Transmission Comes out of Gear at Stop

spartacus said:
nowashburn said:
eeekkk... so I just dropped the pan again and the new fluid looks like mud! I'm aware of the strawberry milkshake but is there also a chocolate milkshake condition? The coolant level is good and is green and clean, I actually just flushed the radiator a few months ago.

Thanks for all the help
Does it also have a burnt smell too. friction in the tranny equals heat which in turn turns the fluid brown.
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I wouldn't say it has much of a burnt smell. What's troubling is that this fluid on has been in there for a couple of weeks, when I last replaced the solenoids. I was assuming it would still look fairly new. I barely put any miles on it.
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nowashburn said:
spartacus said:
I wouldn't say it has much of a burnt smell. What's troubling is that this fluid on has been in there for a couple of weeks, when I last replaced the solenoids. I was assuming it would still look fairly new. I barely put any miles on it.
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what kind of fluid did you put in it. cause it shouldn't have deteriorated that much. I put in toyota atf in my transmission about two years ago and still bright pink. did you see any metal shavings in it?
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Brown sludge is not a good thing. Check your filter and see if its getting plugged up, that's what mine did.

When my truck got a pink milkshake, over time the pan developed a layer of brown mud/sludge on the bottom of it. The coolant breaks down the clutch material. If you are confident you do not have a PMS, something else could be wrong with the tranny and is causing the clutch packs to burn up.

I hate to say it, but you may need to swap in a new/used tranny in the near future.
 
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Oh and as I understand it, a chocolate milk shake is when coolant mixes with engine oil (usually from a blown head gasket).

If your engine oil and coolant are fine, something else is going on.
 
thegipper said:
Oh and as I understand it, a chocolate milk shake is when coolant mixes with engine oil (usually from a blown head gasket).

If your engine oil and coolant are fine, something else is going on.
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Thanks, I was thinking about this possibility as well but I don't see any other signs of a blown head gasket. The truck runs fine, doesn't overheat, coolant looks fine and oil looks fine.

Maybe this is the very beginning of the milkshake issue, I don't know. I ordered a new radiator and well start there I guess. I got a TYC radiator from rock auto:

https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo.php?pk=1373062&cc=1364611&jsn=10482
 
Well I guess I also should have stated something very obvious, I do not have Toyota red coolant, I have green coolant. Green coolant and Red tranny fluid = brown (chocolate) milkshake. Hopefully the new radiator solves the problem and there is no tranny damage. I didn't see any metal or anything in the fluid.

Thank again for everyones help, I will post updates.
 
nowashburn said:
Well I guess I also should have stated something very obvious, I do not have Toyota red coolant, I have green coolant. Green coolant and Red tranny fluid = brown (chocolate) milkshake. Hopefully the new radiator solves the problem and there is no tranny damage. I didn't see any metal or anything in the fluid.

Thank again for everyones help, I will post updates.
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sorry to hear that. you wI'll have to flush the transmission. there is a lot of info on this subject on the forum and you can find videos of how to as well.
if you think there is no damage then you'll be okay if not drive it and look for a transmission from t4r that is being parted out or salvage yard etc and if the transmission takes a dive then you can replace it. they are pretty decent price out here between 250 to 500 out here in colorado not sure how much where you are at.
http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-gen-t4rs/158256-pink-milkshake-rookie.html
 
spartacus said:
sorry to hear that. you wI'll have to flush the transmission. there is a lot of info on this subject on the forum and you can find videos of how to as well.
if you think there is no damage then you'll be okay if not drive it and look for a transmission from t4r that is being parted out or salvage yard etc and if the transmission takes a dive then you can replace it. they are pretty decent price out here between 250 to 500 out here in colorado not sure how much where you are at.
http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-gen-t4rs/158256-pink-milkshake-rookie.html
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Thanks, the radiator wont be in until friday, so the 4runner will be sitting until then. keep in mind, I did flush the milkshake out, so its not sitting with the milkshake. I'm just really shocked the trans didn't give, it drove great tbh if you read the thread, just popped out of gear once or twice at a stop. I'm hoping all is not lost.

I love my 3rd gen and I hope noone takes this the wrong way, but this sucker has had just about every known issue so far lol. The rear passenger frame rot, cv joints, valve cover gasket, and now this. Fixed every one so far too. My old 2nd gen was a beast, barely had any issues. guess I got lucky!
 
nowashburn said:
Thanks, the radiator wont be in until friday, so the 4runner will be sitting until then. keep in mind, I did flush the milkshake out, so its not sitting with the milkshake. I'm just really shocked the trans didn't give, it drove great tbh if you read the thread, just popped out of gear once or twice at a stop. I'm hoping all is not lost.

