recommend one, they are well worth it. Go to www.helminc.com to get one. Chiltons and Haynes books are a joke. Although they do burn well....

Um, oooooooookay. Well, Meineke never charges to hook up their scanner to read my codes. The guy who owns like 20 of our local stores is a personal, long-time friend. I wouldn't have them do any work, mind you. =P I've never had any mechanical work done at Meineke, except brakes and mufflers. I'm not about to start now, thank you very much.

The TCC solenoid was replaced at a local, trusted transmission shop and the problem I WAS having (more serious) went away. My other many posts explain all this and why I'm no farther along in the process of understanding what's really wrong. I also have the GM shop manual.

Meh. I'll just drive the damned thing and continue to get 10 MPG in town and the highway. I'll just live with the annoying GLUMP at stops (which almost goes away with the AC on). If something finally breaks, fine. At least I'll know what to fix. =)

Good, glad to hear they don't charge. A lot of shops do. Autozone will also read them (well, they used to) for nothing too. I don't have anything personal against any one shop. Just that so many people get screwed, and it isn't fair.

If you are down that much on mileage, I would look at the carb, is the M/C solenoid even operating? It should keep on clicking if you stall the engine (yank red wire out of HEI is a good safe way). If not, find out why. You can stick a dwell meter on the 6 cyl scale and connect it to the green lead sitting on the intake. It should read around 50% dwell at idle. If it is railed one way or the other, it is spening too much time there (stuck, or open).

Hmm, it would be helpful to know the code. See what the ECM is yelling about. It often isn't the issue, but it often leads you in the right direction. The Glump at stops is the puzzler. So if the ECM is disconnected all is ok? Well, this does make it full on rich So it is in full power mode all the time and no TCC.

Let me know what code you find, maybe that will be a telltale what it is upset over.

The carb is fine, had the whole vehicle looked over carefully by my trusted and reputable mechanic. He even tested the ECM and couldn't find a problem - which isn't to say there ISN'T a problem.

Autozone can't check the codes (at least they say they can't) because the tool they have available at their local store isn't compatible with OBD I. I'll maybe take a trip out to Schuck's coz I think they've done it before. It didn't come on this morning but I wasn't in the same driving condtions, so...

Thanks for all the suggestions. If I find out the code I'll let you know. I have this bad feeling that my transmission needs to be rebuilt. *OMINOUS MUSIC IN BACKGROUND CRECENDOS.*

Paperclip is best (although I don't know if that works on a 5.0L Olds Cad, I don't have one to play with).

If you are anywhere near SE WI, maybe we can hook up to take a look.

Take a look at my TCC troubleshooting. http://cadillacforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=45000&highlight=TCC+ALDL+DVM
Did you got through that at all? It is interesting to follow the method to GM's TCC engagement.

For now, drive it a bit in 3rd only, no OD. See if mileage improves. And see if the overall problem is minimized. Considering a 1976 Olds 98 was EPA rated at 18 highway with a 455 and 2.73's, you should still do better. My 350 Olds powered 85 Cutlass with 2.56's got 21.5 mpg, no OD, and that was with short 25.5 in tires.

Yeah, the paperclip thing might work but I'm not gonna start unplugging things from my HEI. I don't even know what that is. LOL

As for driving in 3rd, I can't do that. My drive home would be torture in 3rd. The light wasn't on today so I'm not concerned. The TCC (the clutch itself) seems to work properly, disengaging at the right times, etc. Can these transmissions be adjusted?

I'll go through your guide maybe on my next break.

Everyone else with a Brougham like mine claims to get between 14-15 in town. I was getting that (I think) for about 2 weeks before everything changed. (See my numerous ECM posts for details.)

We are just used to the low rpm cruising. It takes some getting used to, but honestly, it is just fine on the car and trans.

The TCC engagement is ECM controlled with the brake pedal overriding it. No adjustments. My post goes over the wiring of it, which should give you a decent idea on how it is engaged. I hope I wrote it ok. No one flamed me for it.

My mom's 85 HT4100 FWB got the same, if not better mileage in D than OD. It was lugging a lot.

You can try to shut it off slowly, enough that the engine power gets shut down, but the ECM stays alive. Give it a try, stop, put paperclip in, then SLOWLY turn off ignition till it just shuts the engine down, and don't turn anymore, that might keep it alive enough to read the codes before they are cleared.

Hm. I can try that if the light ever comes back on. The last two days it hasn't, so...

