Transmission Shift Delayed in Cold

[StructureEngr]

Hello all. I have 1996 LS400 that is in good condition. I drain the transmission fluid every other year, like less than 30,000 miles interval. In the very last transmission fluid change, I notice the car is sluggish first fro 1st to 2nd gear. Then last week, the car is not moving after I shifted from reverse to drive; it delayed like few seconds. It has happened three times last week, only in the morning or coming back from work, when the car is cold. Is this a sign my transmission is bad? My thought is the last mechanic (not my regular) used the wrong fluid, like Dextron III. Any suggestions? Could I get a case of fluid and drain it twice in two weeks? Thank you in advance. Any help would be appreciated. I am hoping to drive the car two more years and that is it.

[StructureEngr]

By the way, I took it to another mechanic and they checked out the fluid level. It is pretty full to the required level.  Also my friend who buys car from auctions test drove and told me there is no problem. The delayed in shift from reverse to first only happened when the car is cold. Any comments welcome. Thank you in advance.

[Exhaustgases]

And before I even looked at this post. The first thing to mind was likely the wrong fluid added.

[vissine]

On 11/27/2016 at 4:16 PM, StructureEngr said:

Hello all. I have 1996 LS400 that is in good condition. I drain the transmission fluid every other year, like less than 30,000 miles interval. In the very last transmission fluid change, I notice the car is sluggish first fro 1st to 2nd gear. Then last week, the car is not moving after I shifted from reverse to drive; it delayed like few seconds. It has happened three times last week, only in the morning or coming back from work, when the car is cold. Is this a sign my transmission is bad? My thought is the last mechanic (not my regular) used the wrong fluid, like Dextron III. Any suggestions? Could I get a case of fluid and drain it twice in two weeks? Thank you in advance. Any help would be appreciated. I am hoping to drive the car two more years and that is it.

Do you know that total transmission system is about 8-9 quarts? I don't know how you drain it, but each time you can only drain about 2 quarts in the pan.

[sha4000]

I've used the transmission cooler lines on the radiator to flush the fluid on my car.

[billydpowell]

On 12/6/2016 at 4:13 PM, sha4000 said:

I've used the transmission cooler lines on the radiator to flush the fluid on my car.

yes, I done it the same way on mine.... 

[StructureEngr]

On 12/6/2016 at 4:13 PM, sha4000 said:

I've used the transmission cooler lines on the radiator to flush the fluid on my car.

Was busy getting a house ready on the market. Just now getting back to check.

Update: I have taken to a different mechanic who checked the fluid level, to drain and fill the ATF twice so far (3 quarts to drain and fill.) Since then, the delay in shift during cold only happened one more time. I am going to drain and fill in ATF one more time and keep the car until it dies. I wonder how many more times do I need to drain and fill before the fluid is all Type IV ATF? Any idea?

[sha4000]

Maybe 2-3 more times. Just keep checking the color of the fluid.