1996 4Runner transmission: re-manufactured, rebuilt or used?

[noxor]

Well in the meantime, anyone have any recommendations for looking for a used besides LKQ and carpart? I'm getting hung up since some places will have one, but it's not a California emissions, manufacturered from 6/99.

As far as remanufactured ones go, found some on 1sttoyotaparts and trademotion, but of course those are pretty pricey.

Thanks guys, I'll keep you updated

 

[noxor]

Are you towing anything

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Nope. Made it from NY to TN with no issues, save for one time at a stopsign where it felt like when you press the gas on a manual with the clutch not engaged, for half a second, then no issues, so I didn't think anything of it at the time, since I was tired. Went on the highway 70max the whole way, and had no issues when I drove around town the week before I left.

I should have been more diligent checking everything myself before I left but I took my dads/the mechanics Word on everything being ready for a drive across.

 

[bararonson]

Good luck, keep posting

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[thegipper]

If you are 100% positive it wasn't a pink milkshake, I would still have them do a flush and see what happens. Worst case scenario your are out like a hundred bucks or so.

Did you investigate what was leaking and where it was coming from? It may have been unrelated but that was one of the things that made me think possibly a milk shake. It often causes the coolant overflow tank to spill over and leak coolant/tranny fluid all over the place.

The tranny could have very well just took a dump, it happens. If you can have them drain the tranny and show us some pictures of the fluid, that would help. Pictures of the coolant reservoir showing the coolant wouldn't hurt either.

 

[thegipper]

Also, you said "Tech said the tranny fluid looks old/burned and he saw some solid (keyword: metal) pieces in the fluid when was was doing his initial diagnostic"

How/where did he see some solids/metal pieces in the fluid? If he hasn't drained it yet or dropped the pan, how would he know? Unless there is so much metal and "solids" in the fluid that it showed up on the dipstick. In that case, that tranny is TOAST. Obviously you can see if the fluid is burnt/black on the dipstick.

 

[noxor]

If you are 100% positive it wasn't a pink milkshake, I would still have them do a flush and see what happens. Worst case scenario your are out like a hundred bucks or so.

Did you investigate what was leaking and where it was coming from? It may have been unrelated but that was one of the things that made me think possibly a milk shake. It often causes the coolant overflow tank to spill over and leak coolant/tranny fluid all over the place.

The tranny could have very well just took a dump, it happens. If you can have them drain the tranny and show us some pictures of the fluid, that would help. Pictures of the coolant reservoir showing the coolant wouldn't hurt either.

Normally I would get a flush and drive it around and see, but I'm 1,500 mi away from getting home and don't want to get stuck again, especially since once I hit the texas panhandle good service shops will be far between. If I were at home and could drive this locally and find out if it slips again or not I would do that for sure.

I will see about getting pictures tomorrow, didn't look at this thread until now and the shops closed now. Will walk over in the morning. Second shop also said the transmission is toast. They think the dealer just changed the fluid/added some no slip quick fix to get it off the lot, and now that its been 1k miles the real problems are back.

My options are:

1) Used local trans with ~120k miles for $600 + $650 install and fluid. This comes with a 90 day warranty, however it is only good at the shop here in TN

2) Shop rebuilds it for $2,200 with a 1 year + 12k miles warranty, one again, only good at shop in TN

3) Jasper reman + install for $2,900 comes with 3 year, 100 k warranty, nationwide not ready for 2 weeks
+ some other more expensive remans


I would like to mention that the first shop I went to quoted me at over $4k for the Jasper, so you can get an idea that some shops definitely know when to pick on people in a pickle...

If I give up and get this towed to NV to deal with later it will set me back around ~$800 probably.

 

[noxor]

heres a pic of fluid from dipstick on a tissue.

Imgur: The most awesome images on the Internet


and before anyone gives me shit about the steps im taking them off and getting rock rails but i just bought the darn thing

 

[thegipper]

Given your unique situation, I would just get the used tranny and call it a day. $1300ish for used tranny with 120k miles installed is actually a pretty good deal as long as they do it right.

Your transmission is probably toast and since you are not really in a position to see if new fluid will save it, just get the used one and be done with it. Maybe you can contact the seller and see if they can reimburse you some of the cost of the replacement tranny since yours shit the bed so soon after the sale.

Good luck, keep us posted.

 

[thegipper]

Also, as soon as you get back, replace the radiator. $100 for a radiator and some fluid is cheap insurance to make sure you dont get a PMS and wreck your new/used tranny.

I would also replace right away when you get back:

Lower ball joints (OEM ONLY)
Do the extended rear differential breather mod (helps prevent rear axle seal/bearing failure)
Replace all other fluids

That tranny shit the bed after only 130k miles so the rest of the maintenance on this truck was probably ignored.

PS. Did you ever figure out was was dripping down the engine? You need to figure that out too or you'll be having other issues as well.

 

[bararonson]

Gipper, what's the extended rear differential breather mod about?

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[thegipper]

The stock rear breather on the differential has two problems. If you are crossing deep water, water can get in the rear diff since the breather just sits on top of the housing.

The second issue is the stock breather becomes clogged do to rust/salt/corrosion ect over time (more so in the rust belt states). When it becomes clogged and cannot vent, the pressure from the heat inside the differential has to go somewhere and can push diff fluid past the axle seals. Once fluid gets inside axle housing, it can destroy the bearings. Now axle seals can still fail even if you do the mod but it helps to make sure that the breather doesn't get clogged.

