multiple codes and problems

[DANVAN]

OK, this is gonna be a long one.
This is a 2000 2wd astro LS, just hit 130,000 miles. I have not done much to it except plugs, wires, and many oil changes in the 30,000 miles since Ive owned it, its been good to me.

I'll start by listing all the codes it gave me last night, p0300, p0740, p0442, p0753, p0785 and p1860.

Now for all the problems Im experiencing.

Its had a slight random miss since Ive owned it, mostly on wet days, I replaced plugs, then wires, cleaned and inspected the cap, I do plan on replacing the cap the next time the dog house is off, but I didnt see anything wrong with it, and this random miss continues. At times, I would almost call this miss a bucking, it can get a little strong at times.

More recently, I feel what I would call a surge, as Im accelerating, just before the transmission is about to shift, you can hear and feel the engine surging up and down, which at times will cause the trans shift to delay a few seconds.

In the past 6-10 months, the service eng light has been on and off has been on or off for days and weeks at a time, but more recently its just steady on. In the past, the only code I ever got out of it was p0442, an evap leak which didnt concern me.

In the last few month the red brake light, and yellow ABS light come on randomly, usually when I hit a bump, sometime will come on daily, sometimes they stay off for weeks.

Now more recently, my instrument cluster is going crazy. at times, all the lights at the same time will flash on and off, the gauges, including speedometer will all drop to zero, the odometer will turn to all 8's, the PRND will blank out, its wacky! This has happened maybe 6 or 8 times in the last month or 2.

Now for the real concern, 2 nights ago, I started it up after work, the cluster immediatly wacked out, lights flashing, gauges jumping, I put it in drive to pull away, and no power. I thought the trans was slipping. I soon figured out it was stuck in 3rd gear. The only way to get it to down shift was to do it manually, but now looking back at it, when I shifted the shifter to 1st, Im not sure if the trans actually was in 1st or 2nd. When I moved the shifter from 1st to 2nd, nothing happened, when I put it in 'D' then I felt a HARD shift to 3rd, and it never hit OD all the way home. I pulled over at one point, turned the engine off, restarted it and it was still the same thing, starting off in 3rd gear unless I manually shifted it. Also, the entire way home down the highway, about 10 miles, it bucked and missed like never before, as long as my foot was on the gas, and we were just cruising, it missed. If I accelerated or decelerated, I didnt fell the miss.

The next day is when I went to see a friend who pulled all the codes for me, he also cleared the codes, and it ran better then it had in months on the trip home. The next morning, the miss and the surge is back. But nothing else yet.

I should also tell you, that about 2 years ago, I towed a loaded utility trailer for several hours and at some point of the trip the tranny started to shift hard. I did a little research and was told the shift solinoid was bad, but the shop I went to wanted way to much money to fix a 1 time problem. I think he wanted 6 or 800 dollars. Since then it acts up very slightly when I tow my 4-wheelers on a long ride, maybe after an hour of towing. Ive added a trans cooler also to help keep the fluid cool. I think that may have help the solinoid issue.

Ive done a search on every code Ive listed, came up with many ideas, but Im really hoping there is ONE thing causing all of these issues, maybe some one here has experienced this same stuff Ive described.

Thank you for you time and your help.

[LiftedAWDAstro]

There are a couple things to do. First, I would get a Delco cap and rotor and change them out. I would also pull the battery and pull apart the bulkhead connector behind it. Check for any moisture and/or corrosion. Make sure you use dielectric grease and make it tight. Do those and check back unless someone else has a better idea.

EDIT: As I was typing this I came across this thread! Check this first!!!!!!!

[DANVAN]

wow! that is awesome, I think that is my problem. Each time my cluster has acted up, I stop it by shutting the engine and re-starting it, I'll bet it is in the switch.

I bought a new cap and rotor today, going to replace it tomorrow and clean and lube the bulkhead connector, I read something about that causing problems at the other astro site.

Then its on to test and maybe replace the ignition switch.