I love my 3rd gen and I hope noone takes this the wrong way, but this sucker has had just about every known issue so far lol. The rear passenger frame rot, cv joints, valve cover gasket, and now this. Fixed every one so far too. My old 2nd gen was a beast, barely had any issues. guess I got lucky!
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I went through a period in 2014 where I went though the same thing. Had valve covers leak, rear wheel bearings went bad, had a misfire, o2 sensor went bad, replaced maf was acting up, vacuum leak, had, brake cylinder in the rear started leaking.Had to replace the radiator. I was wondering like you what the heck but decided to fix it and have had no issues since ( knock on wood ). these trucks are awesome but after almost two decades they just need more maintenance price of owning a truck that old I guess.
 
Well, the new radiator is in and everything seems to be fine, no more milkshakes of any kind. I can't believe this thing is still shifting fine, hopefully it hangs in there for a while. Honestly, if the solenoid light didn't come on I wouldn't have even have noticed the milkshake until it was likely too late.

Issue I have now is that the solenoid light is back on. I know, I went cheap and got the Cascade set. It was good for about 2 weeks then the light and delay going into gear is back. Other than that it doesn't even slip one bit.

Anyone have a link to a reccomended solenoid kit?

Thanks.
 
Now this is just getting crazy. So now after replacing a broken solenoids, replacing radiator, flushing the heck out of everything, its shifting well... but now it just started leaking tranny fluid like CRAZY! At first I thought I forgot to connect the lines up to the radiator, but they are fine. The leak is coming from the front, near the torque converter. Must be a bad seal up there. When it rains it pours.

Im torn to go any further with this as I'm still not sure how long this tranny will last after having the milkshake.
 
Solved the issues

Well, I've decided to solve my issues by "upgrading" to a 4th gen. I found a nice 1 owner 90k 2006 sr5 with all maintenance and records done at the dealer. for 12k. Not exactly cheap but I'm willing to pay a bit more with how well its been maintained and documented.

I tried putting up the good fight with what ended up being the milkshake but as a daily driver, I cut my ties. If anyone is interested in the old one feel free to make me an offer. Details:

2000 v6 limited 155k, no issues other than milkshake and tranny leak. Tranny leak started after the milkshake and is coming from the front, likely from torque converter. Has 3in rough county susp. lift, 1in 4crawler body lift. 33in BFG AT2's with level 8 wheels. Body, frame, interior all in very decent condition. Not even sure what to ask for it.

- EK
 
Well, I've decided to solve my issues by "upgrading" to a 4th gen. I found a nice 1 owner 90k 2006 sr5 with all maintenance and records done at the dealer. for 12k. Not exactly cheap but I'm willing to pay a bit more with how well its been maintained and documented.
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Wow. Totally didn't expect this ending to the thread. Sorry to hear about your woes.

Re what is your truck worth. It is worth whatever it would be with a working transmission minus about $1,000, at least IMO.

Oh and don't do a trade-in. That is always a bad idea. Lastly, 4th gens aren't all they are cracked up to be. Less reliable overall, fatter, and generally the paint is lower quality.
 
BrianSD_42 said:
Wow. Totally didn't expect this ending to the thread. Sorry to hear about your woes.

Re what is your truck worth. It is worth whatever it would be with a working transmission minus about $1,000, at least IMO.

Oh and don't do a trade-in. That is always a bad idea. Lastly, 4th gens aren't all they are cracked up to be. Less reliable overall, fatter, and generally the paint is lower quality.
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Thanks, still bummed about it. I put it for sale locally as is for 2500. We'll see what happens!
 
Scramble said:
Thanks for the pics, earlier in this thread you said you had to deal PS frame rot, then in a post above & in your CL ad you you say the frame is fine. Do you have pics of the repair?

Here is the CL ad if anyone else is interested. No mention of the milkshake either.

https://southjersey.craigslist.org/cto/d/2000-4runner-limited/6603930505.html
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Jeeze, I'm mentioning everything here in the thread to anyone who contacts me. Even mentioned the leaks, tranny pop, everything. I mentioned in the thread that I also had the frame fixed, and I did.

Just had two conversations with people and mentioned the milkshake, they didn't know what it was and I went into detail to explain it.
 
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