I have a Toyota Celica. When the car has been sitting more than three hours or more and motor is cool, when I shift to drive the car does not move but very slowly if I have high rpms. Reverse it immediately is fine. Once it changes to 3rd gear after slowly reach that gear. It jolts a little and then 5 minutes later it drives like a charm. No problem. I can stop for an hour and then drive with no issue. I checked the transmission fluid it was low. So I put some via the dip stick hole. Not sure if that was the place to put it. I was told by a friend to do it that way. Anyways fluid dip stick seems fine but the problem still persists. I checked the dip stick when hot and it was in normal hot range. But it was very low before. The problem is only when the motor is cold. Once it changes gear to third and runs a little, there is no problem at all. Drives perfect with all gears.
Sounds like you definitely have some sort of issue going on. You may have initiated the internal damage while operating the transmission with such a low level of fluid. Heat causes the most damage. The cooling and lubrication come from the transmission fluid. And without proper lubrication and cooling you now have excessive heat. Thus damage occurs.
In some cases you may be able to drain and refill the transmission fluid and recover the proper operation. Though it may be a slim chance some have been successful in this. Beyond that you may be looking at a rebuild.
Transmission Removal and Installation
- Before servicing the vehicle, refer to the Precautions section.
- Drain the transaxle fluid.
- Remove or disconnect the following:
- Negative battery cable. On vehicles equipped with an air bag, wait at least 90 seconds before proceeding.
- Throttle cable from the engine
- Cruise control actuator. The cruise control actuator and bracket should be removed as an assembly.
- Air cleaner assembly and battery.
- Vehicle speed sensor and the transaxle ground strap.
- Engine left mounting upper side bolt
- Starter
- Park/neutral position switch connector
- Solenoid connectors
- Upper transaxle retaining bolts
- Transaxle oil cooler hoses
- Undercover
- Both halfshafts
- Shift control cable from the control shaft lever and body bracket
- Engine rear mounting through-bolt
- Front exhaust pipe
- Air conditioner pipe bracket by removing the bolt
- Shift cable from the suspension member
- The 2 power steering gear assembly set bolts and nuts
- The 3 grommets from the center crossmember
- The 13 bolts and 2 nuts holding the suspension and center crossmembers
- Crossmembers from the vehicle
- No. 1 manifold stay
- Stiffener plate
- Torque converter bolts
- Transaxle
To install:
- Install or connect the following:
- Transaxle. 10mm bolt: 34 ft. lbs. (46 Nm); 12mm bolt: 47 ft. lbs. (64 Nm).
- Torque converter bolts, with silicone applied to threads. Bolts: 18 ft. lbs. (25 Nm).
- Stiffener plate. Bolts, alternately tightening: 12mm bolts: 15 ft. lbs. (21 Nm); 14mm bolts: 32 ft. lbs. (43 Nm).
- No. 1 manifold stay. Bolt: 15 ft. lbs. (21 Nm). Nut: 32 ft. lbs. (43 Nm).
- Raise the suspension member into position and install the 2 bolts to hold the suspension to the body. Bolts to 94 ft. lbs. (127 Nm).
- The 3 bolts to hold the rear of the lower control arms to the sub-frame and body. Torque the bolt that goes through the lower control arm to 123 ft. lbs. (167 Nm) and the other 2 bolts to 130 ft. lbs. (175 Nm).
- Side bolts
- Center member
- Engine rear mount and bracket. Nuts: 59 ft. lbs. (80 Nm); Bolt: 65 ft. lbs. (88 Nm).
- Engine front mount. Bolts: 59 ft. lbs. (80 Nm).
- The 2 front bolts connecting the center mount to the radiator support. Bolts: 26 ft. lbs. (35 Nm).
- Grommets to the center member
- The 2 power steering gear assembly set bolts and nuts. Nuts and bolts: 94 ft. lbs. (127 Nm).
- The 2 shift cable mounting bolts
- Air conditioner pipe bracket
- Front exhaust pipe
- Engine rear mounting bolt. Bolt: 64 ft. lbs. (88 Nm).
- Shift control cable to the control shaft lever and body bracket. Install the clips
- Left and right halfshafts
- Undercovers
- Oil cooler hoses with the 2 clips
- Upper transaxle mounting bolts. Bolts: 47 ft. lbs. (64 Nm).
- Solenoid connectors
- Park/neutral position switch connector
- Vehicle speed sensor connector and the ground strap to the transaxle
- Starter. Bolts: 29 ft. lbs. (39 Nm).
- Left mounting upper side bolt. Bolt: 47 ft. lbs. (64 Nm).
- Air cleaner assembly
- Cruise control actuator
- Battery and cables
- Throttle cable
- Fill the transaxle fluid to the proper level.
- Start the vehicle, check for leaks and repair if necessary.