Tranny jolts at low speeds

[Hank3]

My wife has an '02 Protege w/AT. She has experienced maybe three times in the past few months a violent jolt/shake in the car when building speed up from a dead stop. I remember in my mom's '96 626, the AT shifts were pretty violent and unsmooth. Is this something to be concerned about?

 

[rs39]

My 02 at 96,000 is also just starting that. I thought it was slippage on snow/ice, but roads have been clear this week. Mine is also fine except for dead stop start.

I am assuming the fluid pressure/viscosity/shear is no longer right, and plan on a fluid drain/replacement with a 'hi mileage' fluid to keep the torque perverter happy.

Manual does not show how much the capacity is (grr) but ATF M-V is 'multi-vehicle' and the fill is to the low mark, then hot running 150deg fluid to expand and top off at the full line. Drain plug torque is 30ft/lbs, get a new washer too.

ED- reading more around here, cap is 7.8qts but maybe 3-4 drain if you do not flush, as the rest is in the cooler and torque converter. Drain several times to dilute, or flush.

http://www.msprotege.com/forum/showthread.php?t=94623

 

[Hank3]

Thanks for chiming in. We had her AT fluid changed out last Summer, but I guess there's a chance they didn't fill enough?

 

[rs39]

My fluid had evolved from cherry to medium brick, and oddly had no smell at all. New Valv Max Life has the familiar sewer diesel plus cherry color. Simple drain let out just over 3qts.

Car shifts a bit better, 2,000-2,500 is more shrug than judder. I'll go after the rest once my pulled-today at work groin muscle heals enough to crawl about the car.

 

[rs39]

Update, did another drain/refill, figure about 5/8 of fluid is freshened with Valv Max Life. Car is a bit better but by no means fixed. Now wondering if a full flush will really fix it, or money should go into another shop trip.

I feel it a wee bit at speed, otherwise either at 1,500 or 2,000 rpm is the shrug/judder pending the amount of gas needed to get across an intersection.