'85 4Runner Torque Converter Questions

[OddsNEnds]

Hi,

New here and a new owner (3 days now) of an '85 4Runner 4x4 w/ 4 spd automatic trans and a 22re motor that my friend traded me for. It's a real nice 4Runner, but I have a problem with the tranny and/or torque converter.

I am assuming this trans comes with a locking torque converter cause I seem to feel it and hear it locking while normal driving (someone please confirm this). But the problem is I think it is not disengaging properly when at a stop and the truck is in neutral. When I put the truck in gear, it yanks hard when engaging.

Thing is that I readjusted the idle (higher) only a little because the truck would stall at a stop. But, the idle itself does not seem high at all (maybe 800 rpm)(not checked with a tach yet).

So it feels like the torque converter isn't disengaging properly or something. Anyone got any ideas on this?

Thanks,
OddsNEnds

I hope this is the right forum to put this in.

 

[mikes4runner]

when was the transmission fluid changed last?. Does it only "drop" hard when you shift from park into drive?. How many miles on the tranny?.

 

[OddsNEnds]

Thanks for the reply Mike.

From what my friend said, he just changed the fluid, the trans has 110k miles on it.

And no, sometimes it feels like it has a shift kit in it or something. Is quick and firm when shifting between gears, even in normal mode.

 

[mikes4runner]

My 93 had 90k on it when I changed the fluid and when you would shift it from park to drive,reverse,etc. it would drop into gear hard. once warm would shift better. I took it to a transmission guy I trust and they flushed it and cleaned the valves, ran ok for about a week then started up again. So I put a rebuilt transmission in it. They said the gears were stripping and clogging the valves. Runs like new now. Later I read how if you let the tranny fliuid go to long your better off just running it till it dies. changing the fluid just lossens everything up and causes problems. maybe some of the other guys on the board have more info for you. Your problem just sounded like mine. Just my 02. Good luck