Intermittant hard shifts

[SnoFox4]

Hi all,

1995 Camry LE V6

1995 Camry LE V6 "Gold"

Background info about the car above.. 190,423 miles.

It's shifting... weird. That's the best word for it.

Before the car sat for a year it was so beautifully smooth, shifted perfectly.. couldn't even feel the shifts.

According to my sister (former owner) the O/D off light would blink + check engine light would be on but didn't effect driving.

I picked the car up a few days ago and there was no check engine light or blinking O/D off light until after a few starts (since the battery was quite dead).

I had the trans fluid changed out of paranoia and suggestion.

Reset the PCM three times now and I've driven 120+ miles each time and had the same results. Here's a short desc of what it does in what conditions:

Soft accel: 1st to 2nd shift is VERY rough, pushes you back into the seat.
Soft accel: 2nd to 3rd shift is usually smooth, but when going up hills it is not.
Soft accel: 3rd to O/D shift is perfect.

Med accel: 1st to 2nd shift is smoother but hesitates and "clunks" audibly.
Med accel: 2nd to 3rd shift is even smoother but still has hesitation but no clunk
Med accel: 3rd to O/D shift is perfect.

Full accel in all gears: smoothest accel, very soft thump and no hesitation.

So I just need to keep flooring it? Is it STILL the PCM relearning?

Slightly concerned.. I love the car, I've been driving it a lot more than my Impala (which also has transmission issues). But it feels like I'm hurting it when I drive it.

[mazdaverx7]

first off, have you checked the fluid level in the trans? make sure the engine is at normal operating temp and the trans is in neutral when you check the fluid level. the next time the O/D light is blinking, check the sequence. it will blink a certain number of times, pause and will blink a certain number of times again. this will be the fault code. you can manually recall the code by turning the key to the accessory position (but do not start the engine), making sure overdrive is engaged, and under the hood on the diagnostic connector, bridge the terminals E1 and TE1 witha jumper wire. this will put the ecm into diagnostic mode and will display the fault code or codes by blinking the O/D light. i would not be flooring it all the time. this can quickly kill the trans. post back the results.

[SnoFox4]

Well the trans fluid is spot on where it needs to be.. as it was just changed.

I don't notice any pauses between blinks either, but I'll try the ECU thing later.

[mazdaverx7]

sounds good. keep us posted with what you find out. remember, the o/d light will only blink to announce a trouble code.