CAR WILL BARELY MOVE

[kevsickass]

92 MX-3 ATX tranny,

Car starts and runs fine, BUT, When I put the car in gear, (it shifts through all the gears) I have to rev the car really high and it will barely move forward, checked the codes I have 3, 6, or 36, I do not seem to have a connector inside the TAT for the paperclip so I just did the GND to TEN,

Car felt like it was struggling to switch gears before this happened, and I was going up a hill and it felt like it just lost power, rebuilt tranny 2yrs ago, tranny fluid is brownish, I have scoured this forum and still don’t know where to begin, any help would be appreciated.


Is it common for the torque converter to go like this????
what could it be????
I know it sounds like the tranny is toast but I want to look at other possible causes also.

[shameem]

http://www.mx-3.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=24&t=65390" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
There is no code 36 for the 4 cyl - code 6 is for speed sensor. A speed sensor malfunction would normally put it in fail-safe mode - meaning it will shift rough and hard and may not go into overdrive.
Your symptoms point toward a toasted tranny. You should have added a tranny cooler when you had it rebuilt. Anyway if the fluid is brown color - it indicates heat damage. It might still work if you do a filter and fluid change (but i doubt it). Is the O/D light flashing? If so try and get codes from the tranny controller - if the TAT pin is missing you may have to directly ground the wire going to the diag box (for the TAT pin).

http://img441.imageshack.us/img441/7194/diagramsrs8.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Ryan]

My manual transmission does this sometimes. Then I look down and realize I still have the e-brake on.

[shameem]

My manual transmission does this sometimes. Then I look down and realize I still have the e-brake on.

That means E-Brake adjustment is too tight - possibly dragging on the wheels. Your rear brakes will wear out too fast and mileage may suffer if its too tight....

[kevsickass]

thanks shameem, im going to try to get the codes

[Ryan]

Ha, sorry, I was joking. I meant I have it on because I forgot to take it off. Its loose enough, I've set it while it was on the hoist. Wheels spin free when I don't have it cranked up.

[npspears]

well if it makes you feel any better Kevin, my car won't move either, but that is because the engine is being rebuilt (just put in the pistons yesterday, correctly I hope ) In fact, I have never even driven a mx-3. I bought the car and had it towed to my place. But one of these days I'll have it running

[kevsickass]

npspears <<<<no dude that dosn't make me feel better about my situation, LOL------hope you get your car going soon

shameem im looking at the elec. diagram and can't tell whick color the TAT PIN wire is going to the Diagnostic Box???? I'm going to splice into it to get the codes.........

anyway---I priced out the MTX and ATX, i think im going to just put a used ATX into the car to get it going for now......$350.00 aint bad for 124,000 mile ATX tranny I hope it will last me a year while Im in school.......

is their any FAQ or write ups for the MTX - ATX swap, I searched and I found posts about people saying they are doing the swap--any names of those who documented the procedure????

[shameem]

The wires are either "RED" or "WHT" - the ones that go to "DIAG CONN" - I am guessing it would be "WHT" - based on the wire color and similar usage(shared with cruise control) in in 95 models.

Sometimes things can be temporarily fixed by fluid/filter change - if you take it to a mechanic it would probably cost you $70 bucks or so i think. If you do it yourself you can probably do it for 30 - but make sure to re-seal the pan well - it is a b!$#h to reseal and the bolts break if you overtorque them even a tiny bit.

If you get another tranny - look at the fluid first and make sure it is not burnt (color, smell) - also invest in a big tranny cooler - the stock cooler is a joke.

[kevsickass]

Hey shameem, I did the fluid and filter change and nothing, I took the Diag. Box apart from the bottom to see if it had a wire going to the TAT and it didn't.....................

I have both an ATX and an MTX lined up at junk yards, I dont want to spend the xtra coin on the MTX and cant figure out just how much more it will cost......... LOL I can't decide what to do, I guess im bad at making these decisions

what is a good search term to use for the ATX to MTX swap?????

ATX swap.....
MTX swap.....
ATX to MTX swap....

i founds this dudes site http://www.cardomain.com/ride/2607936/2" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

is a HOW TO on this site.... i just cant find it............

[shameem]

http://www.mx-3.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=23&t=34794" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://www.mx-3.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=23&t=41847" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://www.mx-3.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=46&t=64235" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[kevsickass]

Thanks shameem for the great links, I dont have much time so ima put in the Auto Tranny $350.00 and fluid cooler (from Autozone $59.00) and hope for the best,

I hate to ask you another Question but.........any idea where I would find that TAT wire because I dont have it one running into/connected to my Diagnostic Box???? I still want to get the codes for the Tranny for my own curiosity/future use

BTW......shouldn't you be building planes or spacecraft instead of Mazda's????..........

LOL, jk, I went to your webpage

[shameem]

The transmission controller is located below the heater core under the dash - kinda on a straight line from the shifter - if you can get to those connectors and ground the white wire maybe you can get codes - but i cant tell you if it will work since your car is a 92 (beginning year for mx3).

I wish i was building planes and shuttles - i am "still" a student - my last research project was designing and building an avionics interface for NASA - all i got out of that was a research paper - i wish i could make more money so i can convert my mx3 to electric......

[kevsickass]

Avionics interface..........GEZZZZ that sounds like your playing in the big leagues ......and I’m sure school is stressful for ya, drink lots of coffee and smoke lots of cigarettes…haha…… good luck

I’m not going to look for the wire, I started to take out the tranny today………hit a wall cause I cant get the #$@$#%@# axle’s out…….guess I have to hammer harder tomorrow …. Thanks for your help

[npspears]

Well, if the automatic's axles are the same as the manual's, you just got to get a pry bar and wedge 'em out. Actually, I didn't even use a pry bar, I just pulled 'em out, but next time I will use a pry bar (or a big flat head screwdriver).