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Toyota experts help with a Rav4....

Valv

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Valv Grand Master

Valv

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My '97 Rav 4 has having problems with transmission. It has 150800 miles and when cold it jerks while driving sometimes.

Warmed up it's much better but if I step on throttle it shifts back and forth then finally stays in gear. Reverse is almost gone, it barely moves and I have to give a lot of throttle to make it move.

I just replaced oil (Dextron III) and filter but color is already dark red.

Any hint on what could be ? Do these transmissions have adjustable bands (like Chryslers)?

I thought these Toyotas were bullet proof..... wink.gif

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Valv Grand Master

Valv

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Well actually insurance totaled it, then 2 days ago I asked them how much they wanted if I kept it....they said $ 377.00...shocked.gif

What the heck, I kept it for that money, it's almost the size of an ATV, and definitely cheaper....

It won't look great, but it will work for most of my needs around here...

Now if I can only make it go on reverse..... confused.gif...but today it didn't have any problem, I drove it for a couple hundred miles including town and didn't have any issues.

Go figure...it's gotta be a Toyota.... wink.gif

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Jeremy airjer W Grand Master

Jeremy airjer W

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Well you have me stumped Valv. I'll be going on 12 or thirteen years pretty quick and I haven't seen a bad Toy tranny, or even that many clutches (I've maybe done two if I remeber right). Even when they use to put them in the Jeeps (To bad chrysler put an end to that, on the other hand hurray for me that chrysler put an end to that!!) I'll do some poking around monday at work to see if I can figure out anything.

What part of the vehicle was hit? Did the engine run ruff at all? did you have a check engine light come on? did it start before or after you did the service? How long did the vehicle sit between the accident and the buyback? and last Did it start right away when you started to drive it again or did it take a couple of days?

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hondavxr Collaborator

hondavxr

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Well, Valv sounds like you have symptoms of a tranny thats going to go. In Toyota trannys the valve body located inside the tranny does a lot of the shifting. I am pretty sure the valve body is probaly on it's last leg. Valve bodies are pretty spendy and sometimes it will not totally solve all the issues. I think it time for a low mileage used tranny. Toyota trannies to last a long time, but it depends on how the owners treat it. I can show you a 91 Camry with almost 500,000 miles on the original motor and tranny. I know the owner of the Camry and he takes pretty good car of it. If you need help sourcing a tranny shoot me a pm. thanks

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Jeremy airjer W Grand Master

Jeremy airjer W

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O.k. Valv, did you see the post with my questions? I'm guessing this is a front wheel drive and not an all wheel drive.

The front wheel drive is a A241E trans I believe. If the check engine light did not come or you do not have access to a code reader than I would start with this. When / if the trans is acting up, unplug the main transmission connector located near the PRNDL switch on the transmission. The trans will default into a manuel shift. Take it for a drive starting in first and manuely upshifting shifting and downshifting through all the gears as if you where driving a manuel transmission. If it drives like it should with no slipping or erratic shifting then we know its an electronic problem, and its time to break out the scan tool. If the symptoms do not change than we know its a mechanicle failure .

Hope this helps!!

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Valv Grand Master

Valv

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I am sure thisis a 4x4 but not full itme.

Anyway that is an excellent suggestion. I also have an OTC scantool but I have to see if I have the connector for Toyotas.

I have to say I believe this car was poorely taken care of. It was dirty, motor oil darker than my diesel's, tranny oil probably never changed, plugs almost all eaten out, etc.

I did all the services I could do except flushing transmission. I will buy another filter and oil, since mostly of the bad oil was still in the converter, my oil change didn't do much.

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Jeremy airjer W Grand Master

Jeremy airjer W

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Valv, if its an all wheel drive than your using the wrong trans fluid. All wheel drive models use toyota type T trans fluid. Two wheel drives use dexron. Valvoline makes a transfluid that I believe is called Max Life and may be compatible with the T type fluid. There is a 800 number on the back that you can call to confirm. The product we use is called Versa Trans and covers the toyota T-3 and T-4 applications. I would strongly suggest using the correct fluid for your application.

The connector is an OBD type connector. As long as your scan tool is OBD compatible it should work.

The all wheel drive trans should be the A-540H. The same test is used to find to find a mechanical/electrical failure for both.

The other thought I had is why not try a can of seafoam trans tune. It can't hurt!

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Jeremy airjer W Grand Master

Jeremy airjer W

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Airjer I need your help post

Automatic Transmission Fluid

DEXRON II or DEXRON III ATF

FWD Drain and Refill - 3.5 QTS.

Toyota ATF Type T or equivalent

AWD Drain and Refill - 3.5 QTS.

The front wheel drive (top) is dexron

The AWD (bottom) type T

Sorry for any confusion, I had to go back and double check myself.

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Valv Grand Master

Valv

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Yeah I double checked myself too and saw the note.

Any way if you need a place to rebuild Dodge truck transmissions I strongly suggest with no hesitation Goerend Brothers in Iowa.

I have one of their transmissions, cost me 1/2 price than Dodge or others, after 80,000 miles with all sorts of abuse (including dropping all fluid completely 3 times while towing in the middle of interstate), a souped up 350hp truck , etc, this tranny shifts and runs better than OEM brand new.

I wish they were this good from factory, Dave is THE MAN for Dodge trannies.

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