Interesting pink milkshake case, what should I do? P0770 code

[ir0nma1den]

I bought my 2000 4runner last August at 149k miles and it is currently sitting at 162k miles. It's been running great until recently. About a month ago my transmission was shifting rough, especially when downshifting to a complete stop. P0770 code came up.Took it to a shop and had the transmission flushed, everything felt great.

Problems are now resurfacing but only under certain conditions. P0770 popped up again. I have not tested to see if it only shows up above a certain speed. When city driving the transmission shifts fine. When taking it on the highway for extended periods of time and then coming to a complete stop the transmission will take about 15 seconds and the disengage HARD. The first time it happened I thought I got rear ended. I recently got back from a long roadtrip this weekend and when I went to park my car, putting it into reverse, it would not shift to reverse. It took a few cycles of shifting back and forth to get it into the reverse. I also had two times where I was driving at highway speed and heard/felt a gravel-like crunching while it was shifting gears.

I took it to the shop and he told me I needed to have the transmission rebuilt or replaced, saying the new transmission fluid was coming out "milky". When I went to pick it up I showed him the PO's records and asked if he saw a "pink milkshake" coating which he said he did not, agreeing that it was strange.

The PO's records indicate that he had a pink milkshake scenario and had it fixed at the dealer about 2 years ago at 144k. My guess is that there is either some of the bad mix still in there or it has done some damage already. Like I said, driving in the city you don't notice anything at all. I'd like to not have to replace the transmission.

Date	Mileage	Operation	Parts	Details
Oct-07	63,434	A/TRANS DIAGNOSIS	na	A/TRANS DIAGNOSIS ~|~CHECK FOR A TRANSMISSION OIL LEAK. (REPLACE TRANSMISSION OUTPUT SEAL) ~|~TRANSMISSION OUTPUT SEAL LEAKING. ~|~REMOVE REAR TRANSFER CASE, REPLACE REAR TRANSMISSION SEAL, REINSTALL TRANSFERCASE, TOP OFF TRANSMISSION FLUID.
Dec-13	122,603	REPLACE TRANSFER CASE OUTPUT SHAFT SEAL	na	REPLACE TRANSFER CASE OUTPUT SHAFT SEAL ~|~REPLACE FRT TRANSFER CASE OUTPUT SHAFT SEAL ~|~
Feb-16	144,285	REPLACE RADIATOR	CAP SUB-ASSY, RADIAT, 1640120353; PERF RADIATOR, 1998	TECHNICIAN FOUND RADIATOR BROKEN CAUSING TRANSMISSION FLUID AND COOLANT TO MIX, REPLACED RADIATOR ~|~CUSTOMER STATES THERE WAS AS TRANSMISISON LEAK AND NOW THE VEHICLE WILL NOT MOVE CHECK AND ADIVSE ~|~
Feb-16	144,285	REPLACE COOLANT	na	ANTIFREEZE COOLANT SYSTEM FLUID EXCHANGE - DRAIN ALL COOLANT , CHECK ALL HOSES , PRESSURE TEST ENTIRE SYSTEM ~|~COOLANT SYSTEM FLUID EXCHANGE - DRAIN ALL COOLANT , CHECK ALL HOSES , PRESSURE TEST ENTIRE SYSTEM AND REFILL WITH TOYOTA GENUINE LONG LIFE COOLANT ~|~
Feb-16	144,285	REPLACE TRANSMISSION OIL	MAXLIFE BLEND ATF	AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FLUID EXCHANGE - EXCHANGE FLUID WITH UP TO 16QTS OF GENUINE TOYOTA ATF,CHAN ~|~AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FLUID EXCHANGE - EXCHANGE FLUID WITH UP TO 16QTS OF GENUINE TOYOTA ATF,CHANGE FILTER IF APPLICABLE (MAY REQUIRE ADDITION CHARGE), CHECK PRESSURES AND TEST DRIVE ~|~

 

[aontkos]

There are VERY few people out there who come away from a pink milkshake situation completely unscathed. It takes several transmission fluid flushes to get all of the coolant out of the transmission, and even if all of the coolant is removed, it's highly likely that there will be permanent transmission damage.

You were probably on borrowed time for a while now. I think that making it two years without transmission issues after a pink milkshake is pretty good. You can try flushing it again (do it at home so you save some cash), but I wouldn't expect that tranny to make it to 200k.

 

[HiLife]

Ya it's not looking good. With in reasons and funds...do what you can right now to squeeze a little more mileage out of the trans while starting a replacement trans fund.