93 Pathfinder tranny issues...Please help

[Jacklalanne]

The bad: I bought my PF knowing it had a tranny problem. The good: I paid $450 for it and the engine runs nice and strong.

 

Once I started to try and diagnose the problem, the first thing I found was that the A/T seemed to be quite a bit overfilled assuming I am checking it correctly for this vehicle: Engine running, Tranny hot, in Park, on level ground.

 

From what I can find in my Owners Manual as well as some online research, my Pathfinder is in limp-home (fail-safe) mode. The sypmtoms listed for this mode in my Owners Manual (and on AllDATA): "No Reverse and stays in 3rd regardless whether the shifter is in D, 2 or 1." I drove it twenty miles or so and other than the lack of shifting it seemed to run out real smooth and quiet, with all the power I could ask for once it was up to the normal RPM range for 3rd gear.

 

I have done the initial "Self-diagnosis mode" steps to try and get it out of "limp-home" when and if there are no component failures involved, but that didn't work.Then, I also noticed yesterday that it is in 3rd even when the shifter is in N and I began to suspect the shift linkage may have had a component failure or be out of adjustment so tomorrow I was planning go through the steps of visual inspection and going through the steps of adjusting the shift linkage turnbuckle to see if that might help.

 

My newest problem: Today I decided to start out by doing a simple drain and fill on the tranny since the fluid was pretty dirty. From what I have found through googling etc, the consensus seems to be that the drain and fill should only take 4qts of Dexron III. When I drained it though, I got out over 6 quarts. Then when I added the new fluid and it took 4qts to get it to the normal cold range (this was prior to running the engine at all though). It was getting dark so I just had time to start and run it for 30sec or so and put the shifter through each position, but now to my extreme frustration, the rig wouldn't even try to move (BTW, no drop in RPMs on the tach either when shifting out of Park and into any gear) so I just shut it down. Finally, I did a quick initial re-check on the fluid level (but without the engine idling though, dang it) and it was minimally (about 1/4") over the cold line. Though I really hated to quit at that point was really starting to get dark out, so I decided to pick up my tools and wrap things up for the day.

 

Now what keeps running through my mind is the fact that it was running fine, though admittedly only in 3rd gear regardless of the shifter position (except for Park and Reverse) before I dumped the old fluid, and now I have nothing. Since I did dump about 6qts and only replaced 4 (supposedly what it should take), and also since I last checked the fluid level with the engine off, I am wondering now if I warm it up in the morning and check it warmed up and running at an idle, if it would possibly read low and need more added once the fluid starts circulating through the tranny.

 

Now, I know to some this may all seem like TMI, but I had a tech tell me years ago that he hated it when ppl would bring him a rig and tell him 'it's broke' instead of giving him some detail on what it was and wasn't doing when their problems began.

 

Anyone with personal experience with these issues and willing to help would sure be appreciated.Thanks in advance.

 

Kind Regards, Russ

[adamzan]

First I would double check that shift linkage. It may have completely went at that time.

 

If that doesn't help it I'm sorry to say you're probably in for a rebuild or a new trans. I've had mine in limp mode before. And reverse will still work in limp mode.

[Jacklalanne]

@adamzan...Thank you for your response and willingness to help. I have been told by a tech, (as well as it being one possible indicator of "limp-home" in a diagnostic on ALLDATA.com) that since 1st gear isn't working in that mode that it would make sense that reverse may not as well since they apparently share a component (I don't recall exactly...a gear maybe?) in common.

 

So today I have a new issue...as I said in my previous post it was getting dark as well as time for me to get some sleep before going to work...I have the "schedule from hell" (night shift rotating monthly with afternoon shift) Anyway, this afternoon when I woke up I started the PF and after doing my simple drain and fill yesterday afternoon/evening I started it up and have no gears whatsoever. The drain and fill is all I did. When I drained it, since as I think I mentioned before, going by the dipstick, it seemed to be way overfilled before I started, I decided to measure out exactly how much fluid I drained. I poured part of what I drained into a jug that was a measured 3qts exactly, but instead of dumping the jug to refill and dump again, like a dumb ass, I dumped the rest of the pan instead! I was so pissed at myself! When I filled the jug the first time, I was pretty sure there was still enough in the pan to at least fill the jug again, which would have been six qts or more. After putting in the 4qts that I'd been told to expect, as I said: No gears. Since I did get well over 4qts when I drained it, even though my dipstick reads overfull, though not nearly as much overfull as it read before I did the drain and fill (and when I still had what seemed by all symptoms to be "limp mode") I'm wondering if I should gradually add more fluid till I get to where it was when it was running fine...admittedly with only one gear. Unlikely as it seems, I am wondering if it has the wrong dipstick, or if the cap that stops the stick from going in any further got shoved up the shaft at some time, and it was reading over when I started all this due to that. I really wish I hadn't dumped the pan instead of the jug so I would have known exactly how much too replace, but that is water under the bridge now. I just know that regardless of the reading on the dipstick now, it was well over (probably 2 to 3 qts) what I have replaced so far. I'm thinking if I add more I can always drain some. Hopefully I can get this resolved and can move on with the linkage turnbuckle inspection and adjustment and then on to checking line pressure and revolution sensor etc as needed and indicated by the diagnostics. Again thank you so much. Russ

[Jacklalanne]

I forgot to mention that it did come with an extra tranny and transfer case out of a wrecked PF. I am just hoping that I can get this one working, as the shop wants $800 to swap them out, which would include a new complete case drain and fill (the torque converter from the extra is already drained) plus filter and front and rear seals (if these trannys are configured that way as with other A/Ts I've dealt with). The eight hundred bucks sounds OK...it's just that I don't know anything about the condition or mileage of the extra one, and I'd hate for that to turn out to be a big flop.

I also wanted to say this is the first one I have owned and am impressed with how heavy-duty everything I've noticed about them seems to be. The tranny/transfer case weighs a ton if that indicates anything...it does to me. And the sheet metal on these rigs (the heft of the doors and hood for example) has really impressed me. I realize that with weight comes less mileage, but I'll make that trade-off any day...