Excellent! Thanks 2seater. Just the info I was hoping for. If it passes the "click test" it also sounds like I can force TCC while driving if I rig up a switch. I think we all know what I'll be doing Saturday (hopfully before)!

really appreciate it.

rm

you need to be careful with that if you were to do that.

*waits patiently for the post that says "car exploded" or "trans dropped" or "fried computer"*

or locked up brakes, killed engine, lack of power steering made me hit a tree.

don't hookup a switch. The TCC has to engage and disengage properly to avoid
trans damage. If you can't fix it properly take it to a shop.

I hear all the warnings, etc, and the last thing I want to do is break it permanently. BUT, I'm thinking it should be pretty straight forward to find out what the problem is, if done properly. It'* just a stupid car.

I'll do the TCC solenoid "click test" in the driveway. If no clicky, then maybe the show is over. Maybe not.

I'll then monitor the signals with a meter and maybe an led or two to see if the computer is trying to control it correctly. If there is no juice to the tranny connector, then there must be something like a brakelight switch problem or similar so I'll fix that and try again. Goal here is to be sure all wiring is good to the tranny.

Maybe the previous step will fix it...that would be great. But if not, I'll still want to know if TCC 'could' occur. So I'll warm her up, take her out on the highway, get up to cruising speed and ground the control line for a short amount of time, just long enough to see what happens. If this works, then I must have bought a bum computer off ebay (imagine that!). Anyway, that should finally and definitively answer whether lockup works or is broken. If it doesn't work, then obviously there is something more serious wrong and will then have to figure out whether or not to pull the tranny. But that'* down stream a little right now.

Thanks for all the feedback
rm

"The TCC has to engage and disengage properly to avoid trans damage."

Actually the problem is that
1) revs must be high enough to avoid bucking before engaging
2) if engaged when come to a stop , the engine will stall (as with a clutch)

Of course the DFCO may make it difficult to stop in the first place.

Padgett

Agreed...again the idea is to just try to engage it momentarily while at highway speed, just like it should do on its own, and then disengage while still at highway speed (whether or not it worked). If it kicks in, that would be great (hope! hope!)

What is the DFCO?

Deceleration Fuel Cut Off.
Using a manual switch for test purposes shouldn't cause any harm as long as it is locked up at about the same loads and rpms as it would normally. The thing really is a clutch disc that is pressed against the torque converter case to eliminate slip, but it isn't really a heavy duty unit. Some guys that drag race have experimented with locking it up when going through the lights to increase trap speed but longevity isn't very good. I hope the experiment works.

Check your TPS voltage setting.