Will a short detector detect shorts in a wiring bundle as easily as advertised? Will one detect a short-to-ground?

Anybody know any other ways to detect shorts/shorts-to-ground?

Without some good advice before Monday, I'm gonna do something I've never done.....turn over my van, and bank balance, to the dealerships' service dept. Never thought I'd say that...........

Feel totally at the mercy of the system.

Chuck
02 T&C 3.8L

 

If you don't know your way around an electrical system with a multi-meter then, 2 color probe isn't going to help you much if nothing else confuse the situation more.

If you have a repair question then just ask. The dreaded dealership technicians might consider helping you.

 

OK. Recurring p0760. drive 200 or 400 or 600 miles....then code comes back with limp mode. Erase codes overnight, sometimes codes/limp mode come back immediately...sometime drive several hundred miles (or maybe 30).

Have wiggled wiring bundles while reading continuity. All wiring from sol pack to TCM test .09 ohms. Have inspected input/output speed sensor wiring connections...seem OK.

When the OD circuit is working, the tranny performs flawlessly leading me to think short. Followed system check procedures in Alldata but with no determination as to the on again/off again solution. (I've already replaced TCM (for a p0605), tranny fluid change & filter, sol pack, upper O2 sensor (for a 1-time p0135), cleaned ground connections, & reviewed the wiring with multimeter several times.

My earlier comment about the "dealership" was mainly in jest. Being a DIY'er, I've never needed the use of a dealership's service dept so it's kinda like going to the dentist, but I know there are situations where you gotta.

BTW, with diagnostic tests, will I get DRBIII systemic procedures (transmission simulator, pinion factor, quick learn, reprogram)?

Chuck
02 T&C 3.8L, 145k

 

replace the solenoid pack

 

Aw man I know what you meant....hehe. In the future, a little trick when you're testing continuity in bundle at same source like that is check for continuity between them not only one at a time end to end. Your resistance readings will still be the same if 2 are touching together. Also if you had any battery acid issues in the past, i've seen many of these where it made it's way into the harness and corroded some of the wires. You won't see any evidence on the surface, only when you peel it open. Many techs have been burned bad by this...including myself.

Did you replace the solenoid pack for these same codes? If you bought a new TCM you should have the most recent software already in it. They will assess if the simulator needs to be used but a good trans guy will use it often. Yeah they'll do the quick learn and the PF....very quick things no biggie. Just make sure and tell them what you've done so far. It will go a long way saving you $$$$$.

 

Yeah, I did change the sol pack.

Here's the history over several months:

p0605: changed TCM, fine for about 100 miles

p0760: changed tranny fluid/filter (old fluid in good shape..very little debris on magnet...owned the van for about 3 years, but thetranny gasket was original metal one)

replaced sol pack. wiring visually seemed OK.

ran fine for about 600 miles.

p0760 continues to return w/limp mode sporadically...although much more frequently lately. reviewed & re-inspected previous installations/tests.

Seems to me to be wiring/short problem, but I haven't found it if that's it.

Need DRBIII diagnosis? Reflashes? Quick learns? Pinion factors?


Chuck
02 T&C 3.8L

 

Looking over the history, I would have to say maybe the new TCM you got is bad. However it's pretty hard to make that call since there was an internal code and the TCM may not have been able to process the info to set that P0760 before. Where did you get the TCM from? Oh, and BTW there is no trans pan gasket stock on these. They used black RTV silicone, which is what we still use in the shop.

 

I got the TCM from Solo Auto Electronics. They have a good rep & 12 month warranty.

Gave in & took the van to the dealership....they "diagnosed" (without really checking the wiring bundles for shorts etc) that I need a new TCM..even though no P0605 code shows bad TCM.

Gotta decide on new TCM from dealership, or returning the Solo rebuilt TCM for replacement.

Need some good advice on this one. Dealership's bottom line...500 bucks.
Replace Solo TCM....0 bucks plus quicklearn @ the stealership??.

Chuck
02 T&C 3.8L