I've got an 87 toyota supra and especially when the car hasn't warmed up yet, it shifts hard and sometimes with a clunk from park or neutral to drive or reverse. It shifts very smoothly from gear to gear when the car is driving but sometimes when it's driving and gets the revs up to about 3krpm and I let off the throttle completely, it'll clunk as it shifts to the higher gear as it coasts. Tranny fluid looks good but is above the full line on the dipstick at least a quart or more they just told me at the auto repair shop, although the guy couldn't really give me a clear answer about what's wrong with it. I'm not sure if that would have anything to do with the hard shifting or not. Any clues?
Auto transmission is shifting hard (clunk) into drive and reverse
- Thread starter wdb
- Start date
My 88T is doing the same thing. Its been doing it for a couple weeks now and seems to be getting worse. Fluid was flushed a year or two ago and i checked it but it looks good, isn't dark or bad smelling or anything. I checked my u joints and they are all stiff. No flex at all.
Basically start here: http://www.cygnusx1.net/Supra/Library/TSRM/MK3/manual.aspx?S=AT&P=1
But a few more thoughts:
Check for play in the carrier bearing/ujoints and in the differential. They can aggravate a harsh engagement by allowing the transmission/driveshaft to build up even more momentum before the power reaches the rear wheels. Also check to make sure no bolts have worked their way loose (engine/transmission mount, carrier bearing mount, diff mount).
Not a bad idea to change tranny fluid & clean the screen if you don't know when it was last changed. You can also check for codes from the automatic's ecu (procedure is in TSRM -- basically short Tt and E1 and count the O/D light flashes). You should also make sure to check the fluid level when the engine is warm and idling -- not when its off. And yes, being overfull can cause harsher engagement.
Lastly, if you drive around in "normal" vs "power" you'll have a bit smoother shifts.
But a few more thoughts:
Check for play in the carrier bearing/ujoints and in the differential. They can aggravate a harsh engagement by allowing the transmission/driveshaft to build up even more momentum before the power reaches the rear wheels. Also check to make sure no bolts have worked their way loose (engine/transmission mount, carrier bearing mount, diff mount).
Not a bad idea to change tranny fluid & clean the screen if you don't know when it was last changed. You can also check for codes from the automatic's ecu (procedure is in TSRM -- basically short Tt and E1 and count the O/D light flashes). You should also make sure to check the fluid level when the engine is warm and idling -- not when its off. And yes, being overfull can cause harsher engagement.
Lastly, if you drive around in "normal" vs "power" you'll have a bit smoother shifts.
Alright I read the tsrm and it says start with adjusting the throttle linkage if tranny has hard shifts. By adjusting does it mean loosen of tighten?
And even in normal mode it shifts hard. In power mode its really bad. My head snaps back every shift and not the good kind of snap back...like t88 lag to full boost snapping.
And even in normal mode it shifts hard. In power mode its really bad. My head snaps back every shift and not the good kind of snap back...like t88 lag to full boost snapping.
mine does the same too, but its worse when i put it in reverse than drive, and when i checked my tranny fluid was dark and smelled burnt, so im pretty sure after the paint job im flushing it and replacing the filter and gasket, but in the future im going W58 ftw 
gtsfirefighter
SM Expert on White trash
Yeah mine does it also, but my carrier bearing is shot. So I'm going to wait to have that fixed before I do any other adjustments.
Thanks ma71, I didnt see that. Ill check that in the morning and I didnt think of the carrier bearing. Ill check that too. What exactly would I be looking for in it? Just making sure its tight and not grinding?
making sure there's no play if it moves up and down easy or the rubbers ripped then you need to replace and Toyota is the only place.