Just started doing this today on my drive home.

I thought Id blown off a turbo hose or something, I stopped at a light and when I went to take off the engine labrored, the tach had trouble getting over 1800, the turbo gauge was at or near Neutral, finally after flooring it, I was able to get some revs and once I was in the boost it took off and was okay, shifted into 3rd, 4th..

But again, had to slow down to 15 or so, and when I went to take off, the engine labored, like the trans was hung a gear too high...

I got home, pulled it back into 1st and it took off normal, I bumped to 2nd, and it went fine..


Put it in park, then OD..and take off it is okay until you get up in the higher gears and stop, then try to takeoff again.

I just did a pan drop and fluid change like 8K ago, and the fluid is right on the full mark...

The shifts are firm and predictable, just doesnt downshift right from high gears.

 

Does it hang in a high gear or in 2? It sounds to me like you have a sticking valve and there is not an easy solution for this at all. This sort of problem is typically only solved with valve body removal and cleaning.
The fact it will drop into 1 when selected seems to indicate a governor or pressure issue.
You could try another full flush.

Regards, Andrew.

 

Seems to just hang in 2nd.

If Im in 4th and give it any gas at all over "cruise" it jumps into 4th and revs like it is supposed to.

If im in 3rd and punch it to pass a car, it goes into 2nd and it hits the wastegate and pulls to high heaven.., then when you back off the pedal it hits 3rd, and when you calm down, back into 4th.

This is an Aisin Warner "AW72" isnt it?

What's funny is now that I think about it, it has hesistated to downshift before, but I just assumed it was a cold engine or something..

The engine does have a slight off idle hesistation, but it's a trans problem too.

If you go out and put it in gear and just punch the throttle, its like the engine doesnt even have the power to move the car at all..then as the engine gains a few rpms, and starts to come into the boost and torque, it takes off.

No trouble codes, no lights...

 

It should be an AW70 or 71.

 

Probably an AW71. Have you messed with your kickdown cable, is it being pinched or bent anywhere?

 

I just took it out for a quick spin to try some stuff out.

I played with th kickdown cable and it was freed up, not binding, very smooth.

Im going to make a new thread, this may not be a trans problem afterall, somehow.

When I went out and cranked it up, I had a Serv. Eng. light, and while it was on, everything felt great...as soon as it went out, engine was was sluggish off the line, like last night, like it has no power when the light is out.

The engine doesnt appear to be stumbling when the light goes out and you accelerate...it just wont rev.