Is this normal?

[TFK3221]

So I recently changed my transmission filter and this is what’s on it, i feel like it’s not normal but i am not really sure.

 

[AdventureWagon]

Greasy or dry? Kind of looks like greasy fingerprints from someone holding it in place. Anything else odd like the fluid looking wrong?

 

[TFK3221]

So I recently changed my transmission filter and this is what’s on it, i feel like it’s not normal but i am not really sure.

Greasy or dry? Kind of looks like greasy fingerprints from someone holding it in place. Anything else odd like the fluid looking wrong?

It’s dry like sand almost

 

[AdventureWagon]

Weird? Could be grease that clutch material has stuck to? Anything similar in the pan?

 

[TFK3221]

Nothing in the pan that is similar to it

Weird? Could be grease that clutch material has stuck to? Anything similar in the pan?

 

[AdventureWagon]

I think if there was a lot to worry about you'd know from the pan contents. I guess you can disassemble the filter or examine with a torch and check inside but I think they are just a screen inside. As long as the valve body looks ok from the bottom I don't know what else to suggest apart from just monitor the transmission.

 

[TFK3221]

Okay thank you so much, i forgot to mention that my car often change gears only in higher rpm & doesn’t change to 4th gear, checked the ECU & it’s not that, turned on & off overdrive still the same issue. But this happens when going on long trips only

I think if there was a lot to worry about you'd know from the pan contents. I guess you can disassemble the filter or examine with a torch and check inside but I think they are just a screen inside. As long as the valve body looks ok from the bottom I don't know what else to suggest apart from just monitor the transmission.

 

[AdventureWagon]

Won't change until higher rpm if you are demanding lot of throttle and will also change higher if you have ECT PWR on. There is also an overdrive lockout on the gearstick but you do get an OD OFF warning for this. There are only 2 solenoids for gear change so if you have 1st through 3rd I'd say both of these are working. The other solenoid is for torque converter lockup. Does the lockup happen in 3rd (it sounds like a phantom gear change and usually you get a 200rpm drop).

 

[TFK3221]

Won't change until higher rpm if you are demanding lot of throttle and will also change higher if you have ECT PWR on. There is also an overdrive lockout on the gearstick but you do get an OD OFF warning for this. There are only 2 solenoids for gear change so if you have 1st through 3rd I'd say both of these are working. The other solenoid is for torque converter lockup. Does the lockup happen in 3rd (it sounds like a phantom gear change and usually you get a 200rpm drop).

It happens often in 3rd gear for the lockup, it’s weird cause 1st to 2nd is high RPM but if i let go of the throttle it change to 2nd & the same for 2nd to 3rd, but 3rd to 4th it doesn’t want to change even if i let go of throttle.

 

[Aeroelastic]

So you changed the filter due to the high rpm gear shift issue? is there any difference of the rpm after the new filter and part atf refresh? Take it that you didn’t flush the remaining atf in the torque converter.

 

[TFK3221]

So you changed the filter due to the high rpm gear shift issue? is there any difference of the rpm after the new filter and part atf refresh? Take it that you didn’t flush the remaining atf in the torque converter.

It’s better, doesn’t happen too often but it still happens, driving the car feels smoother after changing, still has a hard time changing to 4th

 

[Aeroelastic]

when you mentioned long trips, like a half a day journey? It happened to my Prado once during the summer when we drove all the way from Ireland (to Ferry) then to Cumbria, about 40mins from home, coming off the motorway pass a roundabout, the Auto struggle to change to 3rd gear. I stopped the car on the roadside for a couple of minutes, restarted the engine and it was still hesitating but after a few mins all back to normal. I did use the ECT Power button to overtake on the motorway a few mins before the struggle happened.

I changed the atf (only draining those in the sump) when home, and the auto has been behaving normally since. But I haven't one a long trip since the atf change. I am not sure if this is similar to yours?

 

[AdventureWagon]

Could it be that the ECU detects a high but not critical ATF temperature and precluding the use of overdrive which could cause a lot more heat at least in the torque converter?

