Noel

My 96 115k runner has problems shifting out of 1st if she is cold or hasn't been drivin in a couple days. Once the car warms up it seems to go away and shifting becomes smooth again. Any ideas on what I can do to make her shift more smoothly? Thanks.


Noel

Ilovemountains

Noel, my auto did the same things until I changed my AT fluid out with Mobile 1 full synthetic. The synthetic is not affected by temperature variances. So when its 30 in the mornings like it was today it shifts like it does when its 80 because it maintains the same consistency. Synthetics also dissipate heat faster, and lubricate better than regular ATF, thus making your 115k AT last longer, shift smoother and if its like mine go into OD cold when its supposed to! This is where I would start; have you had the ATF changed with in the last 30,000????? If not DO IT NOW. Matt

rimpainter.com

While I agree with Ilovemountains to an extent, you also have to understand that every Auto 5VZ that I have owned (two of them) has done this to a certain degree. Both were meticulously maintained too. Both would hold 1st gear longer than normal when cold, and both would not let you rev past a certain point when cold. FYI.

Ilovemountains

96, I agree 100%, Im just stating that from my experiance when I switched over to synthetic my auto shifts a lot smoother, faster and actually goes into OD, this is when its cold out, in the summer it didnt matter either way! When it was cold my OD wouldnt come on till every thing got good and hot, now it pretty much jumps right in like it is supposed to! I could be wrong though since my truck is a 3.0, but regaurdless synthetic is the way to go! Have a good morning, matt

rimpainter.com

Good info, thanks Matt. I have to admit I never ran Synthetic in either Auto, so you may be on to something there.

Al Wilson

97 T100, v6 A340E autotrns, 85k miles
Automatic Transmission problems. It starts with; Error code P0770, "solenoid e malfunction". About 1yr ago a transmission shop said it was bad, changed it and six months later up comes the MIL same code P0770, I reset with a code reader, drive away. Now it comes on randomly about once a month. I've drained the pan, replaced 2qts fluid, and the fluid looks ok. So I think just reset the MIL when it comes on and forget about it. Not so fast there's more to the story. This is the cold shift problem.
One month ago as I drive away from the house in the morning the trans acts strangely and won't shift up to 2nd gear, it catches my attention, then shifts smoothly from there on out. No problem shifting for the rest of the day. Several days pass, no difficulty with the 1-2 shift, then after sitting overnight, it won't shift 1-2 until it's warmed up. Now I just let it warm up, temp gauge up to midway, and she shifts like out of the show room.

I want the problem solved so I talk with my local mechanic he recommends taking it to the dealer; they're the experts and all. I follow the advice. After a day in the shop the service writer, calls.
"Mr. Wilson, you need to have the solenoids replace, valve body overhauled and it will cost you 1,300.00" I gasp, ask for time to think it over and hang up. I debate with my self and figure, go ahead and fix it, it's a good truck and a bad transmission can happen. So I call the dealership, negotiate the price down a bit; feeling smug I authorize the repair. Later buyer's remorse sets in but I rationalize," it's a good truck and you'll keep it a long time. They know what they're doing" and so on. I'm told it needed to stay until the end of the following day to complete the repair. Late the next day the service manager calls, "we can't find anything wrong, the solenoids work fine, and we don't want to go forward with this repair." Have you thought about swapping out the gear box? I'm shocked, what are they telling me? I change my mind, instruct them to stop work and put it back together. " We'll have to charge you 86.00 for the diagnostic work, I say. I don't like it but, put it back together and I'll pick it up."

Since then, at two independent shops, first shop's free diagnostics found; no computer codes and vehicle is safe to drive, they did not drop the pan. Second shop: kept the truck overnight, test drive in the morning showed the 1-2 shift delayed until engine reached operational temp, then no problems, codes or any thing wrong. Except they dropped the pan, now they say brass in the pan, or maybe it's babbit and the entire box should be rebuilt. I thank them for the observation and cautions that it will fail catastrophically and so on. I say, I'll take my chances and when or if it does fail I'll invest in it at that time. For now I'll let it warm up and drive it. No kidding after the initial shift it drives as if it came off the dealers lot, no slip, sounds, clunks, nothing, runs and shifts great.

Now, I'm in Miami,the overnight temp is not much below 78F this time of year so I can't understand how it would be a viscosity thing with the trans fluid??? But the symptoms are the same as yours if it's allowed to reach operating temp before driving away there is no shift delay.

I've been thinking along the line that there is some debris in the valve body or the seal on the #2 solenoid is bad but I just don't understand what's going on.

Al

Mikey

Yikes. I don't know what to tell you on that one. Has a flush ever been done with a cleaning agent? I know when I got mine done they ran some BG stuff through it to remove any varnish or gummed up crap floating around.

