Erich_870

Recently my 99' 4runner has developed some annoying cold morning problems.

1. My battery will be really low and BARELY start the engine. I thought at first it was a loose battery connection. I posted on the Optima 34R thread with my fix of a new lead terminal so I know its connection is perfect.

This morning, after driving home from work last night at 7PM, it barely started. I even had my head lights and heater off when I turned the key, so I know there was very little additional drainage at start up.

2. I reverse out of my drive way, put it in to Drive and it doesn't go anywhere I can give it some gas and it slowly creeps head, but that's it. Now I've found that if I shift down to Low, it moves ahead fine and after 50-75 feet I can shift back up to Drive and it seems fine.

WTF?

Do I need a new battery?

Do I need to flush my tranny, take it in, drive it until it dies because it will be toast soon? I checked the tranny fluid a couple months ago and it's level was fine and it was still clean looking and did not smell burnt.

Thanks for any suggestions

Erich

Edit - grammar

Rick F.

I don't believe these 2 issues are related.

1. Go have your battery load tested. Most auto parts stores will do it.

2. Check your tranny fluid again (be sure it's at operating temperature - check your owners manual). You say it's been a couple of months since you checked it? If it's giving you trouble now, why base the fluid level/condition on a couple of months ago? Kinda like going to the doctor with a fever and saying "I checked it a couple of months ago and it was fine".

Erich_870

I'll call around and see who does load testing, thanks Btw, what does it involve? Just wondering.

I agree with you fully on checking the fluid level again, so I did yesterday I looked through the owners manual to see if the rig needed to be running in N or P when I tested. I know it's supposed to be at operation temp (which it was). What is the tranny supposed to be in when you read the level? N, P, D??

Thanks!

Erich

Tacoma00

The same thing happened to me a couple months back. Stock battery was 5+ years old. Go to start it nothing but clicking, jump start it,throw cables in bed, reverse out of driveway and it won't go forward. After a minute or two it drives just fine. The next morning I was going to buy the new battery and the same thing again. I think it just needed a few minutes to charge because it was so dead. I put a new battery and it never happened again.

fireteacher

autozone load test for FREE!

Rick F.

I find it hard to believe that a near-dead battery would cause tranny problems. Once the engine fires, everything is fed from the alternator. The battery was good enough to kick Erich's engine over so I doubt the alternator was overloaded and not able to adequately support the electronics. But I guess you never know with the electronics in our cars today...

Erich_870

I don't see how the battery and tranny would be tied together either. It had a hard time starting this morning again, though I didn't notice the tranny sluggishness.

I think an understanding in the problem might come from the fact that down shifting to Low allows me to move forward, then I can shift back up to Drive. It seems to me that my tranny should be in Low already when I'm starting off, so it's curious why shifting down works like it does

Thanks for all the ideas so far, keep them coming

Erich

SLC97SR5

I noticed that you are in Alaska, do you park outside at night and what's the low temperature?

SLC97SR5

The tranny should be in neutral or park and at operating temp. I always test mine in both transmission selections. Load testing takes a known load...ie-400 amps and applies it to your battery, depending on the voltage drop you battery can be classified as good, or ready to die. FWIW I charge my battery once a month with a 2amp charger for about 2 hours.

Erich_870

I am parked outside (I'd kill for a garage ). The lowest I've started the rig in is 7-8 F. But it's usually in the teens. It hasn't gone below 0 this year.

Erich

SLC97SR5

We had a couple cold weeks here(10-17*) and it killed my 5 year old red top. I replaced it with a D34M blue top. I always try to let the Runner warm up for at least 5min. It wont come up to temp but it certainly knocks the chill off. My guess is your trans fluid is just so cold and thick it's not flowing like it should to develop proper line psi right off the bat.

SLC97SR5

If your battery tests ok, you might want to invest in a heater for it. It plugs into the wall-110v.- and keeps the battery from getting sooo cold, as the temp drops so does the ability of the batt to supply it's rated CCA

Erich_870

My red top is approaching a year old, so I hope it hasn't died already. We don't have any Autozones up here, so I'll call around for a place that load tests. Thanks for explaining how it works.

I would also tend to think the trans fluid is cold enough to be too viscous to start off, I just wanted to check. When it warms up here I plan to switch to Amsoil trans fluid.

Erich

SLC97SR5

sounds good, I'm sure your Optima is fine, if you do get a battery warmer plug in a trickle charger as well to keep it topped off. In fact you could do away with the warmer and just plug in the charger it will do essentially the same thing only at a molecular level...keeping the plates from sulfating

Mason Dixon

you may also have a leaking rear inner axle seal, i changed mine over this weekend and the drum was covered in a thick sludge, i have the same problem as you in the mornings and i think its a combination of the thick sludge and cold tranny fluid

Erich_870

So you're saying the leaking gear oil from your inner axle seal was creating friction between the drum and brakes?

I can take a quick peek, but I'm 99.9% positive I'm not leaking in my axle.

Erich

wjwerdna

i could be wrong here, but I thought Lead-acid batteries are the ones with plates, and that is why optimas are different? Or are they the both the same, just different shapes and gel instead of water?

GSGALLANT

When checking your tranny level, have your tranny up to normal operating temperature (if returning from a long trip at highway speeds, let the vehicle sit for 20 to 30 minutes before checking fluid level).

Start the truck. With your foot on the brakes, slowly cycle through all the transmission positions from "P" down to "L" then back up slowly from "L" up to "P". Leave the vehicle running with the tranny in P, then check your level.

MTL_4runner

Taken from the web:
Inside this unusual battery is a six-pack of SPIRALCELL TECHNOLOGY?. Traditional batteries have a stack of thick lead plates surrounded by acid. But OPTIMA? batteries feature two thin lead plates wound into a tight spiral cell, with an absorbent glass-mat in between to hold the electrolyte solution.This unique design allows for more power and increased energy, resulting in quick, reliable starts. OPTIMA batteries are the first and only batteries to feature SPIRALCELL TECHNOLOGY.

kubex

[quote=Erich_870;841899]Recently my 99' 4runner has developed some annoying cold morning problems.

1. My battery will be really low and BARELY start the engine. I thought at first it was a loose battery connection. I posted on the Optima 34R thread with my fix of a new lead terminal so I know its connection is perfect.

This morning, after driving home from work last night at 7PM, it barely started. I even had my head lights and heater off when I turned the key, so I know there was very little additional drainage at start up.

2. I reverse out of my drive way, put it in to Drive and it doesn't go anywhere I can give it some gas and it slowly creeps head, but that's it. Now I've found that if I shift down to Low, it moves ahead fine and after 50-75 feet I can shift back up to Drive and it seems fine.

--------------------
I have identical problem with my 99 4runner. Had a cold snap (15-25F) about two weeks ago and ever since then, when starting cold in the morning, the battery has begun to struggle, even though it's back up to 40-50F now. I also reverse out and then put in D, but nothing happens at first, then it begins to slowly move forward and is fine before I cover 200 ft. Had the batt tested, mechs say its reading low and might need replacing. Going to try charging it tonight. Maybe dropping in R first before D when cold causes it?

j