The Automatic Transmission Thread

[pu-11-me]

OK all

I searched this site for Automatic Transmission "stuff"

Any guesses as to what i found?

I found that lots of our cars have them.... And not much else!

So, this is the thread for our Automatic Transmissions

Once we get enough information together, i'm hoping to have this stickied.

I want to know everything. Common Problems, Troubleshooting etc

I'll start adding some bits and pieces but all info would be gold

Cheers

 

[pu-11-me]

This information was found here -

Mitsubishi F4A51 Automatic Transmission Hazard Problem

I am writing on behalf of the issue concerning the safety and reliability of Mitsubishi and Dodge vehicles and their owners that contain the Mitsubishi F4A51 Automatic Transmission (2000-2005 V6 Eclipse, 2001-2005 V6 Stratus RT, 1997-2003 V6 Galant)

The main issue seems to be a manufacturing defect in the wave/cushion spring located in the transmission. Mitsubishi has designed the wave spring as a fragile two coil piece which has been known to repeatedly break causing catastrophic failure in the transmission. This in turn poses a threat on the driver and passengers. When this wave spring breaks, actual pieces of the wave spring make it through Mitsubishi's also faulty transmission filter and lodge themselves in the pump gear, causing the gear to actually break. After the pump gear has been broken inside the transmission, all forward and reverse gears immediately stop function and in most instances the vehicle shuts off. This could result in potential harm or even death of the driver and/or passenger as the vehicle loses all moving power which can cause an accident with other vehicles on the road. Mitsubishi has recently created an updated version of the wave spring without issuing a recall, which now is a one piece instead of the coil setup and has a less chance of breaking. To many Mitsubishi/Dodge owners this update was discovered after they have had their vehicle in a transmission shop with a hefty bill to pay even though it was Mitsubishi’s fault for engineering a faulty part in their transmission. All one person would need to find out about this issue is search the internet with the transmission code (F4A51) and this issue is well documented, even researched by Transmission Digest (a specialty magazine). Not only is this a large inconvenience to most, it is also a hazard to ones life. Mitsubishi should recall all vehicles which contain the F4A51 automatic transmission to perform the wave spring and filter update or reimburse those who have already had it done at their cost. This is an issue that needs to be addressed as if you own a vehicle with the F4A51 your vehicle WILL eventually need this repair, if you are still around to do it.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The F5A51 is out of the Verada's and some Magna's and is built the same as the above gearbox with another gear (hence the F5 instead of F4 and the start of the model number). The F is for front wheel drive, but we have the AWD version which starts with a W (which i can't work out)
so its almost the same as ours which is a W5A51.

 

[pu-11-me]

Transmission Codes thanks to Lee

Transmission Codes:
11 Non TCL Car – Throttle Position Sensor System - Short circuit
-- TCL Car – Accelerator Pedal Position Sensor System - Short circuit
12 Non TCL Car - Throttle Position Sensor System - Disconnection
-- TCL Car - Accelerator Pedal Position Sensor System - Disconnection
14 Non TCL Car - Throttle Position Sensor System - Sensors misaligned
-- TCL Car - Accelerator Pedal Position Sensor System - Sensors misaligned
15 Oil Temperature Sensor System Disconnection
21 Crank Angle Sensor System Disconnection
22 Input Shaft Speed Sensor System Short-circuit / disconnection
23 The Output Shaft Speed Sensor System Short-circuit / disconnection
26 Stop Lamp Switch system Short-circuit
31 LR Solenoid System Short-circuit / disconnection
32 UD Solenoid System Short-circuit / disconnection
33 2ND Solenoid System Short-circuit / disconnection
34 OD Solenoid System Short-circuit / disconnection
35 RED solenoid system <5 A / T> Short-circuit / disconnection
36 DCC System Solenoid Short-circuit / disconnection
41 Complete Without a fast speed change
42 2-speed variable speed without having completed
43 3 speed complete control of transmission
44 complete 4-speed variable speed
45 complete a 5-speed variable speed <5 A / T>
46 variable speed complete retreat
51 Non TCL Car - Abnormal communication with the engine ECU
-- TCL Car - ASC-ECU abnormal communication
52 DCC solenoid system – Bad System
54 A / T control relay system - Earth short-circuit / disconnection
56 N range lamp system - Earth short-circuit
71 A / T-ECU abnormality

 

[pu-11-me]

Limp Mode

There are 2 types of safety mode when the neutral light flashes....