I'll drive in 3rd I guess and we'll see what happens. I STILL get that lugging, though. I get the lugging even when I put it in 1st and drive, then stop. SLOOOOOW stop...GLUG. You feel the engine pulling down, the car bobs a bit. WHAT THE HECK IS THAT?! =(

Then, on take-off from a light (not flooring it or anything) this morning, it almost died. I rarely have that problem but I don't know if it's another symptom of my problem or what. GRRRRRRRRRR. N0DIH, bring your car on over to Oregon and I'll pay you to look at it. I won't pay for your gas, though. LOL

Well, when I get a few more paychecks under my belt I'm just gonna take it to my mechanic and tell him to fix it already. If he doesn't, I'll go elsewhere.

Is it just too low engine RPM? Like is the the ILC, Idle Load Compensator broken or missing? It should work very hard to prevent stalling. Probably is the bobbing you mentioned. If you pop the air cleaner off, and look at the drivers side of the carb, there is a silver thing that has an arm that can push up on the throttle. If the engine is running and you disconnect the vacuum line to it, it will rev the engine up to around 2500 rpm. It should be all hooked up and pulled back during normal driving.

Are you getting good fuel pressure? Is the float sinking in the carb and the ECM compensating?

I wish I could see it, it sounds lke something simple. Like my dad's 85 when he took it in to get the intake gasket replaced (was leaking, a common problem on 307's) and they mech put the vacuum lines back on wrong. I fixed it, it was doing some weird stuff and I found some lines in the wrong place.

Can you get some detailed pictures of the hose routing under the hood? I have most of it memorized, so if I saw it, I might be able to help.

You know, that could be it! I really don't know yet, I'll have to poke around tonight but this bobbing problem didn't begin until AFTER my mech worked on it. I mean, like, right away it happened. It was either the time he connected my ECM or adjusted the timing, I don't remember which. Both times, though, he was poking around in there...hmmm.

You know what else? Although this mechanic is reputable and trusted, he farms out much of his work to younger guys. When they set my timing? 10 degrees, "Factory," he said. LOL 20 degrees is factory spec, not 10! That made for some seriously gutless driving. I might find a new mechanic. =P Care to move out farther west, N0DIH?

Just got home, haven't had a chance to do more than look under the hood.

3rd gear, AC on = no lug that I notice.
3rd gear, AC off = lug.

Same results as using "D." Was a little nervous about driving at 50 MPH in 3rd, though. LOL Once I get this sorted out, I'll install a switch for OD.

AC made the difference eh? Leave it on! I would suspect there might be a slight timing change with AC on. But not much. It almost strikes me as lean mixture. With AC you will have to get on it slightly more, so it will become naturally slightly richer.

Take a close look around the carb with Air Cleaner off.

If was to look at it myself:
I would start with the EGR line, it runs from the front drivers side, (the old timed distributor vacuum port) to the little back box in the back driver side valve cover, then comes out going to the EGR valve.
I would look at the tree in the back in the carb (or intake, I forget) and one goes to the black box, and then out to the EFE valve down in the exhaust manifold (I have to double check that).
Then the front drivers side top goes to the MAP sensor on the fender. Another from the top goes (short line) to the Front Vacuum Break, aka, Choke Pull off. (Do check this, it should be able to hold vacuum for 1min or more if you remove the line and depress it and release with your finger covering the vacuum nipple, this is a famous cause of cold starts that die then restart fine).
The bottom has a large line that is prone to getting hard and cracking that goes to the EGR valve on the pass side valve cover. Check the line carefully. I needed to put a hose clamp on the PCV (the PCV is good, right??) because the line would losen easily and leak.
There is another underneath that goes to the canister purge.
There is another underneath that goes to the vacuum ball under the hood, and I think another that goes to another ball.
One of the lines in back goes to the firewall for climate control.
Might be another going in the firewall for the e brake pull off.
There is a steel line that goes part way to the power brake booster. With a vacuum filter in line and a one way check valve that is the piece that inserts into the booster.

Ok, where my dad's was messed up was the lines to the ILC and the vacuum ball, and the little solenoid with the red connector on the drivers side valve cover. These lines are hard to tell in the book, but operation is critical. The theory is simple, the engine vacuum pulls the ILC back (retracted) while driving. When the engine runs, and vacuum drops the ILC starts to extend to up the idle.

