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View Full Version : My Tiptronic gearbox experiences



Dream Weaver
09-06-2006, 11:23 AM
Since I have had my Legnum I have had various issues with the transmission, sometimes I think more than my fair share !

Firstly the gearbox started to fail last year, the car would go but only just. The car went to Xtreme (well I was a Mitsubishi newbie !!!) and they had the gearbox sort of reconditioned by that place in Cannock.

Went OK for a couple of weeks until the transfer box went bang in a big way on the A5 in Anglesey, rear wheels locked up undriveable until RSE took the propshaft out so it at least could be moved. Even then it was not a happy bunny, and would just about move.

So it went off the road while I eventually sourced a 56,000 kilometre donor from Japan.

When the donor turned up the engine, gearbox, transfer box and back diff. Were swapped over and off I went.

However RSE had put normal ATF in the gearbox, so a quick flush was done with Amsoil and has since had a change of that for Amsoil again. At the same time I had an upgraded transmission oil cooler fitted.

However I have been having similar problems as described by Kalle elsewhere, the car seeming to get confused changing up when booting it a bit, usually between 2nd and 3rd with the engine revving happily but not much forward motion.

I had noticed something similar before my original gearbox started its sulks, in that the car would just not go any faster when attempting to accelerate, at the same time the “skidding car” traction control light would come on. This would last a few seconds and then it would go out and normal service was resumed.

The problem tends to happen when it’s a hot day, I am driving it a bit fast and the car is well warmed up.

It never seems to be a problem in Tiptronic mode.

This still happens so I guess if it is a fault, that the fault is not in the drivetrain but has been retained in the cars Tiptronic and/or traction control brain.

So I tried switching the traction control off. And none of the hesitation or odd lack of transmission that I had experienced, and the skidding car light stays off.

I am not sure if this will help Kalle but he might like to give it a try and let us know.

So it would appear to me that to achieve Legnum autobox heaven is to have Amosil in it (with full flush), an upgraded oil cooler and switch off the traction control. Annoyingly when you start the car it defaults to the “on” setting.

Obvious downside would be that you need to be aware that you are in a big heavy 260BHP car with no traction control. I find the car is a different beast without traction control.

So, my conclusions:

Use Amsoil !
Upgrade the oil cooler

Tiptronic mode and driving fast – keep traction control on.
Auto mode and feeling lazy or its raining – also keep traction control on
Auto mode and giving it some – switch off traction control.

I am still not sure this is a fault in the car, Mo had all the stuff left over from the donor, and so I don’t have a spare gearbox ECU to see if a swap cures this. Or maybe its just a minor flaw in the design of the car.

My feeling is that the power and the smart gearbox just sometimes combine to overwhelm the traction control sometimes.

bradc
09-06-2006, 11:40 AM
I haven't got traction control, and I haven't had any of the problems you've listed, maybe the traction control can have a bit of an effect on the transmission long term, I would keep it switched off most of the time even if I had it on my car :) I also always drive in tiptronic mode, it's just better that way :)

Bal
09-06-2006, 12:53 PM
well when i get my car back on the road i'll be using amsoil.

Kalle
09-06-2006, 07:35 PM
My Type V does not have traction control or AYC.. suits me fine :D Seems only to be problem with them..
I actually would prefer a type V over a Type S (but I do would like the high contrast meters)

Dream Weaver
09-06-2006, 08:24 PM
It never seems to be a problem in Tiptronic mode.

Just to prove me wrong, the red bitch did play up in tippy mode today.

Anyway I hope I have provided some food for thought. Keep the comments coming, guys.

Kalle - you really need to think about an uprated oil cooler, I have spent a good part of my life in Sweden and know just how hot it can get there !

bernmc
10-06-2006, 11:01 PM
I'm surprised you find the car a bit scary without TCL (if I understand you correctly). I switch mine off whenever I remember (and usually regret it at some point in the journey if I haven't). I drive 40 miles a day on dodgy country roads with plenty of mud and standing water and the car has yet to frighten me with TCL off - in fact it's more likely to scare me with the TCL on and deciding to cut power when I need to pull out quickly on to one of the busy roads that I have to cross.

Waste of bl00dy time if you ask me - 4wd +ayc doesn't need another nanny!

Funkstar
11-06-2006, 11:23 AM
Went OK for a couple of weeks until the transfer box went bang in a big way on the A5 in Anglesey, .

Same road where my transfer box went bang. Just before Gaerwen. Spooky. :inquisiti

Dream Weaver
11-06-2006, 01:16 PM
Bernmc - maybe scarey was not the best way to describe it - maybe "different". I have been piling up 500 miles a week in my car recently and I suppose I have got used to the way it behaves with TCL on.

It is different with the TCL off, I find it a bit more edgy and nervous, a bit like my Evo is all the time !

Funkstar - wow, mine died around there as well !

Moral to VR4 owners, don't take your car to Anglesey - the druids have cast a transfer box death spell on all VR4s it seems....................

Kieran
11-06-2006, 06:56 PM
Kieran - maybe scarey ....

Errr?!?!:inquisiti Did I turn two pages at once there?!:speechles

richy rich
11-06-2006, 06:58 PM
Errr?!?!:inquisiti Did I turn two pages at once there?!:speechles
i thought that 2

Dream Weaver
11-06-2006, 09:59 PM
Doh !

Wrong person, it was Bernmc's post.

I'm old, sorry my mind is going to crap faster than my body......................