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1991 Pathfinder Transmission trouble


Guest Lowe
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Guest Lowe

I have acquired a 1991 SE v6 4 wheel drive Automatic Pathfinder for my daughter, the transmission is not working properly. I changed the filter in the transmission. Still acting up. When you start out is okay, next gear shift rev. very high (between 3500-4000 rpm), one after that is a little high, last shift is very smooth. Transmission does not seem to be slipping. I downloaded the transmission test and went thru the test, it does not seem to be showing anything wrong (if I preformed the test right, where it shows the key set to on and a motor beside, you can not start the engine with it in drive so I assumed this just meant the key position at on). Please help!

 

The transmission started acting up when my mother had someone remove the water pump and it sat for 6 months without being finished, then someone else put the new water pump in. She also said the transmission fluid was about 3 quarts low when she realized it was low.

Edited by Lowe
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The tranny cooler may be clogged up. Try bypassing the stock cooler completely and installing an aftermarket external cooler.

 

On another note, that sounds about right for shift points...these Nissan automatics are kinda funky things. If your reverse still works OK, it's probably not a line pressure problem. One of the shift solenoids may be sticking.

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Guest Lowe

Reverse works fine, what can be done if the shift solenoids are sticking, replace or is there a fix?

 

Did I understand you right, shifting into second gear between 3500 - 4000 RPM is where it should be shifting?

Edited by Lowe
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True.

 

Are you driving around with the Power button on? That'd make it shift real high. And yes, mine goes to about 3500-4000 before it shifts from 1 to 2 and from 2 to 3, but it'll shift at a lower engine speed if you go easy on the gas pedal.

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I would suggest that you do not do anything with this tranny except put in an aftermarket cooler. The tranny will likely work out its own problem with driving. I base this on the your statement that the truck sat for 6 months. If you want to help things along, add a product called Prolong into the tranny. it is a teflon based additive that helps sticky solenoids.

 

You have a real problem if recerse stops working.

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The 1st to second shift in my 88 is very abrupt and is usually around 3000, as one other member put it "like hitting a brick wall." Other wise the shifts are smooth. Interestingly enough I find that the 1st to second shift is a bit more smooth if you put your foot down and force it to shift more at around 4000+. :shrug:

 

~I checked today and the shift point is more around 2500 RPM for 1st to 2nd with light gas peddle pressure. Also the shift becomes less abrupt once the trans has had a chance to warm up.

Edited by SC88Pathy
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Guest Lowe

First, Thanks everyone for the help.

 

The idea about the transmission cooler may be right, I drove the Pathfinder for about 40 or 50 minutes last night, and the floorboard got very hot right above the transmission, but the cooler was not even warm. Reverse is still working. The longer I drove (hotter the transmission got) the worse the shifting got. Could this be related to the cooler being stopped up?

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First, Thanks everyone for the help.

 

The idea about the transmission cooler may be right, I drove the Pathfinder for about 40 or 50 minutes last night, and the floorboard got very hot right above the transmission, but the cooler was not even warm. Reverse is still working. The longer I drove (hotter the transmission got) the worse the shifting got. Could this be related to the cooler being stopped up?

you better get that external cooler on there quick..

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Another problem I've recently been made aware of is lack of proper electrical grounding between frame, battery and drivetrain. The transmission has electronically-controlled solenoids inside. If the ground points on the motor or tranny are poor, the solenoids won't be able to do their job very well. Make sure your Pathy is grounded together for best operation.

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I agree with Igranch about the reverse not working. Last year reverse stopped working on mine. I checked the transmission fluid, and all was fine, good level, good color, etc. I took it to a transmission shop and they pulled all kinds of metal scrapings out of the pan (I guess the metal shavings in the pan can't get onto the Tranny fluid dipstick). It ended up that reverse blew out, but many of my gears were crap as well.

