Problem symptom not seen before

[Barney Eaton]

A local friend with Reatta said his car was shifting strangely (1990) and his regular shop suggested he needed a transmission overhaul.   He has owned the car since new and it has 57K.

He tells me today he took it to a local transmission shop (an apparent honest one) and after diagnostics,  said his crank sensor was bad.  Changed the crank sensor and the car runs like new.

Most of the crank sensor problems reported here said the car would not start/run if the crank sensor was bad........this is a new symptom to me.

[Ronnie]

7 minutes ago, Barney Eaton said:

he took it to a local transmission shop (an apparent honest one) and after diagnostics,  said his crank sensor was bad.

 

To understand the problem we need to know what "shifting strangely" means.  I think the '90 model had the same transmission as my '88. On my transmission I can unplug the electrical connection going to the transmission and it will still shift normally so that would seem to rule out the crank sensor having a direct effect on shifting. The torque converter won't lock with the connector unplugged but it will shift just fine.  A poorly running engine can cause a transmission to feel like it's not shifting properly and that would be effected by the crank sensor.