1stsc400

Hello everyone. Let me thank you in advance for helping me out. This is my first Sc400. I just purchased a 1994 Sc400 with 185k miles. When I got the car the it needed one ignition coil, so I replaced it with a auto zone coil. Now the car runs fine. I finally told it out on the road today. It drove really good, I was enjoying it before: THE ENGINE SHUTS OFF WHEN IT SHIFTS TO SECOND GEAR, it stays running is it driven in first gear and in reverse. Is my transmission okay? or I need another ignition coil? Thanks

1stsc400

update to my problem.. The car runs fine when the engine is cold, after the engine is at normal temp the problem comes back again. It runs fine in first gear but if I switch to second gear the engine turns off?????????

vangb2

iTrader: (2)

the car has a swap from a auto to manual or are you shifting using the auto 1,2,3,d?

1stsc400

it's a auto trans. I try driving it on Drive but everytime it shifts to second the engine will just shut off. I had to drive it home on first gear. I'm thinking it's the cheap Auto zone coil that I changed. Is there a difference between the two coils? the guy from auto zone said it was the same?

PEARL2

iTrader: (4)

if you still have the old coil, put it back in and drive the car. It will drive and idle rough but you'll have a better idea if it's the autozone coil.

neanderthl

I would be really surprised if it were the ignition coil. It actually sounds like it may be the transmission. I'm not sure, but my best guess would be that since the transmission is computer controlled, there might be something wrong with one of the shift solenoids. When it fails trying to shift into 2nd, the computer tells the motor to shut off protectively. Good luck. Keep us updated. That is a pretty weird problem.

Photon440

iTrader: (3)

I'd try to accelerate to as high a speed as you can get in first gear, then pop it in neutral. If it keeps running, drop it into drive and see if it will select a higher gear and keep running. That won't help second gear, but you might learn more about the rest of the drive range.

-=Photon=-

vangb2

iTrader: (2)

I doubt that the coils at fault. I think the transmission for some reason may not be functioning properly. I have the lexus electrical book, I will look into how the computer control each solenoids and sensor sometime this week for you.

MarcusMIA

That actually sounds like an interesting idea... I'd do that just to see.

1stsc400

Thank ya very much for the input. so I have tried driving it around with the maf sensor unplug. Trying to test if the maf sensor is bad. The same problem came back when the engine is at normal temp. The car runs fine when it's cold. I tried accelerating to 4000 to 5000 rpm on first gear then popping it to neutral then back to drive, the engine didn't shut off this time and continue running at a higher gear. I think there's something wrong with the Tranny. Did this happen to everyone else?

1stsc400

Update. I went a salvage yard here in Houston and purchased a factory coil on a 94 sc4. switched it with my Auto zone coil and it's still the same. So, it's not the coil now. I'm guessing it's the transmission solenoid. Switch one should I change? BTW: this junk yard has about 8 crashed Sc's for parts.

vangb2

iTrader: (2)

Seems like the only thing that can cause your car to stall during shifting is the solenoid. Check solenoid number 2 wire color White-red. If you can remove it and if you have some experience with bench testing, you should be able to pinpoint to issue.

1stsc400

Thank you very much for the responds. I was thinking that might be the problem. I found a junk with a couple of trannys laying around so I might just purchase a solenoid from them. thanks again.. I hope this will work. =)

1stsc400

does anyone know where the solenoid is located in the tranny?

vangb2

iTrader: (2)

I'm sorry, ignore the wire color I have listed earilier. I don't have a SC400 but my book shows that its on the driver side of the transmission underneath the car. The plug have a total of 6 wires. It should be too hard to located because there should not be much wires attach to the transmission.