Noel

Thanks for the help guys. I have had the ATF changed recently but it wasnt change to synthetic. I will try and change it and see if it yields any results. While I'm at it should I change the rest of the fluids to synthetic? I heard somewhere that once you have regular motor oil in a car that there is no point to change to synthetic. Is that true? Mobil 1 or Amsoil?

Thanks,

Noel

EOD30

Noel,

My 94 does the same thing and it has been flushed. I think maybe its just the way it is.

rimpainter.com

Sure, you can do all the fluids if you want, but only if it makes this a better deal. I see no reason to start changing every fluid when you might have an outlying problem of a different nature in the trans.

The rule about synthetic motor oil is once you switch, don't go back. On "loose" higher mileage engines, synthetic could seep past the seals. I would not be worried on your engine if it is in good condition. A 150K mile GM engine would scare me though.

I have always ran Mobil 1 full synthetic 5-30 in my 5VZ-equipped rigs.

MTL_4runner

I just thought I would add that mine shifts the same way and I change the tranny fluid almost every 10k (drain the pan and refill, not a full flush) and pull the pan about every 40k to inspect for any damage and as you might imagine my fluid is almost always immaculate. When I first start the truck cold it usually stays in 1st gear unless I rev it above 3k rpm and then it will shift fine after that (goes into OD and all but sometimes slow on that too but again only the first time) until you let it get cold again. I have never tried synthetic but I try to just stick with the cheaper stuff and just do it more often. Has never been bad enuf to bother me and otherwise the truck runs absolutely great at 125k mi.

Al Wilson

Howdy All,
I've heard several opinions on the effects of flushing, with or with out cleaners conditioners and even two types of machines. One side says it only a mantainence type item and won't fix problems, shifting issues etc. Others say it has worked on the A340E valve body when this problem showed up, even the P0770, shift solenoid E malfunction code. So I think, thats for me, A BG flush with new filter and the problem goes away

But I've not done it yet, mostly because of the debate pro-con of doing it and partly because of an invoice I got from the time it was at the dealership says they Flushed the uint. So now, if they did a flush???, and I'm not too sure they did, see my previous post, then the problem was not been fixed by a flush.

Has anyone had the Flush/BG with the conditioners, and had it fix this shift problem???

Thank again to all

MTL_4runner

Looks like there is a TSB for that code:
https://www.yotatech.com/forums/show...ighlight=P0770

http://www.alldata.com/TSB/60/026032AC.html

EOD30

Al Wilson: In response to your question, mine was shifting slow so I had it flushed and it was better. I asked if they dropped the pan to clean the filter and they said no because they flush usually cleans it well. It bothered me that they didnt drop the pan so I did this past weekend and cleaned the pan inside and out, the 4 magnets inside the pan and the filter. The filter was clean from the flush, but not enough for me, so I cleaned it completly. It shifts better good now, but is still sluggish until it warms up.

blink

Hey, my taco tranny does the same thing when the engine is cold. Someone correct me if im totally wrong (havent slept in a few days :pat: ) but doesnt the 5vz-auto hold 1st gear longer in attempt to help the engine reach its ideal running temp? I fixed the funky shifting by allowing my engine to run a few minutes before i take her out, which is a good habit neways right? to get the fluids to moving..... sleep....

Al Wilson

Sounds like it still sticking in 1st until it warms up?
Here's the strange thing, this engine/trans combo, per the owners manual has a temp control circuit that prevents the OD/Lockup from happening until the pre-set temp is reached. Mine did that before. It bothered me so I researched it and, yes it's designed to do that, stay out of OD or lockup until it reaches an operating temp. But now it's not coming out of 1st until it seems the temp is reached. Can the ECU/PCM or what ever the computer is called be wrong and it's preventing an up˟˟˟˟ in first gear???

How could you check this?

Al Wilson

As I found in my owner's manual it holds the shift into O/D until it reaches temp. But mine won't come out of 1st??

Al Wilson

Thanks for the info. I wonder if my 1997 is covered? Time to talk to the Dealer? Where can I get a copy of TSB EG025-02?

What I've done up to now is reset the light and drive on. The previous owner spent the 300 to get the solenoid changed. :pat:

MTL_4runner

The solenoid is easy to check but it requires you to pull the valve body I think?
In any case you just apply 12V to it and it should move.....if it does then there is another problem at hand.

Might want to pick up a factory service manual as well if you really start going heavy on the tranny troubleshooting.

User 051420

This link should get you into Alldata for a 97 4Runner. Have fun!!

http://www.alldatadiy.com/alldata/AF...46736/34853741