Hi guys,

I recently noticed that my car wasn't pulling smoothly after 2000RPM. If I depress gas hard enough, RPM will go up but I don't feel like my car is responding to its engine as it used to be. Not sure if it is grinding sound but I do hear something loud after 2000RPM. During this, if I switched my gear(auto) to N(eutral), I don't hear or see this hardness at all. Engine rev very smoothly like old days.

Recently, I replaced a starter but I have no doubt that is a cause of problem.
I hope it's not a transmission related but would seek any opinion.
Thanks in advance.

 

It sounds to me like your torque converter might be slipping. That would explain the RPM's going up, but the car not accelerating quickly.

 

Does this happen in all gears, only a specific gear? When cold, warm, both? Any CEL/flashing OD light?

 

Does it mean I have to get a new transmission?

 

AFAIK:
IF it is the converter, you'd just have to get the converter itself.

 

No CEL/Flashing OD light, and it does happen both cold and warm.
I didn't notice this until I hit the highway. During normal cruise, 2000RPM is around 60-65MPH. When I turn off OD, RPM goes up to 3000-3500.
I am having hard time to pull the car above 70MPH unless I floored the gas.

 

Your description is not charicturistic of a bad torque converter. I would say your transmission is slipping.

 

So second gear, or third?

 

Can this be caused by electrical/wire problem? I had hard time to remove a starter, and I could have damaged some connections or wires.

 

Of course check you trans fluid, be sure it's not low.

 

4th gear.

 

It does sound more like 4th gear than a converter. If it was a converter it would be very noticeable at low speeds, and affect every gear.

 

It should be present in all gears, though sometimes stuff like this is only noticeable in certain conditions, however odd that may be.



Not likely, but it's a possibility. Go over that area again, see if anything is damaged.

Definitely a good idea too.

 

sounds like ur trans slipping brotha.... do i see a 5 speed swap in future? jk...