Punch gas pedal, motor roars, 4runner sits still? ....hmmmm

[BackOff]

Thought i would toss this at the collective.
What do you guys think?

2004 V6 4wd.

Start T4R, normal, my driveway is slight uphill and turn to the right, pulling onto the street. Normal.
Stop at mailbox, mile from house.
Ripped out of there with a bit of wheel spin on the passenger side. Like nomal operation.
In 2wd.
2 miles down the road, feels normal, stop sign.
Slight uphill and turn to the right.
Hit the gas and nothing happened but motor noise.
Gassed again and slowly started to move, shifted through the gears, no change. Hardly getting power to wheels motor rpm goes up.
Now i am rolling down the road and feels like a clutch slipping, best way i could describe it.
Another couple miles down the road, another stop and right turn, 4runner now seems like normal...WTF!?
Drove around and all seems normal.

Very strange.
Trans fluid sitting in the garage for 6+ months, i need to do.
Just over 86,000 miles. Was trying to wait till 90k.
Seems early for a toy trans to crap out.

Seems like i read something about solenoids.

Any thoughts?

 

[importman]

Definitely sounds transmission related. Actually sounds like it's low in fluid. But if it is, you should be able to see a leak. Transmission fluid doesn't evaporate or get burned out like motor oil can.

 

[Seymore Butts]

I'd start by looking for ATF leaks as well as checking the coolant for transmission fluid in the radiator.

 

[BackOff]

Just did a new radiator hope its not bad/new. uke:

 

[AuSeeker]

Are you sure the transmission fluid level is not low?

 

[rdruss]

I don't know much about auto trans but sounds like converter was having some issues maybe getting fully charged with fluid after the 6 month sit? Be sure and check fluid level as mentioned.

 

[BackOff]

Trans fluid is good, red and full... nice having a dip-stick to check.
Antifreeze looks normal.

Have not done the trans fluid change yet, on the list to do.
Just the fluid sat for 6 months.
Stupid thing is i cant even get it to slip again... with above average throttle action.
Really odd behavior, never had even a hint of any kind of slip like this before.

If that slip happened 50 miles from town i would not be a happy camper.

 

[keithyota]

I thought 04 had a sealed tranny?
What's the rust status? The stuff that breaks is the radiator..inside, and get pink milkshake. But when happened to me, I had no warning. Or the lines rust, but you'd see fluid.
Time I had this in a 1999 4runner, fluid was low.
So not sure. I never hear of tranny issues on 4runners, might call trans shop.

 

[AuSeeker]

I thought 04 had a sealed tranny?
What's the rust status? The stuff that breaks is the radiator..inside, and get pink milkshake. But when happened to me, I had no warning. Or the lines rust, but you'd see fluid.
Time I had this in a 1999 4runner, fluid was low.
So not sure. I never hear of tranny issues on 4runners, might call trans shop.

Only the 2004 V8 had the 5 speed sealed transmission, the 2004 V6 still had the 4 speed non-sealed transmission.

Trans fluid is good, red and full... nice having a dip-stick to check.
Antifreeze looks normal.

Have not done the trans fluid change yet, on the list to do.
Just the fluid sat for 6 months.
Stupid thing is i cant even get it to slip again... with above average throttle action.
Really odd behavior, never had even a hint of any kind of slip like this before.

If that slip happened 50 miles from town i would not be a happy camper.

I know the 5 speed transmission has a known issue with the electrical connector becoming corroded and thus issues with shifting into gear, not sure if this is also a issue on the 4 speed, you might want to check if it has a similar connector that could be causing your issue, if so many have been able to clean up the connectors and solve the issue.

 

[BackOff]

I thought 04 had a sealed tranny?
What's the rust status? The stuff that breaks is the radiator..inside, and get pink milkshake. But when happened to me, I had no warning. Or the lines rust, but you'd see fluid.
Time I had this in a 1999 4runner, fluid was low.
So not sure. I never hear of tranny issues on 4runners, might call trans shop.

