stangman39

Hi all!
Happy New Year!

Mine was rung in last night coming home from a concert and my trans started acting up.
2000 V6 3.4 2wd Sr5, 163K miles. Trans fluid was replaced around 2 years ago, have never had any issues with the trans till last night.

When driving on the highway cruising along at 60mph and when I need to get into the gas a little to get some more rpms...when the trans goes to kick down....it starts slipping and shaking. It will eventually get into the lower gear but not right away. Also noticed when it was slipping/shaking that the CEL was coming on and flashing.
When driving on the side roads around town it slips sometimes slightly from a stop but overall runs like it should.

Saving for a wedding in a few months...this was the last thing I need now!!

Checked the fluid today and it was nice and clear and at perfect level.

Any helps or thoughts would be great....and if I can narrow down what it might be...the possible cost to fix!! I read somewhere a rebuilt trans is around $2500!!!!
I'd assume the more driving I do the more risk I take of the not making it home on my own power?

Thanks!

WestEnd

Is there a code for the CEL?
check your coolant for the dreaded pink milkshake...
I just went through it myself in October. If it comes to replacement, get a used one, not a rebuilt. It's less expensive and better. I've heard from Transmission techs from the West Coast to the Midwest, that nobody builds a "good" rebuilt.
Mine was a 80K mile unit, installed for $1300...

stangman39

I tried pulling codes but the CEL is not on now. It was only showing when on the highway and the trans wasn't downshifting properly. Driving around town the CEL never came on. When I tried to check codes nothing showed up.

To check the coolant should I just pop the cap on the radiator?

Glad to hear a used trans may be an option. I have a friend with a lift and has a lot of experience working on cars...I'm sure he and I could swap out a trans if we have to to save some cost on labor.

Any idea how long I may be able to keep driving around b4 the trans goes out for good?

marko3xl3

IIRC, on some cars the CEL will display transmission codes (fact, Dodge etc.) but on our trucks it will not (I could be wrong).

Either way, the only time your CEL will actually flash is during an engine misfire. So if you were trying to goose it and it hick ups on a down shift, it probably stems from an engine misfire masking itself as a transmission issue.

WestEnd

No CEL is a good thing here. It could throw a code for the transmission in the form of a shift solenoid issue. That's what happened in my case anyways.
If you look in your radiator through the cap and you see something in there that looks like a "pink milkshake" then it means the transmission cooler has ruptured internally at the bottom of the radiator, and the tranny fluid is mixing with the coolant. Not good for the tranny, and almost impossible to displace all the coolant out of the transmission if you try and flush it.
My opinion is to save the money on filter change, solenoids, or fluids and just put it towards a good used tranny. That's only if you have the milkshake problem.

Marko3xl3 is right in the fact that the CEL will generally only flash under misfire circumstances. No CEL will make it more difficult to start tracing your problem if it is a misfire condition.

Best of Luck!

stangman39

The 4Runner has been sitting unstarted for the last 8 hours. I just checked the rad fluid...and it is nice green like it should be. No signs of red or milkshake condition. Crossing my fingers that is a good sign!

Driving it around town earlier today it did seem to stumble slightly and hesitate...but I just thought that was the trans slipping etc.
I've never had a vehicle before with an autotrans issue so I could be assuming it is trans related but not.

About 3 years ago I pulled my boat with the 4Runner when I shouldn't have...I beat on the 4Runner pretty good pulling the boat up some hills I shouldn't have...and smelt the trans burning. Soon after I had the trans fluid flushed and it has run fine since (up till what I think/thought was trans issues last night).

I guess all I can do it keep driving it....see if I get stranded...or a CEL comes on, right??

marko3xl3

I would go pull the stored codes. It'll tell you exactly what happened and then you can go from there.

You should be able to find an auto parts store that'll pull the code for free for you if you don't have a reader and don't know anyone that does.

J2F42C

I would guess from your info that it is one if not more of the solenoids that have gone bad in your tranny. Before tearing into it, try and get that code read. You don't need another tranny.

Here is a link in which someone had a problem with bad tranny solenoids:
https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f2/a...roblem-224740/

Weddings are not cheap. Save, save, and save some more.

WestEnd

That's a good sign! No pink stuff in the radiator!

I second what J2F42C mentioned. Get those stored codes. Then you can at least have a starting point.

Tranny solenoids aren't cheap, but a much easier repair than a complete transmission. There are 3 solenoids, at about $160 each. There's a difference between the denso and the aisin models too, so you'll have to pull the solenoids first.

