'93 chevy astrovan tranny issue?

[droogie79x]

It seems like when I am driving that the car will either slip into a lower gear or more often just never make it up into the higher gear...

funny thing is, flicking my headlights on and off will often correct the issue...

insanely weird... buddy of mine mentioned something about the ECU...

perhaps unrelated but might as well mention that I am getting a gas smell in the cab...

any ideas?

[the_tow_guy]

I would be checking the charging system to make sure you are getting good output from the alternator. Low output will show up as quirky operation in a lot of the electronics including the tranny controls. Can't think of a connection with the gas smell. Have you read codes yet? Tranny codes will not necessarily light the check engine light. Here's how to read your OBD-I Chevy:

Troublcodes.net Trouble Codes OBD & OBD2 Trouble Codes and Technical info & Tool Store. By BAT Auto Technical

[wire twister]

Have you done or had done any work to the van recently? Make sure all the ground wires are tight, the main cable from battery to block, and and body grounds between battery and body. Also check at the back of the intake to see if there are some ground wires hooked on a stud going thru the intake, make sure the stud is tight and the nut that holds the wire down. Check to see if windshield is leaking and water is running into ECM ( not uncommom on some GM models). Is the speedometer working properly? If not get it fixed and see if that helps. When was the trans last serviced? If it has been more than 25k have it done again.

[droogie79x]

done no work on it lately...

well... totally some kind of short or something on one of the battery cables... half the time I have to go jiggle to battery around until the head lights come on just to get the van to start...


also... windshield totally leaks... fills up the cup holders in the center of the dash every time it rains...