JeffMCFC21

I have a1996 Ls400 with 187K. I don't know if this would be a shifter solenoid problem? When cold and driving everything shifts smooth at first then it seems to want to shift up gears faster than normal when going normal speed and when I notice that and I start coming to a complete stop it seems to struggle to shift down to 1st. It only does this about 3-4 times then all is well and shifts beautiful with no problem after that. I checked tranny fluid level and it is fine. I also did a filter and fluid changer earlier this year. I used the correct ATF Type T-4 from dealership. No check engine light is on either.

Any ideas?

dicer

Does it do the faster up shift in all gears? I'd look at signals from the speed sensors first. Is it a temperature related deal?

timmy0tool

iTrader: (7)

did you do a flush when changing the fluid? sometimes too much fresh fluid introduced into the system that was used to the old ATF will cause problems like this. hard to say it's your problem.

are you checking the ATF level on level ground? are you checking using the "hot" side of the dip stick? i recommend rechecking the level using "hot" after driving the car around for 20mins or so.

how's the condition of your tranny mount?

JeffMCFC21

No I didn't do a full flush, just drained from the pan and removed that and filter change.

And yeah I'm checking it on level ground when its hot and looking at "hot" level which is all fine. It was a bit low about 3 weeks ago when I notice it to start doing this and I went to the dealership and got some ATF and put 1/2 quart first and checked level and it was still a bit low. I then put the remaining half of it and it was at perfect level (did this when car was hot.) I was thinking that this was the reason for it doing what it was doing but 1 week later its been doing the same thing...

JeffMCFC21

I did install a Magnefine Inline Magnetic Automatic Transmission Filter on the return line when I did the filter change. The old trans filter I pulled was really dirty. It was at the point the car was barley moving. I put new ATF and filter and I've been driving it for about a year with no problems till now. But do you think without doing a full flush that some of that old ATF has clogged the Magnefine filter on the return line and just replacing that might help?

cobalt91

I would take a look at that extra filter. Who knows how much crud it has pulled from the fluid in a year.

dicer

I would not use some after market inline filter. No need for it. I got a high mileage LS and the trans was not serviced all that much, and same with a Subaru, both manufactures build a good automatic transmission. No problems and both are pushing the 300,000 mark. I think people want to fool around with something that doesn't need it. All any automatic transmission in a car needs is a simple fluid change, no flushes etc. These cars its easy enough to change out the 2 quarts of atf the same time an engine oil change is done. Do that and the transmission will out live any other part on the car, well unless a seal developes a leak.
I was so disappointed the day I dropped the pan on the Subaru, it had close to 200,000 miles and I know the fluid wasn't touched since I met the car at 120,000 and don't know if it had ever been drained. The pan was spotless it was a waste of time and gasket to drop it the filter looked perfect.

JeffMCFC21

ok so the check engine light came on this morning on the way to work. I'm thinking it could be a shifter solenoid at this point. I'll take it somewhere and see what codes pop up