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[bestseany]

Hello,

I have a 97 Omega Elite 3.0 with an AR35 automatic gearbox.

When the gearbox is cold, it works perfect (although the '1' LED on the selector will flicker when moving it into 'D'). However, sometimes when I'm slowing down at junction etc, it will clunk when changing down a gear. The problem occurs more often if I've just been on the motorway, in a traffic jam or if I've used Sport mode.

In addition to this, when accelerating slowly sometimes, it will hold on to a gear for too long and then drop down one instead - making the engine rev high. The only way to recover from this is to move the selector from 'D' into '3' and then back again. Otherwise, there will be a loud clunk and 'Automatic Gearbox' will show on the computer display.

I've had the fluid and filter changed, the fluid level is still fine and a "Gearbox Specialist" has said the ECU doesn't have any fault codes stored. From previous posts on another website, it's been suggested to try and replace the selector switch on the 'box, but I'm not sure how this would cause the fault, as it seems to be related to the 'box getting hot.

Has anyone got any suggestions? I really don't want to spend much more money on this useless car.  :-/

Thanks,
Sean

[TheBoy]

The fact that the LEDs do not quite correspond with lever setting does hint towards selector problem...

[bestseany]

The fact that the LEDs do not quite correspond with lever setting does hint towards selector problem...

After I've been driving for a while, the LED's all work correctly. It only seems to happen when it's first started in the morning. Which, strangely, is the opposite of when the clunking occurs  :-?

[Markjay]

The fact that the LEDs do not quite correspond with lever setting does hint towards selector problem...

After I've been driving for a while, the LED's all work correctly. It only seems to happen when it's first started in the morning. Which, strangely, is the opposite of when the clunking occurs  :-?

Not sure I can offer any helpful advice on this one, I had similar problems though not that severe on my 2001, which were all resolved by upgrading the software on the gearbox ECU (done with TheBoy's Tech2), but as far as I know the gearbox ECU is only re-programmable from 1998 onwards....

[VXmega]

Hi...... iirc didn't the Senator use the AR35 auto box in the 3.0lts.............. i do remember reading a long time ago someone in that forum saying there was 4 types of software for the Senator........... don't know how they changed it, maybe flashed the chip??

i do prefer the software my old Senator uses over the Omega but mine uses the AR25 auto ........ i think

so would an auto ECU from a late Senator fit an earlier Omega if needs be?

[Kaycee]

Have you changed the fluid that wud be my first port of call but just as an afterthought i had a similar problem to you with my Scorpio and it turned out to be the oil pump in the box  after i took the box to a specialist who diagnosed it straight away he changed the pump tightened the bands and it was perfect after that  im not saying that the omega box is same as the scorpio but its worth a look

Robert