Since swapping my engine on my 01 Outback, now when accelerating my automatic transmission doesn't want to shift from 2nd to 3rd, it just hangs there even at 3500 rpm, but if I let off on the accelerator it will shift. Could it be a speed sensor?

Thanks

Welcome to the USMB.

 

I'm going to move your thread to the new gen forum. Can you provide any additional information as to the new engine, why did the old engine get removed, did you do the work, did a shop do it, are there any warning lights, etc. ?

Check the harness connections, these are very hard to get clicked together completely and can cause a lot of different problems

Also make sure the trans pan did not get pushed up/dented.  The fluid pickup is very close to the bottom of the pan.  It may not be getting the fluid it needs.

 

Larry

Did you fill the torque converter BEFORE bolting it up? Any time you pull an auto trans, you should drain the old fluid from the pan AND the converter. Fill the actual converter back up so it's at least at spline level (pour in through spline opening). Then add a ballpark amount of fluid to the trans (like 75-80% of what it's supposed to hold, taking into account what's in the converter). Start engine, let it warm a bit, then manually shift from "P" to "R", to "1-2-3-D", back to park, repeat again, then check dipstick levels. If too low, add a little more and repeat the process again, recheck level. Keep doing this until it's in the correct range. Do NOT overfill.

 

 

Not doing this (or worse, installing the torque converter dry) can manifest trans troubles.

Edited November 6, 201510 yr by Bushwick

 

Did you fill the torque converter BEFORE bolting it up?

I beleive he said he pulled the engine, there would be no reason to pull the converter or drain any fuid from the transmission