My car a reincarnated jackrabbit ?

[daler]

I've solved many car problems using the help from this great forum, but am unable to find a solution to this particular odd-ball concern.

Well-maintained late 1995 LE V6 auto, 215k kms --

In the past year I've noticed that in cold weather the car tranny takes quite a long while to warm up to begin its shifting routine. This was mentioned to the autotrans guys when they did a complete flush last summer. They said the tranny was in good shape ..nothing untoward.

When the car is finally at temperature (~5 min), it seems to run as if it was sucking in nitromethane ..it's a speed demon! I checked the ECT (PWR) button and it is OFF or at normal -- no dash light. O/D is on -- no dash light.

I can wind it out on the highway and it does take longer before slipping into 4th.

It feels like the ECT (PWR) button is stuck to ON, but without its dash light lit.

Gas consumption doesn't seem abnormal, but then I don't use the car as much as I used to ..rural area + some city, some highway.

Grasping at straws here :

How can I test if the (ECT/PWR button) system is malfunctioning, or that the shift pattern has changed? ..or that there might be a problem with the O/D circuit?

So far, no related OBDII fault codes have been set. (P0402 was thrown earlier in the year and repaired (replaced VSV switch (for EGR)) -- perhaps I've missed something in that EGR circuit fix that didn't show up during its troubleshooting?

[bigbird]

that is 100% normal. in fact, we tuners get lower temp thermostats to keep the car at that temp so we get that all the time. i have owned 3 1mz camrys and they ALL did that. tranny is sluggish till the water temp gauge gets about 1/4 of the way up. at that point the car is much more reponsive. near 1/2 and just above the engine reaches normal operating temp and the fuel air mix levels out.

if you can, i advise letting the engine warm up till the temp gauge starts to rise. 80% of all normal engine ware comes within the first 5 minutes of operation. cold parts dont handle stress well. let them worm up before driving and it will prolong the life of the car even more.

[daler]

Yeah, I do let it warm up properly before any real speed.

I've owned this car since near new and it has always been a rather milque toast performer (compared to others), but has been reliable ..and lots better in performance than my sis-inlaw's Cammy 4 banger. It's only in the past several months that it appears much quicker off the line ..and up the street -- and I'm no lead-footed driver.

It's got me quite curious as to why all of a sudden (relatively) it's doing this new dance.

I wonder if testing/checking the coolant sensor might give me a clue? ..or even the torque converter sensor??