posted
Last week, I got onto the freeway for the first time in three or four days. While on the onramp, I sped up to 65 and the engine went to 5500 RPMs. I let up on the gas, expecting the transmission to shift and the engine to return to 2000 - 3000 RPMs. It never did - it stayed above 5000. I got off at the next exit and slowed down to 35. The engine returned to normal.
Since that time, this experience has not been repeated. I have been on the freeway and sped up to that speed many times.
My question: Was this a fluke? Is my transmission about to die? I have a bumper-to-bumper warranty that last for another 15,000 miles. I need to get the oil changed and plan on doing that this afternoon - I'm a month or two overdue.
Does anyone know what this is a sign of?
Besides the Apocolypse and my need to move to an all-bike town, I mean.
Posts: 26077 | Registered: Mar 2000
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posted
My only idea, besides your transmission starting to go, is that you had your car in 2nd instead of Drive. But that's akin to saying "Please check to make sure your computer is turned ON."
Posts: 5957 | Registered: Oct 2001
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Erik: Nono, I think that's okay. See, I read that while oil needs to be changed every 3,000 miles, the likelihood of a mistake being made increases the more often oil is changed (makes sense, right? The more you mess with it, the more opportunity for someone to, uh, mess with it.) Therefore, while in a perfect world, every 3,000 miles is best, to even out the risks associated with messing with the engine that often, every 5,000 is fine.
afr: *sigh* And after that oh-so-well-thought-out and intelligent justification...your explanation is not inconceivable. Stupid car. Would having it in second do that?
*loves Hatrack, the source of all wisdom*
Posts: 26077 | Registered: Mar 2000
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posted
What's the maximum speed you've driven since this happend?
I was once driving a car when the sensor in the transmission (that tells it when to shift) went out, so that it was basically stuck in 2nd gear - so it did exactly what you were describing.
[Blah - re-read your post and it seems that's not your problem, since it's behaved fine since - shows you what happens when you try to read and post on Hatrack while talking to someone]
posted
I've got a friend who is, quite simply, the most brilliant mechanic I've ever heard of--one of those people with incredible talent, honed by decades of experience. I'll ask him about this and let you know what he says kat. What kind of car is it? How old? How many miles are on it?
Posts: 16059 | Registered: Aug 2000
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posted
It's a 1999 Nissan Altima with 85,000 miles. It's been in a few fender benders, but at slow speeds with no damage to the engine. Noemon, I would LOVE if you could ask. No need to go out of your way, but that would be great.
*salutes* I'm taking it in to get everything filled and tweaked and petted this afternoon, definitely. *kicks tire and mutters* Stupid car - makes me think about it.
posted
One thing--if your transmission is getting ready to go, replacing the transmission fluid can actually accellerate the process. Topping off won't hurt (and could help), but a full replacement can be disasterous. Strange, and completely counter-intuitive, but true.
Posts: 16059 | Registered: Aug 2000
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posted
If it's still under warranty, why don't you just take it in to the dealer's shop and have it checked out?
Posts: 5879 | Registered: Apr 2001
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quote:See, I read that while oil needs to be changed every 3,000 miles, the likelihood of a mistake being made increases the more often oil is changed.
Huh? What kind of mistake are you talking about?
Anyway, have you checked all your fluids lately? Air filter? Fuel filter? Spark plugs?
I doubt your transmission's about to go. A Nissan that new (even with those high miles) should last longer than that. And if your transmission were giving out, you could expect rough shifting and other problems like that. In my layman's opinion, it was probably something simple like a partially blocked air intake. But I'm by no means a mechanic.
posted
What mistakes? Forgetting to tighten the oil plug so that all the oil drains out of the car.
I had the oil in my van changed at a professional place. Less than 100 miles later the engine froze up and needed to be replaced. Why? There was no oil in it. The oil change shop refused that explanation, claiming that with out further proof, they would not accept responsibility for me having to replace the engine.
Posts: 11895 | Registered: Apr 2002
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Dag, I've been reading too much Harry Potter recently. That produced a very vivid mental image.
Posts: 26077 | Registered: Mar 2000
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Katharina, take it to a Meineke shop. It is their policy to not charge for an assessment of your problem. Generally, they are fairly reasonable on repair prices as well.
Posts: 2848 | Registered: Feb 2003
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See, that's why you should change your own oil. It's so easy, and if you screw up, you only have yourself to blame.
Posts: 586 | Registered: Jan 2003
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Sounds like something is sticking. The revving you see is the engine staying stuck in a low gear while the car is moving fast enough to keep it revving that high.
Call Car Talk, they'll probably know the specifics. I've never worked directly on transmissions.
Posts: 1170 | Registered: Jan 2003
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posted
Well kat, according to my friend, it could be anything from a fluke, one time thing to the Beginning of the End. He said that his first thought was that maybe you didn't quite have it in drive, and it was sticking in 2nd gear. He said that it could also be that you had a valve that was stuck. They can clear themselves, which is why you wouldn't have had a repeat of the experience, but he said that if it had stuck, and important question was why it had stuck--where did the bit of dirt that cause it to stick come from? He said that if it *was* that, that it wouldn't be a good sign, and that he'd be suspicious of the torque inverter, but that it would be difficult to say without taking a look at it.
Let us know what the mechanics say!
Posts: 16059 | Registered: Aug 2000
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Noemon, you are a doll. THank you for asking - I will definitely post after I have taken it in.
For what happened with that car on Saturday... *sigh* I did take it in to get the oil changed and everything checked. They said fluid levels were fine, and it does seem a bit happier than it was before. Also, I needed to replace a filter and the emissions inspection had expired, so all told, I spent $90 on the car on Saturday morning. Repairs under the warranty have a $50 deductable, and it was almost out of gas. I think I decided somewhere in the back of my mind that I had spent enough money on my car for one day. So I didn't get gas.
The wisdom of this became apparent when I ran out of gas in the city and had to call a friend to come and take me to the gas station. Fortunately, I carry a gas can in my car for just this purpose.
Posts: 26077 | Registered: Mar 2000
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