kwiktsi

Hopefully at least this post will get answered . I have tried the search a few times and must be entering wrong terms or something because I neve get what I am looking for. Anyway, I have an auto FD and the 1-2 shift at wot will sometimes bark the tires, yet the 2-3 shift is soft and lazy feeling. Is this normal? Is this a common problem that is a matter of "oh yeah, just change xx solenoid"? I do plan on a 5 speed swap over the winter but would like to be sure the car is running right for the rest of the summer. Thanks.
Joe

Adam Berger

i had an automatic and i think its just the tranny....the tranny is from a mpv base...the mini van tranny actually....so i think its just the tranny...oh and i got the 5 spd swap and make sure you have plenty money to reserve for it...mine cost $2500

kwiktsi

OK, I was just curious if it was a normal thing or not. Just thought it was odd that it would hit second so hard and be so lazy into third. As for the cost of the swap, did you do it yourself or pay to have it done? I am doing mine myself and it is less than half that with a new act clutch and all. I can see the labor being expensive though if you were having someone else do it. Thanks for the info!!
Joe

Adam Berger

actually my friend is installing it basically for free...except he wants to start it up when the new motor is in...but....for the new tranny and all the accessaries for the swap it came to $2500 from MazdaRecycling and the tranny has about 50k miles on it

Elegant Black Monster

Ok I'm tired of putting this rumor down. The tranny is not from an MPV. Get that idea out of your head. Ok? Ok.

kwiktsi

I see this argument all over. If you have any transmission experience or deal with any parts suppliers- you will see they are both the R4A-EL aka RE4-R01A. They both take the same overhaul kits (go here- it is one of the suppliers we used to use- http://www.spxfiltran.com/products/Lookup/ ) and look up both vehicles and you will see that the MPV also used the same trans along with another transimssion (probably 4 vs. 6 cyl). I'm not saying they can't have valve body improvemenst for better shifts, etc. but they are the *same* transmission # and use the same parts. Also, the pathfinder, 929 and I'm sure others use the same trans too .

Anyway, how about that shift- normal or no ?
Joe

weaklink

kwiktsi, probably normal, but just in case, are you using the hold button? there are several different shift maps based on gear selector, hold or not, throttle position (I'm assuming WOT here, but you get the idea). Pretty hard to judge as saying the shift is soft is pretty subjective. Easy answer is probably because you get torque converter lockup in 3rd at WOT you do not have as much torque multiplication and therefore the shift may seem softer to you. Harder answer is whether your line pressure is ok, etc. etc. There is a pretty extensive auto trans section in the service manual if you want to dig that deep, but again, I would say that this is normal, and consider yourself lucky if you are stock that you even get a chirp at the 1-2 shift.

Ball joint

iTrader: (6)

well... my 1-2 shift has always kicked hard since I got the car at 69,000 miles. I never barked the tires but it does kick. now if you boost from 1st the 1-2 shift is not hard. for me it only shifts hard when iam babying it aka no or very little boost.

kwiktsi

Thanks for the reply. To try to describe it better (I know it is tough over the net)- the 1-2 shift is neck jerking firm and fast- even at part throttle. The 2-3 shift is about a 1-2 second slide from second to third even at full throttle. Part throttle, it is just a "lazy" shift. I am not talking about the "pull" of the car or anything, so the TC is irrevelant, just the actual trans shift. It does it both- when manually shifting with the hold on and when letting it shift automatically. Thanks again.
Joe

kwiktsi

how is your 2-3 shift? Thanks!!
Joe

kwiktsi

Good deal that you got someone doing the labor for you!! I do all my own work, but sometimes wish I couldn't since I always burden myself with a bunch of "ah, it's no bigge I can fix it" crap .
joe

bajaman

Mine will 'bark' the tires or sometimes even spin them on those nice cold high-horsepower-making days on the 1st - 2nd shift. Second to third is much as you describe, though to me it is just part of the overall "rush" the car has at these particular speeds/shift points. The way the auto tranny cars comes on and STAYS on the boost is a bit different than their 5-speed brothers. Mine does not kick hard, no neck snapping type of shift on the 2nd to 3rd shift. It is a very seamless transition actually.
In other words, I think you are experiencing a pretty normal shifting pattern.