The Saga continues. This weeks episode.

Well turns out tranny fluid was contaminated. 5 gallons wall mart fluid flushing later I got good clear fluid, BUT now a new issue.

Now the tranny is not shifting correctly when you get under load about 40+ MPH. It does great getting you to 40+ just does not downshift quickly enough and makes the engine shutter when you start up a hill around 40MPH in highest gear. If you just back off the trottle it will downshift at around 30MPH then you can pull back up to speed no issue. Just sucks having to wait to get up the hill, and makes everyone behind me wait also.

Any suggestions? Got to be a sensor or something that detects when motor gets under too much stress to go ahead and shift to lower gear

It's possible there is dirt from the water left over in the trans screen.

Many a Aisin transmission has been flooded and brought back. Take it to a shop for a flush and fill make sure to have the Trans filter/screen cleaned each time. After the flush and fill drive it around to help burn off the excess water, should take maybe 3 times to get it all. Expect boil overs and possibly fires from the oil and water coming out the dipstick and onto the hot exhaust. You'll get it back in order.

This is the 2001 limited montero not the 87 with the issue. It has the 5 speed auto transmission.

Anyone ever cleaned the transmission filter on one of these? As long as it's accessible without disassembling the entire drive train I will do it myself. If you can get to it by dropping the pan not too bad a job.

That's what i was referring to. Aisin Automatic, the screen is just on the bottom of the valve body. Drop the pan and you'll see it.

Took a look at pulling the pan last night. It looks like the bottom cross brace has to be pulled to get to the rear pan bolts. Gonna be more of a job than I thought.

Meanwhile my temp solution has been to give it more gas. If I stay on the gas and push the throttle more than usual through the 40MPH range I can avoid the dead spot that I have. My MPG's are gonna suffer, but its not like I'm riding around in a civic anyway.

Oh yea Rear Diff oil was contaminated too. Changed that last night. Transfer case and front diff next I assume. It's on the list.