Soarer Central: ATF level high, fluid discoloured and vibration

Soarer Central Transmission ATF level high, fluid discoloured and vibration

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Paul Baxter
Newbie
Queensland
SC400 V8

Posts: 1
Reg: 05-2006

Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!)

Wednesday, August 02, 2006 - 10:54 am, by: Paul Baxter (Pco10)

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The 1991 V8 is a great car but mine has had its share of problems. Here's the latest development at 98,000k.

I checked the auto transmission fluid level after a 30 minute drive and found it way above the "high" mark. Furthermore, the fluid was not ruby red and clear like it normally is but looked like old engine oil.

The reason I checked the oil level in the first place was because for a few minutes after a cold start while travelling at 50kph I can feel a slight vibration or judder through the car and through the steering wheel and the transmission won't upshift, even when you lift the throttle going downhill. The judder disappears the moment the car warms up and then it is able to upshift again and behaves normally, like a healthy Soarer.

One other thing, I have noticed that the transmission tunnel inside the car gets really hot to the extent that on a hot day it is uncomfortable to lean your left heel against the tunnel.

Without examining the car yet, the mechanic thought the ATF problem might be due to water leaking back into the transmission from the transmission cooler when the car stands overnight, thus contaminating the ATF.

I'd really appreciate some expert feedback from forum members before going ahead and spending more money on this car. Many thanks.

Anish Varsani
TryHard
QLD
V8 UZZ30

Posts: 359
Reg: 07-2005

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Votes: 0 (Vote!)

Wednesday, August 02, 2006 - 11:02 am, by: Anish Varsani (Yomama)

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Did you check the fluid with the engine running or stopped?

The upshift problem is normal if the car is refusing to go into 4th gear. The ECT won't up shift or allow the torque converter to lockup until the gearbox fluid is warm.

As for the fluid, have it flushed out with Toyota T-IV. The fluid seems to get dirty very quickly due to the slippage in the gears of a stock tranny. Before I had a shift kit, fluid was going from cherry red to a dark blood red within 5000km.

Unless you have a shift kit, don't let the mechanic use DEXRON. You may have to buy the fluid from toyota and take it to him. It's not expensive. $24/4L. A full flush will take about 12L.

Peter Nitschke
JunkFilterer
South Australia
GT4.0 V8

Posts: 5377
Reg: 11-2004

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Wednesday, August 02, 2006 - 11:39 am, by: Peter Nitschke (Pen)

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If water (coolant) is leaking into the tranny, then what is happening with your coolant level and colour?

Anish, I recently had my fluid flushed after 3 years and a few very hot track days and a lot of hills hooning, and MV auto's said it was still quite OK. That's without any additional tranny cooler either.

They then promptly filled it without the engine running resulting in a few litres too many going in and subsequently overflowing when it got hot causing a huge mess under the car, but that's another story.

Paul Baxter
Newbie
Queensland
SC400 V8

Posts: 2
Reg: 05-2006

Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!)

Wednesday, August 02, 2006 - 12:48 pm, by: Paul Baxter (Pco10)

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Anish Varsani wrote on Wednesday, August 02, 2006 - 11:02 am:
Did you check the fluid with the engine running or stopped?

Engine was stopped. However, that's how I usually do it and the level was always between the "low" and "high" marks and the colour was ruby red and clear. Now the level is above "high" and colour is like dirty engine oil.

The upshift problem is normal if the car is refusing to go into 4th gear. The ECT won't up shift or allow the torque converter to lockup until the gearbox fluid is warm.

That's interesting because I was always able to get top gear even when cold - the way it refuses to upchange is entirely new for this car.

And no, I haven't checked water level and colour at this stage but will do so this evening.

Anish Varsani
TryHard
QLD
V8 UZZ30

Posts: 360
Reg: 07-2005

Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!)

Wednesday, August 02, 2006 - 04:36 pm, by: Anish Varsani (Yomama)

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Paul, tranny fluid is meant to be checked with the fluid at operating temp and the engine running. If it's between high and low while the engine is not running, you definately don't have enough fluid in the box. Mine is spot on the full mark when hot and more than twice that height when the engine is shut off.

Park it on level ground, move the shifter from park through all positions then back with a few seconds between each position. Then check the level.

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