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Slight slip from 1st to 2nd gear

4K views 8 replies 6 participants last post by  Matt5883 
#1 ·
02 Chrysler Town and Country 3.8L V6, 155,000 miles. Hi everyone, Durant happen all the time seems like mostly when can first starts out for the day. But I'm getting a slight slip between 1st and 2nd gear. All the rest of the gears shift smoothly. Also, sometimes when I start to go up a bill it's almost like it slips our of low gear for a second and then proceeds normally. It's actually been doing all of the above described for a couple of years with no major problems as of yet. I'm wondering if a simple transmission fluid and filter change might help. Don't want to flush it just drop the pan and change filter and fluid.
 
#4 ·
From: Mar 25, 2020
02 Chrysler Town and Country 3.8L V6, 155,000 miles. Hi everyone, Durant happen all the time seems like mostly when can first starts out for the day.

You asked, "Does it slip if you shift manually?" This question intrigued me!

I just replaced (with a used transmission) the bad transmission in my 2001 Chrysler Town and Country AWD and had to use my old torque converter because the torque converter was a different size (I know nothing of the history of the used one other than it has under 100K miles on it). I also had to use my old crank shaft positioning sensor located at the back side of the transmission housing.
From a stop, take off causes bump/miss/hard shift from first to second, BUT if I shift manually it is smooth as silk.

Here is where I want to inquire as to your question from two years ago.
Also my speedometer is WAY off, 55 mph registers at around 70 mph. If you have words of wisdom I am a 6'1" ear, ready to hear any advice
Thanks,
Matt
 
#3 ·
A slight slip (or, some would say, a 'dithering' clunky shift) between 1 & 2 at light throttle is a common malady on our vans.

If you can train yourself to press the accelerator a little harder until second gear is achieved, you can negate the issue under most circumstances.

Dropping the pan and replacing the fluid can lessen the symptom for a while. Has the ATF been replaced before (that you know of)?

BUT, so can changing the spark plugs! I found that out by accident. On our van, the shifts are smooth with a cold engine (or when shifting with our car's Autostick) I believe that the issue is a ECU programming glitch (too lean during the shift?). I've never investigated a 'fix' for that, however.

BTW, I also use a hand pump to replace a couple quarts of ATF+4 every other oil change, with filter changes ~ every 60K miles.
 
#9 ·
I completely drained the used transmission and actually siphoned the transmission fluid out of the torque converter (I had to use the old torque converter as the one the in the used transmission didn't fit) and I can assure you that I refilled with ATF+4. A few days ago I replaced the input and output sensors. Although I still get an occasional "bump" 1st to 2nd (it only happens at lower RPM's as tend not to jackrabbit start) and the speedometer seems a bit more accurate. Having a dealership recalibrate sounds promising though. Thanks
 
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