4000 RPM limit

[FrostyV70XC]

Hi all.
When the wife and I where going on a camping trip a few days ago we encountered some very strange behaviour with our 2001, scary noise from the engine compartment, reduced power climbing up hill from an undersea tunnel pulling our 1300 Kg Hymer, we stopped and checked the car but found nothing obvious, nothing loose and no leaks, we decided to go on for awhile as this was only going to be a 50 mile long trip anyway, next day driving around the countryside was uneventful and no symptoms from the previous day, then on the return trip with the caravan in tow it all returned.:confused:

Description: The car has 100.000 miles on the meter.
The engine will not rev over 4000 RPM in neutral no other symptoms.
Grinding noise and reduced power when accelerating only under load, quiet when foot of pedal and when shifting, does not matter whether car is in manual drive or auto.
No message or warning light.
Spark plugs are new, and tranny wash flushed and refilled with 3309 about a year ago, brand new timing belt.
I know that the ignition wiring harness is a mess and I suspect some coils may be on the way out.
Any ideas ?

[Ocean Racer]

Check the MAF and air filter for any volcanic ash that may have cemented itself.

[FrostyV70XC]

Check the MAF and air filter for any volcanic ash that may have cemented itself.
OK, good point :) I was beginning to suspect the MAF, and with all the frenzy about ash affecting jet engines, but I think the MAF has to get really hot, 1832 °F (1000 °C) required to melt silicate rock, but it could get clogged, with all the volcanic activity lately it has not been reported as a problem for cars, but we all know our swedes are sensitive.
Thank you for your input.

[JRL]

Not supposed to rev over 4000 in NEUTRAL, ECU has a rev limiter
No ME-7 car does/can

Can't help you with the rest by this description except the fact if the transmission got hot, it WILL default to a reduced engine mode until it cools back down
If you're going to tow, you need an aux tranny oil cooler

[FrostyV70XC]

Not supposed to rev over 4000 in NEUTRAL, ECU has a rev limiter
No ME-7 car does/can

Can't help you with the rest by this description except the fact if the transmission got hot, it WILL default to a reduced engine mode until it cools back down
If you're going to tow, you need an aux tranny oil cooler
I kind of suspected there was a rev limiter on the engine, the car has once gone into reduced engine mode climbing a winding hill road, and that feels more like your in winter mode, and we have gone on many camping trips with the caravan since then, but this was nothing like that, it felt and sounded like it was slowly grinding to a halt and no warning message in the DIM or nothing, and stepping on the gas pedal had no affect what so ever.
Just came from a test drive wit no caravan, everything seems ok.

I'm going to check on the MAF and the coil packs.

[JRL]

You're not listening
Overly hot tranny fluid the car WILL go into a limp mode.
If you're going to tow up long grades and in the heat, you need a COOLER.
You have an 01, you're lucky you still have a tranny at all.... you're really pushing your luck here! [sly]

[FrostyV70XC]

You're not listening
Overly hot tranny fluid the car WILL go into a limp mode.
If you're going to tow up long grades and in the heat, you need a COOLER.
You have an 01, you're lucky you still have a tranny at all.... you're really pushing your luck here! [sly]
Thanks for the help JRL, I know from reading this forum how you feel about 2001 transmissions.
For the record, the car did NOT go into limp mode, it was not a long grade and and the ambient temp was about 12° centigrade and how do you now the car does not have a cooler ?
just consdering my options here.

[JRL]

This:

...reduced power climbing up hill from an undersea tunnel pulling our 1300 Kg Hymer, we stopped and checked the car...

is semi limp mode and I'm sure by now you would have said if you have a cooler or not.
and it's not how I feel about 01 trannies, (I have no personal axe to grind) it just "is"...it's a fact of Volvo life.... they're junk!

