Tranny Problems

[GHARP57]

SO my brother just called me and said his 99 is hard getting into first at times. It is a 3.4 auto cali emissions with 270k miles on it. He said its only when you go to cut the truck on and put it into gear that it is not going in sometimes. Am i looking at a shot trans or maybe one of the shift solenoids?

 

[LittleCaesar]

How about the rest of the gears? Any codes? Does this occur when cold/hot?

Try greasing the driveshaft as well as make sure the rear shoes are in good working order.

 

[GHARP57]

How about the rest of the gears? Any codes? Does this occur when cold/hot?

Try greasing the driveshaft as well as make sure the rear shoes are in good working order.

Primarily going from park to drive. Every once in a while in 3rd I have to imagine hot or cold at this point. No codes that we know of.

 

[jeremyc74]

Is the shifter stuck in Park, or is it moving and then the truck still acts like it's in neutral.

If it's stuck in the Park position that's very likely just the ignition interlock. You can defeat that put putting a key into the little slot under the cover next to the shifter.

If the shifter is moving and it's acting like it's in neutral, it could be as simple as a misadjusted linkage, or a lot worse.

 

[JBurt]

I always see these threads and think someone dated a girl then they found out she was a dude.

I don't have anything constructive to add. Sorry. Good luck with your brothers tranny problem.

 

[GHARP57]

Is the shifter stuck in Park, or is it moving and then the truck still acts like it's in neutral.

If it's stuck in the Park position that's very likely just the ignition interlock. You can defeat that put putting a key into the little slot under the cover next to the shifter.

If the shifter is moving and it's acting like it's in neutral, it could be as simple as a misadjusted linkage, or a lot worse.

He can shift it from park to drive. It wont go into first to get moving

 

[MStudt]

He can shift it from park to drive. It wont go into first to get moving

Then it's not going into drive!

If you were having a shift solenoid issue the check engine would be on, and you'd have a code telling you which solenoid it is. There's shift linkage on the driver side of the transmission. It's held together by a small bolt with a retainer on it, make it didn't break/fall off. This would allow you to be able to move the shifter, and not go into gear.

 

[KidVermicious]

I always see these threads and think someone dated a girl then they found out she was a dude.

I was going to say, normally when I get tranny problems it's because I went to the wrong bar.

 

[LittleCaesar]

As Jeremy said check the linkage.

If the shoes are grabbing the drums initially (not adjusted correctly or from a leaking axle), the 4runner won't move even though the tranny is in D.

My friend's younger brother had a dying torque converter in his A340E tranny. No noise from the bell housing but in cold weather especially the transmission would not engage from a stop. When warm it was fine. $900 later for a new one along with a 15qt drain and flush and he was good to go until he traded in the 4runner two months ago.

 

[jeremyc74]

He can shift it from park to drive. It wont go into first to get moving

At the risk of pointing out the obvious, have you checked the transmission fluid level while the truck is warmed up and running?

 

[GHARP57]

At the risk of pointing out the obvious, have you checked the transmission fluid level while the truck is warmed up and running?

He called me last night it is on the list of things to do today