No real rust for me. High desert life.
Only in one body mount have i found any rust.
The county sprayed the dirt road i live on with an oil to reduce dust, turned out it was a form of fluid-film. Haha! Has been paved and i see more surface rust over the last few years.
Actually think we just started to use that nasty "Mag" magnesium sulfate (whoops, i think thats mag chloride?) adout 5-6 years ago...they mostly used red cinder (volcanic gravel) in the past.

That pink milkshake seems to be a 3rd gen thing, not sure i have seen that with the 4th gen.

Only the 2004 V8 had the 5 speed sealed transmission, the 2004 V6 still had the 4 speed non-sealed transmission.



I know the 5 speed transmission has a known issue with the electrical connector becoming corroded and thus issues with shifting into gear, not sure if this is also a issue on the 4 speed, you might want to check if it has a similar connector that could be causing your issue, if so many have been able to clean up the connectors and solve the issue.

Yup mine is the last of the dipstick transmissions.
Guess i will just wait till i get a code or it slips more.


Was like it was in neutral but was not rolling backwards, maybe thats a better way to describe it.
Then slowly started to grab like a slipping manual clutch might feel.

Thinking it was some form of gravity well that made the 4runner 5x heavier and prevented forward movement... ...to much Eureka. (Mini series)

 

[Mguilicutty]

Check the battery / alternator

I had this happen to me on my 3rd gen. Alternator belt broke on the way to work one morning. On the way home that night, the battery was done in, so as voltage began to drop, it got stuck in whatever gear it was in. Shortly thereafter the truck died altogether. If this is your case, maybe you already know this by now.

Or maybe your alt / battery are fine, and you've run into this connector corrosion issue mentioned above. Just not getting enough juice to the transmission's actuators.

 

[BackOff]

Right this issue just sends me into the 3rd gen section.
Granted the 2003-2004 are the 340 trans like the 3rds.

New battery and alternator, less than 2 years.
All good voltage, scangauge2... and temps.

No ABS or beeps or any dash lights on that slip thing.

 

[Montego Murph]

This is just a strange hunch....

Turn on your diff locker and see if that helps. I realize your wheels aren't spinning -- I'm not suggesting you need the extra traction. Hear me out:

You mentioned that this happened on a road that is at a bit of an angle. I wonder if it's tilted JUUUST enough to be tripping some of the Pitch/Yaw sensors and trying to stabilize the vehicle. Activating the Diff Locker deactivates the stability controls.

Since I'm not aware of your 4x4 system knowledge, I'll play it safe and assume you don't know: Be sure only travel a few feet each way in a straight line with the diffs locked. If the wheels can't slip, you'll anger the system.

See if that works.

 

[BackOff]

This is just a strange hunch....

Turn on your diff locker and see if that helps. I realize your wheels aren't spinning -- I'm not suggesting you need the extra traction. Hear me out:

You mentioned that this happened on a road that is at a bit of an angle. I wonder if it's tilted JUUUST enough to be tripping some of the Pitch/Yaw sensors and trying to stabilize the vehicle. Activating the Diff Locker deactivates the stability controls.

Since I'm not aware of your 4x4 system knowledge, I'll play it safe and assume you don't know: Be sure only travel a few feet each way in a straight line with the diffs locked. If the wheels can't slip, you'll anger the system.

See if that works.

No diff lock.
Really just almost felt like i was in neutral but not rolling backwards.
Was just a normal drive, was pavement... diff lock on pavement is not the best idea.

I tried to replicate this and cant get it to "slip" again.
Thinking i did kinda 'burnout' of the mailbox area...tire spin in the dirt on the passenger side.
Maybe a cold torque converter slip.

Latest though.

