Topic: Auto tranny quits on steep inclines

[gturismo]

Not sure exactly how to describe it.  When my truck gets at a certain incline (I'm going to guess at about 30 degrees) the auto acts like it slips into neutral, and I roll back down, then it goes back into drive.  Its like having a manual trans pop out of gear.  The fluid is not low.  In fact, it was just over the full line on the dipstick.  It does this in all gears, D, 2 or L.  I don't know much about autos, but it seems like its not picking up the fluid.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.  If this is not an easy fix, then I'm one step closer to doing the manual trans conversion!

[gturismo [OP]]

Forgot to mention its the stock A340H tranny

[Willy Mammoth]

Sounds like the fluid is moving away from the pickup and you loose pressure to the clutch packs and converter. Maybe a deeper trans pan?

[WHITE_TRASH]

Say it with me, c a v i t a t i o n....  Willy is right your losing pressure due to the fluids *cough pun intended* fluidity.  When you go up hill the fluid level stays level with the ground and it goes away from the pickup tube in the trans.   Im not aware of anyone that makes a deeper pan for your trans offhand but Im sure there is one out there.  Id just cut it apart and add 1 1/2-2" to the depth and the pickuptube. 

[Willy Mammoth]

Say it with me, c a v i t a t i o n.... 

 

You even said it yourself Do the manual swap, you won't regret it.

[gturismo [OP]]

Thanks for the input guys.  That does make sense.  I just talked to a buddy of mine on the phone and he said that he has heard of this happening on lifted trucks with autos.  He said it was because of the rigid shifter linkage setup that does not allow for any twist or flex.  He said that converting it to a cable type linkage would fix it.  I'm not sure about this, because the only time it happens is on a steep incline.  It did not happen any other time, and I drove it alot last weekend.  Any thoughts on this linkage issue???

[WHITE_TRASH]

That is a very common problem on tj's and xj's not on yota's.  That is a non issue for you.

[gturismo [OP]]

You even said it yourself Do the manual swap, you won't regret it.

Actually, I have a used W56 and 2 top shift transfer cases sitting in the garage already.  I started collecting the parts a little while ago, because I thought that someday it would come to this.  Just didn't expect it quite so soon

[gturismo [OP]]

That is a very common problem on tj's and xj's not on yota's.  That is a non issue for you.

Thanks WT

[billy hill]

Maybee you could overfill the tranny (like 1/2 quart).

[RHG]

Nooo! A buddy of mine overfilled his tranny and when it heated up it built up pressure then spewed tranny fluid all over engine compartment and that caught fire. Luckily he had a extinguisher and put it out fast. Only a few wires were melty.

[dirtbag]

you overfill it, you'll blow almost EVERY seal in that thing. When you are driving on level ground, your tranny level is fine, but when you go on inclines, it starves the drive gears of fluid, thereby acting like it popped out of gear, because it essentially has, no fluid = no go. WT had the correct terminology, CAVITATION. Also, did you notice that, when not being able to go forward, after you roll back down, that it kind of "lunges" forward? Be careful doing that with the tranny, automatics don't like that too much. It would be like revving the engine up in neutral and, while still revving, slam the transmission into gear. Eventually, you'll blow the internals out.


On a side note, it has been said, but I will re-iterate it:

MANUAL SWAP

Hope that helps.