I have a 1995 Galant 2.3 SOHC automatic transmission.

I was wondering if anyone has heard about a lockup for the transmission. My Galant has had the tranny rebuilt last Oct. and this lockup as my mechanic calls it, is kind of annoying to me.

What it does is the tranny doesn't go into overdrive until it has drove 5-10 miles, maybe less depending on air temperature. I have noticed on a couple of occasions that when it was 50+ deg F outside it would always go right into OD. But at 55-60 mph rpms are at 2700-3000 and then when overdrive kicks in they drop down to 2400-2700. The car never did this before rebuild and I was wondering if it is supposed to do this? I have gone on a couple of long road trips since rebuild and my gas mileage is not as good as it was before rebuild. One time I got only like 28 mpg's and the second one was less than that I think it was only like 24 mpg's if I remember correctly. I was trying to simulate my trip down to Des Moines last May by driving only 60-65 mph freeway and that was the best it got. When I went down to Des Moines I got 36.5 mpg's (370 miles with a little less than a 1/4 tank remaining) with this very car (before rebuild).

It is really annoying because I was driving on a few 60 mph roads on those trips. Going through numerous small towns and everytime the overdrive would kick on I would be only like a mile or less before the next town. I would slow down to go through town and on the other side overdrive would be off again ect. So the rpm's were always high, therefore ruining my mpg's.

Is this a safety feature/supposed to do this?

Thanks.

 

Ok so I talked to a different mechanic yesterday and he said that the car is supposed to do that. So I think I will have to live with it. He said that there are ways to get around it and make the lockup always engage. I don't think though I will do any of them. It's nice to know that it is supposed to do it.

 

Lockup is a feature on modern (since the 80s) automatic transmissions and transaxles. The rpms will drop about 200 when it goes into l/u. I had a 04 Civic and a 04 GMD p/u recently and they bothe would drop 200 rpm shortly after going in the highest gear...4th as both were 4-spd automatics. It should improve your mpg,not make it worse.

You might have some issue with your rebuilt trans;talk to the guy who did the work if possible.

 

check the trans temp sensor in the intake manifold sounds like it needs replacing