Bloody astra J

[New POD]

Wife has gone on a trip in her 55k 1.6 petrol auto, to Ynys Mon with her sister (wife of @MikeR ) and it appears to be struggling for power. 

There's a warning light come up about emissions equipment (she wasn't very clear on the phone) and its all very hot apparently. 

Luckily we are in the RAC and have recovery to any UK destination and we have follow on cover.  I've suggested they phone RAC, if they can't fix it get it sent here and get them to deliver a hire car on Thursday so they can get home. 

I'm wondering if it's as simple as the rear electric parking brake sticking on. (Is that a thing? ) 

[MikeR]

sounded ok outside our house , nothing appeared wrong ...

[Jazoli]

Probably be a lamba sensor at a guess, seen it on a couple of recent ish petrol vauxhalls.

[sierraman]

If it was the back brakes seized on it would feel hot round back wheels. Could literally be anything in fairness it’s impossible to say. 

[New POD]

2 hours ago, MikeR said:

sounded ok outside our house , nothing appeared wrong ...

It's a well maintained low mileage car.  

[New POD]

Wife just phoned me to say that (as I expected) RAC keep sending her text messages to say that they are very busy and they will be there soon. 

Holiday cottage owner sounds like a right twat. (That's another story)

[MikeR]

My wife is hopping mad over it all ! 

[New POD]

2 minutes ago, MikeR said:

My wife is hopping mad over it all ! 

Why? 

[Ghosty]

Cat blocked from short journeys? Rag it in neutral and see if it blows out.

[MikeR]

been on the blower burning my ears ...

[MikeR]

Rescue trip booked for Thursday night pick up !!! 

[New POD]

Anyone want to say what the issue is ?

[MikeR]

It's a Vauxhall !!! 

[sierraman]

Sounds like the speed sensor in the gearbox? 

[SiC]

Turbine speed sensor is (iirc) the speed sensor on the torque converter. Either sensor dead or wiring damaged at a guess. 

Limp mode is probably in 3rd gear permanently as the gearbox ECU can't manage the box unless it knows how fast the input shaft is turning. 

Shouldn't be a bad fix if it's not in a silly place.

[sierraman]

Make sure you tell the garage what an easy job it is and that Autodata says it’s should take 0.3 hours. 

[New POD]

4 minutes ago, sierraman said:

Make sure you tell the garage what an easy job it is and that Autodata says it’s should take 0.3 hours. 

Seriously ? Is this something I can do myself I wonder. 

[New POD]

23 minutes ago, SiC said:

Turbine speed sensor is (iirc) the speed sensor on the torque converter. Either sensor dead or wiring damaged at a guess. 

Limp mode is probably in 3rd gear permanently as the gearbox ECU can't manage the box unless it knows how fast the input shaft is turning. 

Shouldn't be a bad fix if it's not in a silly place.

If I used manual lever would it stay in 3rd too? 

[SiC]

3 minutes ago, New POD said:

If I used manual lever would it stay in 3rd too? 

Yeah usually so. 

[SiC]

https://workshop-manuals.com/vauxhall/astra-j/transmission/transaxle/automatic_transmission-_6t30/6t40/6t45/repair_instructions_on_vehicle/input_speed_sensor_replacement/

If it's that box then oof at the first line.

"Remove the control valve body"

Fucking GM and their suppliers putting this shit inside the box.

 

 

[sierraman]

11 minutes ago, New POD said:

Seriously ? Is this something I can do myself I wonder. 

Stand over them if possible while they do the job muttering about why they can charge over sixty pounds an hour. 

[sierraman]

6 minutes ago, SiC said:

https://workshop-manuals.com/vauxhall/astra-j/transmission/transaxle/automatic_transmission-_6t30/6t40/6t45/repair_instructions_on_vehicle/input_speed_sensor_replacement/

If it's that box then oof at the first line.

"Remove the control valve body"

Fucking GM and their suppliers putting this shit inside the box.

 

 

I suppose it is quite a straightforward process 😂...

1. Remove Gearbox

2. Send Gearbox away

3. Refit Gearbox

Or...

