Hey everyone! I'm a newbie. From all the posts that I have seen, everyone seem to be very friendly and educated about ECLIPSE and CHRYSLER engine ?!?! Well, I have a problem that's been killing me for almost a year. I really hope someone out there can help me out. Okay. I run a 1998 Automatic Eclipse GS. I bought it last year, July 2002. It has a Chrysler engine. In the beginning, the car kind of struggled on the highway. 100 is the highest it would reach. It would go no further. I mean when it getz to 80 or 90 the car startz to shake really bad. Then I kept pushing it. Finally it reaches 120. From there, I could get to 80 or 90 on the highway easily. The RPM would probably be 3 or 3.5 at the most. But in the past six months, going at 70mph, the RPM goes up to 4 now. It definitely hurt me a lot when it comes to GAS $$$$. I have changed the SHIFT knob, meaning, I did cut the OVERDRIVE wires. But when I first cut the over drive wires, it was still running smoothly.

I changed the transmission fluid at home by myself. About a few weeks after that, that's when the high RPM started kicking in. But I have had people checked for me, nothing is leaking or anything.
I got the fuel injection service.
I got the timing belt changed.
My car's spark plug did burn once on the highway.

That's about all I can give. I really hope someone can help me out. Why is my RPM so high. Thanks a lot everyone. I look forward to hearing from you.

Well cutting your OD wire will make you lose 4th gear. How many times does your car shift? Make sure your not driving around all the time in 3rd. I would put another switch on for your OD. Cutting your OD wire is not a mod, it's crazy! :rolleyes

Good call Dirty. I bet hes stuck in 3rd gear. Usually at about 100 or so im at 4, at 70mph maybe 3000. Its been a while since ive been that fast...lol. You oughta take off your transmission pan and check for metal shavings/chunks of clutch. Rebuilds arnt cheap:(

Do what dirty says and wire up a crude switch for the OD and just see what happens.

Are you able to get goin pretty fast if you push the gas at 4k in 3rd gear? Throttle should be really touchy if youre in 3rd at 4k. Thats the way my car was anyway, 4k was really touchy. Guess its our powerband?

joseph

hmMm... this is the thing though.. even before I unwired the OD wires... the OverDrive was useless. I mean ON or OFF it had no effects on how fast I was going or the RPM, no matter if my car was on the highway or on the streets... hmmm.. okay.. so it's an AUTOMATIC.. how many times is it supposed to shift now??? will i be able to tell when i'm in the city.. or do i have to try it on the highway.. i think.. usually it shifts twice... well.. i'm at school right now.. i'll get out at like 9 something.. I'm gonna take my car to work.. and try to count how many times it shifts.. when I'm at work.. I'll let you guys know.. how many times should an automatic shift ?!?!?!? i was wondering... if it could be my OD cylanoid.. could that be the thing?? maybe cuz I unwired it and i left it hanging around.. so somehow they touched all dose other wires and just messed up my OD... please reply .. i appreciate your help..

4 times. Your car should shift from 1st to 2nd to 3rd to 4th. And yes OD off should help you accelerate because it keeps you in higher "ready" RPMs. Dont have to jump into the powerband because you're already there sort of thing.

Do this (even though it might not be safe): get on the interstate and just get on it til it wont go anymore. And listen to the shifts. You should hear 4. If at 3 it doesnt go to 4 and just keeps whining out youve fucke up the transition into OD. I cant be held resposible for a ticket and/or injuries though;).