Now, when you kill the engine, if left hooked up that way, the ILC would try to keep the engine running. So run on problems would occur. But GM installed a solenoid that switches the vacuum from the engine to the vacuum ball to allow it to keep the ILC fully retracted with enough time to let the engine die. So one side of the solenoid goes to the ball, one side to the carb or the vacuum tee on the intake front, and the line out of the solenoid to the ILC.

Sorry, I am working on this from memory and I haven't seen the underhood in 2+ years!

Don't worry, you can drive that car at 120 mph in D and not even break a sweat. That is still only 3600 rpm. We are so used to quiet low rpm engines these days we actually notice when it is revved up. I have had my LT1/3.42's up to 80 in 3rd and I felt like it wass screaming, but still only turning 3300!

Even at 50 mph, in 3rd, you are around 1500 rpm.

http://www.corral.net/tech/gearcalc.html to play with the numbers. Use 1983/4 4th gear for non OD 1:1 (aka, 3rd gear in your car)

Hm. Tried "killing" the engine by turning the key, hoping to keep the CE light on. Unfortunately (but ultimately good), the engine fires back up immediately when turning the key forward again. Killing the engine long enough to stop this kills the light, too.

Oh, obviously the light came back on this morning. Only, it was at a different time AND I was using 3rd. Going up a hill, tho...

You're very learned, N0DIH, and I'm afraid a bit beyond my ability. I'll try to do what you suggest but I have a feeling I'll just print it out as advice for someone else who knows what they're doing. =) You're giving me good ideas and I'm very appreciative.

See if you can take some detailed pictures and email them to me or just post them here. I can go over them and see if I can catch something.

I am wondering if it is a O2 sensor (rich) code. Which if the carb is not responding to the commands from the ECM to adjust fuel, it will do that. Or a large vacuum leak and it can't control it. Like a float problem.

I would love to take a look at it and see what is up. Puzzling! Don't underestimate your abilities! What I have learned started from me as a 16 year old kid and seeing the sign in Weber Chevrolet in St. Louis that said the labor rate was like $56/hr. OWCH! I learned fast I wasn't taking my car to a shop!!! I am only 38 now, still young and don't know much. I have studied GM ECM drivability more than any other. I feel it is most rewarding to have a car that just plain drives nice. I have done a slew of mods to my E4MC Q-Jet (which you have on your car) to make it drive better than factory. It was actually worth it. It was one of the smoothest most responding carbs I ever messed with.

A low float will have a longer transision time from application of throttle to allowing fuel in, which the accelerator pump will mask some (I mod that too!). So you will get a momentary lean mix and then when the fuel comes in, rich, and then the slow ECM these cars have will start to compensate by adjusting the M/C Solenoid duty cycle. It is centered on 50%. It would be ideal if you can connect a dwell meter up to the Green connector on the intake manifold area (front to front pass side) and put it in the car and drive. Put it on the 6 cyl scale (this will show duty cycle in 0-100% range nicely) and drive with it. It should strive for 50% at idle, and then go closer to 90-100% under heavy acceleration (but not enough to trigger the 4BBLS), and go back to 50% when at full throttle, and then go way down to 0-10% at deceleration. Once the check engine light comes on, it likely will be going to 50% fixed. Unfortunately, timing gets fixed too, around base timing. So power is down, fuel economy is down, drivability is down.

I set up my carb to 442 Olds specs and then mod'd it (get out the pin vise ladies and gentlemen!). If you are serious about moding the carb, get Doug Roe's book. He devotes very little to the E4MC/E4ME carbs, but most of what applies to the others, applies to the E4MC/E4ME (The "C" is hot air choke, the "E" at the end is electric choke, the 307 Olds does NOT like the rapid opening of the electric choke, I tried....)

I'll try to do some reading on the light modes. There is about 4 modes that can be triggered on the ALDL depending on what you want to get out of it. Try this, connect the paper clip to pins A-B and then start the car and drive normally. It will show the check engine light as a "rich-lean" indicator. That might show something. Just leave it in all day and watch it.

I'm an idiot. I forgot that "12" flashes 3 times before showing other codes. I'm sooooooo dumb. LOL So yeah, I paperclipped it in the driveway and got "53," which, as I see it, means either:

1) Faulty alternator, high voltage = I don't think that's my problem
2) EGR system malfunction = likely cause
3) Anti-theft circuit fault = Highly unlikely because mine doesn't have a factory security system.

