Tranny Shift Problems

[twstrchasr]

I need some helpful info on this question since transmissions are the one area of the auto I know the least about. My 1989 FJ62 w/approx 130,ooo miles, original motor and original tranny has started giving me some worries. When I first start driving after vehicle has sat (overnight at least) a bit, the transmission is very reluctant about upshifting. It stays in low gear but will usually upshift once fairly soon, but after that it takes a good 5-10 minutes before it runs throught the gears properly. After the initial lag it does fine....until it sits overnight again!! All advice will be much welcomed..

Big Ears !!

 

[doctorjj]

The first thing to do would be to check the fluid level. You also might want to do a fluid flush and filter cleaning/replacement. If those things don't work, it may be your governor sticking. The way to clean the governor is to get going about 65 mph and slam the shift lever into the park position and leave it there for about 3-4 seconds. Then shift it quickly back into drive. No, I am not kidding.

 

[overhanger]

doctorjj has done his homework. The method works and it can entertain your friends too.

 

[mtb_rider]

I do agree with doctor on the checking the fluid part. Trans fluid, like all oils, expand when the get hot. So if you are a little low, cold, it will not want to upshift until the fluid warms up and expands. Also, before having the fluid flushed, check out the color on the stick when you check the level first. It should be a nice clean red. You have to be careful with flushes on old trannys. ATF is very high detergent, and if your clutches are worn, fresh new fluid can "wash" off the remaining material, and end up causing bigger problems shortly after. Check into the cleaning the governor thing a little more first. I spent a lot of time around my dad's tranny shop, and it makes me nervous. I have seen blowed up tranny's before because of accidental shifting while driving on the freeway.

 

[Front Range 4x4]

get going about 65 mph and slam the shift lever into the park position and leave it there for about 3-4 seconds. Then shift it quickly back into drive. No, I am not kidding.

And if that idea just freaks you out as it did me do it as 30mph.

Mine wouldn't shift out of first so I tried this at 30 and it's worked fine since.

 

[cnlson]

are you guys serious???

 

[Front Range 4x4]

Absolutely!

 

[cnlson]

ok two things
1) how does this free the governor
2) totally unrelated - since birfield is down is there any chance you have a pdf of the morgan's knuckle replacement instructions i was going to order the parts and had looked at it from your site but they are down and morgan says he is not sure how long it will be before it is up

 

[Cruiserdrew]

If you take Dr. Js advice, please have a friend with a video camera along with you in another vehicle. That way he can record the carnage, AND give you a ride home.

Do a few drain and fill cycles with good ATF, fill to the proper level and I'll bet your problems are solved. They sell 12 packs of Chevron ATF at Costco and is the ideal price and amount for what you need.

 

[Front Range 4x4]

Cruiserdrew, have you seen this cause damage? I've done it myself as already mentioned I think and it worked just fine. I had already done the drain and fill, screen clean, etc when it stuck. I was stuck in 1st and didn't have many options so decided to try it.

As an aside I recall driving about 70mph in my old 65 Impala with my g/f sitting on the console when she accidentally bumped it into reverse. It didn't hurt that tranny which certainly isn't as strong as the A440F.

 

[agent orange]

That sounds like a horrible idea to me. I had to throw my truck into park at paragon since the throttle was stuck open after blasting up a hill (long story) and it made a friggen hellacious grinding sound as it stopped. I would never subject a tranny to such a thing. Why would that do anything (postive, that is)?

 

[doctorjj]

I have done this exact procedure. I don't know exactly how it clears the governor of debris, but it does. I would do it at the higher speed as you don't want to do it at a low speed, like 10-20 mph, or the parking stub might actually engage and that could be bad. Make sure you are doing about 60 and just slam it into park and leave it there for 4 or 5 seconds. It will make a slight rattling sound. Then throw it back into Drive. This procedure was first described by Rodney from Extreme Transmissions, the World Guru or Cruiser tranny's. It is safe and effective. I did it on my old tranny a few times and never had anything bad happen. All that happened was that tranny would once again shift like it's supposed to.

 

[agent orange]

Wow, thats good to know. I guess the sound i heard was the parking stub engaging as you said, i was going pretty slow at that point.

 

[twstrchasr]

Wow !! If this f ks up my transmission totally, where and to whom shall I send the bill ??!!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
2001 UZJ100-- Champagne Pearl--- 62K
1989 FJ62-- Freeborn Red---130K
1991 Range Rover Classic-- Ardennes Green---62K
2003 Mercedes CL55 AMG-- Bright Silver Metallic---17K a.k.a "Silver Bullet"

 

[cruiser88]

The first thing to do would be to check the fluid level. You also might want to do a fluid flush and filter cleaning/replacement. If those things don't work, it may be your governor sticking. The way to clean the governor is to get going about 65 mph and slam the shift lever into the park position and leave it there for about 3-4 seconds. Then shift it quickly back into drive. No, I am not kidding.

now that i will keep in mind serious

 

[cruiser88]

Wow !! If this f**ks up my transmission totally, where and to whom do I send the bill ??!!!

no all it will do is click like a son of a bitch.just dont wait to long to shift back into drive

 

[overhanger]

If your road speed is above 50 miles an hour and you quickly shift from D to P, wait three or four seconds and then quickly shift back to D or even 3 you will not mess anything up. You will be backflushing, essentially the governor. A good long straightaway, where you can concentrate on the business at hand will help you get things done right. Having passengers along that may distract you isn't something I'd do but I can't multi-task very well. I have been able to perform this operation several times without fail, however. Otherwise, manually shifting to second gear first thing in the morning helps warm the tranny up a little quicker, allows for a little higher speed so you aren't revving the engine all that high and you don't have to try the park trick.

 

[Pathfinder]

I cannot wait to hear how this works and I do not even have an automatic!

 

[doctorjj]

You can send the bill to me if it F's it up. I can say that with confidence because I know it won't F anything up, as long as you do it like has been described.

 

[DaveWest5150]

It sounds to me like what you looking for is to go to reverse... not rally park. perhaps the pressure in thr trans backflushes something that could be clogged,probably the worst that could happen is blowing a seal in the trans