Lee & Joan Posted December 4, 2012 Share Posted December 4, 2012 Seems strange after 46 years of driving but I have never had an automatic transmission in my life, so I have some stupid questions to ask. (1) When pulling a steep hill the trans will downshift from OD to 4th, to 3rd (I think it is 3rd) but will not go down into 2cd or 1st no matter how hard I push the petal to the metal. It will then bog down to low RPM's going as slow as 20 MPH, never shifting down. Fortunately I have never hit a hill long enough or steep enough to come to a complete halt. Is this what is supposed to happen? Should it continue to automatically shift down to 2cd or even first? Should I be manually shifting into second? (2) If I come to a stop and then shift into 2cd and then later shift into Drive while moving it will stay in 2cd no matter weather I am excellerating or deaccellerating. The only way to get out of 2cd is to come to a complete stop and rack the shifter through Park and back to Drive, then it acts normal. Is this what is supposed to happen? (3) My most dumb question I saved for last. While climbing a steep hill is it alright to manually shift into 2cd while moving, or even 1st while moving, then shift back up when I clear the hill ? I have not tried this knowing that I would have to stop at the top to get it to go back into drive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WME Posted December 4, 2012 Share Posted December 4, 2012 Remember you driving a automatic that was designed to work in a 1/2 ton pickup that was driven mostly empty. You are smarter than it is. You need a tach to know when to shift. No tach then go to the files and use the mph converter and mark your speedo. I use 3000 rpm as a down shift point when climbing the mountains and 4500 rpm as upshift point. Down shifting going down hill is also a good idea. Just remember the engine rpm limits. Manual shifting of an auto causes no harm as long as you respect the rpm limits of the engine. When your done with the ups and downs, just shift back into drive and the trannie is back to a normal transmission. If your sure about your transmission behavor in queston 2, you have a problem. Check the fliud levels and go to the FSM in the files and learn how to check/adjust the kickdown cable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
linda s Posted December 4, 2012 Share Posted December 4, 2012 For starters turn off the overdrive and never turn it on again. Sounds like it already has some problems shifting. Drain the tranny fluid and put in new stuff. I use some Lucas tranny treatment in mine to keep it running smoothly. Sometimes it can fix what you have already damaged and make it shift smoothly again. yes I manually downshift if I need to. No it almost never goes all the way down to first but shifts into second often on hills and then shifts back to third on it's own. Remember I'm never using 4th because that's the overdrive. Mine was having some shifting problems when I bought it almost 9 years ago. Changed the tranny fluid a few times and added the Lucas stuff and I'm still running fine all these years later. Overdrive is an A43D killer. it also doesn't give you better gas mileage. I have tested mine a number of times driving straight. flat highway 5 in Cal and always got better mileage with it off. Hope this helps and hope it's not too late for yours to recover Linda S Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waiter Posted December 4, 2012 Share Posted December 4, 2012 Lee, This doesn't sound normal. That tranny should be able to upshift/downshift and completely take care of itself to optimize the RPM / Torque / Speed, Throttle position, etc. Look at the fluid level first. (check with engine running and in PARK.) If fluid level is low, this tranny will do weird things. (Take note of color and smell. color should be a nice pink/red, no oder of burning or hot. I seem to recall there were occational problems with throttle cables to the tranny, either rubbed thru and binding or out of adjustment. You might want to look around on this site for "transmission cable or throttle cable. With this said, I occationally "force" the tranny into a gear with the selector, Usually when climbing a hill, rather than have the tranny constantly popping between 1 and 2 or 2 and 3, I may simply put the tranny in second and just hold a speed of 35 mph going up a hill. Same going down a long hill, rather than constantly on the brakes, put the tranny in 2nd and use the engine as a brake holding 35-40mph. JOhn Mc 88 Dolphin 4 Auto Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mr.wolfie Posted February 21, 2013 Share Posted February 21, 2013 Another newbie chiming in! I'm looking at installing a tranny oil temp guage, and was wondering which of the 2 lines running to the radiator and cooler is the incoming and which is the outgoing? Haven't climbed under the trans yet since its been raining and SNOWING IN SOUTH CAROLINA (it's fun to poke fun when you're from Wisconsin) so I don't know how it hooks into the trans, and for all I know its clearly labeled with arrows and everything, but until it's cleared up and I'm not working 13 hour days on 3rd shift, with a wonderful, beautiful, caring wife who will threaten to shoot me if I don't go to bed after breakfast/dinner, this is the best way I have of finding out :-) Thanks! And sorry for the silliness, been up for 48 hours now... but only 2 days left at work! And then one day off... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zero Posted February 21, 2013 Share Posted February 21, 2013 (1) When pulling a steep hill the trans will downshift from OD to 4th, to 3rd (I think it is 3rd) but will not go down into 2cd or 1st no matter how hard I push the petal to the metal. That is NOT the way it is supposed to work. I suspect your throttle-cable control is out of adjustment. Your transmission's upshifting and downshifting is controlled by the throttle position of the carburetor. There is an adjuster that changes the way the transmission interprets what your throttle position is. When out of wack the trans will either upshift lousy - or downshift lousy depending on which way it is out of adjustment. GM used the same system in their 80s to early 90s 700R4 and 4L60 transmissions and in GMs it was called a "TV cable." If you are lucky it will be a simple adjustment. Later transmissions do this electronically, but not on yours. