auto trans makes a hard CLUNK into D after initial startup
12-07-2006, 12:25 AM
#1
no more maxima...
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auto trans makes a hard CLUNK into D after initial startup
As the weather gets colder, it seems that after the car has sat for a while, when I put it into drive or reverse, it makes a hard/rough jutter into gear, but the rest of gears seem to shift fine.
My immediate thought was that either there isn't enough fluid, or the fluid needs to be changed...however I swapped the valve body on the transmission and changed the fluid, and topped it up to the correct level about 2-3 months back. Additionally there is no visible leaks on the tranny. The transmission however has been rebuilt with aftermarket raybestos clutchpacks, and apparently the gears have been hardened...also there is a higher stall torque convertor.
Any thoughts as to what may be causing this? Do I need to anticipate a 5 speed swap sooner than later (i.e. should I expect failure soon)?
My immediate thought was that either there isn't enough fluid, or the fluid needs to be changed...however I swapped the valve body on the transmission and changed the fluid, and topped it up to the correct level about 2-3 months back. Additionally there is no visible leaks on the tranny. The transmission however has been rebuilt with aftermarket raybestos clutchpacks, and apparently the gears have been hardened...also there is a higher stall torque convertor.
Any thoughts as to what may be causing this? Do I need to anticipate a 5 speed swap sooner than later (i.e. should I expect failure soon)?
12-07-2006, 06:39 AM
#2
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Join Date: Sep 2002
Posts: 250
This might sound strange, but could it be your engine or trans. mounts going bad? It might be a cheap fix for you. I highly suspect that one of my mounts are bad on my 6 speed 02 Max. From your sig you look like you are making some serious power.
Gears
Gears
12-07-2006, 10:23 AM
#3
no more maxima...
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Originally Posted by Gears & Crosses
This might sound strange, but could it be your engine or trans. mounts going bad? It might be a cheap fix for you. I highly suspect that one of my mounts are bad on my 6 speed 02 Max. From your sig you look like you are making some serious power.
Gears
Gears
12-07-2006, 12:59 PM
#4
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Join Date: Sep 2002
Posts: 250
kingrukus,
I hear you on the trans. I don't know how cold it is where you are at, but if it is very cold, your fluid will be very thick, that with a modified trans. could make for a hard shift until it warms up. Do you have a modified valvebody? Did this problem creep up with the cold weather? Maybe switch to synthetics?
The reason why I mentioned the mounts was due to the high HP you were making which might have busted one (or partially so) and allowing some movement. This movement could be the clunk you hear. It's hard to say without hearing or feeling it. On my SVO Mustang, it would clunk only when cold and only after intially moving forward or backward. The cause... worn out rear upper control arm bushings -the ones that go into the 8.8" housing - if you are familiar with 5.0's. This was found only after every other rear bushing had been changed (except the ones on the shocks). I was somewhat lucky because I knew the noise was coming from the back and not engine/trans related. Also, on this same car I had a broken engine mount and didn't know it. I only caught it by noticing the engine was leaning a little.
Hoping for no trans trouble,
Gears
I hear you on the trans. I don't know how cold it is where you are at, but if it is very cold, your fluid will be very thick, that with a modified trans. could make for a hard shift until it warms up. Do you have a modified valvebody? Did this problem creep up with the cold weather? Maybe switch to synthetics?
The reason why I mentioned the mounts was due to the high HP you were making which might have busted one (or partially so) and allowing some movement. This movement could be the clunk you hear. It's hard to say without hearing or feeling it. On my SVO Mustang, it would clunk only when cold and only after intially moving forward or backward. The cause... worn out rear upper control arm bushings -the ones that go into the 8.8" housing - if you are familiar with 5.0's. This was found only after every other rear bushing had been changed (except the ones on the shocks). I was somewhat lucky because I knew the noise was coming from the back and not engine/trans related. Also, on this same car I had a broken engine mount and didn't know it. I only caught it by noticing the engine was leaning a little.
Hoping for no trans trouble,
Gears
12-07-2006, 04:10 PM
#5
Member
Join Date: Sep 2002
Posts: 250
Look what I found while I was surfing the mighty org.
Its in the All Motor section under the title:
Auto transmission questions - Aaron92 and others come in
Gears
Its in the All Motor section under the title:
Auto transmission questions - Aaron92 and others come in
Originally Posted by Aaron92SE
Oh yeah! That is one thing I failed to mention! It's VERY important that when getting your valve body recalibrated, you MUST have good motor and tranny mounts!