Joseph

hmMM.. 4 timez ?!?!? shiet.. i think mine only shiftz like 3 timez.. it can't be that risky on the highway or can it.... i mean step on it forever.. by the time it hits 70 mph or 80.. shouldn't I be able to tell how many timez it has shift ??/ or I have to hit GAS until like 130 mph .. to be able to tell.. i was thinking... could the throttle have anything to do with it?? should i try adjusting it ?!?! *sighs*

It does sound like you need a switch for your OD. If you cut it, and didn't do anything with it, you no longer have OD.... Have you checked your fuses? Check the backup lamp fuse under the dash on the drivers side (It also controls your OD and SRS). Is your SRS light on? If so it is the fuse. If not, I am pretty sure you just need an OD switch. Wire one up like everyone says and let us know how it goes. Good luck :thumbsup

It should actually only shift 3 times. There are 4 gears, but only 3 shifts. You start in 1st, shift to 2nd, then shift to 3rd, then to 4th.

And I'm thinking that you're OD is ALWAYS off and that is why your RPMs are soaring at highway speeds. W/ the OD off on the highway, my car is a mess. It sounds so loud heh.

Look into the wiring and see if you can get it to quiet down. There is a significant difference in the feel and sound of the car w/ the OD on and off. You should know if whether its on/off by driving it. Hope it helps some.



Black 97 Eclipse RS a/t (totalled but being rebuilt)
17'' HP Typhoons
Goldline Springs w/ Tokico Blues
Nakayama CAI
Cat-Back Exhaust
Final Drive Gears
AFX UDP

Metallic Fiji Blue 92 3000GT VR4
new engine on its way

Check it out man. Get a toggle switch. Hook up the red wire to one end and the black wire to the other and flip it the the "on" position. Put the car in drive and from a dead stop, start driving and count how many times it shifts. It should go: bbbrrrrrrum <shift> bbbrrrrruuuuuummmm <shift>bruuuuummmmmmeeeeeemmmm <shift>. If it does this then all your gears are working. If this doesn't work, then come back and let us know.

On a side note, don't fucking cut anymore wires without knowing what you are doing. Do some serious research on your car by reading the shit out of all the post on this site, everything you could wanna know can be found or asked on this board. Don't listen to your friends that drive hondas. If you need to know something before you do it, come ask us, thats why we're here. :thumbsup

hmMM.. okay.. my car does shift 3 timez.. but like i said... even before i cut the OD wires... i tried turning it on and off.. but it had no effects on my RPMs whatsoever.. i mean it was perfect.. now... going at 60 mph... my RPM is up to 3.. and you know ... if it wasn't messed up... you shouldn't get to 3 RPM until like 70 and 80.. but yeah.. i took out yesterday.. i tried it several times.. it shifts 3 timez.. i guess something is wrong wid my overdrive.. but what though?? the overdrive cylanoid?? or something else specifically.. man.. i've spend a lot of money. .trying to fix this problem.. but nothing helps.. i got the fuel injection service.. that's like $100 rite there.. transmission fluid changed.. i got that done at home.. could that have any effects on my RPM??? cuz right after i changed my transmission fluid for about 2 or 3 weeks.. that's when it starts messing up.. i don't knoe if i have anything to do with it.. but in the beginning i be checkin out my top speed u knoe.. i kept hittin like 120 on the highway.. that's fastest it would go.. i kept doing that.. i hope it didn't loosen the gasket or anything.. but please... what's WRONG with my car.. i'll try to wire it back together.. but i knoe for sure .. before when it was still wired.. turning it on and off.. had nothing to do with the RPM... please guyz.. if something's wrong wid my overdrive.. what is ?!?!? or could it be something else.. based on everything i've told you.. and last of all.. do you guys have info or instructions on how to change stuffz like timing belts.. transmission fluid.. oil change.. putting on springs.. u knoe .. stuffz like that.. i hope you guyz do.. by the way.. i have a red eclipse.. jux clear lights.. muffler... spoiler... CD player.. i'll try to take a picture of it.. and post it on .. so you guyz have an idea.. sorry if this is getting long.. but i'm really concerned about my car's RPM.. it's gonna be messed up soon if i keep going at 4.5 RPM on the highway.

sounds like your O/D is fried, my rpms are around 2200 with OD on at 60mph and a little over 3k with OD off and I have more mods than you, not that it really matters. A fried OD is the only thing I can really think of.