Ape Runner
New member
2001 3rd Gen Auto SR5 4X4 with A-TRAC
About a week ago I started noticing a slower and harsher shift from 3rd to 4th gear. The transmission would take longer to perform the shift and then jerk it into gear. I checked the fluid and it was clean, free from material, and smelled fresh/not burnt. I performed a drain and refill from the pan; drained about 4.5 quarts and refilled. I made sure the fluid was at correct level with the transmission at full temp, run through the gears, etc. I'm an experience mechanic, so I know what I'm doing here. The fresh fluid seemed to help for about a week.
I also checked the engagement of each gear at the actuator arm on the side of the transmission, with the car on and a helper depressing the brake. I shifted through each gear manually while under the car using the actuator arm and each selection was smooth and a "positive engagement" feel. Everything felt as it should.
Finally, I adjusted the connections for the shift rod to console shifter to make sure that wasn't out of whack.
I have also confirmed this is not a radiator failure. No pink milkshake.
This morning when I went to leave the house for work, the car would not shift out of first gear. I tried manually shifting it from "L" to "2" and it did nothing. After two laps around the block (about 2 minutes of driving) it started shifting normal. I do feel a bit more harshness to the shifts, but no sounds that are concerning. When I got to work, about a 10 minute drive, I checked the fluid while car running and in park and level was spot on and fluid looked good.
So, any ideas?
About a week ago I started noticing a slower and harsher shift from 3rd to 4th gear. The transmission would take longer to perform the shift and then jerk it into gear. I checked the fluid and it was clean, free from material, and smelled fresh/not burnt. I performed a drain and refill from the pan; drained about 4.5 quarts and refilled. I made sure the fluid was at correct level with the transmission at full temp, run through the gears, etc. I'm an experience mechanic, so I know what I'm doing here. The fresh fluid seemed to help for about a week.
I also checked the engagement of each gear at the actuator arm on the side of the transmission, with the car on and a helper depressing the brake. I shifted through each gear manually while under the car using the actuator arm and each selection was smooth and a "positive engagement" feel. Everything felt as it should.
Finally, I adjusted the connections for the shift rod to console shifter to make sure that wasn't out of whack.
I have also confirmed this is not a radiator failure. No pink milkshake.
This morning when I went to leave the house for work, the car would not shift out of first gear. I tried manually shifting it from "L" to "2" and it did nothing. After two laps around the block (about 2 minutes of driving) it started shifting normal. I do feel a bit more harshness to the shifts, but no sounds that are concerning. When I got to work, about a 10 minute drive, I checked the fluid while car running and in park and level was spot on and fluid looked good.
So, any ideas?
I spoke to a transmission guy that I was referred to and he said it would just need to be explored. So rather than pay him to do that, I'm going to drop the pan, change the filter, add fresh fluid again and add some Lucas transmission slip fix (per the mechanic's recommendation) to see if that improves the situation. I'll report back my results.