If you don't have new mounts, then you have to fill them or get new ones or you will have some issues. With the bad mounts, the tranny and motor will move around a LOT more during the incredibly fast shift. With filled mounts, it makes the shifts feel SO awesome!
I got my VB mod with bad mounts. I thought the tranny was suppose to bang like that during a shift. I also felt the tranny bang when shifting from P to R at idle. It banged b/c it was hitting metal to metal!
When I filled the mounts, it's a smooth shift from P to R now. And at WOT, my 1-2 and 2-3 shifts now feel like a SMOOTH and TIGHT INSTANT SHIFT! ... Instead of feeling like a lose bang of a hammer on the side of the tranny casing! lol
If you don't have new mounts, then you have to fill them or get new ones or you will have some issues. With the bad mounts, the tranny and motor will move around a LOT more during the incredibly fast shift. With filled mounts, it makes the shifts feel SO awesome!
I got my VB mod with bad mounts. I thought the tranny was suppose to bang like that during a shift. I also felt the tranny bang when shifting from P to R at idle. It banged b/c it was hitting metal to metal!
When I filled the mounts, it's a smooth shift from P to R now. And at WOT, my 1-2 and 2-3 shifts now feel like a SMOOTH and TIGHT INSTANT SHIFT! ... Instead of feeling like a lose bang of a hammer on the side of the tranny casing! lol
12-07-2006, 09:46 PM
#6
no more maxima...
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Originally Posted by Gears & Crosses
kingrukus,
I hear you on the trans. I don't know how cold it is where you are at, but if it is very cold, your fluid will be very thick, that with a modified trans. could make for a hard shift until it warms up. Do you have a modified valvebody? Did this problem creep up with the cold weather? Maybe switch to synthetics?
The reason why I mentioned the mounts was due to the high HP you were making which might have busted one (or partially so) and allowing some movement. This movement could be the clunk you hear. It's hard to say without hearing or feeling it. On my SVO Mustang, it would clunk only when cold and only after intially moving forward or backward. The cause... worn out rear upper control arm bushings -the ones that go into the 8.8" housing - if you are familiar with 5.0's. This was found only after every other rear bushing had been changed (except the ones on the shocks). I was somewhat lucky because I knew the noise was coming from the back and not engine/trans related. Also, on this same car I had a broken engine mount and didn't know it. I only caught it by noticing the engine was leaning a little.
Hoping for no trans trouble,
Gears
I hear you on the trans. I don't know how cold it is where you are at, but if it is very cold, your fluid will be very thick, that with a modified trans. could make for a hard shift until it warms up. Do you have a modified valvebody? Did this problem creep up with the cold weather? Maybe switch to synthetics?
The reason why I mentioned the mounts was due to the high HP you were making which might have busted one (or partially so) and allowing some movement. This movement could be the clunk you hear. It's hard to say without hearing or feeling it. On my SVO Mustang, it would clunk only when cold and only after intially moving forward or backward. The cause... worn out rear upper control arm bushings -the ones that go into the 8.8" housing - if you are familiar with 5.0's. This was found only after every other rear bushing had been changed (except the ones on the shocks). I was somewhat lucky because I knew the noise was coming from the back and not engine/trans related. Also, on this same car I had a broken engine mount and didn't know it. I only caught it by noticing the engine was leaning a little.
Hoping for no trans trouble,
Gears
I am actually in the process of bringing the car back to stock now. I actually swapped out the maxxtuning performance VB a few months back for a stock unit, and poured out the amsoil ATF in process and put in cheaper fluid. I think the biggest mistake I made was putting in cheaper fluid...time to go back to amsoil ATF.
The whole situation with the mounts definitely makes sense...the car had been boosted for many years, so I am sure the mounts are not in the best shape that they could be in right now. However I dont think she willl be seeing boost anymore, so I am just going to leave the mounts as is, and hope that new amsoil ATF takes care of things...if not then ill definitely be looking at the mounts next.
Ultimately, I have realised that I cannot own a maxima with an auto...its either manual, or buy something else.
12-08-2006, 07:47 AM
#7
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Join Date: Sep 2002
Posts: 250
Originally Posted by kingrukus
Ultimately, I have realised that I cannot own a maxima with an auto...its either manual, or buy something else.
I bet those 6th gen. 5-speed autos with the manual shift are nice also.
Good luck on your sale,
Gears
12-08-2006, 08:10 AM
#8
My 95 did that for a year and a half, and I never had any problems. When I got the car aligned, it still pulled, and they said it was bad motor mounts causing the problem, and they also said thats what could be causing the clunk
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