1. Recover to garage

2. Remove credit card from wallet

3. Insert card into card machine

 

[New POD]

35 minutes ago, sierraman said:

Stand over them if possible while they do the job muttering about why they can charge over sixty pounds an hour. 

Not that arsed about the hourly rate, its the waiting 2 weeks for a 0.3 hr job, including a cup of tea that bugs me. 

[omegod]

On the  2.2 petrol Omega a cam sensor fault would throw up lots of gearbox codes but not one for the sensor itself, absolutely no relevance to this thread really but I felt like sharing 

[MikeR]

8 minutes ago, omegod said:

On the  2.2 petrol Omega a cam sensor fault would throw up lots of gearbox codes but not one for the sensor itself, absolutely no relevance to this thread really but I felt like sharing 

Tangent relevance swerve incoming ...

Like wise I have cleared a fault on the C1 I did not know I had ,

the steering is now nice and smooth and light ,

it used to have a little judder as I turned the wheel which I put down to all the leccy motor shite hanging on the steering ..

I had lifted the bonnet the other day  to check of all things the gearbox cables .. levels etc

when I noticed the top struts looked a but rusty and sprayed them with grease which must of worked down into the top bearings ...

the car stands ready in the drive for its pick up mission ..

[SiC]

43 minutes ago, New POD said:

Not that arsed about the hourly rate, its the waiting 2 weeks for a 0.3 hr job, including a cup of tea that bugs me. 

I can only go from what I've googled quickly while waiting for my hair cut. However it does appear that GM used the 6T30/40/45/etc box. If it does and that workshop manual extract is correct (very likely) then it's a pretty decent sized job. 

The issue is getting that valve body out. It might actually not be that difficult to remove if it's on the front of the box, but that's only one step.

Firstly the box will need to be drained of fluid. Simple? Yeah but you've got to get fluid back in - both the right amount and the right type. Modern boxes often have procedures like warm to temperature, check fill hole, etc.

Secondly disturbing that valve body may need the transmission adaptation resetting. This will need a proper Vx/Opel tool that can do it. Many garage probably have one with their universal snapon and the like, but some brands can be awkward.

Thirdly, tearing into a box like that there is also risk that any dirt, not mounted quite right on or even moving it puts it out of alignment. So potential for it playing up post repair that the garage would have to take on. 

So your average back street garage will likely go NOPE. Especially one that doesn't know you and has no trust built up that you aren't going to be a pia customer if it all goes wrong.

Basically your best bet is going to be taking it straight to an automatic transmission specialist. They should be the ones with the tools, the skills and knowledge to tackle something like this. 

A main dealer may do it too, but you're hoping that you get a technician who actually has been trained properly by Vx to work on the box and is going to do a good job. It'll also cost a far lot more. There is also a good chance they may just tell you to replace the whole transmission as one unit and charge £k.

 

It's the sort of fault that should be straightforward to repair (many manufacturers put it outside on the bell housing) but ends up having no garage wanting to work on it, thus owners end up scrapping the car.

[New POD]

2 hours ago, MikeR said:

 

the car stands ready in the drive for its pick up mission ..

ENTERPRISE are delivering an automatic car at 8:30 on Friday to the holiday cottage. This is why I paid extra for uk recovery to any destination and follow on cover. 

[MikeR]

9 minutes ago, New POD said:

ENTERPRISE are delivering an automatic car at 8:30 on Friday to the holiday cottage. This is why I paid extra for uk recovery to any destination and follow on cover. 

thats good ... 

I will stand down from the rescue trip ..

[New POD]

2 hours ago, MikeR said:

thats good ... 

I will stand down from the rescue trip ..

What I need from you is you to repair it for her.  You've got fuck all to do now you is retired? Right ? 

[MikeR]

41 minutes ago, New POD said:

What I need from you is you to repair it for her.  You've got fuck all to do now you is retired? Right ? 

thats a bit awkward with my bad side ,

nearly wrote myself off a few days back taking all the wheels off the C1 and giving it a checking over !!

I could wave a branch over it and curse it ?