Looks like it's the EGR. But would that cause the lug? I don't know how to find, remove or otherwise cajole the EGR but I know people use a 3/8" drill bit to clean it out!

The alternator will cause an overvoltage fault over like 16 volts. Do check it. It can do damage to things if it is too high. Why? I had it happen to me!!!

EGR can be easily disabled. Plug the vacuum line to the EGR valve. This one is a positive backpressure EGR. Has the exhaust been changed at all? If there is a high pressure in the exhaust (plugged cat or collapsed muffler) can cause EGR to engage at times when it should not. OR, if it is was connected to the wrong vacuum source, it will come in at the wrong time. The line that goes to the EGR valve is from the front of the carb, drivers side, around the middle of the float bowl. Follow it around to the little black box on the drivers side valve cover. It goes into (I think) the forward most pair of vacuum lines. The top one I think. The bottom ones are fed from the intake manifold and go to EFE (Early Fuel Evaporation, the little heat riser valve (as it is commonly called), which is the little valve that plugs up the drivers side exhaust pipe to force all exhaust through the intake to heat it up faster for better cold engine drivability) and the other goes to ? The EGR one if connected to the wrong source will cause problems galore. Start there. Pop the hood, and pull the line off the EGR, and plug that line to the vacuum source. IF you have a gauge, start the engine and check it. It should not have vacuum (warm engine, say 4 minutes tops from a cold start) once you rev it up, but not any other time. Period.

If EGR is on at the wrong time, it will lug for sure. And the ECM will be scrambling to try to fix it. And it will be ever confused.

Let me know! You are close to fixing it!

Couldn't the EGR just be clogged with carbon? Maybe the valve is sticking and just needs cleaning. The light has only come on 3 times now and not consistently. It wasn't on at all today, for example.

I'm not going to be capable of doing what you suggest but I'll take this information and either give it to someone skilled or use it to make sure nobody screws me when I take it in for service. LOL I'll try taking a look but I'm not brave enough to start pulling hoses and seeing what happens. Heh.

I AM learning a ton here, tho. I can actually carry on a conversation now with a mechanic without seeming totaly ignorant. =D I'll poke around under the hood tomorrow if I have time and at least look to see if I can tell what's what.


Thanks!

It sounds like it is coming on when it shouldn't. The ECM doesn't have enough brainpower to know if EGR isn't working. Honesly, I would be surprised that it would ever give an EGR fault. I ran my 85 Cutlass w/o EGR and AIR and the ECM was never the wiser. The symptom on a 307 of an EGR coked up woth carbon is pinging (tubes plugged, and yes, they possibly are, all 307's had problems with this. Remove carb to drill them out. This engine is more EGR sensitive than any one I have seen. It actually IS a performance improvement to have it working right!!

Don't be afraid to pull hoses. It is safe. A golf tee or a screw make great vacuum plugs. I would plug off the EGR itself and go driving. See if it fixes it all. You underestimate yourself! The EGR valve is on the drivers side next to the throttle linkage. One line in. Just pull line off and plug it, and make sure the line won't get tangled in the throttle linkage when you drive (would be tough to get tangled anyway). And go test drive.

If you suspect that it is plugged up and sticking open, take a small hammer and gently rap on the valve with the engine running. It will change idle if it does and the valve is opened up at that time.

It pings until I open up the throttle more. I use 89 octane not premium, but i used to use 87 octane without any trouble. It started pinging recently so I upgraded to no avail.

Hell's bells.

Well, the EGR is all nice and clean, I didn't have to do a thing. Well, my dad's neighbor didn't. LOL He looked it over, tested some things. We didn't get anywhere, though, it's still doing that annoying lugging thing at stops. Well, it WAS doing that, until I pulled the fuse for the ECM.

Did you know that OD will kick in even if you have it pulled into 3rd? I noticed this after everyone told me to drive in 3rd to try to avoid my problem...and I could feel and hear it going into OD. I checked the GM factory manual and it comfirms this. So driving in 3rd really doesn't do anything to disengage the TCC. Interesting!

Pulling the fuse, however, disables it. =P

So now that damned light is on full time and I have no computer but it's not lugging at stops. =)

Theories?

Bad ECM? PROM? The manual suggests that something controlling the TCC can sometimes stick...

And I get a ticking sound from somewhere that comes and goes usually between 5 and 25 MPH...goes away at stops, tho. I've had this problem since I bought the car. Speedo cable? Something electrical like a relay? Something electrical in the engine getting stuck?

