Hard shifts

[wake_rider]

I have a 2000 Limited 4x4 with 135k, and the past few weeks it seems like it is hanging on and "flopping" when it downshifts into second and first. Also, going up in gear, mostly into second, it has a pretty abrupt shift, however, from 3rd and up it shifts very smooth.

I'm going to do a non-pressurized transmission flush with amsoil atf in a few weekends by just doing the drain and fill, then letting out quart by quart through the stock transmission cooler lines until it seems clean. Any possibility that this smooths out the hard shift? I don't know if the fluid is bad and that's causing the problem or if I am leading towards worse issues. I have had the car for almost a year and this is the first problem I'm running into, but transmissions are not something I thought I was going to have to deal with seeing that the car has only 135,000.

 

[slapdappy]

Tried adjusting the shift cable?

 

[vipergrhd]

Before flushing

I would drop the pan and inspect for any debris and clean the metal filter while your at it.from your description sounds like a valve body issue it just might be a valve sticking.

 

[wake_rider]

Tried adjusting the shift cable?

I would drop the pan and inspect for any debris and clean the metal filter while your at it.from your description sounds like a valve body issue it just might be a valve sticking.

Well, I feel like a dolt. The old "Keep It Simple, Stupid," rings true again. About a month ago I adjusted my throttle cable and decided to tighten up the Throttle Position cable as well, and I apparently over tightened. I went back out and took it just a hair tighter than it's original position (which I had marked the threads with a silver sharpie before adjusting) and all is well in shifting again.

I'm still going to do the flush simply because the atf seems a bit on the used side. Plus, I like amsoil atf and we're heading to Leadville, CO for a 3 week backpacking trip this upcoming summer and we'll have a full load of 4 people, a lab, and all our gear going up jeep trails to get to our basecamp spot at 12,800'. I think it would be better to have some fresh lubricant on that tranny for all that climbing with all that weight.

I'll go ahead and pull the pan and clean the filter while I'm flushing just to get a detailed view of the transmission condition. Might as well. Do you prefer that Permetex "Right Stuff," or the Toyota stuff for sealing it back up?

 

[vipergrhd]

Use the Toyota sealer and dont forget to clean the magnets inside and lube the tube o-ring when installing.