Stagea Lock Up Stutter

[stagea_dayz]

I own a s1 rb25de 4wd auto Stagea and for just about the last year i've had a lock up stutter with my auto box, End up replacing it early this year but it still does a stutter when in overdrive. We replace both gear box and torque converter. We have put some stutter fix oil in but doesn't seem to done anythink to it. The overdrive button itself has crap out and someone said could it be the overdrive button causeing the problem? and i ask my mate about it, He said he never heard that before but it could be. Still got to replace the overdrive button.

Has anyone one a problem with a lock up stutter before?

We pretty much out of ideas what could be wrong, Only things we can be thinking of doing now is 1, sending the old torque converter to be cut open and seeing what wrong with it or 2. just doing manual conversion

[hutchwilco]

just bought a 4wd 97 rb25de with lock up stutter above 60km/hr and most often when in OD. most pronounced at 100km/hr. was quoted about nz1k to remove and service torque converter based on my verbal description. might look at the over drive button myself, but pretty sure its the lockup plate worn since I can induce it by gently accelerating from cruise. keen to hear what you find out...

[stagea_dayz]

Sorry for the late reply, I didn't know i had a reply

We going to replace the overdrive button and see it that help and if it keeps doing we will look at the fuel pump.

Is your stutter like someone is pushing you forward and back?

You doesn't have a miss/knock when your accelerating in frist or 2nd gear? Mine done that with the old gear box.

Let me know what you find.

[scotty nm35]

Stutter? It sounds more like attessa. Can you describe it in more detail?

[stagea_dayz]

I don't think it anythink to do with attessa system, If it was would be doing it all the time not some times.

The stutter i got, it now come and goes now since we put in stutter fix oil. It only start doing atfer 20 or so of minutes of drive and only ever does it when it in overdrive and goes into the lock up when it start to stutter. Now if you take it out off overdrive and put it back into overdrive, it gone, You can hit a bump on the road and starts doing the stutter again overdrive off and on and it goes and sometimes it won't do it at all.

We are pretty sure it the torque converter playing up.

[bjd]

ATESSA for sure. You can hunt down everything else but the ATESSA can do this on and off it doesn't have to be all the time

[stagea_dayz]

Well if it the attessa system then, What the hell wrong with it?

I still don't think it got any think to do with the attessa system. As it only ever plays up when it in overdrive and when the torque converter goes in to lock up model.

[scotty nm35]

Can you borrow a matched set of tyres? They need to be exactly the same tread depth and rolling diameter, if you have different sized tyres or rims that would cause it too. It's an easy test anyway to rule it out.

The torque converter should lock in other gears too, does it do it then?

[bjd]

Do a manual conversion its well worth it. Makes for a completley different car. As to what could be wrong if it is the Atessa system the answer to this is a guess without being able to physically inspect. Find a workshop who knows Stageas would be my first task as it makes it very reassuring to know your car is in good hands.

[stagea_dayz]

In any other gear she is fine, It only ever play up in overdrive. It hell about better since we put in the other box.

I'm running 18x9 rims with 225/40x18 tyres, Front ones got about 4mm of tread and rears about 7mm of tread, I do have other set rims i can put tyres on to test. But with my old 18' rims i had, I had run 225/40x18 on the front and 255/35x18 on rear for a year or so but I replace them to rule them out.

Doing a manual conversion is on the list but not ever high to do at the moment. Next thing im doing is a + t.

Only thing with where i live is no work shop around then that would know anything about Stagea's, Only place who would know about rb's cars like skyline, gtr ect is about 3 hours drive away from me.

[hutchwilco]

So my stutter/shudder occurs after driving for about 20mins. Seems like the trans has to warm up first. It only happens when I'm sitting tight at a steady cruise, a bump (roads are riddled with them here in earthquake central - Christchurch) seems to be able to set it off, then its a forward back shudder which seems to feed on itself and grow more severe if I let it continue. Usually I can stop it by slowing or accelerating but it will always start again eventually. Occurs in both OD and not, over 60km/hr. I can induce it by gently accelerating from a cruise.

I've just spoken to a trans mechanic who thinks that because the lock up clutch/plate only comes in when in OD that my problem must be something else, since it occurs at 100km/hr out of OD. He reckons something like engine misfire, saying that under a load/ instantaneous surge, like a bump, the engine could be misfiring. The car had been owned by a backpacker who may have been putting low octane 91 in it - I'm not sure. I know I put a tank of 91 in before I learned I should be using 95 at least.

If it is mismatched wheels causing the ATESSA to do this, would there be a warning light, or diagnostic code? I think the tires could have slightly different wear but as I understood it, ATESSA is designed to accomodate wear in tires - it would be pretty silly for it not like it.

Wondering if rear diff/4wd fluids need checking?

[stagea_dayz]

It could be your coil packs playing up. Have you try replaceing them? I got a space set that im wanting $60 for.

But then it could be a lock up.... With my old box it got to the put it started playing up in 3rd or o/d when just cruising along and that was after 20 or so mins of driving. Also got a mate who got a stagea and his does the same as mine but his is only now and then.

It woundn't hurt by checking the fluids in rear diff/4wd, I have never got around to doing that to mine yet.

[Springsteen]

coil packs also show a fault code and an engine light on the dash. try looking at your fluids and check your cvs. after this dump and replace atessa fluid, try the 2wd option by pulling the wire and pumping the brake and you might have a better idea of how your problem comes about.. have you had your trans serviced lately??

