tranny shifting problems

hi all, new here to this forum, and have been told that i may be able to get help diagnosing and repairing this problem before it gets any worse. truck is an 08 tacoma, 4.6l auto trans,150000 on the clock, that seems to have trouble shifting between 2nd goin into 3rd, as of late it is shuttering really bad. let me start by letting you all know that it is one of my best friend's ride, and between september of last year until last month, he was my main source of transportation as my engine went south in my own car,which i rebuilt and am back on the road with, and i'm gathering info so i can hopefully fix this problem before his trans goes to hell... we took it to a local trans repair shop late last year, and i dont even think they tried to diagnose it, or even put it on the rack, they just threw a price at us to replace it. all i know at present is, if anyone has access or a link to a repair manual, i'd appreciate a response as to how to further diagnose this, and is this a common problem for this model? i also think this tranny is sealed, as in is there a way to actually check the fluid? i'm wanting to change the fluid and filter without going to the stealership to do so, figured it's a good starting point as it probably needs doing anyway. by chance i spoke to another owner of one of these tacomas, and he said his was doing something similar, and the independent shop owner he took his to said that there are shift solenoids that may or may not be the culprit. sorry for the long story here, but i want to be able to fix this before it's too late! thx to all in advance, hope to hear from someone soon!

 

heres a write up on a tranny flush if you plan on doing it (which i think you should)
http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/2nd-gen-tacomas/68462-diy-full-flush-automatic-transmission.html

After you flush it i would add a bottle of this in there and see if it helps.

$13 Lubegard 60902 Automatic Transmission Fluid Protectant, 10 oz

http://www.amazon.com/Lubegard-6090...qid=1429411666&sr=8-3&keywords=lubegard+flush

I recently did a tranny flush and i also added a bottle of lube gard in there also and my transmission is fine. It was fine to begin with though i only did it for preventative measure but at least you know it didnt ruin anything on my truck. I wish i could help you more on your problem but thats all the advice i have to offer because im not a transmission guru by any means but im sure someone smarter than me will chime in here and give a good answer but a tranny flush and lubegard is a good place to start since its the basics. Also i used valvoline maxlife ATF for my new fluid

 

4.6L '08 Tacoma? Engine swap?

 

I am a little confused regarding engine size as well ?

Now if he had the 4 liter engine , he could look here for a bunch of information

http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/te...hift-kit-shift-recalibration-kit-2nd-gen.html

 

yea, me too, i'm thinkin thats wrong, i'll check the engine size and correct my posting...anyone out there can tell me the engine size(s) for that year??

 

hey guys, sorry for the bad intel, but it is a 4.0l, fantastic write-up, and will help me a lot! so other than being a maintenance issue, could dirty fluid/ low fluid situation cause this tranny to shudder on upshifts between 2nd and 3rd? i am going to get the filter screen and the proper type ATF, and my next question is will i be able to get most of the fluid out by dropping the pan and also pumping it out thru the cooling line? is there a specific way to drain as much as possible being as at 150K, i think it's
definitely time to do it right and go the extra mile and change the filter/screen.. thx to all for the good advice!

 

Trans -go makes a repair kit for your concern but proper diagnosis is the key .
Along with flushing the fluid , I would consider the recalibration kit .
Here is the fix for the 2-3 shudder . http://www.transgo.com/products.php...d=264&countdisplay=1&start=0&addcountview=Yes


Here is the procedure for replacing all the fluid .
http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/2nd-gen-tacomas/63851-how-drain-refill-automatic-transmission.html

 

thx gearcruncher and everyone for the great info! i'll post my results after i'm done. do you think this could be just a low fluid problem, not that i'm gonna stop there, i've already ordered the filter/screen and gasket, and fresh fluid and will tackle this issue on the upcoming weekend. i appreciate the help and advice!

 

ok guys, in the interest of trying to help a good friend, and not wanting to possibly do this twice, could you please point me to a write up, or a thread that will help me do a filter/screen, gasket, and total fluid change? i've ordered the gasket and filter, and new ATF of course, and need to know any other procedural how-tos regarding this venture. i've done a few over the years, but this will be my first yota fluid change. i have carefully read and bookmarked the write up regarding fluid replacement, but really want to know from those of you who have done an actual filter/screen and gasket change what i'll be looking at once i drop the pan, and how much fluid i will end up replacing, and what type of sealant i should use, etc. thx in advance! Louis

 

^^ Post #2. Click on the link.

 

clean up and lube all linkages going to tranny including on top of it
(under center console)

clean up and lube tranny downshift cable going to throttle body (if it has one)

many many tranny shops will want $1000 for rebuild when the problem is just some sticky linkages/cables and $100 bucks labor


only after all this is verified cleaned up...worry about the guts

 

thx 1, good advice, didnt really think about that, should have tho, my old Rover Disco wouldnt go into 4 Low if you didnt use it regularly, and keep it lubricated.. lesson learned with that one...do you know if this 08 model has a kickdown cable, or is it electronically controlled? thx in advance