Transmission Questions...

[GrVrpoop]

Hello, just an introduction, i've come to this forum to seek knowledge and answer a few questions for a car that i might end up owning... my fathers 1994 plymouth grand voyager(3.3L V6) constantly has transmission issues... it goes to the garage a majority of times for the tranny.

I've been botherered by this question so much i decided to look for a forum..(i also might become a mech tech or engineer)

----Can the low ENGINE POWER plus the WEIGHT of the car be stressing the transmission?

----my father said that during cruising speeds of about 75MPH, the transmission would shift down and rev to 4krpm. after that, he just pulled to the side, and called a tow truck.

----the Grd Vgr is packed with tools, tool chests, and automobile stuff... i would say it adds another 150-200 extra lbs... that doesnt sound like alot but would hauling that extra weight always, set enough strain to affect transmission performance?

----would adding a turbo charger(tuned to low-mid band[does that make sense?]) help somehow?

----is the Grand Voyager model just flawed and has tranny issues?

-PS- i know nothing about the inside of an automobile, just the names and brand. -my father knows the basics, i think.
-if it matters, the ac for the rear is out...

[RIP]

Welcome to the forum and have a happy 4th! IMHO the answers to your questions are no except " ----is the Grand Voyager model just flawed and has tranny issues?" Early model Chrysler minivans are very prone to tranny problems. Newer gereration minivans have cured some of the problems but, not all. Many times no matter the care you give them, they fail and for some reason that's true for many manufacturers minivans.

200 lbs is nothing for the van. Thats like hauling someone in the passenger seat all the time. The van shouldn't have a problem. If it's a good bit more than that you might consider adding an auxilary tranny cooler as most do when pulling a trailer. Also keep in mind that many transmission problems are caused by the electronics controlling them and not by the tranny itself.

The answer to the first question is yes but, that's true for any vehicle right down to a forklift. Thats why engineers make big bucks designing components to take the stress. A turbo would generate more power, cost too much to be practical, and vastly increase stress on the tranny.

[Rawtorque]

First, about engine power: Adding power WILL increase stress on a transmission. Now, if the engine is out ot tune that will affect transmission operation & performance.

Yes, the 41TE/A-604 transmission is infamous for problems. There is a number of Technical Service Bulletins(TSB's) for this transmission. They slowed down some around 1996, but changes still kept being made. Anyone who repairs these transmissions needs to keep up with the updates. Like, the valvebody was changed for 1995, along with the seperator plate.

It sounds like your Father's van keeps going into limp in mode. This will allow only 2nd gear in the forward ranges. MANY things will cause limp in mode to happen, even a short electrical glitch. Make sure whoever works on it uses ATF+4 fluid only!!

Some TSB's here:
http://www.autosafety.org/article.php?scid=100&did=563

A helpful site:
http://www.allpar.com/fix/trans.html