At that time it was shifting gears above 3000 RPM for most driving instances, and was shifting a bit jerky. I rarely gun it off of a traffic light (the gas mileage is poor enough as is), but if I did it would shift high around 3500 RPM. After I had the tranny rebuilt, and several thousand dollars later, reverse worked and it shifted much smoother and at lower RPM-more like 2700 RPM or so, unless of course the aforementioned "gunning."

My hope is that you don't have a busted transmission, but if you have a chance to take it somewhere to get a diagnostic before it is too late. I would highly recommend it. Good Luck!

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I lost reverse this weekend. Everything was running fine in the morning then I went to back out of a parking spot and I put it in reverse and it just acted like I was in neutral. It still goes in drive fine and does not shift wierd. I have an after market cooler on it and I changed the fluid and put an external filter on it back last summer. I checked the fluid and it is still pink and doesn't smell burnt.

 

Is my tranny going out or could it be something else like a solenoid?

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Guest Lowe

Changed out the cooler, it seems to be shifting better (almost right away :) ) and added a bottle of Lucas Transmission lubricant. It seems to be getting better. The only problem I am having now is it seems to have no power going up medium size hills (live in Tennessee) and does not want to shift. The speed gets to about 25-30 miles an hour, then it shifts but RPMs are almost 5000, when it finally shifts speed drops back down to 20-25. The only other time it acts this way is pulling out from a stop when I am turning it seems sluggish. I'm wondering if this is something other than transmission. Did a tuneup (distributer cap, rotor, and have changed 5 of the 6 plugs, only one left is in the back, having trouble getting the boot off.) I have also added Fuel System cleaner in the last tank of gas put in. Anybody have any suggestions???

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i beleive that the problem you are referring to is the Overdrive lock out tihng. Its talked about in a few places on this forums i think. All it is, is the tranny thinking it should stay in OD as long as it can, than instead of dropping into 3'rd gear, it drops all the way to second and revs like mad. Try taking Overdrive off while going up the hill and it should go into third and give you a little more power to work with, without having to drop all the way down to second. Some people have installed some kind of manual Lock up switch in their cab for situations just like that... although im not too educated on the whole thing, perhaps someone could help me out here?

 

at least thats what i think the problems is. Give it a shot, otherwise there may be something wrong with your tranny computer, or a solinoid

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Guest Lowe

Justed wanted to let you all know, so frustrated I took it to the Nissan Dealer. They found that where my brother inlaw had put the thing back together after changing the water pump he had gotten the timing off 5 degrees. Wonder the engine did not get messed up. They put new belt on and set timing right. Guess what, now it has all kinds of power. I was so hung up on the transmission I did not see that the timing was off. No backfire etc. so kept thinking it had to be the transmission. The cooler was stopped up too.

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I lost reverse this weekend. Everything was running fine in the morning then I went to back out of a parking spot and I put it in reverse and it just acted like I was in neutral. It still goes in drive fine and does not shift wierd. I have an after market cooler on it and I changed the fluid and put an external filter on it back last summer. I checked the fluid and it is still pink and doesn't smell burnt.

 

Is my tranny going out or could it be something else like a solenoid?

Hey Red-Finder Did you hear from anyone with regards to your problem? This is exactly what mine is doing. I just had to get a rebuilt engine put in and now this!! I hope it is not a complete trany failure.

 

Can anyone help us?!?

 

Mine started with what sounded like the trany slipping (grinding sound) when shifting into reverse and it would suddenly catch. Now sometimes it goes into reverse AOK and other times it takes a few tried to get it in. The shift from 1 to 2 is also harder in that it goes into 2 with a bit of a thump.

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Yea, I am supposed to pick mine up from the transmission shop today after spending a week getting the transmission rebuilt. We'll see what the total $ is today.

 

I'm ready to get it back I miss driving it. I've been driving this crappy Pontiac Sunfire rental car all week!

 

Sorry for the bad news, but a couple mechanics and the transmission guy told me that it is common in our Pathfinders and the Maxima for the reverse to go out first then eventually the forward gears. :sniff:

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