Hopefully it's nothing tranny related at all!

stangman39

I've got a code reader. I ran it yesterday with the car running and came back "0 codes"
The only time I saw the CEL come on was when I was on the highway doing around 60 mph and I needed to get up a change in grade so it tried to bump the rpms up to around 2200....that is when I get the slipping/hesitation feeling and the CEL flashed....once I got into the upper rpm range and acceleration started to climb...no more CEL.

Does Autozone code reader do anything more than the handheld one I have? Not sure if their will tell me anything mine is...which isn't anything right now!

Yes...the wedding fund is gonna take a hit if this is a major repair. I'm also around 81K miles since my last timing belt...so I had to get that done some time in the future...hopefully can push it till 90-100K before getting it done.

J2F42C

If there are no codes stored that you can retrieve, then I don't know how to make the CEL to reappear. The dealer or an independent shop may be able to replicate it.

I still would look at the solenoids. Fireman 33 was able to test his solenoids with an Ohm meter, and see that they were way out of spec. I have never checked mine so I can't comment. Once he changed them (#1 & #2), he was good to go. But you do have to drop the pan, so you may want to change the filter while under there regardless.

Check out member phildelphino's links to the solenoids and such from the link in my previous post. It should give you links to a solenoid kit, a manual link to check the solenoids, etc. And as long as you used OEM parts for the t belt replacement the first time, don't worry about it for another 20,000 miles.....

stangman39

I was reading Fireman's post. I'll do some more checking later today or this week. I don't need to get on the highway to go to work so I should be fine going to and from this week. I'll keep everyone posted on how I make out.

Timing belt was done by the dealer so glad to know I'm good for another 20K miles or so.

WestEnd

Most code readers have a separate menu for looking at stored codes. If you simply plugged it in and got nothing, you might scroll through the menu of the code reader for DTC's. This is where you will usually find Data Trouble Code History. If the CEL flashed, then it's in the ECU somewhere. If memory serves, it stores the last 40 starts, or "events" as displayed on the code reader.

stangman39

I'll check that again tonight. If I can't get mine to do this I'll swing by Autozone tomorrow after work.

Are there steps in the FSM on how to check the solenoids? If I take off the pan on the bottom of the trans...does the ATF need to be trained first? I assume I would also need to put a new gasket back on?

WestEnd

FSM has specs on trans solenoids. My memory thinks 11-16 ohms is still good, but check your FSM for sure. Also blow a little air through it to make sure it's not clogged. Each one is held in by a single bolt once you drop the pan. You'll need a new pan seal for sure, but I always favored the Toyota red seal in a tube. Definitley have to drain the ATF first.

stangman39

Was gonna go to AutoZone today after work to see if they could pull the reason for the CEL over the weekend. They said their readers only read when the CEL is on...so looks like the pocket reader I have it probably just as good as the one at AutoZone!

Maybe next weekend I'll drop the pan and check the solenoids. Since it is my only transportation now I can't really risk taking something apart during the week and not getting it back together to get to work in the morning.

I assume there is a drain plug on the bottom of the trans and I refill the trans with ATF thru the dipstick tube? How many quarts of ATF?

Thanks for the help and hopefully I can narrow this down this upcoming weekend.

brian2sun

Change your spark plugs and wires before tearing into the tranny. My $$ is totally on an engine miss. I really doubt there's anything wrong with the tranny because tranny problem codes don't flash, they keep the CEL on.

WestEnd

I agree with Brian2sun. Start with the simplest first.
Only drain your ATF after you've checked plugs and wires, if you haven't done that. Cheap insurance. I would beg an independent shop to check your stored codes for you as well. It literally takes a few seconds, so there's gotta be somebody near you with half a heart to help you out????? That's the most surefire way to at least get on the right track.

If you get to the point you have to check the solenoids, search this forum for Transmission Flush. There's a great article on the solenoids and how to perform the procedure. You might as well flush it out and replace with new fluid/filter, etc. if you're forced to drop the pan to check the solenoids.

gdutch

I had this exact problem and it was caused by my engine misfiring. Check plugs, wires, and coil packs. I would highly recommend you eliminate the misfire as a problem before you go tearing into your tranny. Coil pack might be $100, but once you crack open the transmission it's gonna be more, possibly a lot more. I spent $2000 getting my tranny fixed because I thought the misfire was something wrong with my tranny. I actually did need to get it fixed because I towed with the O/D on, but even $2k in the transmission didn't fix my misfires due to a bad coil pack

stangman39

I changed the plugs around 15K miles ago but didn't change the wires.
I thought the coil pack and the wires were all in one so I didn't change them at the time.
Is this not correct? I can just change the wires and not the coil pack?
Any specific place to get the wires? Or just the local parts store?