Posted this tranny problem before...but i need a solution!

[2003Can4runner]

OK i've posted this before, but i didn't get into it much. i didnt' think it was a big deal, but its gotten worse.

When its quite cold outside my tranny feels like its frozen solid. I have command start so i let my truck warm up, then i go outside and hop in, put it in drive, and try to move but it doesn't want to. I have to let my truck warm right up to running temp for it to move. otherwise, i'll put it in drive and it will rev up, but not move. you can tell the engine is under load, but won't move! i phoned my toyota dealer and they said to let it warm up in neutral. i tried that and it did nothing. weird thing is, it works fine in reverse when its cold but not drive.

when i bought the truck 6 months ago i changed all the tranny fluids...
what else can i do?

 

[Kmvreter]

Sorry to say it but you need to have the tranny valve body serviced. I had the exact same problem in a previous ride. I had parked on an upper floor of a parking garage for an extended period of time (airport) in the winter. It took forever to warm up to the point where the car would shift into a gear and move. The torque converter was OK but the valves were frozen so they couldn't activate the internals/clutch plates. A tranny valve service cleaned up the passages. I personally wouldn't tear into my tranny myself but if you have the service manuals...

 

[2003Can4runner]

i wouldnt' be doin it myself!

can i ask what the cost for the service was approx? we are family friends with the toyota dealership, and my girlfriends dad is an amazing mechanic as well....

 

[Kmvreter]

i wouldnt' be doin it myself!

can i ask what the cost for the service was approx? we are family friends with the toyota dealership, and my girlfriends dad is an amazing mechanic as well....

That was yearssss ago on a GM. Can't remember the cost but it was reasonable at the time. They had to pull the pan anyway (there was no drain bolt) so they did the fluid and filter/screen service as well as pull and clean the valve body. It was a very reputable shop and they didn't try to suck me into a full rebuild. A simple drain and flush and fill will not fix it but you also don't need a whole tranny unless they find something else when they pull the pan.

 

[Grreatdog]

I would try a transmission FLUSH before I paid someone to work on it. I treated my battered old Cherokee to a BG tranny flush when it rolled over 100,000 miles and it made a huge difference in the transmission performance.

So I can definitely vouch for this system. I would at least talk to a shop about doing it. For the price it can't hurt and you might get lucky.

http://www.bgfindashop.com/bgservices/transmission.htm

 

[2003Can4runner]

Well took it in today and they changed put synthetic oil in the front and rear diff. didnt' do a thing to the tranny.

guess we will see what happens