My 300e has recently (past week or two)started to shift very hard from 2nd to 3rd and only 2/3. It occurs under normal and hard acceleration.

This only occurs when it is warm, it shifts fine when cold.

Fluid/filter was changed about 10k ago, and the fluid level is between the marks when fully warm, although it looks a little "foamy"

Thanks for your advice

JD

The fluid should not be foamy. Did you do any other work on the car recently in which you may have bumped a vacuum line, perhaps one that controls the transmission modulator? When you did the tranny service did you drain the torque converter as well? It is important that you get out all of the fluid from the system.

All the fluid was drained, including the T/C, and the filter was replaced. Fluid was Quaker State (DB approved) and a new funnel was used. The motormounts were replaced before Christmas by the dealer, but it has just started to slam recently

I checked the level and it was correct at 10mm south of min at shop temp. Where I thought the fluid's change of color before was because it may have been aerated, was infact a color change.

The color of the fluid is more of an orange (not a burnt color, but more of a pinkish orange) and is uniform in color, if it was motor oil, I would say that it has water contamination, it almost has the same "milky" quality.

I changed the fluid out and after about 20 miles, it still slammed into 3rd. The fluid still looked clean. I am sure if it is contimination further changes would be required, if this is indeed the problem.

What would change the color of the fluid after about 10k of driving and what would contaminate it for it to change color. The rad was replaced about 5 years ago, so I think it would be in good shape, plus there was no increase/decrease in fluid volume and no signs of ATF in the tank.

I have had other vehicles that were otherwise healthy get condensation "goo" in the engine at this time of the year that I have figured to be SE Virginia's winters combination of cold/warm/humid winters. Maybe it is this, but the engine is O.K.. I haven't forded any rivers lately either.

..And is any of this relevent to it slamming into only third? If it continues, my next question will be tipson how to replace the Rotoflex.

Thanks
JD