A340F transmission quirks

[RescueMonkey]

2001 Runner, 4x4, V6. Second owner of this vehicle. I also have a 2000 Tundra with same transmission and similar mileage. Tundra has a great shifting automatic transmssion. However, the Runner transmission has quirks. Most notably, when cold and descending down a parking deck the transmission revs quite a bit as I leave the curved sections and hit the straight parts. When its hot, it doesn't have the abnormal revs driving through the parking deck. Tundra doesn't do any reving like the Runner. Furhtermore, Tundra has great crisp shifts where as the Runner's shifts are very soft and the converter likes to rev the engine quite a bit. All of this, however, settles down once up to speed on the highway. In summary, the Runner transmission is too soft with shifts, the converter is "loose" and any upshifts right after letting off the throttle are clunkey. The transmission has been serviced twice in the last year. Any comments from other 2001 Runner owners with automatics? Mileage is about 150k.

 

[Jon]

The torque converter may actually have a higher stall speed due to the additional weight of the 4Runner. And probably has lighter shift springs in the valve body to get a smoother shift since SUVs are supposed to have a nicer ride. I dont know if either of those are true, just my thoughts on it. But I agree, the trans has a sluggish shift when cold and even once warmed up has that "Caddy" sift between all gears at WOT. Still one of the smoothest shifting transmissions I've ever owned.