Slow into reverse

Nelsonmd

Nelsonmd

New member
When I put the 4runner in reverse, it takes a couple seconds for it to engage the reverse gears. If I get on the gas at all during this waiting period, it will jolt when the gears engage. I have had this kind of thing before one other cars, but the delay has never been this long. Is this normal?

Also, I sometimes feel like it is a little slow to engage in forward as well and can be a bit jolty if I don't ease on the gas from a stop. Is this normal as well? Is this a transmission thing? My other cars have been much tighter and I could accelerate immediately from letting of the gas.

I just want a sanity check here to make sure I don't do damage by ignoring this if it isn't normal.
 
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Hows the tranny fluid?? Is it full? Sounds like its low.

This right out of the shop manual for engagement times.
Time lag
N to D position - Less than 1.2 seconds
N to R position - Less than 1.5 seconds
 
Sounds like low trans fluid level. You can check it, hot in park or just add half a qt at a time until it acts right. That's what I had to do after I changed the filter, it wasn't showing exactly right on the stick, had to overfill by a qt.

And no, this does not necessarily mean that you have a leak. Aluminum transmissions will allow for a very slow minimal amount of "evaporation". But I'd take a good look around, especially in the coolant.
 
Hmmmm,

I just did the B&M tranny cooler, so low fluid is a definite possibility...

I checked the dipstick and it showed just low at hot, so I poured more in until it read ok on the stick at hot. I probably put in about as much as I lost when I did the tranny cooler.

I will try adding a bit more. BTW, you add through the dipstick tube right? I am not an idiot and missing a fill port?
 
Jon said:
That's what I had to do after I changed the filter, it wasn't showing exactly right on the stick, had to overfill by a qt.
Click to expand...
Huh? I'm not understanding. Are you saying you had to overfill the tranny a quart (according to the dipstick) before it would shift properly?
 
Yeah by a tad bit. Not a big issue. That was right after the filter change so perhaps the torque converter hadn't eaten it's fill yet when I checked it. I've rebuilt a few auto transmissions and have a pretty good understanding of how they operate.

Nelsonmd, yup right in the dip stick tube, but only do 1/2 a qt at a time then cycle the gears, try it out, take for a quick drive. Have you done a trans filter yet? A clogged filter will limit line pressure resulting in delayed shifts.
 
Jon said:
Nelsonmd, yup right in the dip stick tube, but only do 1/2 a qt at a time then cycle the gears, try it out, take for a quick drive. Have you done a trans filter yet? A clogged filter will limit line pressure resulting in delayed shifts.
Click to expand...

So to bring this thread back up, What would it run me to have a shop do the trans filter? I am a little hesitant to open up the tranny myself. I don't have the best tools, and only have a driveway that is frequently windy, always dusty and dirty, so I am concerned about getting it back together clean.

Would this be better for dealer only, or would a regular shop be ok for this?

Also, why would the filter clog? Would it be old burned fluid, metal shavings? Either of those might point to a problem with the transmission wouldn't it? Metal shavings for sure.

I just did a shift timing test, and I ended up with an average N->R time of 1.9s, but I wasn't at operating temp, and I didn't wait 1min between tests like the FSM says. I am pretty sure I am out of spec anyway.

My N->D times I think are fine, pretty quick just sitting in the parking lot. Any way to check the line pressure, direct clutch, 1st and reverse brake without tearing it apart?
 
Nelsonmd said:
So to bring this thread back up, What would it run me to have a shop do the trans filter? I am a little hesitant to open up the tranny myself. I don't have the best tools, and only have a driveway that is frequently windy, always dusty and dirty, so I am concerned about getting it back together clean.

Would this be better for dealer only, or would a regular shop be ok for this?
Click to expand...

Nelson, I'm pretty sure your transmission problem has to do with fluid levels or your filter. I haven't done a tranny filter swap, but if you look underneath your rig you should see to some bolts on the transmission pan. Remove trans oil, then unbolt those bolts and viola!
 
brian2sun said:
Could be u-joints if the fluid thing doesn't help.
Click to expand...

its not a u-joint problem.

mine does this too, the transmission dip stick reads full(when hot), although i have not tried adding to it yet. it has to do with the pump, and pressure, im pretty sure the filter is dirty or the pump is dieing. its annoying as hell, and very frustrating when you need to back up fast. my father in-law (head tech at a toyota dealer) keeps telling me to put my fluid in it, guess maybe i should listen to him -just always been my experience to never over fill auto trannys...
 
RadRunner said:
Nelson, I'm pretty sure your transmission problem has to do with fluid levels or your filter. I haven't done a tranny filter swap, but if you look underneath your rig you should see to some bolts on the transmission pan. Remove trans oil, then unbolt those bolts and viola!
Click to expand...

Yeah, I understand it isn't super hard, I am just hesitant to open up the tranny in my driveway.

the kid said:
its not a u-joint problem.

mine does this too, the transmission dip stick reads full(when hot), although i have not tried adding to it yet. it has to do with the pump, and pressure, im pretty sure the filter is dirty or the pump is dieing. its annoying as hell, and very frustrating when you need to back up fast. my father in-law (head tech at a toyota dealer) keeps telling me to put my fluid in it, guess maybe i should listen to him -just always been my experience to never over fill auto trannys...
Click to expand...

Man, I hope it really is just fluid level, but when I last put fluid in it, at hot, I was just barely within the hot region on the high side. It is hard for me to believe it would just be the fluid level. I will check this again tomorrow.
 
Ok, well I went and got some ATF, then drove around to heat the transmission up to the 150°C, pulled into my driveway, put it in park, left the engine on, checked fluid level, and....

I was significantly above the hot region, as in I have too much fluid in there.

1) Did I do the check right? I have read different things, but the most common I have heard is to check it in park with the engine running. Let me know if that wasn't right.

2) Could having too much fluid cause slow shifting? All i have heard is that too much fluid can foam and cause problems that way. I didn't see any foaming on the dipstick, so I don't think I have that problem.

If it isn't the fluid level, then I think I will have to either drop the pan myself and change the filter, or take it in somewhere and get it done.
 
Dead thread revival!
[MENTION=56021]Nelsonmd[/MENTION] Did you ever get to the bottom of this? When I first got my truck, it would shift from park to reverse to drive so fast that it was almost concerning. Now it probly takes all of those 1.2 or 1.5 seconds to shift. I don't know if this is a cause for concern or if it could be related to this whining noise I hear when the truck drives cold or if I should stop taking crazy pills and just relax
 
This used to happen to me in the early morning but after I did a fluid change it never came back.

One thing I'd suggest for now is when you start the car let it idle in N for about a minute at 1500 rpm before putting it in reverse. That used to work for me.

If you take it to a trans ship they will try to sell you a rebuild for some insane amount of money.

After a few fluid changes my issue never came back. That was over 5 years ago.
 
I checked my fluid this morning and it's that perfect red color. Trans was flushed by PO about 30,000 miles ago. Guess its time for another? :shrug:
 
Not everyone agrees on this but if it has never been done before I would take it to a Toyota Dealer and have them do a proper complete trans flush.

I did this in 2009 and it has never been a problem since.

When you do the drain and fill you only drain about 1/7 the fluid. ( I think it is 1/7 but it might be a bit more)
 
You're probably right, I have never replaced all the fluid, I just drained and replaced a while back. I guess I should get is properly flushed...

So no, I never solved the problem...
 
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