Ok guys, i have a DEC 87 calais auto N/A, and ever since i got it the temp gauge has read wrong, well i hope it has, ive owned the car for 2 years now and since its had a new radiator, thermo and obviously fresh coolant. But im wondering do i have to replace the dash cluster or find a new temp gauge or get a new temp sensor, the gauge always reads 2 bars from the red, ( 1-2 bars right of the centre of the gauge )?? My second problem is my overdrive and cruise control, Now i've always argued this point but the calais series has a 4 speed gearbox and 5th being the overdrive for the cruise control!!!! Now by simply counting the gear changed you can tell all light foot. -1st - 2nd changes around 20klm per hr -2nd - 3rd around 30-40klm/hr -3rd - 4th at 50klm -4th to overdrive at 70klm/hr Now my problem is that sometime she'll go into overdrive and somedays it wont. WHEN ITS WORKING GOOD!!: Typically the auto should gain pressure when warming up and go from 1st to 3rd and stay in 3rd till the gbox gains warmth and the right oil pressure etc. Now while having the power button on the gearbox will hold each gear a little more depending on how heavy footed you are, as well as go to 3rd gear and not exceed this gear. - for passing a car etc. Now while having the power button off in overdrive my vl does 100klm/hr at 2000rpm, and when i place the power button on it will drop back to 3rd gear, or when in overdrive with power button off, flatten it and it will drop back to 2nd or 3rd and the power light will come on the dash ( it comes on when i have the power button on as well ), and goes back to overdrive when you come off the throttle. Now WHEN ITS NOT WORKING GOOD Now when its not working good, the gear box will go to 4th gear but not go into overdrive, even if i flatten it in 4th it will not drop back down the gears?? and if i press the power button nothing will happen ( which its suppose to drop back )?? It will go down the gears fine it i stop, but if i go from a stand still it will go through the gears till 4th ( 50klm+ ) but around 70klm it wont go into overdrive?? Ill make a video of this and put it on youtube when the gearbox is running good and running wrong?? I dont know if this is just my vl but sometimes it will go to overdrive and other times it wont. Now once i was cruising on the highway at 100klm in overdrive and had cruise control on and working fine, but i hit a jolt on the road to go onto a bridge and it jumps from overdrive to 4th gear and cruise control cuts out?? i try to use cruise control in 4th gear but it doesnt work?? Sometimes ive noticed that when it stuffs up, i pull over for 5 minutes and start again and it goes into overdrive all good again?? but this only happens rarely? Now my electrician mate recons it has something to do with my aircon vaccum lines ? maybe its my trans computer? maybe its my main computer? maybe the gearbox has had it? but i do look after the calais and only thrash it now and then? Now the car has 230,000klms and i bought it off an old man 2 years ago with 212,000klms and it has done the same since then, ive had the gearbox oil flushed and new good stuff put into it?? So what the **** is wrong with it?? Cheers for the help if you get what ive said. Some original photos have not been recovered yet.

dunno bout cruise control as ive never had it but the gearbox is a 3 speed with an overdrive 1 2 3 in power mode 1 2 3 + "4" in non power mode

The box is a 4 speed including O/D the 5th you speak of is the lock up in the converter (only NA has this) i am having the same problem at the moment and it is a fault in the speed sensor circuit, its just a matter of finding the problem, i have changed speed sensors & what not n i still cant figure it out, its a bit of a head f uck

Quote: Originally Posted by IMCRZY [View Post] The box is a 4 speed including O/D the 5th you speak of is the lock up in the converter (only NA has this) i am having the same problem at the moment and it is a fault in the speed sensor circuit, its just a matter of finding the problem, i have changed speed sensors & what not n i still cant figure it out, its a bit of a head f uck Just outta curiosity! What else have you tried? Speed sensor circuit????? Plz elaborate on this, as I also am keen to do what ever it takes to solve this problem. Been over ****loads of threads and info about this! And before anyone says anything about the auto being on it's way out, I just got it rebuilt with modifications and a shift kit and it still does it. Before and after, but the box is running insane ATM. Checked, removed, cleaned, and adjusted kickdown switch. Swapped auto control ecu, (incase mine was faulty) No difference whatsoever! Checked all wiring looms and connections. Im sure there are many people wanting to get to the bottom of this! All I can figure out is that o/d swith and the kickdown are linked. Sorry to hijack the thread.

