So recently my wife said the truck was hesitating when she gave it the gas, but would then get moving. Now it's got to where it wouldnt get very far under it's own power, so I talked to a friend who's mechanically inclined and said if the tranny isn't already shot (burnt fluid), to try a new filter and fluid change so I did, I put 2 qts of Lucas in along with Dexron VI and upon trying to see if that helped it jerks like it's going into gear, but it doesn't want to move much, do I need to let it idle for awhile or do you think that my fears are validated that the tranny is toast ? It's a '95 4runner with 3.0 and A/T and 4X4, 180k and there were no shavings in the pan when I dropped it. Thanks in advance.

 

Well what did the fluid you took out look and more importantly SMELL like? The lucas and Dex 6 isn't going to fix a broken trans (I have had this argument with my boss more than once working in a tranny shop). If the trans is full, and not giving you any movement, and the t-case isn't in neutral sounds like you're in the market for a transmission.

 

Overdrive light flashing? Did you check for codes? Tranny codes are read by using the O/D light, not the check engine light.

and btw I also have the same symptoms as you did, no shavings, no codes, new filter & fluid, heck I even put in 3 new solenoids for it and it still didn't fix the problem. I am now in the market for a manual 5 sp swap.

 

Most times its the transfercase that fails.

 

It did smell burnt, but my friend said that sometimes, you can change the filter & fluid and possibly be okay again. There were no codes, no lights flashing or anything. I think I may need another tranny.. darn....

 

i dont know the toyota trannys that well.. but i know i had a similar issue on my old jeep it was the Throttle position sensor.. tranny didnt know what was going on.. so didnt work.. no presure i guess..

 

My '91 pick-up was doing that. It would go fine in reverse but in forward it felt like it was starting in a high gear and would barely pull itself along, even in 4lo. I never did find out what was wrong with it. I swapped in another tranny from a friends parts truck and it has been fine ever since.