Corolla auto transmission question...

[salomon68]

Hey guys, while I'm dumping money into my 87 Supra, my daily driver is a 98 Toyota Corolla. I got a transmission flush done at NTB late last summer. Later on that fall it started acting up. I'm not sure whether this is the engine or tranny (auto). So, here it is:

Starting from a dead stop in reverse or forward, whenever you give it moderate to heavy gas, it shudders. Like it's quickly catching and slipping then it will finally "grab" and will be fine in the other gears (same for reverse). If you're really easy on the gas, it won't do this. It will occasionally do this on the interstate as well (not very often though).

Here is what confuses me and this only happened one time. I put it in neutral to see if it would still shudder. I had the AC engaged and the tranny in nuetral. It shuddered whenever I would give it some gas. This only happened one time without the tranny engaged.

Any thoughts? I would greatly appreciate any insight.

 

[mkiiichip]

Is the CEL on?

 

[te72]

It shudders if you sharply press the throttle, but settles into place? Might check that your mounts for the motor and trans are still bolted in nice and snugly... I remember my old roommate's Celica GTS had bad mounts at one point.

 

[fixitman04]

have you checked the fluid level in the trans? sounds like a bad pump or torque converter. check the trans line pressure, may need to have this checked professionally. the torque converter is the most likely problem as it could be locking and unlocking even in neutral if something is broken inside it.

 

[BTNH-LC]

have you checked the fluid level in the trans? sounds like a bad pump or torque converter. check the trans line pressure, may need to have this checked professionally. the torque converter is the most likely problem as it could be locking and unlocking even in neutral if something is broken inside it.

I agree. Though some cars can develop a problem after a transmission flush. If the flush was done well after the manufacturer recommends, sometimes the new detergent in the new fluid can cause clutch material build up that was stuck to the walls of the transmission case and the torque converter to break lose and that can throw the torque converter to go off balance until enough speed is built up to where it is evened out. Remember the torque converter always spins, even when the transmission is not in gear.