Cooling Go to a wreckors pull out a vl cluster($25). theres 2 plugs and a speedo drive cable Ez Az. wack it in. Thermo?? dont use thermos i did, a bf thermo fans conversion worked but was a lot of effort for nothing and they weigh way more than a clutch fan lol so many isses to be had if ur not careful. ur dash is stuffed. if mine runs heigher than half (n iv had 7 n/a vls) the CAS dies lol Mate spend $600 and put a 5speed in (what im doing atm) Or Go shopping and get a second hand 4 speed jatco for 150 from some one thats doing a manual conversion. I have a mint auto japco and im givin it away for free when i sell my other cailais. there like $200 and u can find one to test drive b4 its pulled out. beats the head fk n fuel economy issues

It could possibly be in the dash as it turns the mechanic signal from speedo into an electric signal for the cruise control it may also be wired into the auto circut but as my cars are all manual and i have no interest in autos owned 1 my whole life never again cant be certain that auto circut also connected in but thats first thing id check

and get a new temp sensor ffs. there cheap as n if u think its that do an ECU diagnosis it should tell you. but set aside 70 bucks n get water pump $35 NEW CTS under $20 ECU check Free Dash cluster ( put it in you big pocket in your big pants n tell the people at pick n gooo that its a screw driver and chewing gum. ---------- Post added 05-04-12 at 23:16 ---------- Quote: Originally Posted by IMCRZY [View Post] The box is a 4 speed including O/D the 5th you speak of is the lock up in the converter (only NA has this) i am having the same problem at the moment and it is a fault in the speed sensor circuit, its just a matter of finding the problem, i have changed speed sensors & what not n i still cant figure it out, its a bit of a head f uck make sure u reset ur fault coads after diagnosis! KoEo turn ECU PLUG full clock wize for MORE than 2 seconds then full anti clock wize for more than 2 seconds then ignition off Or els ull never know what u have fixed

As for cooling if your convinced it not actually getting hot which if it was getting that high i'd suspect the head would have cracked by now if was and its just the gauge reading . Do a continuity test between the dash plug and sender , replace sender if suspect, also der a tech thread on fixing doggy fuel gauge reading where you add solder to the gauge terminal try this on the temp gauge as any bad connection will cause inaccurate reading +1 for above post

Now once i was cruising on the highway at 100klm in overdrive and had cruise control on and working fine, but i hit a JOLT ON THE ROAD to go onto a bridge and it jumps from overdrive to 4th gear and cruise control cuts out?? i try to use cruise control in 4th gear but it doesnt work?? Sometimes ive noticed that when it stuffs up, i pull over for 5 minutes and START AGAIN and it goes into overdrive all good again?? but this only happens rarely? mait i think its electrical for sure perhaps a louse conection. jolt in the road can break the conection and the rocking of a starting engine can do the same.

Still could be in dash as people used to hit / jolt the dash to get the fuel temp gauge working for years till tech thread was started on inaccurate readings ---------- Post added 05-04-12 at 22:56 ---------- If i knew how to post link i would

one of my calais has a dodgy dash and and auto is a slug in forth. I climbed under her today and sprayed the whole auto n plugs with degreaser n hit it with the hoze full pressure lolwhat an experience lol it was like swiming Soaked haha under a car made jack ****e diff though. but good fun ---------- Post added 05-04-12 at 23:35 ---------- i agree with Ant Man. Go the cluster eather way ur cluster is going to have to come out. iv done the solder trick couldnt tell if it worked so im putting a spare cluster in to see. i dont like throwing wires every where though even if it works

http://www.calaisturbo.com.au/showthread.php?t=64534 hope this linked worked if feeling keen and dont wanna replace dash if guess try it on temp gauge, never know

Hey guys thanx for the info, getting a new s2 cluster and ordered a new temp sensor. I keep in contact with the previous owner of my vl (mechanic at holden) and he says with the gearbox and the over drive its all about the temperature it runs at, its designed to run o/d at a certain temp, so if the engine is running to hot, well this can effect the o/d and box, also vice verser running cold. So ill put the new cluster in and temp sensor and see what she does.