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Engine light on..."Trans Component Slipping"

Scarsman

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1,561
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Monroe, WA
My engine light has come on a few times lately, and when I plugged the tuner in and checked the code it was for the fuel vapor system. Basically, the fuel cap was not sealing. Tighten cap, reset code, and good for awhile. Probably need to get a new cap.

Anyway, the light is on again, so I plugged in the tuner to clear it, and found a second code this time. I forgot to write down the number, (I'll get it tomorrow) but it said, "Transmission Component Slipping." :whaa: It has been driving just fine, and have not noticed anything strange with the tranny. Anyone ever had this?

I talked to the dealer last week and found out that they will fix the leaking front diff under warranty, so I guess I'll have to get this checked out too.
 

Scarsman

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1,561
Location
Monroe, WA
Could be. I have been planning to change the fluid. There are 41,000 miles on the truck now. I was wanting to switch to royal purple.

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Hunner

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Arkansas
When you say "tuner" are you referring to a tuner that changes things or just a code reader? If you have a tuner that turned things up and that is displaying "transmission component slipping" it could be that it detects your torque converter slipping which can be caused by the tune it installed. I guess the vehicle's own system will do that as well. If that is the case, like on diesel tuners I have seen, you might not want to have that program installed when you take it to a dealer.
A tranny temp gauge might be the only early indication it is slipping or sloppy shifts, at first then shuddering when under load or hard acceleration. Slipping torque converters are a source of heat. It can happen in some juiced up tuners like on the diesels and will not allow the tune to use it's max settings until after a few restarts. I had a friend with a Bully Dog that did that when he stuffed it with the right foot while towing heavy.
It happens when you boost some power and torque beyond what the stock torque convertor was designed to work with.
I went a different route with my Cummins that is a 95 and no electronic ability to turn it up. The Cummins stock pulling heavy was enough to eventually start torquing the small bolts on the cover of the stock torque converter and started shuttering under load. I did mechanical mods to the fuel pumper and turned up the pumps timing and installed a 4000 rpm kit as well as turbo mods and had a triple lock torque converter and beefed up secondary clutches and strut and a modified valve body with a double deep pan installed as well as the fluid drive vanes reshaped.
The tranny temp gauge rarely gets off the peg at 100 degrees unless hot weather and grossing 27,000 or so but never much more than 180.
I tell you this just of an extreme case to reference I learned all this when I did these mods and was schooled that if you push components beyond their design criteria, expect them to react accordingly.
I you are running a performance tuner this may be an indication you will have to beef things up to continue to run it. Rebuilding the stock set up to the OEM specs will only delay it happening again.
So depending on your right foot, mileage and how long you have run with this tune and if you tow and if this is the way you are set up it could be sign!
Just my 0.25 worth.
 
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Scarsman

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Messages
1,561
Location
Monroe, WA
Well, I have a Diablo tuner. I got it this spring when I got my 37"s to adjust for tire size. I'm only running the 87 octane tune. It did make a slight difference in power, but certainly not enough to over load the drivetrain. Mostly it just improved the shifting. As for driving, I am actually very gentle with it.

I will, however, put the stock tune in it before taking it in.

I know tuners can unleash amazing amounts of power in the diesels, but I doubt a tuner alone would do enough to overload drivetrain components with this platform. With as many people as are running superchargers and such on stock motors and trannys, I just can't imagine this 87 tune harming things in 8000 miles. The truck is otherwise stock. I also have done little towing. Nothing heavy, either. I have been watching trans temp, and it is same as always.

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