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Re: won't shift out of first
33films #580026 August 21st 2012 10:35 am
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if i were in your shoes, i would take the van to an Autozone, Advance Auto Parts, or Pep Boys and have them do a charging system test, then a battery test...

from there, they could tell you if there's something weak (maybe the alternator's on it's way out and not giving min. 12.6V at load) or, maybe there's a fault in the alternator feed line...

next, i would check all the fuses and make sure they're correct...

you can check here for any history fault codes, it is OBD1 (pre-1996): http://www.troublecodes.net/GM/

you could also check your belt tension, and the wiring going into/out of the computer (the computer's under the driver's seat)...

did you drive the van any more last night...?


when things go bad, you just gotta keep on keepin' on...
progress on my van: http://s193.photobucket.com/albums/z269/95-1Ton/My%20Van%20s/
Re: won't shift out of first
Keep_On_Truckin_WNY #580089 August 21st 2012 4:51 pm
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I am gonna drive it to Auto Zone and have it checked out. thanks. I really feel it's electrical too


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Re: won't shift out of first
33films #580144 August 21st 2012 8:45 pm
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Ok, took it to autozone. they said the battery and alternator are fine. I did notice that when the wipers come on the amp gauge drops to almost red. I drove it for about 20 miles with the air, wipers, radio, cruise and interior lights on it struggled a little but did 65 fine. Got off the interstate and it had gone back into limp mode. Checked the fluid when i got home and it was fine. This is stumping me.


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Re: won't shift out of first
33films #580192 August 22nd 2012 7:51 am
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Pondering on this, what do the tranny and wipers have in common? Only the steering column. May have a chaffing problem, hot grounding in column and following some path to the tranny and flipping out the solenoids. Just saying, there has to be a common point when two unrelated systems freak each other out.


'85 GMC Shorty
'98 Suburban K2500
'98 Pontiac G8 GT
'77 Pontiac Astre
'95 Jeep Wrangler
"I thought you weren't allowed to talk to guys with vans??"
Re: won't shift out of first
33films #580207 August 22nd 2012 11:35 am
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on an older van like yours (or pretty much all the GM's) the shifter is all mechanical linkage until you get to the trans... the trans does have outside wiring to control things, but if i remember correctly, none of that control wiring goes through the steering column...

but then again, with all the movement that happens inside a steering column, it is possible there is a pinched wire or a broken ground or something...

did Autozone give you a printout of your charging system...?
did they run the test with your loads off and then on...?

if turning your wipers on drops your voltage, there's either a TON of resistance in your wiper motor, or the alternator is failing... might not be dead yet, but going out...

how were the volts while you were driving 65...?

is there an aftermarket alarm system in the van...? how about extra lights, or some switches, or possibly some shoddy repair work done previously...?

if you have the time, start looking at the wires under the dash, at the computer, or even the alternator feed line (it bolts to the back of the alternator and feeds the electrical system)...

it might be a PITA, but i don't think you have a mechanical problem - so if you do decide to take it to a shop, make sure they don't just put a new trans in it or something...!!!!!!


when things go bad, you just gotta keep on keepin' on...
progress on my van: http://s193.photobucket.com/albums/z269/95-1Ton/My%20Van%20s/
Re: won't shift out of first
Keep_On_Truckin_WNY #580367 August 23rd 2012 12:17 pm
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I don't really trust the guy that did the Autozone test. I'm gonna get it tested a different place today. At 65mph it would still drop the volts down to the red. if i turn off the wipers the volts go back up. I am gonna do the drive i did the other day without running the wipers and see if it fails.

I appreciate all your help in this annoying as hell problem.


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Re: won't shift out of first
33films #580563 August 24th 2012 1:09 pm
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I drove it around last night on the interstate for about 30 minutes. Never touched the wiper and it did fine.


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Re: won't shift out of first
33films #580591 August 24th 2012 2:56 pm
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that's pretty crazy... maybe it's about time to check the wiring in the column, around the column, maybe even try 'just' the wipers with the van running and no other loads on...?

i wonder if the wiper motor is going bad and drawing a ton of power (i've never heard of that before, but it could be possible...?)



when things go bad, you just gotta keep on keepin' on...
progress on my van: http://s193.photobucket.com/albums/z269/95-1Ton/My%20Van%20s/
Re: won't shift out of first
33films #580713 August 25th 2012 11:14 am
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Yeppers, theres a lot of wiring in a small space under there. Begin by unplugging the wiper motor and turning the wiper switch on to see if you have the same problem. If not, then the wiper motor is suspect but I am betting it's fine. If there is some sort of connection sending power from the wiper switch to the tranny, it will act the same. There is also the torque converter circuit that comes into the brake light switch that is supposed to unlock it when you hit the brake pedal, it also disengages the cruise so there's another connection. The brake pedal bracket has the column bolted to it, the column has the shift linkage and the wiper/cruise combo switch. Wipers, cruise, tranny all come together at the column.


'85 GMC Shorty
'98 Suburban K2500
'98 Pontiac G8 GT
'77 Pontiac Astre
'95 Jeep Wrangler
"I thought you weren't allowed to talk to guys with vans??"
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