Hard Downshift (Occasionally)

[drblackjack]

I did search for an article like this one, they came close but not quite what i was looking for, so if i didnt find it i apologize.

So i have been experiancing hard downshifts in my 98 Talon Non-Turbo Auto. But it isnt all the time, its seems like only when the car is in a bad mood or something it does it. I will be slowing the car down like say to get off an exit ramp off of the highway and the car will just slam down a gear and rev high to the point where the car jerks hard, almost feeling like the brakes stick, but it only does it once like from 5th to 4th or 2nd to 1st and will do it a couple more times unless i let the car sit for a few (30-60 minutes) it wont do it again for a while. This has me stumped, im hoping its not a major transmission issue, i think it might have something to do with the Over Drive.

Hope You Guys Can Help Me Out, Thanks!

 

[9thgencorolla]

Sounds like you may have internal trans. Problems. Do you have a check engine light on, also check the trans. Oil level, color(should be red if well maintain), make sure there are no particals in the oil.

 

[drblackjack]

Thanks for replying

My Trans Fluid is red and Oil is clean (thats the first thing i checked), i have no check engine light but it does come on (only sometimes) when the car does this, but if i let it sit then drive it for a bit, the check light will go out. All my fluids are a max levels, though i do have a valve pan gasket leak (its not severe), but i dont think that has anything to do with this.

 

[Bill Hincher]

the reason gears grind is because the gears are spinning too fast to allow the shift sleeve to engage the gear, there are a couple reasons for what you have
the very first thing I would check is that your clutch is fully disengaged, because that will make the input shaft spin, clucth 'drag' will cause grinding downshifts
the second is the syncronizers, it is thier job to slow the gear down in the trans, they are really a small brake that work on a taper, the way you fix a poor syncronizer is to lap them with valve ground compound when you assemble the trans, its not hard to do and all you are doing is 'seating' the syncro to the back side of the gear and allowing a better working brake

 

[9thgencorolla]

Valve pan? Did you mean transmission pan?

^ this isn't a manual car.

 

[mchustle]

Valve pan? Did you mean transmission pan?

^ this isn't a manual car.

I'm assuming ^he meant valve cover.

Beat me to the manual thing also.

 

[drblackjack]

the reason gears grind is because the gears are spinning too fast to allow the shift sleeve to engage the gear, there are a couple reasons for what you have
the very first thing I would check is that your clutch is fully disengaged, because that will make the input shaft spin, clucth 'drag' will cause grinding downshifts
the second is the syncronizers, it is thier job to slow the gear down in the trans, they are really a small brake that work on a taper, the way you fix a poor syncronizer is to lap them with valve ground compound when you assemble the trans, its not hard to do and all you are doing is 'seating' the syncro to the back side of the gear and allowing a better working brake

Its an Automatic Non-turbo, so i do believe disengaging the clutch would be difficult But as for the Syncronizers, can i have that done at a shop? Because i really have no where to do the work myself :/

And no i was meaning Valve Pan as in oil leak. (im a noob, i doubt thats even the right thing)

Edit: You all are quick on the manual thing

 

[mchustle]

Its an Automatic Non-turbo, so i do believe disengaging the clutch would be difficult But as for the Syncronizers, can i have that done at a shop? Because i really have no where to do the work myself :/

And no i was meaning Valve Pan as in oil leak. (im a noob, i doubt thats even the right thing)

Edit: You all are quick on the manual thing

I'm may be wrong but I'm pretty sure auto doesn't have syncros

 

[drblackjack]

I'm may be wrong but I'm pretty sure auto doesn't have syncros

See you could be right because i myself am not sure

 

[9thgencorolla]

No there aren't any syncros in a auto! And no the valve cover wouldn't cause the trans to have any issues. Thanks mchustle! I would get the check engine light check out. Even tho it isn't on now your ecu would still store the code. Some parts stores would check it for free.

 

[mchustle]

See you could be right because i myself am not sure

Yea I'm pretty much 100% they don't. When was the last time the tranny was serviced?

I see ^he confirmed my thoughts while I was posting . But like ^he said it will store the code so you should get it checked just a guess but since it throws a code I guess it could be the tcu going out maybe. But like ^he said get the codes read.

 

[9thgencorolla]

Yea the transmission control unit throws the code. And the ecu picks it up and sets the check engine light. I would start there and if you can get a local parts store to check it'll save you a few bucks. Just don't let them sell you anything. And if I recall thos autos have a soilinoid pack. On the trans. That tends to go bad! It's no bad to replace.

 

[drblackjack]

Thanks guys so much for your input, i was truly lost on this, usually im good at figuring stuff out but i just couldnt get this one. And i have no clue when the trans was last serviced, i got the car from my dad in his will and i know he always took good car of his cars. I will run it up to my local Autzone tomorrow and get it checked out. And i will let you guys know what the code was, that way incase anyone else has this problem they will know what to do.

 

[9thgencorolla]

No problem. Good luck!

 

[drblackjack]

Turns Out that autozone has crap equipment and their machine cant get a reading unless the Engine light is on, so i took it to my local shop and they couldnt get the transmission codes (he said it wouldnt let him in to get them?) so no i have to search around the net for my solution :/