DAMN IT I WANT ANSWERS! =P

I'm gonna have to start driving the '83 to save money on gas...

No fuse pulling can disable OD. But fuse pulling will disable TCC. TCC will engage in 3rd gear. So you actually feel 4 shifts. 1-2, 2-3, 3-4, then TCC engage. Or, like my 94 FWB, 1-2, 2-3, 3rd TCC, then 3-4.

You are feeling the TCC engagement in 3rd, not OD. Easy way to check, While cruising with it in 3rd gears, Keeping foot on gas slightly, depress brake pedal enough to turn the brake lights on. The TCC will disengage. It isn't allowed to be engaged with brakes applied. That link I sent you before shows the electrical path why.

EGR valve can be clean as a whistle. You have to remove the carb to check. The plugged up tubes are NOT able to be seen with the carb in place. It must be removed. It will not ping on 87 octane and clean EGR tubes. You need to pull the car and run a drill bit through them till it punches through the carbon and you feel it tap the intake manifold floor. I don't recommend running the bit in the drill, do it by hand. Ensure the intake floor is protected from debris with some rags. Do not start it with the rags in place!! That is a sure fire way to crack a block! Suck out all the debris so the engine doesn't have to try to injest carbon chunks.

Hm. Well, NEXT weekend, maybe. =)

As for OD vs. TCC, I just thought that when the TCC engaged it WAS overdrive. Shows what I know! I did know about the brake pedal, though.

TCC can be engaged in any gear, but GM doesn't allow it. Shifting and TCC locked makes for some rough shifts. There is some switches in the trans that disallows 1st and 2nd gear lockup.

So what the heck is the real OD all about? I know it engages at and above 38 MPH on steady grades, according to the manual. What's the difference between the TCC and OD?

On my way to lunch today, with the fuse for the ECM pulled, I noticed that my AC doesn't blow cold. Not sure why, really, coz I don't think the ECM fuse is shared by the compressor or anything. In fact, I'm sure I head the compressor running, so...but anyway, it was interesting. Idled rough, too, but runs fine.

After lunch I put the fuse back in coz it's 90 degrees and I wanted some AC! Works fine, of course, but now it's lugging at stops again. It's gotta be something with the TCC. I'll have the EGRs cleaned first, tho.

The manual says that something involving the TCC can get stuck sometimes so I'm not convinced that I need a rebuild on the tranny. I'll find some way in a few months or so to have it taken in while I'm at work.

Thanks for all the help. I've learned a lot, even if I haven't yet fixed the problem. =)

Ok. Took it to a mechanic. The EGR was totally clean. So the only conclusion I can draw from the Check Engine light/code 53 is that either my alternator is spiking at the same point in my morning commute, a sensor is bad or the ECM is faulty.

Anything else that could cause a code 53?

Over the weekend, the errors we experienced prevented me from editing the above post. I wanted to mention that it's an intermittent code 53 (light turns/stays off after engine is cycled off and on) and occurs roughly at the same point during my morning commute.

TCC is like when you normally drive, but the clutch always slips a little. This on a torque converter provides near 100% direct drive.

OD is adding a GEAR, that when engages, provides an additional gear, like your 10 or 15 speed bike, going from the middle or lower chainwheel in front to the top one, as opposed to the gears in the back being shifted. The front chainwheel changes all overall ratios. The rear changes only the gear you are in. In GM cars, they do not engage OD in any gear but 3rd, which then is called 4th. Ford OTOH on the A4LD variant that is a "5 speed" auto, engages OD in 2nd, now calling it 3rd, then disengages it for 4th and then engages it again in "4th" calling it 5th.

Similar to the old Nash 4+3 manual the Corvette had"
1st gear
2nd gear
2nd gear + OD
3rd gear
3rd gear + OD
4th gear
4th gear + OD
Why? Closer ratios allows for more refined gear selection and less lugging of the engine. Ask any semi driver, they often have 15-20 gears, but most are really a 5 speed stick with an selectable final drive, just like a 15 speed bike. Low range, 1-5, mid range, 1-5, high range 1-5 = 15 speeds. Not all are usable. But they are there.

In the case of OD, the engine is turning SLOWER than the driveshaft output speed. Not being in OD, but being in "high gear", or the last non overdriven gear, which 95% of the cars out there is 1:1 ratio, the driveshaft turns exactly the same speed as the engine. So when OD is engaged, the engine can turn slower and the car will not change speed.

