Engine Rebuild and New Wiring Harness -- Transmission Problem!

Discussion in 'General Motoring' started by Jamie, May 8, 2006.

  1. Jamie

    Jamie Guest

    Hey all,
    I got the engine on my 1987 740 GLE put back in and runs fine. Now here
    is the mechanic report.

    What concerns me is the dashboard lighting up and the transmission not
    shifting well. The transmission seemed fine before the engine was
    pulled and the wiring harness replaced. Any chance of a wiring glitch?

    Here's the mechanic report:"

    I started the engine and took it down the road. The engine
    runs fine. However, with the transmission in drive it slips so badly I
    can't get the car up to speed. If I run through the gears manually it
    seems to do better. I think the trannie is going south. There are also
    electrical problems that I can't figure out. After going down the road
    about half a mile, every warning light on the dash came on except for
    the low oil pressure light. I got it back home and parked it in front
    of
    the shop."
     
    Jamie, May 8, 2006
    #1
  2. Jamie

    Jamie Guest

    I am trying to think of anything that could have changed since the
    rebuild. So far I can think of:

    1) new wiring harness

    2) I cleaned the engine compartment and might have gotten water in the
    tranny with the motor off. (This is a guess - not sure if this is
    possible

    3) having the tranny dismounted from the motor and towing the vehicle
    mutiple times may have dislodged "stuff" in the tranny.(dirt, grime,
    particles?)

    Why else would a tranny start slipping when it wasn't before?
     
    Jamie, May 8, 2006
    #2
  3. Jamie

    Steve Guest

    Was the trans serviced in any fashion - fluid changed etc?
     
    Steve, May 8, 2006
    #3
  4. Jamie

    Jamie Guest

    No. When I got the car not very long ago, it had major engine oil
    leaks, so we drove the car only short distances around the
    neighborhood. Then we pulled the engine about two months ago to put new
    bearings on the crankshaft.

    During this time the car was towed to my house on a trailer twice, with
    the engine out, so I could do other work.

    Finally, the engine went back in last week, with a new wiring harness.
    The mechanic said an oil pressure sensor was bad and no oil pressure.
    He replaced that and said it worked.

    Next he said he thought the fuel relay was bad because he had to force
    starting fluid in the intake to start it - I told him there was a
    spare, new relay in the trunk he could try.

    lastly, he said when he got the car started, the rebuilt engine ran
    perfectly, but every light on the dash lit up (except the oil pressure
    light) and the tranny slipped badly.

    Thanks,
    JB
     
    Jamie, May 8, 2006
    #4
  5. Jamie

    zencraps Guest

    Service the transmission.

    I can't recall if it has a filter or screen: if so, replace / clean it.

    Change the fluid.

    As for the lights coming on: sounds like a short somewhere: if it keeps
    happening, take it back to the guy, or failing that, to an auto
    electric shop.

    (I would suggest troubleshooting the wiring yourself, but I assume you
    don't know how to)
     
    zencraps, May 8, 2006
    #5
  6. Jamie

    Jamie Guest

    Thanks,
    mechanic still has the car, i haven't seen it. Mechanic is a friend of
    a neighbor, working in his spare time as a hobby. I trust the mechanic,
    but he's new to Volvos, so I am trying to come up with answers to help
    him out. He's charging me very cheap labor, so I'm trying to help out.

    I agree with the service of the tranny. but those dash lights are
    weird. maybe incorrect wiring harness installation?
     
    Jamie, May 8, 2006
    #6
  7. Jamie

    zencraps Guest

    Yes, especially if it never goes out.

    Check connections near alternator, starter solenoid, and ignition.

    Compare it to the wiring diagram.
     
    zencraps, May 9, 2006
    #7
  8. Jamie

    zencraps Guest

    "maybe incorrect wiring harness installation?"

    Could be.

    Have you emailed the vendor, Dave Barton?

    He'll probably know.

    roll dem bones
     
    zencraps, May 9, 2006
    #8
  9. Jamie

    Jamie Guest

    Gary/Bones:
    Thanks guys. I measured the radius on the harness and know about where
    the connector should go. Problem is I cannot locate anything to plug
    into. I could easily make the harness, and plug the end at the firewall
    into the obvious connector. But, at the other end near the starter, I
    would not know what to plug it into. We looked and looked - and could
    fine nothing.

    Yes, I emailed Dave Barton and am waiting for an answer.
     
    Jamie, May 9, 2006
    #9
  10. Jamie

    James Sweet Guest


    If the lights all come on, the alternator is not putting out juice. What
    shape is the brush pack in? Check the ground wire on the alternator too,
    and any other wiring going to it. It's part of the harness you replaced.
     
    James Sweet, May 9, 2006
    #10
  11. Jamie

    Jamie Guest

    Thanks - will check!
     
    Jamie, May 9, 2006
    #11
  12. Check the transmission fluid level. There may have been substantial
    loss if they disconnected the cooling lines. Don't know about the
    wiring, except that bad grounds are a common problem.
    --







    http://freevision.org/michael/index.html
     
    Michael Cerkowski, May 9, 2006
    #12
  13. Jamie

    Jamie Guest

    Thanks all. Fluid, filter change, check all connections.

    Will do.

    JB
     
    Jamie, May 9, 2006
    #13
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