This one is really hard. A perfectly functioning unit too. As a few of you know, about a month ago found coolant in the trans fluid. I wondered if it was caught in time, did not seem like a whole lot of contamination. Well my questioned was answered today. It may have been a blessing that it went 1,500 miles in that time.

Came to a grinding halt in traffic on the way home, just 2 miles from home. When the grinding noise started it was only about 15 minutes before the shuddering, then the slipping started. Now it makes a horrible racket even while idling. I guess the clutch packs have a material on them that is glued to the metal, a little water and the glue goes bye bye. Then it is metal to metal with oil in between.

Figured out what caused the initial leak though, seems when I did the engine swap 18 months ago, I disturbed the fittings on the radiator enough to cause the o rings to move a little, since they were deformed a little, they never seated correctly upon reassembly. Put on 40k plus miles since and having a little coolant escape into the trans lines over that time. Just enough to cause mayhem. The Nissen radiator is fine, only 3 years old, but now I know the fittings are sensitive to get a seal. Expensive lesson.

Now to finding a decent used unit. Any thoughts would be great.


DanR 94 964 277,896 miles (43,000 on the new engine)
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DanR

It is back on the road, replaced the unit last weekend but broke the plastic down lever from the under side of the gear selector for the linkage. Had to wait a couple of days for that. $22.00 for that part. It runs great.

The replacement cost $200.00 plus 7 hours of driving in a snow storm last week. Found a place in Zeeland MI, that had over 25 units for my car alone. They claim it has 80,000 miles on it and it came with a 90 day warranty too.
Had located a couple of units in the Chicago area but they were asking 500-650 for them. One had over 180K on it.

Ran into a couple of snags on the removal of the old unit. Could not get the trans cooler line disconnected at the unit, did not want to use heat incase there was a fitting that needed to be salvaged. Cutting the lines near the radiator allowed enough clearance to get it out. The other was a little more difficult, the 6th and last bolt on the torque convertor stipped out, a few choice words filled the house on that. The only idea that would work to me, was to drill off the head, carefully to not ruin the flywheel. In order to get my drill in there the exhaust manifold and heat shield had to come off. A royal pain. Drilled off the head and replaced the torx bolts with hardened hex heads. The bolts had to have a thinner head height to clear the back side of the engine block. Took some running around on a Sunday but found a hardware store that still had the old style of displaying bolts. The kind with the little drawers. After clean the replacement unit of a ton of sand and oil mix, replaced the input shaft seal, pulled apart the PNP switch, cleaned and regreased, tested the other electric gear with an ohm guage against the original unit, every thing was about the same in resistance. Took me about 3 hours to put everything back. Top it off with dyno trans fluid. The first test was done wheels up on the stands, had the son get in start it up and I shifted the gears from underneath using the lever on the side of the tranny. Everything seemed good.

Have about 250 miles on it now and it seems very smooth. I imagine that the old unit was wearing but at such a small rate that it is hard to notice it. Except for the radiator trashing it suddenly, it may appear that its days were numbered anyway.

Just confirmed too, the radiator is bad, and not the fittings I thought it was, and as of yet the trans is still by-passed from it. Have to order a new radiator but will wait until next month. I figure then to make the switch back to synthetic fluid. As much as the thought bothers me, with the weather warming up, by-passing the radiator just makes me very uneasy.

Thanks all for your input.

DanR 94 964 277,000 miles (43,000 on the new engine)



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DanR

Is there any danger of this (coolent in trans fluid contamination) occuring when one flushes the trans fluid thru the trans cooler lines (the method recommended in this message board and in the FAQs)?

no.

DEWFPO
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1998 S90 071,245 and 1995 964 154,100

DanR
Sorry to hear about the transmission. This is a pretty common transmission so any shop that is familiar with Toyota RWD transmissions (A340, A341E, A343) should be able to rebuild it on the cheap. Everything from T100, LS400, Supra, Previa, 4Runner used this same transmission. They even use the exact same gear ratios and PNP switch.
Im amazed by the number of miles you've been able to go on an original trasmission. It outlived the original engine. And in the end it was the radiator that killed it not wear. Wow!
This seals it. Im removing the ATF lines from the radiator and installing a a separate transmission cooler. The transmission has its own thermostat to ensure that its not running too cold. The risk of having the radiator kill my trasmission is just too much for me. Please come back and tell us ur experience with the rebuid/replacement and costs.
Good luck
Justin

JUstin:
Do you know if that transmission is used in the Sequoia or Tundra?
THose have the V8 engine.
If so it tells us a lot about the basic strength.
How much torque did the Supra or other cars put through it?
I notice that the Lexus transmission pan gasket is recommended, indicating that Lexus used the same transmission.
How much torque did the Lexus have?

Thanks,
S'V'

This is a list of all known Toyota applications. All "A34_" transmissions are essentially the same to our trasmission. They use the same clutch packs and gear ratios except for first gear. A few Lexus models have a 2.53 first VS 2.84 on the 960 and most other Lexus/Toyota applications. Differences between the versions (last digit in the name) are bell housings and tail shaft output. Some versions are set up to bolt directly to a transfer case in 4WD applications. LS400 V8 makes 260lb/ft and Supra turbo 320lb/ft.
List of applications
Description

DanR,............ Bummer.

I am always seeing AW30-40's from recylcer's on eBay. Some even offer warranties. The prices seem pretty good. Change the fluid and the PNP and you should be good to go.

Good Luck

DEWFPO
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1998 S90 071,245 and 1995 964 154,100

Well sorry about your loss but the up side is a replacement transmission isn't that bad.
I ran your car through Car-Part.com and found several in your area for between $500 and $750. Hope this will help. http://car-part.com/index.htm

Sorry to here about your bad luck.

If the transmission line fittings at the rad were faulty the worse that could happen is some tranny fluid leakage down the back of the rad, not sure how this could cause "mixing". I was not aware that there was any O ring at this point. Perhaps that larger nut on the rad side was allowed to turn or slip when attaching the smaller line nut to it, you must use a back up wrench on the larger nut when loosening and tightening the smaller one. Don't know, but I would still suspect the rad itself.
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David Hunter

I have a aw71 if thats what it calls for. I,m guessing you have a 4cyln. rwd. I had the same thing happen to a car I bought and it took 18qrts to clear it. Let me know call 818-708-7052 or mail me at ufarley@earthlink.net It will be cheaper than a rebuilt one they are about $1500. Let me know Chuck

Thanks but that won't work it is a 6 cylinder. AW30 is the trans I will be needing.

DanR
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DanR

hey danr,

do you know how much coolant got into the tranny?

was it noticeable--was the atf like "pepto bismol"?

40k miles is a long time. did you notice yer coolant resevoir tank going low? and was there atf in the resevoir tank?

I cannot imagine that it was more than a quart. The trans fluid was not pepto bismall. The fluid was browner a little burnt but cloudy. The fluid was not checked for a couple of months. The coolant had some trans fluid in it. Over a two week period I had to top it off twice to answer the low level light. Assumed it was a bad hose or clamp. Was going to wait til it was a little warmer to check it out.

DanR
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DanR

hi, dan

just in case you might be interested, go to the 200 forun and see my :calling transmission expert..." post.

my first tranny's atf was that color, more like a dark brown and I remember it having a distinct smell.

Dan ==Have noticed a couple of trannies on ebay for sale recently, type in Volvo 960 and should come up with the list of parts and such.
Good Luck
Poolman