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maineah Posted February 21, 2013 Share Posted February 21, 2013 Yes it should down shift on it's own if you are going slow enough the gear spacing leaves a bit to be desired. If your cable is maladjusted causing this the trans will up shift too soon. If you just put it in drive does it shift OK? That's important there are some things that were problematic with that unit concerning the governor. You trans has 4 speeds the O/D is 4th the space between 4th and 3rd is not a big jump 3 to 2 is so you'll have to be going fairly slow and it does down shift with a vengeance. As far as O/D I use it there are those that don't it's their choice if you use it your trans might last 150K if you don't your trans might last 155K. If you find it shifting down a lot lock it out until the land is a bit flatter. If the trans has a lot of miles on (like 80-90K) it and has not been serviced, don't or you'll be walking in about 2 weeks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maineah Posted February 22, 2013 Share Posted February 22, 2013 Another newbie chiming in! I'm looking at installing a tranny oil temp guage, and was wondering which of the 2 lines running to the radiator and cooler is the incoming and which is the outgoing? Haven't climbed under the trans yet since its been raining and SNOWING IN SOUTH CAROLINA (it's fun to poke fun when you're from Wisconsin) so I don't know how it hooks into the trans, and for all I know its clearly labeled with arrows and everything, but until it's cleared up and I'm not working 13 hour days on 3rd shift, with a wonderful, beautiful, caring wife who will threaten to shoot me if I don't go to bed after breakfast/dinner, this is the best way I have of finding out :-) Thanks! And sorry for the silliness, been up for 48 hours now... but only 2 days left at work! And then one day off... The top pipe (highest on the trans) is the hot end of the system the lowest goes to the rear of the trans and dumps into the pan once it's been through the coolers.The very best place for a temp sensor is in the transmission sump. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maranatha Posted September 26, 2013 Share Posted September 26, 2013 I have a 1990 Toyota Dolphin V-6 Automatic Transmission that intermittently will not shift from Park to any gear. Do these transmissions have some kind of parking lock that is disengaged by some button or something? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waiter Posted September 26, 2013 Share Posted September 26, 2013 press on the brake pedal. John Mc 88 Dolphin 4 Auto Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vanman Posted September 27, 2013 Share Posted September 27, 2013 On our's sometimes it pulls out of park hard after sitting a day or more. I have found a second push of the brakes eliminates this so I just do that on the first start in the morning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
linda s Posted September 27, 2013 Share Posted September 27, 2013 The owner of the toyota-campers site on yahoo had his shifter completely stuck for quite some time. turned out the brake shifter locking mechanism can get loose and not release the shifter. Don't know how he fixed it but he is on this site from time to time or you can ask here. His name is Turtle http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/toyota-campers/ Linda S Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donnie Posted October 26, 2013 Share Posted October 26, 2013 About 90% of the heat generated in your trans. is coming from the torque converter (fluid shear) ...not from slipping clutches unless there is a problem with that area. Some friction from thrust washer's & bushing's, but very little... As said previously, the hottest fluid is coming from the top line, which is converter output going to the cooler to be cooled & then returning to the trans thru the rear line as LUBE oel, where it lubes the planets, bushing's, & most of the rear gear train, BEFORE it drops to the pan.....Here is the reason that the cooler must be CLEAN ! >>>>>>>> the returning oel, being used as lube oel has already been thru the filter,( I use the term lightly, filter, that is) it leaves the converter, goes to the cooler & returns to the trans as unfiltered oel, as it may have picked up any clutch material, or other debris along the way...from the converter, or the cooler itself, or the crook's , bend's & low spot's in the cooler line's........just a little transmission theory .....101.......................Donnie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vanman Posted October 27, 2013 Share Posted October 27, 2013 Don't the newer V6's have a lock-up type conveter?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek up North Posted October 27, 2013 Share Posted October 27, 2013 All the V6s were backed by the A340 automatics which have a locking converter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maineah Posted October 28, 2013 Share Posted October 28, 2013 About 90% of the heat generated in your trans. is coming from the torque converter (fluid shear) ...not from slipping clutches unless there is a problem with that area. Some friction from thrust washer's & bushing's, but very little... As said previously, the hottest fluid is coming from the top line, which is converter output going to the cooler to be cooled & then returning to the trans thru the rear line as LUBE oel, where it lubes the planets, bushing's, & most of the rear gear train, BEFORE it drops to the pan.....Here is the reason that the cooler must be CLEAN ! >>>>>>>> the returning oel, being used as lube oel has already been thru the filter,( I use the term lightly, filter, that is) it leaves the converter, goes to the cooler & returns to the trans as unfiltered oel, as it may have picked up any clutch material, or other debris along the way...from the converter, or the cooler itself, or the crook's , bend's & low spot's in the cooler line's........just a little transmission theory .....101.......................Donnie Nope dumps right back into the pan at the rear right side of the transmission goes through the filter screen before going any where else. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donnie Posted October 28, 2013 Share Posted October 28, 2013 Not sure which version of the AW series that you are speaking : As you probably know there are 12 versions of the AW 40 series trans. Japan cloned the BW55, to a degree........then proceeded to make a unlimited amount of changes The '73 to 81 was a 3 speed They added an OD section on the front like Gm did with the 2004R & Ford did with the A4LD,. That happened around late '81 & most all 82's had OD. The designation of: A42DL....A43DL....A44DL....& A43DE......Had a lock up piston in their converters (unit's with a lock up have a very different cooler flow than non lock up unit's.....as there is less flow thru the converter when the clutch is applied, & the lube circuit's vary. Due to the weight of these Motorhomes, the lock up converter spends most of it's time unlocked....A lock up in these was not a good idea. My experience in these transmissions has mostly been in Volvo's & non Motorhome Toyota's. Actually, I think it was Linda who suggested locking out the OD section......GOOD IDEA...I'll explain in another post...Donnie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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