2010 pre runner 4.0 299,000 Miles engine or transmission shake

Automatic 5 SPD. My truck has been getting a engine or transmission shake ( or slip) usually between 2 and 3 gear. Like when I'm going 50 miles and I have to brake a little and then go up to speed again it kinda hesitates and jumps a bit. Doesn't happen if a go up to speed really slow. Any ideas? Is it transmission slip? Or fuel injector related?

 

How does it shift manually using the selector when you bring it up and down through the range and how long has it been doing this? Also, does it do this when cold (transmission) and get worse or better as it fully warms or acts the same.

 

If you’re going 50 just cruising along, you are in fifth gear with the torque converter locked up. The situation you describe sounds just like torque converter shudder, usually happens around 40 to 50 mph. There’s a simple test you can try, when you’re getting the vibration, barely tap the brake pedal, enough to actuate the brake lights, but not enough to actually slow down the truck. If it immediately goes away, that’s a pretty good indication. Also, keeping the gear selector in 4th and having the problem not happen any longer is also a decent indication of shudder.

Mine started doing that, and for a while, I nursed it along by dropping into 4th whenever the situation called for it. I was convinced I was going to have to replace the torque converter, but after replacing the VVT oil control valves, it completely stopped doing it. A few others reported the same thing. YMMV, of course.

 

It shifts fine I've changed half the transmission oil twice @ 150,000 and 250,000 . It happens whether cold or warm. I'll be going 65 on fwy and if I have to brake down to 40 mph for traffic for a couple seconds.. When I press the gas to go up to 65 mph something will shake once in the front. It'll shake again if I don't let off the gas and I have to go up to speed really slow if I don't want it to happen. I travel 140 miles round trip for work and it'll happen like 4 times on the trip. Mostly cuz I've learned how to go up to speed without triggering it. On some uphill spots it's impossible to avoid though.

 

There's a right and a left oil control valve? It sounds similar to your situation but it doesn't really vibrate , it does one shake or two until I let off the gas. I'm going 60 on fwy and I brake down to 40 mph for whatever reason, if I go up to speed past 1.4 on the rpm meter it shake or hesitate. I have to go up to speed really slow like 1.3 on the rpm meter. Doesn't happen at fwy speeds. Like if I'm going 65 and go down to 55 I can go up to speed just fine without the shake. IDK if it's a specific rpm that triggers it or transmission or fuel injector. Starting with what you suggested might be a good idea though

 

Yes, exactly right, two of them. I bought OEM from a seller on eBay who specializes in Toyota parts. I changed mine because of a cam timing code that was being thrown every once in a while when I really accelerated hard and up to a reasonably high rpm. Originally I only changed one (on the bank indicated by the specific code), but then I decided to change out the other one as well, and that’s when the shudder was fixed. The truck is running smoother as well, not that I had really noticed any real problem before swapping out the oil control valves.

My shudder sounds like it behaved similarly. While on the freeway in traffic, slowing down through 50 to about 40, then step lightly on the accelerator such that the torque converter would not come out of lock up, and I’d get the vibes. Doing the brake tap test would always make it stop immediately, as would putting it in 4th, which had been my temporary solution. Stepping on the gas harder would take it out of lock up too, but you can’t do that when there’s a car in front of you.

 

Yeah in rpms close to 2 or higher it doesn't happen but exactly in traffic that's not possible. It also doesn't happen to me if I accelerated really slow IDK if that happened to you. I guess I'll buy oem vvt valves they're $130 each at my local dealer. Was thinking of testing the valves in hopes of maybe only needing one and returning it but at 300,000 miles might as well change both. Did you clean the filters? I change my oil every 4000 miles I drive around 28k miles a year for work.

Thanks

 

I pulled the filter on the passenger side just to take a look, it was totally clean, so I didn't bother with the one on the driver side as it's a little less fun to get to. I did have to put on a new crush washer as I had a leak after the inspection with the old one (no shock there).