[hutchwilco]

It could be your coil packs playing up. Have you try replaceing them? I got a space set that im wanting $60 for.

But then it could be a lock up.... With my old box it got to the put it started playing up in 3rd or o/d when just cruising along and that was after 20 or so mins of driving. Also got a mate who got a stagea and his does the same as mine but his is only now and then.

It woundn't hurt by checking the fluids in rear diff/4wd, I have never got around to doing that to mine yet.

So I've had a trans mechanic look at it - good sort came and looked at it on the weekend to give his advice.

We drove it round till it warmed up and as expected the shuddering started above 70k and especially when on a slight incline. He said it's definitely not missing as the frequency is much lower than expected for that. He checked the trans fluid and said it didn't smell burnt. The other main observation he had was that it shuddered equally as bad out of OD, which implied to him that it's not the lock-up plate, as that only comes on when you're in OD and cruising.

He did say you can't drive them in 2wd as no matter what you do, the clutches will always get worn after anything more than a short trip.

coil packs also show a fault code and an engine light on the dash. try looking at your fluids and check your cvs. after this dump and replace atessa fluid, try the 2wd option by pulling the wire and pumping the brake and you might have a better idea of how your problem comes about.. have you had your trans serviced lately??

Not getting any fault codes, and nothing else indicating coil packs. I'm thinking of running car at night and spraying water-mist on to see if they are arcing? Sound sensible?

Another source is suggesting drive shaft, but it's just so regular on-off and consistent it really seems like something in the auto trans...

[KiwiRS4T]

Have you checked the Atessa fluid level? Inside the door rh boot - any atf will do but would be good to replace the lot with a quality synthetic atf.

Then try it in 2wd. Your trans mechanic is probably not aware that it is possible if done correctly - quoting from the manual:

Locate the "air bleed" wire behind the drivers kick panel, it's a plug with a single wire either side (usually green socket, white plug).

Disconnect it.

If you can't be bothered looking for and disconnecting the plug then remove the front driveshaft (4 bolts).

[stagea_dayz]

It ashame your so far away as I would of like to have taken it for a drive to see if it the same as mine. With my old box, It did do the stutter few times when it wasn't in overdrive.

What is the lowest speed the stutter will start? I had mine doing it around 40/45kms and the faster i went, the wrost the stutter was. I got up to about 140kms.

From what my mate was saying that inside the torque converter that lock up liner comes/break away is one reason why they do it. You can get them rebuild but you have send it to Auckland.

If you plan to keep the car and have the money to, Just do a manual conversion. Or try and get some of stutter fix oil and put that in with the grearbox oil and take it for few good long drives and see it that helps. It help with mine.

[hutchwilco]

OK cheers for the ideas.

Still yet to have the mechanic get a live output monitor for the ECU that tells you what the sensors and solenoids in the transmission doing as you are driving. Hopefully that will tell me something

The attessa 4wd fluid seems all good at normal levels.

Will try the 2wd method next time I take it out. Definitely won't be doing a manual conversion, the mechanic I had look at it said it was a PITA and expensive. I'm not into hotting this thing up, I just want a good solid car that handles the open road well.

The shudder is usually from 80-120 but I've had it come in from about 60. there is a barely noticeable, very high frequency shudder when you're accelerating around 30-40 and it's cold, but not even sure if it's the same mechanism.

Incidentally just replaced the thermostat, found the old OEM one had a rubber seal that had perished and partly disappeared (into the engine or radiator I guess) and the resulting gap was stopping the thing from warming up properly (explains the awful mileage I was getting). Put in a new one and new coolant and voila, a new leak from the waterpump weep hole. Awesome.

[stagea_dayz]

Hey hutchwilco replace your overdrive button and see if that helps.... Have replace mine and is no more stutter...

Edited September 9, 2012 by stagea_dayz

[hutchwilco]

OK interesting idea - any advice on where to source a new one? Do you think if I disassembled mine and eliminated the chance of the circuit closing electrically that would help troubleshoot whether it was the button? I'm guessing the switch wobbling in the shifter was making yours go in an out of OD really quickly?

I'm wondering if we have the same type of stutter - when mine starts it's very regular and keeps 'in time' - a bit quicker than once per second - and never just does one or two stutters - once it starts it always continues and worsens in amplitude until I change throttle or brake. It doesn't seem like an electrical button or wire that's loose - but I guess I'll see what I can check out.

If you have any good ideas for where to get a known good button (new?) let me know.

[stagea_dayz]

Does your overdrive button work at all? Mine stop working, It was in overdrive all the time and now and then the button would work and could take it out of overdrive... Yeah it what we thinking what it was doing... Playing with the button now, You can see the pin with the plate going for over the place when you push the button in and out.

I know with mine, the faster you went, the wrost it got. It sould like you got the same stutter as me...

What happens when it starts to stutter and you take it out of overdrive and then put in back in? With mine when the overdrive button worked, It would stop for a while and then would start away.

Would take the overbutton out and see how the pin moving around when you push it in and out and also take it apart and clean it, Clean mine few times and it did work of abit. Also take the gear lever out and check to the wines for the overdrive to see if they are not broken ect

I know mine off trademe. they are hard to find... But try trademe and the nissan place in chch...