Engine/Trans lost power going up hill

alexk243

KulAdventure
Towing an enclosed trailer (approx 2500lbs) through the Appalachian mountains and I'm pretty heavily loaded. Van was chugging along fine, temp is 180. Going up pretty steep switchbacks at 20mph or so. Have about 200' left to go up a very steep incline (steepest ive every done) and I loose engine power. Just won't go anymore. Engine revs, but van won't move. Put it in park, check for leaks and find none. Shut off, restart, check codes p0730 is pending, clear it. Check temp and it's about 210 or so (after sitting) electric aux fan isn't on, no fluid leaks, no other codes. All turbo hoses look fine... Let it sit off for a few minutes then restart (temp 210) and give it gas and it won't budge. Wait a while longer with the engine off, restart it and give it a bunch of gas and it reluctantly goes the last 200'. Had to hold the brake while hiting gas to keep it from rolling back down the hill when I first started.

My thoughts are transmission... But that was just replaced and there are no leaks. I got the p0730 code earlier in the trip, cleared it, and checked trans fluid level and it was fine (color and level).

Second though was overheating, but the engine didn't shut off and continued to run... Can overheating cause a power loss like this without the engine dieing? If so what else do I need to check for damage? I never saw the temp past 217, but it's possible I could have missed it.

Looking for advice. Luckily I'm parked at the top of the hill now and won't have to go up again haha
 

tbuyan

'04 3500 140" low roof cargo w/dually delete
Disconnect the negative battery cable for a couple minutes. Reconnect; start up and try again. Report.
 

NelsonSprinter

Former Nelson BC Sprinter
It might be on that steep angle put the fluid pickup into air pocket as the fluid got placed in the back of the tranny. My guess is that 1/2 qt more fluid it might not have happened?
 

Cheyenne

UK 2004 T1N 313CDi
P0730 Incorrect Gear Ratio seems to imply low trans fluid level as Nelson has already suggested.

Get a dipstick and check trans fluid level asap.

Keith.
 

alexk243

KulAdventure
P0730 Incorrect Gear Ratio seems to imply low trans fluid level as Nelson has already suggested.

Get a dipstick and check trans fluid level asap.

Keith.
I travel with a trans dipstick now lol. The fluid level is fine, but the whole shifting of fluid does make sense... It was the steepest incline I've ever been on.

I'll do a battery reset also, but as of now it's running fine so not sure I'll notice a difference.

So consensus is that overheating was not an issue here?
 

Midwestdrifter

Engineer In Residence
P0730 typically means the transmission is slipping internally. This is usually caused by low fluid level. Though I have seen a van without a filter, where inclines made it pull air.

P0730 can also be caused by an overheated transmission. Typically the TCM limits the engine rpm to about 1,000 if it thinks something is slipping. If a clutch is slipping in the trans, it can overheat the clutch pack. Bad mojo.

If the engine revs up well past 1,000 RPM, then you may have another issue.

I was climbing a 30% grade for about 25 minutes once. All 1st gear. I didn't check the trans temps or anything, but it dropped into trans LHM briefly. So I pulled over for lunch, and it was fine after. It was about 95F that day.
 

alexk243

KulAdventure
P0730 typically means the transmission is slipping internally. This is usually caused by low fluid level. Though I have seen a van without a filter, where inclines made it pull air.

P0730 can also be caused by an overheated transmission. Typically the TCM limits the engine rpm to about 1,000 if it thinks something is slipping. If a clutch is slipping in the trans, it can overheat the clutch pack. Bad mojo.

If the engine revs up well past 1,000 RPM, then you may have another issue.

I was climbing a 30% grade for about 25 minutes once. All 1st gear. I didn't check the trans temps or anything, but it dropped into trans LHM briefly. So I pulled over for lunch, and it was fine after. It was about 95F that day.
Interesting... Could you chug up a hill in LHM pulling a 2500lb trailer or would that be impossible if it limits RPM to 1000? Was you LHM cleared by a code clearing reader or on its own/restart?

So fluid level and temp should have been ok (level checked before and after incident, temp indicator never got high nor did aux fans kick on). So assuming the fluid did flow too far back from the fluid pickup and the trans slipped due to lack of fluid being picked up (most likely scenario at this point.... ) I have a few questions.

1. What damage was done?
2. How do I prevent this in the future?
 

Midwestdrifter

Engineer In Residence
You shouldn't get fluid starvation on any incline you can drive up. Double check your fluid level. It's checked with the engine idling.

Assuming no issues post lhm, you're probably fine.

Another cause that occurred to me, is the higher trans temps may have made a speed sensor go wonky.
 

matkes77

New member
I have the same code on my 2007 and was wondering why I have what seems to be much less power going up decent size hill (freeway ramp). I'm new to the Sprinter and don't know how they are normally when new but sure seems like a lack of power and/or torque.

What is the trans dipstick you guys mention? It sounds like I need one to check, even my mechanic said he didn't have the right kind to check it. I hope it is as simple as more fluid but wondering if @alexk243 tested it again to see if it has changed at all.

Thanks for any assistance you can provide!
 

alexk243

KulAdventure
What is the trans dipstick you guys mention? It sounds like I need one to check, even my mechanic said he didn't have the right kind to check it. I hope it is as simple as more fluid but wondering if @alexk243 tested it again to see if it has changed at all.

Thanks for any assistance you can provide!
So I never got the code again, no leaks, fluid level checked out.. never really figured out why that happened.

Went through mountains again on two trips since fully loaded with a 3500lb enclosed trailer and never had an issue. Watched the load % and engine temp and never got anywhere near problematic.

Sorry I can't be more help. It really worries me that it happened and really wish I knew why... But I can't come up with any explanation for it.
 

alexk243

KulAdventure
You shouldn't get fluid starvation on any incline you can drive up. Double check your fluid level. It's checked with the engine idling.

Assuming no issues post lhm, you're probably fine.

Another cause that occurred to me, is the higher trans temps may have made a speed sensor go wonky.
Wouldn't the speed sensor throw a different code though?

Fluids checked out and still have no idea why that happened.
 

Midwestdrifter

Engineer In Residence
A bearing probably failed. This caused the seal to go, and the speed sensor was getting hit by the drum due to loss of clearance.
 

Top Bottom