1996 Pathfinder SE transmission normal?

[96thumper]

I just purchased my 1996 Pathfinder used (obviously). It drives great but I have noticed something that does concern me a little. While cruising on the highway the transmission “hunts” every now and then. It will just shoot up 300-500rpm and stay that way for a little while and then go back down. It does it quite frequently. It’s not based on load (climbing up a hill or accelerating) so I’m a little worried. The vehicle has 156k miles. What could this be? Is it a common issue or standard operation?

 

Also, the 1-2 shift is pretty rough and the 2-3 shift pretty soft. This may be normal but I don’t know. The transmission fluid is clean and at the proper level.

[csutke]

when was the last time you had it flushed? what size tires are you running?

 

Mine is the same way but i have 31's. Ive noticed that even with the slightest wind it will jump to between 3-4K and stay there till I let off the gas. But this is because I have the 4.3 gears and tires that are bigger than stock.

[96thumper]

when was the last time you had it flushed? what size tires are you running?

 

Mine is the same way but i have 31's. Ive noticed that even with the slightest wind it will jump to between 3-4K and stay there till I let off the gas. But this is because I have the 4.3 gears and tires that are bigger than stock.

 

Right now it has 235/75R15 street biased tires. Last flush was at around 100k miles according to the original owner.

[csutke]

sounds normal to me mine does that and ive only got 71k on it

[mikeysentra]

Sounds pretty normal to me also. I have a 97 XE with 31's and about 138,000. i was concerned about it when I got mine last april but after about 13,000 miles and a full tranny flush and filter its still there and hasent changed so I have rendered it normal and it hasent left me yet. just my .02

[Zibi]

My stock 96 (213000km) is similar. How much it hunts really depends on how I drive it...I do a lot of mountain driving and it isn't that well geared for it so sometimes the torque shift will just go back and forth between really high revs and low revs with little power.

 

My 1-2 shift is a bit rough as well but I just had it serviced and attribute it more to old age. I just have to give it a bit to warm up and it's better.

[96thumper]

I'll do a transmission filter change/flush to see if it works any different. I was surprised at it changing RPMs that often (on cruise control too) even though no added load was being placed on the engine. I've never experience that with an automatic but if several folks on here have the same condition it sounds like a normal thing. That makes me feel a lot better.

 

Thanks for the input everyone!!

Edited March 18, 2008 by 96thumper

[02silverpathy]

Please try Lucas Tranny Slip Fix...My 01 Alty was a hard shifter and would wait for higher than necessary RPM's to bump us into the next gear....this was at 70K. I have since added lucas for about 5K, done a home drain and refill adding Lucas again, and just last Summer another drain and refill with Lucas again. I have spread this flushing out over the last 20K in 1.5 yrs and could not be happier. The tranny is responsive, shifts correctly and is even timely and accurate when you are getting on her!

 

I put this same fluid in my 02 Path, I have noticed very little difference at 50K, but it does fall into lock up with more ease. My tranny has an issue with clmbing semi steep grades and letting go of 3rd, as if it needs a re-flash concerning throttle and acceleration***disclaimer for that is I have 32's on it compared to the stock 29's and m-a-y-b-e the tcm thinks it still needs more rpm's to go to the next gear...my re-gear is on the way!

 

From another thread...this really worked for me

[XPLORx4]

I just purchased my 1996 Pathfinder used (obviously). It drives great but I have noticed something that does concern me a little. While cruising on the highway the transmission “hunts†every now and then. It will just shoot up 300-500rpm and stay that way for a little while and then go back down. It does it quite frequently. It’s not based on load (climbing up a hill or accelerating) so I’m a little worried. The vehicle has 156k miles. What could this be? Is it a common issue or standard operation?

 

Also, the 1-2 shift is pretty rough and the 2-3 shift pretty soft. This may be normal but I don’t know. The transmission fluid is clean and at the proper level.

 

At what speeds and RPMs do you see this happening, and how many times per minute does it do this? The RPM difference you describe (300-500rpm) sounds like the torque converter is unlocking and re-locking while in overdrive, which is not abnormal. The TC unlocks to increase engine RPM for more power. When the throttle position and engine load fall within certain parameters, the TC will relock, because the engine RPM is now able to maintain the desired speed.

 

For what it's worth, my Pathfinder TC cannot stay locked in overdrive at ~70mph while traversing a freeway overcrossing. Even the slightest slope is too much strain. Also, any type of headwind causes the same behavior. However, my truck isn't nearly as "stock" as yours, so this doesn't bother me.

 

If you don't know the full maintenance history of the vehicle, consider replacing the transmission fluid (it's 56K miles old) and doing tune-up procedures (plugs, dist cap + rotor, throttle body cleaning, air filter, fuel filter) to help restore any lost engine power.

Edited March 18, 2008 by XPLORx4

[Pathyin72401]

i noticed the same problem in my 98 SE, but have noticed after a lot of elbow grease and replacing some parts, transmission computer, Vehicle Speed Sensor which was a pita i unplugged my Throttle position sensor yesturday just for sh*ts and giggles and drove it around the block drove like crap but after i plugged the wires back in i noticed a great deal of change my 1-2 gears did not shift near as hard, 3-4 smooth, I have also been told by a few nissan mechanic's on some other boards that when the tps goes bad it can cause admormal shifting, mine before yesturday drove at high rpms it seemed like the rpm gauge would match the mph gauge at location, but i do use lucas in everything, front differential, rear, transcase transmission, and it hasn't seemed to help if you do replace the tps the cheapest place i have found it has been auto zone for under 80 bucks, the vss sensor is suppose to be easy unless u break it off at the transfer case like i did then its a couple more hours worth of work just my 2 cents o

oh yea one more thing if u have the stock transmission cooler be careful thats what destroyed my first transmission, one of the lines got clogged and burnt it up, and i guess theres not temp gauge for the transmission or if there is mines not plugged in

 

heres the post from one of the mechanic's

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Quote:

could it really be the tps?

 

Definitely, that was the first thing we used to check for shifting problems. (After all the obvious tests).

 

if u need any of the manuals i found an online version free, and legal, but you can only get one section a day unless u donate to the site its nissanhelp.com if its against rules to posts other sites i appoligse

Edited March 19, 2008 by Pathyin72401

[96thumper]

The Jeep Cherokee I used to own would require a new TPS every ~30k miles. It would start to shift weird and that was always the fix for it. I do think my vehicle speed sensor is failing because every now and then the speedometer won’t work. Once the vehicle gets up to about 40mph the speedometer works again. This doesn’t happen often, but every now and then. I originally thought this sensor could be confusing the transmission computer but from what folks are saying here it sounds like normal operation.

 

I have to say, coming from a ’98 Cherokee I really enjoy my ’96 Pathfinder. It rides much better, has more room inside, etc.

[Pathyin72401]

well if u ever do replace it just becareful the o ring in mine wouldn't give and ended up breaking the sensor in half at the transfer case housing and then i had to pull the housing off and it came right out but i had to cut my exhaust off with a sawzaw because i couldn't separate it at the joints

[laxman0324]

Every vehicle Ive owned did this except for my 99 Mercedes ML 320 because the torque converter didn't lock up at speeds above 50, so at 70 Im at 3k rpm's, but I still got about 23-24 on the highway...

[Pathyin72401]

im gettin around about 13 in 2wd