hard shifts (auto)

[95nismo240]

when i first start my 95 240sx in the morning or when the engine and transmission is cold the transmission shifts in into 2nd hard and jerky. when it warms up its like i dont even feel the shift at all. is this normal???

[Chaotic_Warlord]

my 95 does the same thing, I thinks it just because the transmission fluid is cold and thicker than it is when it warms up. I remember the last older automatic I owned doing the same thing but that was years ago.

[1991S13]

My '91 did that a lot too. It went on for about 6 months, about 5,000 miles. The transmission went out after that, I don't know if the hard shifting contributed to it though.

http://www.240sx.org/faq/artic...g.htm

I read that a while back, it says some reasons for hard shifting could be bad TPS wiring, or using something other than Dextron II ATF.

[95nismo240]

i dont think the mechanic at my school put in Dextron II ATF. so im thinking of changing the fluid myself. how should i do this??? just take out the drain plug, let the fluid drain then fill back up???

[2s4x0]

I have an 98 AUTO. Mine does the same. shifts into second hard, but only for a few minutes after startup. It is definately the fluid. If you removed the electric plug on the drivers side tire under the hood, its right on top (Im no mechanic so im not sure whats its called). Your car will shift hard into ALL gears. My guess is its just something simple as fluid warming or transmission warming. Not a big deal.

[sxseguy]

They all do that. When the transmission is below normal operating temperature it puts out maximum line pressure, making the shifts seem harsh. It does that for two reasons. One is to make sure that there's no clutch slip, which wears the clutches quicker. The other is to bring it up to temp quicker.

Now, does yours refuse to let you go into overdrive (fourth gear) when it's REALLY cold outside until the car warms up? Mine started doing that for the first time this winter. It's fine after a warm up and a restart, though, and doesn't do it at all when it's warm out.

[95nismo240]

im pretty sure i have all four gears... but i try pushing the overdrive off and i feel no difference. the RPMs dont change and nothing happens when i turn overdrive off. the light just comes on