I have a 94 gxe automatic. Lately it has been taking its sweet time shifting. It will hang for a second or two on whatever rpm it starts shifting at then it will drop down rapidly and I will feel it hard sometimes. Mostly this happens under WOT, but happens less severely when the throttle is only half way. Well, my fluid on the dipstick is a couple inches higher than the "hot" notch and has been before the transmission problems. I don't remember if it was always like that or just after one time bringing it in to the dealer for repair. Is it that I've been running with too much fluid for too long and it's hurt the tranny, is my dipstick just screwed up and the fluid's fine and the tranny's shot, or is the dipstick screwed up and I'm actually low on fluid? All the info i can get helps. I don't want to bring it into the dealer and have them say the tranny's shot, only after we pay them $500 to say so. Thanks

-Nate

 

Well if it makes you feel any better my GXE does the same thing. I know these AT are pretty weak. I also know that of all the fluids in your car the AT fluid should be filled to the exact level indicated. Over filling can cause damage especially if your a few inches over..thats a lot. The sliding into gears your experiencing is most likely do to the wear on the bands in the tranny but overfilling can effect your shifting as well. Ive looked into the level 10 rebuilds to fix the problem in our tranny but Ive heard mixed things about them and its a lot of money to drop on your car. Hope this has helped.

 

I think I'm going to do a flush and fill. I hope it doesn't need rebuilding, cause it's being pitched if it needs big $.

-Nate

 

Ive actually heard from a few Nissan owners (not just maxima) that getting a flush made a world of difference. Just make sure you get it done at one of those jiffy lube like places where there actually flushing the tranny not just filling, draining, and filling again like some backyard mechanics.

 

I work at an auto shop/gas station and they do a flush and fill. I'm either gonna go over there and do it when the manager's not there so i can get it for free, or use my employee discount and have them do it.

-Nate

 

Well let me know if it helped.

 

If the car has over 100,000 or the tranny has never been flushed don't do it. It may cause it to start slipping. Don't really matter tho cause those jiffy lube places won't even do it if the car has over 100,000 miles. Just do a drain and fill.

 

I don't understand why it would cause slippage. My car has like 97,000 miles. Should I just drain and fill then?

-Nate

 

From what a tranny mechanic told me, the grit that is floating around in an older transmission actually helps the older, worn clutches to grip better. He said if it don't have a problem, don't mess with it. Drain and filling is fine, but a flush, especially with the solvents they use, can cause it to start slipping. But like I said, over 100k miles and the lube places won't touch it anyways.