One is overheated box and the other is a sensor problem.......

Sensors it could be are -

Crank Angle Sensor
Input Shaft Speed Sensor
Output Shaft Speed Sensor or
Solenoid Valve

 

[pu-11-me]

Does your car have a transmission filter?

All pre facelifts had the external filter. The early facelifts did but then they went away from them

 

[pu-11-me]

How much power can these boxes handle?

The transfer case and rear diff are basically the same as an evo. They are very strong and will be fine with anything, bar hard launches (ie 5000rpm clutch dump) With an auto you won't need to worry about them at all as long as you change the fluid regularly.

As for the auto, there have been virtually no failures on cars that have had the correct oil with regular changes, even the guys in the UK that were spraying NOS and did 100+ drag launches with them. Then there are cars that have been driven normally and have had gearboxes fail.

 

[pu-11-me]

It appears that the most common Auto issue is a leaking torque converter seal.

Torque Converter Seal (AT). . . . . . . AW344852 . . . . $9.57

This is the seal between the front of the transmission and the engine. Don't get excited by the price of the seal, most people who have done it walked away with no change from $1000!!!

 

[pu-11-me]

So just how fragile are these boxes?

HERE is the original thread posted by Snikells with links to Conrad's thread regarding this on the old forum.

Be warned, this thread has a LOT of crap replies instead of info, but you may find it useful if you sift through it.

 

[pu-11-me]

Trans Cooler

A transmission cooler is a MUST in Oz and should be one of the first things all Auto owners do to their cars

It is far too hot here for standard cooling.

HERE is the How To written by Lee (Hotwire) to do it yourself.

 

[SiliconAngel]

Fantastic work Dawso, really great info there!

 

[pu-11-me]

Fantastic work Dawso, really great info there!

Thanks again Trev.

Hoping this will be stickied sometime soon but i just need some people to add some other important stuff lol

Once its stickied i'll get one of the mods to go through and delete out all O/T posts so it is purely an info thread.

If need be my thoughts are to create a discussion thread regarding this so it doesn't fill with crap like some other info threads that you have to search through 30 pages of rubbish to find what you're looking for!

We'll see how it goes at this stage, so far you have given the only reply!

 

[leebutts]

Good work Dawso, I've added it to the Index thread.

 

[naughtika]

nice.. even though it doesn't relate to me.. maybe one day i'll get a tip galant for the girl

 

[Guest]

This information was found here -

Mitsubishi F4A51 Automatic Transmission Hazard Problem

I am writing on behalf of the issue concerning the safety and reliability of Mitsubishi and Dodge vehicles and their owners that contain the Mitsubishi F4A51 Automatic Transmission (2000-2005 V6 Eclipse, 2001-2005 V6 Stratus RT, 1997-2003 V6 Galant)

The main issue seems to be a manufacturing defect in the wave/cushion spring located in the transmission. Mitsubishi has designed the wave spring as a fragile two coil piece which has been known to repeatedly break causing catastrophic failure in the transmission. This in turn poses a threat on the driver and passengers. When this wave spring breaks, actual pieces of the wave spring make it through Mitsubishi%u2019s also faulty transmission filter and lodge themselves in the pump gear, causing the gear to actually break. After the pump gear has been broken inside the transmission, all forward and reverse gears immediately stop function and in most instances the vehicle shuts off. This could result in potential harm or even death of the driver and/or passenger as the vehicle loses all moving power which can cause an accident with other vehicles on the road. Mitsubishi has recently created an updated version of the wave spring without issuing a recall, which now is a one piece instead of the coil setup and has a less chance of breaking. To many Mitsubishi/Dodge owners this update was discovered after they have had their vehicle in a transmission shop with a hefty bill to pay even though it was Mitsubishi’s fault for engineering a faulty part in their transmission. All one person would need to find out about this issue is search the internet with the transmission code (F4A51) and this issue is well documented, even researched by Transmission Digest (a specialty magazine). Not only is this a large inconvenience to most, it is also a hazard to ones life. Mitsubishi should recall all vehicles which contain the F4A51 automatic transmission to perform the wave spring and filter update or reimburse those who have already had it done at their cost. This is an issue that needs to be addressed as if you own a vehicle with the F4A51 your vehicle WILL eventually need this repair, if you are still around to do it.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The F4A51 is out of the Verada's and is almost the same as ours which is a W4A51

Ours is the W5A51, the W4A51 is the 4spd from the NA V6 i believe.

