Help... Power 'cut out' in 3rd gear

[TheeMikeB]

Lately I've noticed an issue with my rig when it shifts into 3rd. (Auto trans)

Truck runs great, no CEL all tuned up recent maint.. blah blah blah.

Driving... 1st gear great, 2nd gear great, 3rd gear starts ok then when I get right around 2500 rpm I seem to have 'no more power' I can continue at my speed but it doesn't seem to want to continue accelerating anymore. Almost like i'm all of a sudden pulling a huge trailer and she just can't go any faster. It's not revving higher like it's slipping it just seems like it can't go any faster. If I give it more gas it just kinda does nothing, when I finally give it enough it will kick down to 2nd and go like a bat out of hell.

Any ideas?

 

[Sierra946]

Sounds like it's shifting from 2nd gear into overdrive. Might have a bad solenoid in tranny. Pulling any codes?

 

[TheeMikeB]

No codes. That's an interesting thought, I'll have to drive and see if that's it.

 

[shootmymime]

I've got the same thing. Almost like it's a complete gutless dawg. If you hit the o/d off it just gets worse. It like the engine is not putting out the power it should.

 

[TheeMikeB]

[MENTION=103886]Sierra946[/MENTION] actually I thought about it and don't think that's the issue as it will eventually shift up to 4th and be ok. It def seems trans related but I don't know a whole lot about transmissions.
[MENTION=14772]shootmymime[/MENTION] sounds similar but not exactly the same. Def feels gutless but when i downshift it gets better.

I need to drive it again on the freeway and test it out. Most of my driving with it is just around town since it's not my dd.

 

[shootmymime]

[MENTION=103886]Sierra946[/MENTION] actually I thought about it and don't think that's the issue as it will eventually shift up to 4th and be ok. It def seems trans related but I don't know a whole lot about transmissions.
[MENTION=14772]shootmymime[/MENTION] sounds similar but not exactly the same. Def feels gutless but when i downshift it gets better.

I need to drive it again on the freeway and test it out. Most of my driving with it is just around town since it's not my dd.

well when i turn o/d off its bad, but if i manually down shift into 2nd the rmps run up and its fine. or like you said i can punch it and the rpm will shoot up and take off again.

 

[TheeMikeB]

Sounds like it's shifting from 2nd gear into overdrive. Might have a bad solenoid in tranny. Pulling any codes?

I actually think this might be the problem. I noticed when it shifts from 2nd to 'third' and I take off the o/d button it downshifts... (but in reality it's just coming out of o/d)

So is there a way to test or tell which solenoid is bad? I need to do some searching on this. Not too familiar with Transmissions.

 

[Sierra946]

Drop the trans pan. Pull shift valve solenoid #1 & #2. Check the resistance across terminal of solenoid and the outside metal case of the solenoid. It should measure between 11-15 ohms.

 

[Sierra946]

In diagnostics section of shop manual for auto trans manual page DI 297-300. Just do a search for shop manual and download PDF.

 

[eternalize]

Yo! Wild finding this thread with my exact issue from 10 years prior. Did you ever end up figuring this out? Was it the solenoid? I'm running into the same issue in 3rd when I'm going up a mountain pass or hill :: I have no codes or CEL.

Sits at ~2,500 rpm even when I'm stomping on the gas in 3rd up the hill, then downshifts to 2nd gear and starts screaming at 4,000 rpm just like you. But once I get cruising on flat road at ~70mph it's so fine, city driving is fine too :: weirdest thing.

Had my tranny replaced around 6 months ago and still has 3 year warranty, fluid is pink, nothing smells like it's burning. I want to do my due diligence before looking at dropping the pan or taking it to the shop. Any help would be a godsend before my 4 hour trip over the mountains in Washington back home. <3