So, how screwed am I?
 

My transmission started out with a small problem:

Previously it seemed to feel "odd" or slightly hesitated shifting from one to two every so often, but nothing obvious.

Now, when shifting from 1 to 2 it hesitates after the trans is warmed up. Kinda like everything just stops and hangs for a second, then it shifts. This happens around 1 out of every 4 times it shifts.

If I give it more than ~25% throttle during its shift, it'll buck a few times like it tries to shift to second and then settle into 2nd gear.

ALSO every so often, it'll randomly unlock and then lock quickly with a thunk at highway speeds when the torque converter is engaged.

Car is a 02 v6, with 100k on it. I've had it for most of those miles. Never raced or abused. A Lot of Highway miles. Pan fluid and filter change at 60k.

No transmission codes, but I do have a MAF code that started with a rough start up condition after the tranny started acting up, so I'm thinking unrelated.

Could it be the shift solenoids?

Do yourself a favor and do not drive it until you deal with the MAF issue. The MAF tables play a major part in modifying transmission line pressure. The best thing to do is to get a scanner on it and solve that issue first.

g

Like Gilbert said, the MAF plays a BIG part in the trans function.

I had my car tuned with the Lid/Maf off my wifes car, and swapped my Lid/Maf back on the car, and the trans didnt work near the same. It had issues shifting, and just didnt act the same at all. I was concerned since I wasnt seeing codes anywhere, but then I put 2 and 2 together, swapped the lid back and its perfect again.

You're not that screwed. To answer your question.

I can tell you from experience that the MAF will Kill your tranny if its messed up. I had a 97 TA with the 4l60 and I ported, screened and polished my MAF. My tranny took a shit on me maybe 7k miles later. It was a 60k mile car at the time it broke. I dont remember getting a MAF code but I did have a CEL on cause of my O2s didnt like the BBK headers I had. I had it rebuilt and it did it again but was under warranty. The second time around one of the techs told me not to be racing it and I said I didnt do it all the time then I listed all the mods I had which were an intake, headers and the MAF... He knew right then what I had done and he immediately told me to keep my mouth shut about it. They rebuilt it again and I drove it for another 2 years after putting in a factory spec MAF. He said that the change in air flow reading is read by the tranny and it determined shift point, firmness and timing. He also said it also effected the line pressure

So my question to you, AntiCop, Would a tune fix all the shift points, and tranny readings?

In the case of the OP... that remains to be seen. If there is a problem with the MAF then all the tuning in the world will not solve his issue. Unless of course someone does a hack tune and locks line pressure high regardless of MAF input.

g

^ what he said.. tune wont fix a faulty MAF... get a one from a buddy just to test it out....if its good, you can do some tweeking but Im no tuner so I cannot tell you one way or another if it will fix your situation...