A first year trans with very poor original TCU programming and a poorly designed (weak) valve body

[FrostyV70XC]

This:

...reduced power climbing up hill from an undersea tunnel pulling our 1300 Kg Hymer, we stopped and checked the car...

is semi limp mode and I'm sure by now you would have said if you have a cooler or not.
and it's not how I feel about 01 trannies, (I have no personal axe to grind) it just "is"...it's a fact of Volvo life.... they're junk!

A first year trans with very poor original TCU programming and a poorly designed (weak) valve body
I know you are very knowledgeable about our transmissions but what is semi limp mode witch give no warnings or message and can you shed some light on that grinding noise.
Regards.

[JRL]

No one can decipher a noise over the web but I have to tell you that many times on many Volvos, every so often I hear these weird noises that just go away and never come back!
I had one on my low mileage VR. Did it for a couple of weeks when cold going up a hill, not it's been gine for over two months.

As for the low performance, at times if things got overheated they just do and don't necessarliy always throw a code
I would bet you have a stored code if you get them pulled at a Volvo dealer

[cattlecar]

The trans has two stages of overtemp protection. The first gives no messages or warning lamps but alters shift points and goes into lockup more quickly and in more gears as locking torque converter cools fluid off.
You mentioned it drove like Winter mode. That is the altered shift points.

The second stage gives a warning message and trans arrow flashes and the trans goeds into gear very harshly when moved from, park to R or D. Also the shifts are harsher.
The second stage will cease when fluid cools but there will be fault code for a few dozen key cycles.

[Astro14]

Thanks for the help JRL, I know from reading this forum how you feel about 2001 transmissions.
For the record, the car did NOT go into limp mode, it was not a long grade and and the ambient temp was about 12° centigrade and how do you now the car does not have a cooler ?
just consdering my options here.

The car does not come with an aux cooler from the factory. It has a cooling loop in the radiator, but that barely transfers any heat.

If you're going to tow with this car, do yourself, and your transmission, a favor and have an auxiliary cooler installed the return line of the factory trans cooler. Here is a good example of the kind you want:

http://www.bmracing.com/PRODUCTS/Automatic-Transmission-SuperCoolers/Automatic-Transmission-SuperCooler-rated-at-13-000-BTU-11x7-1-2x3-4


I just installed this exactt model on my truck. You want plate and fin style - one with a bypass for cold fluid. The tube and fin are more common and cheaper, but not as efficient at heat transfer. Many different sizes are out there, I haven't really started looking for one on the Volvo, since I use the truck for the hard stuff.

[Ocean Racer]

Not supposed to rev over 4000 in NEUTRAL, ECU has a rev limiter
No ME-7 car does/can


mine does. :D

[Ocean Racer]

You're not listening
Overly hot tranny fluid the car WILL go into a limp mode.
If you're going to tow up long grades and in the heat, you need a COOLER.
You have an 01, you're lucky you still have a tranny at all.... you're really pushing your luck here! [sly]

JRL may be on the money too.
The very first thing my old Volvo mechanic did was replace the old Oil Cooler with a new one. He just did it without being asked. This is also with a manual tranny.

[billr99]

mine does. :D

Mine too. In fact, I was easily able to get over 5K in both Park and Neutral.

Cheers,

Bill

[Astro14]

JRL may be on the money too.
The very first thing my old Volvo mechanic did was replace the old Oil Cooler with a new one. He just did it without being asked. This is also with a manual tranny.

OR - I think you're clouding the issue a bit. JRL and I are talking about a cooler for the automatic transmission fluid. There is an engine oil cooler on all cars. But for towing - the auto trans cooler needs to be upgraded.

Manual transmissions on these would not have an oil cooler for the transmission...just the engine oil cooler located on the rear of the oil pan (sump in other words...).

[Ocean Racer]

Manual transmissions on these would not have an oil cooler for the transmission...just the engine oil cooler located on the rear of the oil pan (sump in other words...).

Yes that is what I'm talking about.
Sorry, I thought they were the same thing. :o