04 Celica (Type T-IV ATF) shifts better after warm

[hansonywu]

Does anyone else who drives a Toyota that requires Type T-IV ATF notice that it shifts better, and more frequently (earlier) after the car is warm (5-10 minutes of driving)? I notice that when I first start the car, the first few times going up to 60km/hr I would still be stuck in 3rd. However once warm the transmission is happy to shift into 4th as soon as maybe 50km/hr. Overall even when cold the shifts are fairly smooth, just as a whole the car feels ... "heavy" and a bit sluggish? Some more info - the car currently has ~124,xxx km on it. Toyota dealer did a complete flush of the ATF at 95,000 km, and I just did a drain and fill (40% of fluid capacity) less than 1000 km ago, with Type T-IV fluid. I was wondering, is it because most of the fluid in there is still the older stuff from the flush? When I drained it, the stuff that came out was a much darker, and noticeably thicker fluid than the new fluid. Maybe the thickness of the fluid makes it not perform well under cold conditions? Mind you, even in the wintertime here in West Coast temperatures rarely drop below -5 degrees celsius (and almost never below -10). Thanks!

 

[Gene K]

While I am not familiar with that particular trans, many modern trans are programmed to hold lower gears and keep the converter unlocked until the engine and trans reach a particular temperature.

 

[tudorart]

That happens with new fluid in a worn tranny. It's common. You're not supposed to change your fluid if the transmission is worn out but since you didn't know that...probably because you're not the first owner or don't have the service history on it. My guess is it never had a fluid change before 95k and it's been driven hard. Like the poster before me. I'm not aware of the particular behavior of this transmission and its fluids so I am just giving you a possible cause here.

 

[FXjohn]

Originally Posted By: tudorart

You're not supposed to change your fluid if the transmission is worn out but since you didn't know that..

people are still parroting that falsehood??

 

[kozanoglu]

In our 2003 Toyota Sienna, I changed ATF at 160,000 miles.Probably the first change in its life.I do not know if the previous owner changed it or not.I used Redline D4. Now I have 168,000 miles.When it is cold, early in the morning (4 AM or so) it does not shift fast.I used to hear whirring type of sound at around 30mph., but if I let it warm up by a few minutes it would not do that. I recently drained it and filled with Maxlife.I do not hear the sound and it shifts easier even on cold days.Actually this was the first day after refill.Hopefully it stays this way.

 

[hansonywu]

Originally Posted By: kozanoglu

In our 2003 Toyota Sienna, I changed ATF at 160,000 miles.Probably the first change in its life.I do not know if the previous owner changed it or not.I used Redline D4. Now I have 168,000 miles.When it is cold, early in the morning (4 AM or so) it does not shift fast.I used to hear whirring type of sound at around 30mph., but if I let it warm up by a few minutes it would not do that. I recently drained it and filled with Maxlife.I do not hear the sound and it shifts easier even on cold days.Actually this was the first day after refill.Hopefully it stays this way.

I've heard many good things about Maxlife and other generic ATF like Mobil Synthetic and Royal Purple. Yet I'm still hesitant to put that in place of the Type T-IV - as I'm limited to doing drain and fills, either I do it 2 or 3 times in short succession or the new type would be mixed with the old stuff.

 

[hansonywu]

Originally Posted By: Gene K

While I am not familiar with that particular trans, many modern trans are programmed to hold lower gears and keep the converter unlocked until the engine and trans reach a particular temperature.

Thanks for the reply. That would make a lot of sense, hopefully that's the case here.

 

[kozanoglu]

Originally Posted By: hansonywu

Originally Posted By: Gene K

While I am not familiar with that particular trans, many modern trans are programmed to hold lower gears and keep the converter unlocked until the engine and trans reach a particular temperature.

Thanks for the reply. That would make a lot of sense, hopefully that's the case here.

I read lots of complaints by Toyota drivers that when it is cold the O/D does not engage right away, it does only after it warms up.I read also that (like Gene K suggests) Toyota says it is normal.

 

[hansonywu]

Originally Posted By: kozanoglu

Originally Posted By: hansonywu

Originally Posted By: Gene K

While I am not familiar with that particular trans, many modern trans are programmed to hold lower gears and keep the converter unlocked until the engine and trans reach a particular temperature.

Thanks for the reply. That would make a lot of sense, hopefully that's the case here.

I read lots of complaints by Toyota drivers that when it is cold the O/D does not engage right away, it does only after it warms up.I read also that (like Gene K suggests) Toyota says it is normal.

Thanks, I won't worry too much about it then, especially since it 's only really for the first 5 minutes of driving. Also, I haven't noticed any particularly rough shifts - My only gripe is getting used to the natural downshift to 3rd when I step on the brakes going down steep hills.