Thank you soo much!!! for that info.

[DANVAN]

well, my trans problem acted up again this morning. Did a search on google with all those codes, and found so many pages about replacing the ignition switch. I bought the switch, but for the life of me, I can not get the old one out.

Im about to give up, the 2 little screws that are stopping me, are so tiny, they have these torx heads, which are smaller then any size I have, 4mm or 5/32, and one of them I cant even reach with the sockets I have, the space to get to it is too narrow.

Any ideas on how to get this switch out?

[v8famvan]

There is a tool for this - a deep inverted torx socket.

[DANVAN]

I figured there had to be one, but thanks to Leeann's idea, Im still in the process of making one.

Sunday I bought the 'E' sockets, cut the end off the e4 and an old screw driver, (that was the easy part) now Im hoping to pick up my special home made tool tomorrow. Welding has turned into a slight problem for me. The guy at my job that I hoped could do it, couldnt, he said his machine was to big and would melt the socket. Then today I took it to a shop in town that said it needed brazing and he didnt have brazing rods, plus 'it was to small of a job for him' He gets $75.00 min for anything.

So I found someone else who will do it for $10.00, but I never heard from him today, I just hope when I go to pick it up tomorrow am, its ready.

That stupid tool is all thats stopping me for days now. Ive been wondering what the special tool actually costs?

[DANVAN]

Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving!

The ignition switch is replaced. My home made special tool worked great. The distributer cap and rotor are also replaced, vents screens were already removed, I blew out the vents with compressed air and they are clear. I tried to remove the intake tube to the throttle body so I could clean it, but couldnt get it off, I could see two clips in the front but figured if I got them off, I may not get them back on so I left it. Also cleaned the battery terminals while they were off. Its starting and running smooth.

I hope to take it to a local shop to see if they can clear the codes. The light has come back on since my buddy cleared it.

I'll be road testing a lot today when I go do some shopping, and then a trip to NY tomorrow morn.

Thanks for all the help.

[MountainManJoe]

I tried to remove the intake tube to the throttle body so I could clean it, but couldnt get it off, I could see two clips in the front but figured if I got them off, I may not get them back on so I left it.

It's super easy. There's a wingnut sorta thing at the back of the throttle body. You just back that off and the intake tube just hinges forward and lifts right off! You don't even touch the clips.

[DANVAN]

good to know for next time. I did have the wing nut off, and even the air tube out in front but just wasnt able to lift that intake off, figured the clips were what was stopping me.

Next time the dog house is off I will attempt again. Thanks

[MountainManJoe]

OK in that case it was probably just stuck. The gasket might have hardened.

[DANVAN]

Well, its been 2 weeks and 900 miles(500 mile trip to NY and back) since replacing the ignition switch, cap and rotor, and this van runs 100% perfect.

All the issues I had are gone. Even one I had forgotten to even mention, stalling in reverse when backing out of a parking space, its done that since the day Ive owned it, and even that hasnt happened in the past 2 weeks.

Very happy with the help I got here, and the repair I made.

Thanks and Happy Holidays!

[astroturf]

Glad it worked out.

[MountainManJoe]

Sweet. Thanks for following up.

It amazes me how many problems originate in the distributor.

[risteff]

Not that I'm glad anyone has had the same troubles as me, but It sure helps other learn what to do. I've recently had the same four transmission codes on my 2000 Safari AWD. I've been all over the harness, changed batteries, checked sensors, etc. and found nothing. It's a random problem that comes and goes (mostly comes). I'm gonna swap my ignition swith as well after reading all of the threads and links. I appreciate the fact you all have documented your solutions. I can't thank you enough!

[risteff]

Just an update for anyone with the same symptoms. I purchased a new in the box AC Delco harness from a popular internet auction site for $60 shipped. It worked perfectly. No more troubles. I am very pleased. There are a couple of small torx screws to remove, but the smalled 6 point sockets in my set fot over them perfectly (in case anyone thinks they need to go buy an expensive set of small torx bits).