Transmission lag when braking?

Hey all, I've noticed kind of a weird issue with my truck when driving around and braking while coming up to lights.

Vehicle:
2000 Toyota Tacoma
5VZ-FE V6 engine
A340F Automatic transmission (4x4, with xfer case)
150K miles on the clock.
Dropped/drained/cleaned trans pan at 120k
Drain/filled fluid every 15k
New brake calipers, Brembo rotors, PBR pads, Braided lines, OEM shoes and drums. Brake Fluid flushed every 10k miles or so.


Symptoms:
~When coming up to a light and braking, I notice the transmission is still trying to apply torque. It takes about 3-4 seconds before it realizes that I've depressed the brake pedal, and it disengages. It feels like its still tying to apply torque, despite the fact my brake pedal is depressed.
~If I depress it harder, it will realize it a little bit faster. Its fairly annoying because I cant even begin to guess wtf is causing this.
~I know the fluid is full, and good. (no smell, no change in color, no metal)
~The pan and magnets are clean
~There's no noises from the transmission (no grind/whir/ect)
~It DOES NOT slip gears. It hits shift points, and shifts cleanly.
~No lag on acceleration, at all.
~I can engage/disengage Over Drive, without any problems what so ever.
~transfer case engages/disengages easily.
~Is more pronounced when fluid is still cold, but still prevalent when fully warmed up.


Im honestly baffled. Its only on deceleration to a stop, that it somehow takes it a few seconds to realize that the brake is depressed and it needs to disengage. I don't know how the braking system communicates with the transmission, but there is a delay.


Any transmission wizards here???

 

To me that doesn't seem like your transmission.. Your engine is basically making the transmission move technically. Have you checked out your throttle body? It seems almost as if your throttle plate is sticking open and not shutting when you let off the gas pedal.. Have you tried letting off the gas while going up a steep hill?(without braking) see if it feels like your still gassing it even after you let off the pedal.

 

Yeah, but I just assumed that it was normal for the truck to move forward without pressing the gas.

If I'm going up a steep-ish hill, after barely starting earlier, It can almost take itself up the minor hill. (Albeit at like 3 mph)

But a thing I noticed is that the lag ceases when I throw it in neutral right after braking to a complete stop (while it's still winding down)

 

I think you may have a vacuum leak, maybe in your power brake booster.

 

Can you tell what gear the transmission is in when you are at the stop ?
Does it feel like you are still in second gear rather than first ?
The converter clutch control ( valve body ) is also notorious for sticking and holding the converter locked longer than it should be .
Not saying this is your issue but from your explanation , its something that you could check .
Toyotas have the dreaded throttle bump when the ac compressor cycles

 

Of course it's normal for the truck to be moving forward without your foot on the gas but I can feel the difference from when I'm coasting without my foot on the gas and when I'm stepping on the pedal. Ok let me ask the question a different way.. When you switch from gas to break do your rpms stay the same as if you were still gassing it? Ie I'm going 60mph at 2400 rpm. Right when I take my foot off the gas my rpm rapidly drops down too about 2000 or something.(not exact just an example).
It's normal to be able to go up a small hill while idling at that speed.

 

Its tough diagnosing over a keyboard .
I suggest taking the truck to a trans shop for a free road test . They can tell you exactly what the problem is by simply road testing the truck .
Some shops will even hook up the scanner and check the status of your cat converters and your throttle position sensor . Even the brake switch is an easy test with the scanner , not to mention the hidden trouble codes ...I see the truck is a 97

 

Yes, it feels as if it's still stuck in gear, and then I finally realizes and let's go.
I know it's not throttle bump, because I've made sure to turn off everything. Any ancillary electronics and controls shut off. I also move the dash air control to face, or feet, to keep the AC compressor from kicking on with the dial set at windshield, or windshield/feet.

Nope. I can be cruising at 75mph, ~2500 rpm, and let off. It'll slowly start dropping down. It doesn't stick, or act like it's still getting gassed.

Yes, I know it's a tough diagnosis, but I ran a Wireless OBD2 scanner with Logworks on my iphone, and also ran a Bluetooth Obd2 with with Torque on my spare android phone. Neither one indicated any problems

 

Without actually watching the parameters on a scanner , it sure sounds like you have a sticking valve body .
A free road test would verify this but in my opinion , you need valve body work . If you plan on keeping the truck , combining these two specialty kits is a probable fix .
http://www.sonnax.com/parts/2764

http://www.transgo.com/products.php...d=253&countdisplay=1&start=0&addcountview=Yes

http://www.sonnax.com/parts/2452

 

While at idle, check the throttle cable at the throttle. Make sure there is a little slack in it. If it is taut, then the throttle is not going completely back to curb idle, and you need to adjust it.

 

I'll look into this. I checked my Trans fluid after driving around for a while at lunch. Unfortunately I forgot I have to check it while the engine is on and in neutral/park. It showed the fluid was above the top-hot mark, but im unsure if its actually over-filled, or Its saying over-full because it wasn't running and moving trans fluid around. I had it drained and filled by the local Toyota dealership, so its a possibility it was overfilled. It may explain this too. IDK though. I'll check again on my drive back from work, and check it while running. If it's still over the mark, i'll take it over to the base auto shop, and drain some out to get it correct.

Edit: checked fluid, while hot and running. The dipstick showed a hair below max- hot top line.

Edit:

My throttle cable is not taut, with a surprising amount of slack in the cable. I have Cruise control too, so im wondering how I adjust the cables to be "factory correct", since I can see 3 cables on the throttle body. The lower right is the Throttle Cable, The top right is the Transmission kickdown cable, and the left cable is my cruise control cable. Whats the adjustment spec? Is there like a specific measured cable deflection or something?

I found a metal ball clamped to the transmission kick down cable. All the cables have a shitload of slack. Around 1/4 of cable can be pulled from their sleeves, before it gets tight. I'm not entirely sure how the little cross-pins are staying in their slots...

 

Edited and updated