# Career is in the crapper

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/career-is-in-the-crapper/56293>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Tags:** toyota, 4runner\
**Created:** [October 12, 2010, 5:51pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/career-is-in-the-crapper/56293 "2010-10-12T17:51:23Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 12\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![careersinthecrapper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ebca7d/32.png) [@careersinthecrapper](https://community.cartalk.com/u/careersinthecrapper)\
**Post date:** [October 12, 2010, 5:51pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/career-is-in-the-crapper/56293/1 "2010-10-12T17:51:23Z")

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I have a 2000 Toyota 4Runner and recently when I start it in the mornings and put it in drive I notice that with the accelerator engaged it crawls between 1-5 miles, revs high and then when I guess warmed up it acts accordingly. I work in a toilet factory so I’m used to crap but please help me out here.

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**Author:** ![mleich](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71c47a/32.png) [@mleich](https://community.cartalk.com/u/mleich)\
**Post date:** [October 12, 2010, 5:53pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/career-is-in-the-crapper/56293/2 "2010-10-12T17:53:36Z")

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Condition of transmission fluid?

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**Author:** ![the\_same\_mountainbike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@the\_same\_mountainbike](https://community.cartalk.com/u/the_same_mountainbike)\
**Post date:** [October 12, 2010, 6:01pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/career-is-in-the-crapper/56293/3 "2010-10-12T18:01:51Z")

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Automatic or manual tranny?

I’m guessing automatic, and I’m guessing that you’ve never checked the tranny fluid level or condition.

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**Author:** ![careersinthecrapper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ebca7d/32.png) [@careersinthecrapper](https://community.cartalk.com/u/careersinthecrapper)\
**Post date:** [October 12, 2010, 6:06pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/career-is-in-the-crapper/56293/4 "2010-10-12T18:06:09Z")

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Had it changed some months ago back but doing it tomorrow in conjunction with oil change.

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**Author:** ![careersinthecrapper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ebca7d/32.png) [@careersinthecrapper](https://community.cartalk.com/u/careersinthecrapper)\
**Post date:** [October 12, 2010, 6:07pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/career-is-in-the-crapper/56293/5 "2010-10-12T18:07:04Z")

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It’s an automatic; I checked it some time back but not recently. Ouch; thanks!

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**Author:** ![oldschool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e19adc/32.png) [@oldschool](https://community.cartalk.com/u/oldschool)\
**Post date:** [October 12, 2010, 6:14pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/career-is-in-the-crapper/56293/6 "2010-10-12T18:14:46Z")

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People tend to avoid saying “your transmission has an internal problem” and throw out the standard transmission fluid type “maybes”. Drop the pan and look for pieces that don’t belong there to confirm that your issue is internal to the transmission.

You should also check all TSB’s for your vehicle to see if the cause of this condition has already been identified.

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**Author:** ![cigroller](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c68b51/32.png) [@cigroller](https://community.cartalk.com/u/cigroller)\
**Post date:** [October 12, 2010, 6:17pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/career-is-in-the-crapper/56293/7 "2010-10-12T18:17:22Z")

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If you don’t find that the fluid is low then chances are that that transmission is toast.

If you do find that the fluid is low then you need to find the leak and fix it.

Dropping the pan may or may not tell you anything. If you really want to try to salvage this thing, get it to a local transmission shop.

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**Author:** ![the\_same\_mountainbike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@the\_same\_mountainbike](https://community.cartalk.com/u/the_same_mountainbike)\
**Post date:** [October 12, 2010, 11:27pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/career-is-in-the-crapper/56293/8 "2010-10-12T23:27:43Z")

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We’re all just hoping for the best. We know better, but we’re hoping we’re wrong.

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**Author:** ![\_Deleted\_User1111116](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/_/ac91a4/32.png) [@\_Deleted\_User1111116](https://community.cartalk.com/u/_Deleted_User1111116)\
**Post date:** [November 4, 2010, 6:00am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/career-is-in-the-crapper/56293/9 "2010-11-04T06:00:48Z")

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Transmission filter?

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**Author:** ![Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/joseph_e_meehan/32/21_2.png) [@Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Joseph_E_Meehan)\
**Post date:** [November 4, 2010, 10:58am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/career-is-in-the-crapper/56293/10 "2010-11-04T10:58:00Z")

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Transmission filter?

```
I don't know if that is a suggestion or a question, so - most if not all automatic transmissions have a filter. You must drop the pan to get to it and it is more of a screen than a filter. But it should be cleaned at each transmission fluid change, which should be about ever 30 - 40,000 miles minim.
```

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**Author:** ![mshugna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ce73a5/32.png) [@mshugna](https://community.cartalk.com/u/mshugna)\
**Post date:** [November 4, 2010, 11:29am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/career-is-in-the-crapper/56293/11 "2010-11-04T11:29:08Z")

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when you had the fluid changed months ago did the shop use toyota fluids???

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**Author:** ![transman618](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/transman618/32/24_2.png) [@transman618](https://community.cartalk.com/u/transman618)\
**Post date:** [November 11, 2010, 7:58pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/career-is-in-the-crapper/56293/12 "2010-11-11T19:58:32Z")

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Was it doing this before the fluid and filter change?? I can name a few different things which would be causing this, none of them very good though.

Leaking forward clutch… (Most likely)  
Worn sprag  
Converter drainback  
Low fluid level

transman