When I go on long journeys I'm usually towing so disable overdrive as mentioned in the manual. But haven't noticed this on other medium (30..60 min) trips.

 

[TFK3221]

when you mentioned long trips, like a half a day journey? It happened to my Prado once during the summer when we drove all the way from Ireland (to Ferry) then to Cumbria, about 40mins from home, coming off the motorway pass a roundabout, the Auto struggle to change to 3rd gear. I stopped the car on the roadside for a couple of minutes, restarted the engine and it was still hesitating but after a few mins all back to normal. I did use the ECT Power button to overtake on the motorway a few mins before the struggle happened.

I changed the atf (only draining those in the sump) when home, and the auto has been behaving normally since. But I haven't one a long trip since the atf change. I am not sure if this is similar to yours?

I often go on trips but it’s usually 4 hours long and on highways & going up mountain roads, it will struggle on the highway, usually on mountain roads i will use the 2nd gear to climb, i don’t use the ECT power button for overtaking on highways

 

[Aeroelastic]

Could it be that the ECU detects a high but not critical ATF temperature and precluding the use of overdrive which could cause a lot more heat at least in the torque converter?

When I go on long journeys I'm usually towing so disable overdrive as mentioned in the manual. But haven't noticed this on other medium (30..60 min) trips.

Could be, I have an additional ATF cooler installed after the OEM radiator heat exchanger. ATF temperature warning never came on, if there is a pre warning from ECU then this should prevent a lot of ATF overheating. My fluid was not red (but not terrible) when drained. Anyway, will monitor further. I did check the ECU for blown caps but all looks normal. I cleaned the connector next to the Auto box underneath the car too as it was a bit oily outside from rocker cover leak by previous owner.

I read online that there is a way to convert this A343F box to "manual" if you unplug the connector to the solenoids next to the Box - L (1st), 2 (2nd) and D (3rd) shifting by hand. Then should go into OD. Never tried.

 

[Aeroelastic]

I often go on trips but it’s usually 4 hours long and on highways & going up mountain roads, it will struggle on the highway, usually on mountain roads i will use the 2nd gear to climb, i don’t use the ECT power button for overtaking on highways

Just noticed that you are from Malaysia. Me too, but has been in the UK since 1999. which part of Malaysia? The highway speed there shouldn't be too demanding on this Auto box. Should be sitting around 100 - 110km/h quite happily?

 

[AdventureWagon]

Yes it does have a manual fallback if you unplug it. Shifts might be a bit sudden and I think you can only select 1st 2nd or 4th given there are only 3 forward positions on the lever.

 

[TFK3221]

Just noticed that you are from Malaysia. Me too, but has been in the UK since 1999. which part of Malaysia? The highway speed there shouldn't be too demanding on this Auto box. Should be sitting around 100 - 110km/h quite happily?

There is a newly opened highway Pan Borneo, i use that road often and there is where i experience that problem, 90kmh-100kmh it will struggle to shift into 4th

 

[Aeroelastic]

There is a newly opened highway Pan Borneo, i use that road often and there is where i experience that problem, 90kmh-100kmh it will struggle to shift into 4th

So East Malaysia - I am from a small town Lawas next to Brunei. Part of Pan Borneo right? My auto usually shift to 3rd at 55mph (89km/h), then quickly shift into OD after that, with rpm dropping by 200 - the phantom gear change @AdventureWagon mentioned above.

 

[TFK3221]

So East Malaysia - I am from a small town Lawas next to Brunei. Part of Pan Borneo right? My auto usually shift to 3rd at 55mph (89km/h), then quickly shift into OD after that, with rpm dropping by 200 - the phantom gear change @AdventureWagon mentioned above.

Yup east Malaysia, i forgot to mention that it struggles to shift into 4th, it will try & make the car hiccups, the hiccups doesn’t happen anymore only high RPM is need to shift or letting off throttle (works only for 1-2-3)