There has been several of us where we were starting to see signs of axle seal failure until we did the breather mod (or at least replace the stock breather) and the fluid leakage completely stopped. The mod only costs like 20 bucks so IMO it is definitely worth it. Replacing the axle seals/bearings is not a easy DIY and is expensive if you have to take it in. Think of it as cheap insurance but again, it is not a guarantee that your axle seals still cant fail.

Rear diff breather mod

 

[noxor]

Gipper, the mod looks easy enough, and even though I don't have any water around where I'm going (NV) if its a preventative maintenance task I would feel ok doing it.

I am skeptical about the claims of increased horsepower, since it didnt include a windshield sticker. Seriously though, do you think those claims are accurate?

Also, my before I was able to make it to NY to get the truck my dad and his friend put in a sonoran steel 1.2 lift and also put in new ball joints, so im all set there. thanks, i have seen ball joints are a huge risk and are prone to fail on these vehicles so I do appreciate it.

I was planning on getting an external trans fluid cooler to avoid the milkshake, but if i get a whole new radiator that shouldn't leak for years so i may do that for the time being instead.

 

[thegipper]

Gipper, the mod looks easy enough, and even though I don't have any water around where I'm going (NV) if its a preventative maintenance task I would feel ok doing it.

I am skeptical about the claims of increased horsepower, since it didnt include a windshield sticker. Seriously though, do you think those claims are accurate?

Also, my before I was able to make it to NY to get the truck my dad and his friend put in a sonoran steel 1.2 lift and also put in new ball joints, so im all set there. thanks, i have seen ball joints are a huge risk and are prone to fail on these vehicles so I do appreciate it.

I was planning on getting an external trans fluid cooler to avoid the milkshake, but if i get a whole new radiator that shouldn't leak for years so i may do that for the time being instead.

Personally I would just replace the radiator since its nearly 20 years old and you wont have to worry about a PMS for many, many years.

Hopefully they used OEM ball joints as all others will prematurely fail (endless amount of instances of this).

And no, the diff breather mod will not increase horsepower....LOL

Did you look into what was leaking?

 

[noxor]

Given your unique situation, I would just get the used tranny and call it a day. $1300ish for used tranny with 120k miles installed is actually a pretty good deal as long as they do it right.

Your transmission is probably toast and since you are not really in a position to see if new fluid will save it, just get the used one and be done with it. Maybe you can contact the seller and see if they can reimburse you some of the cost of the replacement tranny since yours shit the bed so soon after the sale.

Good luck, keep us posted.

thanks, did end up going the used route. It would cost more than that to get it shipped to NV + fly me there from here, so this way hopefully I end up with something that makes it at least a few years.

I did not ever figure out the source of the leak, but will keep an eye on levels etc every fill up during the drive back, and get under the engine once i get back.

I got a look at the drained fluid, it smells TERRIBLE(burned), and is pretty dark. Didn't see any metal/particles in it, however. Did not get to see the pan dropped, and maybe I should have made a bigger deal about this, but the reality is based on the slipping + burned fluid + being 1,500 miles out even if the contents in the pan looked alright would it be worth the risk of trying to drive it back?

The place I'm getting the used one from has a 90 day warranty, which I wont be able to use, realistically, since I would have to bring the truck 3k round trip, but, they did say that if I had the shop here drop the pan on a new one and check it out/change filter/fluid that wouldnt be an issue (which apparently sometimes is? voids the warranty?).

I haven't done much work on vehicles, typically learn as things go wrong or need to do preventative maintenance, but this transmission stuff is all new to me. Im sure someone more experienced may have done it different but for now Ill have to live with it.

 

[thegipper]

You were in a pinch, your decision makes sense to me. The tranny was probably toast, not worth risking it given your situation.

Good luck on your drive back

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[noxor]

Personally I would just replace the radiator since its nearly 20 years old and you wont have to worry about a PMS for many, many years.

Hopefully they used OEM ball joints as all others will prematurely fail (endless amount of instances of this).

And no, the diff breather mod will not increase horsepower....LOL

That was just a joke by the author of the write up.

Did you look into what was leaking?

Radiator sounds like a plan, will park the car and order a new one when I get back. You have any recommendations? I am going to be in NV so it does get very hot (115+).

I mentioned it above but no did not get to look for the leak yet. The guy at the first shop said it was from the trans pan, and it wasn't very much when it was happening, the rain on the ground made it spread out and very noticeable due to the shimmering/rainbow. I will have the guys take a look since they will have it on a lift.

and LOL alright, he kept mentioning the HP gains it so matter of factly I could not tell if it was sarcasm. So you think thats worth doing even if Im not going in water?

 

[noxor]

You were in a pinch, your decision makes sense to me. The tranny was probably toast, not worth risking it given your situation.

Good luck on your drive back

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:thanks: gipper! I will be sure to follow up. maybe ill make my own thread now that I have enough posts.

 

[thegipper]

OEM radiator if money is no issue. Denso if you want to save about hundred bucks (200 ish for oem, 100 for denso). I'm running a denso and many others on here are too without issue.

Do the diff mod because the biggest reason is for the axle seals as I mentioned before. I do not cross deep water either but my axle seals were starting to leak and doing the mod fixed it. Axle seal repairs are not easy, require special tools and a press or you have to pay a shop a ton of money to do it. Again, cheap insurance.

Don't forget to change all other fluids too. Fluids are cheap, mechanical parts are not


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[thegipper]

Stock radiator should be fine. If you plan on wheeling out there then you could consider running an external cooler in line with the radiator. I put a tranny temp gauge on my 97 to keep an eye on the temps. I used the glowshift tranny temp gauge and it was like 50 bucks. Took about an hour to install.

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[thegipper]

My bro ran my rig in Phoenix in traffic for years without isssue.

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