I was wondering if the driver side CV/axle can pull out of the diff housing enough to effect the power to the rear wheels.
Mine seems really loose and has developed a clunk backing up and turning to the passenger side.
That needle bearing at the diff, dirver side...need to do that bushing i bought last year...and rebuild the cv's...and install the new lca's...and frikin brakes started squeaking today...grrr.

And...and...and...lol.

 

[hankd]

This is just a strange hunch....

Turn on your diff locker and see if that helps. I realize your wheels aren't spinning -- I'm not suggesting you need the extra traction. Hear me out:

You mentioned that this happened on a road that is at a bit of an angle. I wonder if it's tilted JUUUST enough to be tripping some of the Pitch/Yaw sensors and trying to stabilize the vehicle. Activating the Diff Locker deactivates the stability controls.

See if that works.

this came to my mind as well. when the sensors trigger, the vehicle will downshift and you will be pressing the gas and the engine barely does anything for second, then all is well again. i had no idea this was a feature and sent my truck to a transmission shop to get checked. no lights or beeps when this feature activates.

 

[BackOff]

Guess i am not following...as in a bad yaw sensor?
Locking the center diff causes it to slip?

That make no sense to me... the locking of the center part.
If anything there is less chance of any slipping with center diff lock.
At least when i have used it... the diff lock.

This didnt do any shifting when it happened.
I did try to down shift to 3rd and 2nd with zero forward movment, then started to move slowly forward, another 2 miles down the road all was normal transmission action again.
Really weird behavior.



If you break a front cv on the v6, will it loose traction to the rear wheels? In 2wd.
Cant remember if that was just the v8 that did that? Because its awd.

And like i said it was a one time deal, so far, so really hard to test ideas to try if i cant recreate the initial issue.

 

[Montego Murph]

Guess i am not following...as in a bad yaw sensor?
Locking the center diff causes it to slip?

That make no sense to me... the locking of the center part.
If anything there is less chance of any slipping with center diff lock.
At least when i have used it... the diff lock.

Well, no... not like that. This was my theory:

For some reason (like the angle your truck was sitting at the moment,) I thought MAYBE the ECU was activating the traction control which reduces power to the wheels.

To test this idea, I suggested you lock the center differentials briefly if it happened again. Not because you needed more traction though -- When you activate the center differential locker, it also turns OFF the traction control systems.

Now that I'm reading the posts again... something you may want to check is the white plug going from the ECM to the transmission (driver's side of the transmission, just under the gas pedal area) for corrosion. The whole "acting like it's in neutral and then it's fine later" symptom sounds like something I went through a few years ago, and I had corroded pins.

 

[BackOff]

Well, no... not like that. This was my theory:

For some reason (like the angle your truck was sitting at the moment,) I thought MAYBE the ECU was activating the traction control which reduces power to the wheels.

To test this idea, I suggested you lock the center differentials briefly if it happened again. Not because you needed more traction though -- When you activate the center differential locker, it also turns OFF the traction control systems.

Now that I'm reading the posts again... something you may want to check is the white plug going from the ECM to the transmission (driver's side of the transmission, just under the gas pedal area) for corrosion. The whole "acting like it's in neutral and then it's fine later" symptom sounds like something I went through a few years ago, and I had corroded pins.

When i had that little slip there were not any beeps, grumbles or any trac control noise or lights.

Copy that, will check that conection.
AuSeeker mentioned it too...was thinking he ment in the trans pan at the selinoids.

 

[Montego Murph]

AuSeeker mentioned it too...was thinking he ment in the trans pan at the selinoids.

AuSeeker knows the drill -- he and I did a lot of learning about that cable a year or two ago.

That is the other end of the cable I speak of -- it comes in two parts.

The external cable connects the ECM to the Transmission (white plug) and the other is inside the transmission, going from the white plug to the valve body which houses the solenoids.

Solenoids are little electric plungers (sort of like the rebound springs on a pinball machine) that open and close valves in the transmission which direct fluid down different paths.