 

[pu-11-me]

Ours is the W5A51, the W4A51 is the 4spd from the NA V6 i believe.

Well spotted Mitchy!

You will need to excuse the fact that i had other things on my mind at the time

The Verada Box is a F5A51 as well, i'm just editting now

 

[pu-11-me]

Gear Ratios

For anyone ACTUALLY interested -

GEAR RATIOS - **A51 gearboxes

Final Drive 3.684

1st 3.789

2nd 2.057

3rd 1.421

4th 1.000

5th 0.731

Reverse 2.726

 

[SiliconAngel]

You know what your problem is now, Dawso? You can't get a MT - you're now the king of the Auto!

 

[pu-11-me]

Lol.... Now i know such much about them now that i'm bored and wanna learn about a manual!

Best way to learn is to install one yourself

 

[Guest]

This information was found here -

Mitsubishi F4A51 Automatic Transmission Hazard Problem

I am writing on behalf of the issue concerning the safety and reliability of Mitsubishi and Dodge vehicles and their owners that contain the Mitsubishi F4A51 Automatic Transmission (2000-2005 V6 Eclipse, 2001-2005 V6 Stratus RT, 1997-2003 V6 Galant)

The main issue seems to be a manufacturing defect in the wave/cushion spring located in the transmission. Mitsubishi has designed the wave spring as a fragile two coil piece which has been known to repeatedly break causing catastrophic failure in the transmission. This in turn poses a threat on the driver and passengers. When this wave spring breaks, actual pieces of the wave spring make it through Mitsubishi's also faulty transmission filter and lodge themselves in the pump gear, causing the gear to actually break. After the pump gear has been broken inside the transmission, all forward and reverse gears immediately stop function and in most instances the vehicle shuts off. This could result in potential harm or even death of the driver and/or passenger as the vehicle loses all moving power which can cause an accident with other vehicles on the road. Mitsubishi has recently created an updated version of the wave spring without issuing a recall, which now is a one piece instead of the coil setup and has a less chance of breaking. To many Mitsubishi/Dodge owners this update was discovered after they have had their vehicle in a transmission shop with a hefty bill to pay even though it was Mitsubishi’s fault for engineering a faulty part in their transmission. All one person would need to find out about this issue is search the internet with the transmission code (F4A51) and this issue is well documented, even researched by Transmission Digest (a specialty magazine). Not only is this a large inconvenience to most, it is also a hazard to ones life. Mitsubishi should recall all vehicles which contain the F4A51 automatic transmission to perform the wave spring and filter update or reimburse those who have already had it done at their cost. This is an issue that needs to be addressed as if you own a vehicle with the F4A51 your vehicle WILL eventually need this repair, if you are still around to do it.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The F5A51 is out of the Verada's and some Magna's and is built the same as the above gearbox with another gear (hence the F5 instead of F4 and the start of the model number). The F is for front wheel drive, but we have the AWD version which starts with a W (which i can't work out)
so its almost the same as ours which is a W5A51.

just like this, found my transmission a little worse for wear today...

i went to drain the fluid out of the auto trans in the legnum today, and was greeted by a nice suprise stuck to the magnetic sump plug

its part of the low reverse wave ring/clutch clip

 

[pu-11-me]

just like this, found my transmission a little worse for wear today...

i went to drain the fluid out of the auto trans in the legnum today, and was greeted by a nice suprise stuck to the magnetic sump plug

its part of the low reverse wave ring/clutch clip

Oh dude i'm sorry to see that hey.... That just shows that is going to be a major issue for auto drivers

Just do what i did and buy another car