fatal shudder? (help!)

rollincoal · **Posted:** Wed Jan 05, 2011 10:27 pm

Hi there, new to LOST.. i have an important question. This might have been posted somewhere on this forum but i could not find my specific question. I just bought an 06 CRD with 55k miles and the previous owner seemed to keep up with recalls pretty well. He says when he had the infamous "shudder" he took it to the dealer and had the TC replaced along with the F37 reflash ( i can tell based on the shift points).

HOWEVER, i noticed while driving that i still have the shudder- just as described- in overdrive TC lock up with some good throttle. I would like to know what eventually happens after too long with this shudder and what does it actually do? Is it fatal to the life of the TC or trans? Can it be fixed with a TCM reflash by GDE? A new euro or suncoast TC? Will the "new" OEM TC suffice? Or perhaps back to the stealership again? (Im not even sure what the original powertrain warranty was on these..) I have tried not to duplicate this too much as i am unaware of how much it can take.

Any help would be appreciated, thanks...
:banghead:

Joe Romas · **Posted:** Thu Jan 06, 2011 7:58 am

The clutch material on the torque converter will break off and circulate to the transmission. My transmission shuddered very little but at 32k miles there was clutch material in the transmission pan. It took the dealer tech took two and a half days to complete the job. All is fine now. Be advise there's several problems that can arise after the job. The least is not enough fluid causing slow engagment. The transfer case cable can be left off or come off, if a wiring harness is not put back on correctly it will melt on the EGR pipe, if the bolts holding the tc to the flex plate are not secured with lock-tite and torqued properly they can work loose. If you take it to a non dealer shop they might use a "universal" fluid with a addative instead of the AT+4 that causes more problems.
I've gone 6k miles since mine was replaced with no problems and 1500 of those were towing our 3000-3500# camping trailer that I suspect aggervated the problem with constant shifting up and down on grades/hills :JEEPIN:

If it's on your nickle I would get it done before it getts to that point. If it's under a extended warranty then get it replaced before the warranty expires :JEEPIN:

The 06 had a 3 year/36k mile bumper to bumper warranty only. Many first owners got a extended warranty that was transferable to the second owner after a fee is paid. Have your dealer check. They were available in different levels as to what was covered and for how many miles and months. I bought the gold warranty because it was the only one of the three that covered the EGR valve for 70k miles and 7 years. I'm half way there and it has paid for it's self with the transmission work and power steering rack. Even covered the rear glass lift shocks. It has a $100 deductable per trip so wait for several small problems or a big one (TC) and it cost $2500

The F36 detuned the engine by 40 foot pounds (300 to 260#) and raised the shift points about 5 mph in all gears. These two things made the CRD a whimp for towing and was soley to get through the warranty perion. Think "Bean counter" solution. :dead:

It also cut city MPG bu 2 to 3 mpg. With a good torque converter the shudder will be gone. Tunes are available to restore the engine and transmision controlers to stock or better. If you have to pay go the extra and get the Suncoast. The Chrysler one seems fine too and is being used in the newer VM diesel with more power.

All CRD's were nuetered after they left the factory and most after they were sold. You take your crd in for something minor and get it back casterated :ALONE:

Mine was two weeks old and had a coolant leak :5SHOTS:

rollincoal · **Posted:** Thu Jan 06, 2011 9:39 pm

so let me get this straight, the clutch material breaking off and reaching its way into valves/hydraulics is what is actually causing the shudder? I also heard from somewhere that there is some kind of a ball with a seat that wears away and causes it.. Not too sure what this is but if thats the case just upgrading the TC wont do the trick will it? So with all these pieces floating around in the trans- will i have to get the trans rebuilt or will a flush get it out?

Also i have the inmotion tune, and i think it could be possibly too aggressive to be considered "reliable" so i believe im going to re-flash with the GDE economy tune as well as the TCM re-flash.

Oh and warranty is out of the question.. 36k, that was it.

SAVE ME! I want this jeep to last!!

warp2diesel · **Posted:** Fri Jan 07, 2011 12:32 am

Failure of a valve in the front pump causes the TC to shudder and fail.
Transgo has a fix for the bad valve in their kit that does not seat on the pump housing surface to seal.
The Euro is what the Stock converter should have been from day one.
SunCoast has a stronger converter with a billet front cover and better friction material than stock or the Euro. So do some other companies who all have the billet front covers. SunCoast has tuned the CRD converter to work with a tuned CRD engine with higher power out put. The others like Precision Industries are Hemi converters that fit but are tuned for the Hemi.
Another cause of Shudder is the Wrong fluid used, ATF+4 is the only fluid to use.

Fix the converter/front pump problem and you can save your money and stick with your InMotion tune.
No tune will fix a bad pump if the pump is the problem.

audiboy86 · **Posted:** Fri Jan 07, 2011 12:43 am

I agree with Warp replace the convertor with whatever flavor you like and the pump at the same time. But before everything i would double check the fluid even if the dealer did the work that don't mean a dang thing these days

If i have a fuild serviced at the dealership i will literally check it in the parking lot atleast for the right color and feel.

Joe Romas · **Posted:** Fri Jan 07, 2011 9:02 am

This is a classic case of the "Chicken or the Egg" :BANANA:

Mine shuddered at day one, mile nine when I was still within sight of the dealership where I bought it. So I don't think the valve was worn at that point. The redesigned front pump is a simplified version that eliminates some possible sources of air leakage our transmissions had. f37 raised the engine RPMS while driving assured there wpould be enough fluid presure. Our tractor engines have great torque under 2000 rpms and the transmission fluid pressure is just starting to build.

What happens is the cushion springs in the torque converter are bottomed out on a mild acceleration. Then when you ease up they spring back but immediately bottom out again and bounce back. :BINGO:

This in turn rapidly distroys the clutch material in the TC from the resulting slipping. There's two filters in the tranmission and I think the spin on one is supposed to catch debrise from the TC.
The latest Chrysler TC is just like the one installed from 11/05 and onward except with heavier springs. So it still has a plastic stator and is light weight. The current Suncoast TC is a completly updated unit. So if it's your nickle get the Suncoast but if Chrysler will cover it then the choice is easy to make :POPCORN:

But your chanches of an independent transmission shop using the WRONG fluid are almost 100% :frankie:

That's one advantage of taking it to a dealer, they only have the right fluid :-)r

rollincoal · **Posted:** Fri Jan 07, 2011 3:12 pm

Excellent!! those were the answers i was looking for.. First things first, im gonna check that fluid, but i guess im now in the market for a TC, so ill probably be looking at suncoast.

You guys are lots of help, Thanks!!

fatal shudder? (help!)

Who is online