femur

@88, Thanks for the info man. I was checkin out the pic you posted in thread: http://www.nissanpathfinders.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=8817 and your tranny coolers look pretty sweet. you think installing one of those would keep my tranny from dying (as quick)? BTW, im all about $10 from a junk yard as you mentioned. I read that thread about the shift kit... seems like it is a son-of-a-gun to install and i dont really have the expertise to do something like that. Seems like id have to drop big $$$ to get it installed by a shop (although assuredly cheaper than a new tranny, i know). Basically: Would a cooler like you have in your pic keep my tranny from dying as fast? Assuming i install a tranny cooler tomorrow, is my tranny still gonna die? Im gonna start changing out my ATF every 30k now. Good call man! Thanks for the advice. Any other readers ever have any tranny problems like im describing? What can i expect? Any other advice/ideas/talk would be appreciated!

@88pathoffroad You are making me scared man! Is a tranny cooler necessary when im not towing or driving hard? From what i have been reading in the other threads in this forum, they are recommended for people who tow a lot and drive really hard which i never do. Also, what are the symptoms of a tranny starting to die? From stores i have read in this forumn about tranny's dying usually this happens: Documented here: http://www.nissanpathfinders.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=12113 http://www.nissanpathfinders.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=9741 http://www.nissanpathfinders.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=12174 and I always thought that this kind of stuff usually happens: -Inability to shift (reverse usually goes first?) -Really hard shifts -Burnt out ATF The fact that my shifts are usually very smooth is really throwing me off. I could be wrong though! Thank you for the advice. Any other feedback you have would be very much appreciated! Thanks 88, Femur

@hmrepairs I get no slippage or hard shifts at all, ever. My shifts are silky smooth! It just seems to take a while to 'decide' to finally go to 4th from 3rd, and from park to drive like i described above. For 3rd to OD, Ill drive in third for about 10 minutes and then finally it just shifts to overdrive very smooth like nothing happened. After that, the tranny will go from 4th to 3rd on hills and stuff and shift back and forth with no problem for the rest of my drive. Seems like once it's warm, everything is ok. I have never changed the filter before and have never had the pan off. When i did change the fluid it was pretty clean and unburnt. No wierd smells and no metal shavings or anything. Do you recommend changing the ATF filter out and checking the pan? Thanks! -Eric

Greetings! (this is my first post EVER) I have a wonderful '95 pathy with 234k on it that I plan on driving forever. Lately, I have had an interesting situation with my tranny that I cant seem to figure out. I have spent several hours on this very addictive (and wonderful!) forum reading up on the different AT threads and have not found anybody with similar symptoms. They are: 1. Tranny takes a bit (2-3 seconds) to 'engage' when i shift from park to drive. When the tranny is warm the delay is shorter. Also, the delay is worse in the winter. 2. Lately when im on the highway the tranny is taking longer and longer to finally go from third to overdrive when i first start driving on the highway. After it is warm, i can go to OD with no problem. 3. When i shift from park to reverse or drive to reverse i get that same delay before my AT 'catches' Ive had this problem for about 1.5 years but it has been getting worse (slowly). All my other shifts (1st to 2nd, 2nd to 3d) are as smooth as silk. My thoughts are to change out the AT fluid/filter as described in this aweseome thread:http://www.nissanpathfinders.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=9928 and then put in some Redline ATF. Some background on my pathy: Ive changed the AT fluid twice in it's life. The fluid was nice and unburnt. Ive owned the truck the whole time and taken good care of it. Never hauled anything heavy. I do not have any AT cooler other than the stock on. Also, i am running with 20w50 because i leak oil from my RMS and the thicker stuff slows that leak. Any Ideas/help that any of you'all have would be VERY appreciated! Thanks a lot! Eric