SashaSkolnik
New member
A couple of weeks ago I purchased a 1998 SR5 4wd automatic with 160,000 miles on it. Everything has been smooth, including the transmission, yet the other day, I was doing some city driving in almost 90 degree heat when I noticed the gas pedal stopped working, I looked to the indicator lights and had received an A/T overheat light, at which point I coasted to a stop and waited with the engine running for about 5 minutes. After 5 mins, turned off the car and restarted and was able to drive home without a problem.
The first mechanic I took it too was a guy who I had do a general diagnostic on the car when I first bought it. Initially he told me the tranny was great, shifting smooth... when I brought it back he said it wasnt shifting down into 1st when stopped and that I would need a complete rebuild!!! I flipped and went to get a second opinion from a trans specialist.
I went for the test ride with the trans specialist and he said that its was shifting fine, given its age. Fluid was a nice red color and no burning smell. Although there was some clunking when going back and forth between Reverse and Drive (maybe thats normal?). Although more interestingly, I was asking if I should change the trans fluid/filter, at which point he told me that if its been changed regularly throughout the life of the vehicle, it would be ok to change it. Although if its never been changed, or if it was changed only once, half of its life ago, it might be a good idea not to change it. He didnt quite explain why, but did say its related to the viscosity of the fluid.
I bought it at 160,000. the guy I bought the car from bought it at 148,000. He never changed the trans fluid, nor did he know if it had ever been changed.
I asked the guy I bought the car from. He said that he had heard that theory as well, and that it could relate to particles of the trans clutch plates slowly wearing into the fluid over time; because the particles still circulate in the fluid, the fluid becomes more viscous, and perhaps weightier, which assists in sort of holding together of the plates.
Can anyone verify this?
Im not partial to not changing fluids, but Ive never heard anything like this before about an automatic transmission, so Im not quite sure what to do. The transmission specialist was saying if I did replace the fluid, I should use something synthetic because it would be the thickest fluid out there.
My gut wants to change the fluid to some high quality fluid and add an external trans cooler. Does anyone have any opinions, recommendations, experiences related...??
thanks
The first mechanic I took it too was a guy who I had do a general diagnostic on the car when I first bought it. Initially he told me the tranny was great, shifting smooth... when I brought it back he said it wasnt shifting down into 1st when stopped and that I would need a complete rebuild!!! I flipped and went to get a second opinion from a trans specialist.
I went for the test ride with the trans specialist and he said that its was shifting fine, given its age. Fluid was a nice red color and no burning smell. Although there was some clunking when going back and forth between Reverse and Drive (maybe thats normal?). Although more interestingly, I was asking if I should change the trans fluid/filter, at which point he told me that if its been changed regularly throughout the life of the vehicle, it would be ok to change it. Although if its never been changed, or if it was changed only once, half of its life ago, it might be a good idea not to change it. He didnt quite explain why, but did say its related to the viscosity of the fluid.
I bought it at 160,000. the guy I bought the car from bought it at 148,000. He never changed the trans fluid, nor did he know if it had ever been changed.
I asked the guy I bought the car from. He said that he had heard that theory as well, and that it could relate to particles of the trans clutch plates slowly wearing into the fluid over time; because the particles still circulate in the fluid, the fluid becomes more viscous, and perhaps weightier, which assists in sort of holding together of the plates.
Can anyone verify this?
Im not partial to not changing fluids, but Ive never heard anything like this before about an automatic transmission, so Im not quite sure what to do. The transmission specialist was saying if I did replace the fluid, I should use something synthetic because it would be the thickest fluid out there.
My gut wants to change the fluid to some high quality fluid and add an external trans cooler. Does anyone have any opinions, recommendations, experiences related...??
thanks
