2001 4Runner Won't Move

[Lets4RunIt]

Been squattin' these forum for a while while I looked into 4Runners... finally pulled the trigger and 3 days later, this happens.

2001 SR5 w/ 105k miles. No evidence of pink milkshakes form as far as I can tell.

Driving down the road to work in the am, I forget exactly the combination of moves but at the light I shifted from 4Hi to 4Lo, then back again I believe. After doing this and driving off at the light, she just won't respond to acceleration. I coasted to a stop in the lane and had to be pushed off. Engine revs, sounds good, but just won't go. All gears. 4WD *seems* to engage when you click it, shifters for 4Lo-N-Hi seem to work, shifting from Park to Drive to 2 to 1 all works... but not one combination of any of the aforementioned will produce movement. It just seems like every gear/combination keeps the truck in Neutral.

Initial mechanic suggests an entire transmission replacement, but I don't know if that's the case... there was no real destructive noises or even any hint of shifting/gearing problems. Seems very... electronic related or some kind of breakage or connection that just isn't happening.

Then again, I'm clearly no mechanic.

Any thoughts? I've poked around and didn't see much on this. Going to talk to mechanic later today and likely have it brought to a toyota shop for second assessment. Ill follow up regardless with where this goes... for science.

 

[LittleCaesar]

Make sure the shift linkage is connected. If you have taken it to a mechanic though I would imagine they would have checked this.

Do you know if this 4runner was swamped by Sandy?

 

[Lets4RunIt]

Make sure the shift linkage is connected. If you have taken it to a mechanic though I would imagine they would have checked this.

Do you know if this 4runner was swamped by Sandy?

Did not notice any evidence of water damage anywhere on the vehicle.

The mechanic removed the pan and checked the linkage and claims it's alright. That said, he also said that the "pink milkshake" problem was one newer 4Runners, and that the Transfer Case was "Part of the Transmission" and would be part of "the entire transmission replacement".

I may have to suck it up and get it towed to a legit Toyota mechanic instead of this recommended guy and pay the price. All indicators seem to tell me the transfer case is stuck/broken in neutral.

 

[runnyrunnerton]

i hit my 4wd lever forward once and did not realized i hit it, had it towed home slid under it for hours. I finally got in after seeing nothing was wrong, yanked the 4wd lever back into position. Boom. did the whole Drive and reverse thing. Sometimes we do the stupid stuff. and by we i mean me.

 

[Lets4RunIt]

i hit my 4wd lever forward once and did not realized i hit it, had it towed home slid under it for hours. I finally got in after seeing nothing was wrong, yanked the 4wd lever back into position. Boom. did the whole Drive and reverse thing. Sometimes we do the stupid stuff. and by we i mean me.

Did the whole "Drive and Reverse" thing? Meaning, play with each gear and hope for the best?

 

[mliebal]

Or it is possible that the flex plate gave up the ghost.
I was going a round a corner, gave it the gas and then acted like it was in neutral. Turned out to be the flexplate broken through.
Seems like way few miles to have this issue.
Could pull the access panel, at the tranny bell housing, to check.
Good luck.

 

[Lets4RunIt]

Or it is possible that the flex plate gave up the ghost.
I was going a round a corner, gave it the gas and then acted like it was in neutral. Turned out to be the flexplate broken through.
Seems like way few miles to have this issue.
Could pull the access panel, at the tranny bell housing, to check.
Good luck.

Haven't read this one yet... interesting.

 

[shootmymime]

what about trying to go back into low like you did at the stop light?

maybe you can grab the gears again when you do that.

 

[Lets4RunIt]

what about trying to go back into low like you did at the stop light?

maybe you can grab the gears again when you do that.

Ill try it while waiting on the tow tonight. I really didn't think it was anything too malicious I did at the light, but I can't remember sequentially my moves. I'll try it tonight and report back.

This is going to end up being something stupid or something serious, as most things are I suppose.

 

[mliebal]

The fact that you were able to start driving away from the stop light, makes it seem to me like it is not the 4wd system.
BTW, my starter started to sound funny after the break, then the starter motor would turn, but not turn the engine over. Does your starter work consistently, still?

 

[Lets4RunIt]

The fact that you were able to start driving away from the stop light, makes it seem to me like it is not the 4wd system.
BTW, my starter started to sound funny after the break, then the starter motor would turn, but not turn the engine over. Does your starter work consistently, still?

I only had the truck for 3 days... but I drove it each day. No issues starting up really. Perhaps an additional second on the key-turn than I would normally do every once in a while, but nothing that made me suspect my Starter was on the outs. Again - I'm no mechanic...

 

[LittleCaesar]

I forgot to ask earlier if your 4runner possibly had a new radiator in it?

I would think, like runnyrunnerton said, that the T-case is in neutral. And no, the T-case and tranny are two different animals.

 

[Lets4RunIt]

I forgot to ask earlier if your 4runner possibly had a new radiator in it?

I would think, like runnyrunnerton said, that the T-case is in neutral. And no, the T-case and tranny are two different animals.

Looks like a new radiator -- so I was scared about the dreaded Pink Milkshake. Nothing else seemed to indicate it would have had that problem, however. ((wishful thinking))

 

[mliebal]

The flex plate is the connection between the engine and the transmission. It connects the engine crankshaft towards the center of the plate, while it connects to the transmission (torque converter) near the outside diameter of the plate. It breaks around the connection to the engine basically acting like the vehicle is in neutral.
My question concerning the starter has to do with post no drive condition. Once my flex plate broke and the truck would longer move on its own, the starter started to make noise then I could here it spin, but would not turn the engine. The reason is the broken flex plate was only attached to the torque converter, not the engine. The torque converter could move back towards the transmission, disengaging the starter.

 

[awpsome]

I believe your answers is somewhere in the transfer case. Being that for whatever reason you went from 4hi to 4lo at a stoplight; between those two areas of engagement is a neutral position.

If your transfer case is in neutral your truck won't drive in any gear.
While your transmission is in neutral try to move your transfer case lever back to its 2hi position and make sure it's in all the way.
Then put the transmission back to drive and see if it works.

Obviously i would assume you have done this already but maybe your transfer case is stuck in neutral for whatever reason.

Also first check for pink milkshake is just pull up your trans dipstick and look for a "pink milkshake" substance. Also there is a possibility, but crawl underneath and look at your transfer case. If possible open up the fill hole plug, not the drain plug, and see if it has fluid. If not your problem can also be there that without fluid it's unable to shift through its gearing.

Again this is for your transfer case as you should already know if you have fluid or not in your transmission via the dipstick.

 

[LittleCaesar]

I'd drop the pan, and see if there were any indications of the milkshake.

If there are, then clutches are probably gone.

 

[shootmymime]

low tranny fluid could cause a vehicle not to move. but is hard to suspect why it would just quit. i still think its in the transfer case.

 

[Lets4RunIt]

Survey says : Transmission is shot. Awaiting to hear specifics, but Toyota is saying "You need a new trans." Great. Any leads/advice/suggestions?

 

[LittleCaesar]

The new radiator said it all. Man, that just stinks. But to look forward, you still got a good 4runner with low miles for a good deal.

www.-car-part.com. You should be able to find one in a junkyard or take it to a reputable shop such as: IPT Performance Transmissions | Performance Parts | Torque Converters. John has had much experience with the A340 series but I do not know how far you are from him.

Good luck.