Make sense? Hope it helps!

Get a stop watch and time exactly from the moment you turn the key till the light turns on. Bet it is around 3.5 minutes maximum, never to exceed 3.5 min. But from a warm start it will be less time.

Over the weekend, the errors we experienced prevented me from editing the above post. I wanted to mention that it's an intermittent code 53 (light turns/stays off after engine is cycled off and on) and occurs roughly at the same point during my morning commute.

Get a stop watch and time exactly from the moment you turn the key till the light turns on. Bet it is around 3.5 minutes maximum, never to exceed 3.5 min. But from a warm start it will be less time.

It never happens during other driving conditions. I can drive 3.5 minutes anywhere else from a cold start or warm and it doesn't come on. The light only comes on at a certain location during my drive, on the first slight hill I approach at around 45 MPH.

I have not driven the car to the same spot since the mechanic inspected the EGR and found no problems. Perhaps something was loose. I will try again tomorrow if the weather is dry (don't want to get the car wet and dirty) Heh. Maybe whatever the problem was has been fixed by removing/repositioning everything.

Sounds like it is a TCC problem, TCC doesn't engage typically till around 45 mph. With AC on, it should be a few mph higher.

The ECM does "look" for an rpm drop, so if it doesn't drop some rpm when it engages TCC, it declares a fault. Do you feel it engage at 45 mph or so? Accelerate gently from stop to 60 mph. You should feel 1-2 shift, 2-3 shift, 3-4 shift and TCC lockup (although 3-4 and TCC may be swapped, TCC then 3-4). If you are missing one, that is likely the problem.

Sounds to me like there is a TCC failure. The troubleshooting I wrote http://cadillacforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=40197&highlight=ALDL+Brake will give you the most info. Don't use a test light, it will likely trigger lockup on its own.

As near as I can tell, I feel it going from 3 to TCC lockup, then to 4, to TCC lockup. It seems to work smoothly and it disengages when the brake is applied or when I tromp on the gas, or on an incline where it must shift down to 3rd. Diagnostically speaking, it has been tested by my regular mechanic and he claims he can't find anything wrong with the electical side of things. I lack the equipment to do the diagnostic testing you lay out, N0DIH, though I remember hearing my mechanic tell me he performed the same kind of test during his test drive. He says it's working just like it should, except for that bumping thing. He seems to think my clutch is going bad but he's not into working on transmissions any more...so I don't think he's just trying to sell me something.

Had I time, I'd simply take it back out to the transmission shop I've been to and like and have them check it out. Alas, working full time disallows that at present.

Would surging be a symptom of a bad TCC? Like, in 3rd, with the TCC engaged, I feel it pulsing and pulling back. Now, that MIGHT be (to my limited mind) the effects of compression pulling me back as I let off the gas ever-so-slightly, then having to accel in traffic. But what do I know? It does this with the AC on or off.

So can a TCC "slip?" I mean, if it starts to wear, will it kinda slip like if you held the clutch in just a bit on a manual? Or would it just clunk or lock permanently or never at all? I should just call the danged tranmission mechanic rather than beg you all for answers. If my job turns permanent, I'll be a supporting memeber, if I can! =) That way I won't feel like such a mooch.

So all was well for a little while.

And all Hell broke loose.

EGR is fine, alternator is fine. Wire from the alt. to my dash light is BAD. (Somewhere between the firewall and the lamp itself.) It was making a poor connection and *SOMEHOW* that prevents the alternator from doing it's thing. This is according to an automotive electrician.

So he had the car for a day and said that he can't replicate the problem. It was bad one day, good the next. I told him that since it's Friday I'd pick it up and use it over the weekend, hoping to induce some form of autmotive coma. The Batt light isn't coming on but my blinkers are slow and I suspect that if I drove around much more I might start to see that little light coming on.

What has this rant to do with the CE light? I'll tell you!

On my cruise around tonight, during some highway driving, my CE light came on again and guess what? CODE 53. Yes, our helpful little friend is back. Unless something in the EGR inspection was missed, by two different mechanics, we're looking at some kind of alternator-related issue.

So is this mysterious bad wiring enough of an issue to fool the ECM into thinking there's been a power surge? I still get like 14v with all my accessories turned on, at 2000 RPM. I get about 14.4v at idle. Is this TOO much voltage? Is that what's triggering the code?

Hmmm...very interesting. But schtupid.