Auto Tranny Hard Shift

[landtoy80]

I get a hard shift if I am hard on the throttle, its not quite a slam, just a thud.
If I shift with the shifter or am easy on the throttle its fine.
It only happens up shifting not down.
I think the car has sat alot as it only has been driven 30,000 mi in last 10 yrs.
The tires are like new and are 3yrs old.
I had the tranny fluid exchanged and it was done 10 yrs ago at 60,000 mi.
It seams to be shifting better the more I drive it. I haven't drove it but a few miles after the exchange.
During the exchange the guy doing the exchange noted that I was only showing about 9 on his meter. He said most cars show about 18. I think its lbs.

I am thinking its the cable that needs adjusting but what else should I check?

I don't know how a Supra auto tranny should shift as this is my first.
Should it shift like a Camry or should it shift hard on hard throttle?

 

[Poodles]

it will shift firm when at WOT...

also depends on the ECT setting...

 

[suprabad]

If it's clunking into gear and you hear a thud, that's not normal.

In my experience it could mean a couple of things, probably bad shift solenoid or possibly problem in the torque converter. If it's accompanied by a rattle sound when you rev it up (even in neutral) then you probably have a bad pump, which would kill your T/C pretty quickly.

 

[Dunckel]

just some stuff on the auto tranny. http://www.cygnusx1.net/Supra/Library/TSRM/MK3/manual.aspx?S=AT&P=1

 

[Nick M]

Your symptoms as you describe are normal.

 

[Fletch124]

Pull the tranny oil dipstick, if it smells burnt then its time for a new trans.

 

[landtoy80]

I adjusted the tranny throttle cable and no more hard shift/chunk.
It was only out of adjust just a little but it makes a bid difference.
Should of done the adjustment when I got it.

 

[supraman7mgte]

when you changed out the fluid,did you replace the filter?
I had hella problems with my auto when I would engage the O/D,the tranny would dam near lock up. Nothing a replacement could'nt fix.

 

[landtoy80]

Does the tranny have a filter? I thought Toyota used a screen, the tech changing the oil thought the same and said no reason to drop the pan when doing an exchange unless the pan is leaking.
Was he right or just lazy?

 

[tlo86]

PM sent

 

[supraman7mgte]

Wow thats crazy!
Yeah,sounds like that mechanic was kinda lazy! If he would have dropped the pan,he could have checked for any metal shavings,or whatever.
The tranny does have a filter,and depending on how long you've had the car,you might want it replaced just to sure it's fresh.

 

[tookwik4u89]

If by exchange you mean flushing it will exchange all the fluid vs. the 3 quarts you get out dropping the pan, and the pan is not dropped. If your looking for problems rather than just servicing, then it would be a good idea to drop the pan. Just don't get exicited when you see metallics unluss its large shavings, because it is normal to see caked on magnets. You would be looking more for dark brown or black particles / pieces of clutch material.

None of that would lead to a hard shift, rather a weak, delayed shift.
I rebuilt both my trannies and they have a nice thud when im in it hard......to me that means it's working and that's the way I like it! I'm with NickM & poodles.

 

[landtoy80]

Most of the thud noise was when in "econ" mode so I keep it on "power" mode. It would still make the thud in OD and in other gears once in a while.
After the adjustment on Sunday, I drove it in "power" mode and no thud.
Tried "econ" mode and no thud.
The mark on the cable for adjusting was in too deep in the rubber boot.

The shop did a flush without the cleaning additive and later I added BG ATC to it.
As for the filter, should I just drop the pan and change it or should I have a different shop do a full flush and filter change?

 

[supraman7mgte]

How long have you owned the car?

 

[landtoy80]

I have owned it for about 4 mo and 6000mi.
I can see now the difference between hard shifting and the thud.
The thud is bad (and hopefully gone) and the hard shift when hard on the throttle makes the tires spin in second gear.

Should I go with a Toyota filter or go with what ever the tranny shop sells.
Should I get the chemical flush or just an exchange? What about additive?

 

[jdub]

If you're chirping the tires in 2nd, you got a tight tranny

You clean the filter (it's actually a screen)...no need to replace unless it's damaged. In that case, go to Toyota. A flush with fresh fluid is fine...wouldn't use any of the chemical flushes on this tranny. And you don't need any additives...waste of $$$.

You can add a filter between the line from the tranny to the cooler using a remote filter head. Same spin-on type as used for oil or use a Trasko bypass filter (TI-10S):
http://www.trasko-usa.com/

I mounted mine under the passenger side head light...upgraded the cooler too, mounted with a fan under the drivers side head light

 

[landtoy80]

If you're chirping the tires in 2nd, you got a tight tranny

You clean the filter (it's actually a screen)...

Thats a load off my mind, I was thinking I had a paper filter and from what I know, if you have a paper filter and do a flush without replacing the filter you can plug the filter and trash the tranny.

 

[jdub]

Some of us spend boat loads of $$$ getting an auto tranny to shift hard and bark the tires on shift

 

[landtoy80]

For the record, I can only do this when the road is wet.
I was driving on a circle jerk (round-about) that I drive on every day and "test out" the corner handling and it holds tight through the turn. Well, it rained before I was doing my "test" on the corner and the rear broke free, it was my first time drifting...at least in a car. I get to drift in my semi on mud roads in the mountains/hills in the oil field, I move oil drilling rigs for a living and when you haul 100,000+ lbs up and down a muddy road/hill the truck does what ever it wants as does the trailer:1zhelp:
It tries very hard to brake traction on dry pavement, may need a new O2 sensor or some other mod/adjustment...