So I would like some advice. I got it on jack stands and took a preliminary look at what this entails, and it doesn't look good. I don't see how I can ever get the flex plate to TC bolts out. The rest looks fairly strait forward. Not hard, just time consuming. Now I watched Tim the Toyota man do a tranny swap and he said those bolts are not easy to get to, but he was working on a V6 and it looked doable. I have the 2.7L and it doesn't look doable at all, atleast without taking the steering rack off, and that looks like a nightmare also. Do any of you have an opinion on just pulling the engine and tranny out together? Has anyone here done that and was it easier? Did you pull the transfer off first or not? Being that it's a 4Cyl. there is plenty of room in the engine bay to work. I don't see a problem there. What do you think, pull the motor, or pull they tranny?
I'm starting the rebuild on the A340F tranny
- Thread starter 4SKIN
- Start date
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Getting at those TC bolts is the problem. Just got done doing another look at this and seems like pulling the motor and tranny seems like alot more work than it appears. I have to remove the sway bar no matter what which is no big deal. That might give me a bit more access to the TC bolts. I think I can pull the tranny off the TC and let it stay with the flex plate. With it out of the way it might give me a little more room to get at those bolts, but I will still have to put them back on when I install the new TC on the rebuilt tranny. If it comes down to it, I can always drop the steering rack. It doesn't look like fun, but it still looks easier and quicker than pulling the motor. I took both wheels off and on the passenger's side once the cooling lines are out of the way I might be able to get at those bolts, atleast one. Then I can turn the engine over to get at the rest. Hopefully.
I never thought about that! One of the first things I have to do is drop the starter anyway. If I can get at them through the starter hole it would be great. I'll let everyone know. Thanks a bunch!
phattyduck
Elite Member
The starter is on the wrong side to access the flywheel bolts. You should be able to get up there with a box-end wrench - though the 4-cylinder does sit slightly different in the bay than the V6...
-Charlie
-Charlie
Does it bolt from the converter side to the flex plate?
phattyduck
Elite Member
Ack, now I'm questioning it again. I know it was a pain to reach with all the 4WD stuff in the way, but I did access it from below after removing the cover plate (V6 though).
-Charlie
96RedRunner
Senior Member
You right, V6 has access cover end of oil pan, only access I see. Bump starter remove bolts. I don't see Yota making it different for I-4 access, pretty standard location. Been wrong before.
Bolts go through flex into threaded holes in converter.
My starter is on the driver's side mounted to and facing the front of the bell housing. I haven't removed it yet so I can't confirm that the TC to flex plate are even accessible or even visible. All I got so far is the dipstick removed LOL! Haven't even got the tube off the bell housing yet. I got the upper bracket off, but the lower bracket is bolted to the bell and the bolt for it is behind the header pipe, Can't get a wrench on it. Looks like I will have to drop the pipe off the ex. manifold. I thought I would have that transmission on the ground by now. Worked on a lot of vehicles but this one is fighting me from the start.
OK, I got the pan off. Looks like someone's been here before. Rubber gasket and a non stock strainer so atleast I haven't got a silicon mess to clean up, that's already done for me. There was no metal on any of the magnets, but there was some serious mung stuck to them and the bottom of the pan. Looks like a layer of oily dirt about 1/8" thick. Is that clutch material in your opinion? If it isn't, should I roll the dice and try a new filter? It was plugged up pretty good with that stuff too. Am I whistling through a graveyard? I'm guessing that the clutches are toast. What do you think?
Dieselchessy
New member
What were the symptoms that prompted the attempt at removal?
Depending, id say clean the pan, replace the filter, fill it with valvoline max life, and see what it does. Depending...
Depending, id say clean the pan, replace the filter, fill it with valvoline max life, and see what it does. Depending...
VernySanders
New member
my two pennies is invest in a 12mm box end wrench that about a foot and a half long, makes it cake to get the bolts from the TC and Flexplate. The thing you cant forget though is you can only get one bolt at a time, then you need to rotate the engine crank to reveal the next bolt. I just did a manual swap on my 3rd gen (v6) and these bolts were on the easy end of the spectrum, moreso time consuming than anything because I did it all alone. My starter was on the passenger side with the V6 though. Pics will help here. Like others have stated, inspection plates are fairly standard designs should be the same across both models.
TravThePro
New member
I just finished pulling and putting my engine back in my project 4Runner. The access cover (bottom of the A340F) should have 3 or 4 10mm bolts that have to be removed to gain access to the window between the rack and pinion and front diff.
The tool I used for this is the harbor freight dual swivel long drive ratchet: 1/4 in, 3/8 in. Drive Long Reach Dual Flex Head Ratchet
This particular tool made it possible for me to remove the torque converter bolts with ease, remove the flywheel bolts and RMS plate while the engine is on the stand. It has actually become one of my favorite tools of all time with getting PIA bolts out. You can combo it with a shallow socket set if you want to cheat even more.
Best of luck with the A340F rebuild, it is one of the last things I have to do for my restoration.
The tool I used for this is the harbor freight dual swivel long drive ratchet: 1/4 in, 3/8 in. Drive Long Reach Dual Flex Head Ratchet
This particular tool made it possible for me to remove the torque converter bolts with ease, remove the flywheel bolts and RMS plate while the engine is on the stand. It has actually become one of my favorite tools of all time with getting PIA bolts out. You can combo it with a shallow socket set if you want to cheat even more.
Best of luck with the A340F rebuild, it is one of the last things I have to do for my restoration.
96RedRunner
Senior Member
[MENTION=122311]4SKIN[/MENTION], What made you decide to do a rebuild ?
The sludge in pan is not out of the norm for a high milage neglected trans, doesn't mean it's done for.
How many miles ago was pan pulled, don't know, what did trans fluid look like you drained ? Black burnt ?
A Crowfoot boxend wrench adapter for a ratchet gets in there nicely on flex bolts.
The sludge in pan is not out of the norm for a high milage neglected trans, doesn't mean it's done for.
How many miles ago was pan pulled, don't know, what did trans fluid look like you drained ? Black burnt ?
A Crowfoot boxend wrench adapter for a ratchet gets in there nicely on flex bolts.
5 years ago I bought this with a milkshaked transmission. Within about 24 hours I drained it, flushed the lines, replaced the radiator, flush it again and again. must have run 5 gal of ATF through it. I did not drop the pan or replace the filter because I was told these have screens, no need to replace. I knew it was a gamble but I was just curious how long it would last, and it lasted 5 good years. Just a few weeks ago I noticed it would wind up to almost 5000 rpm's from a stop to get rolling. Kind of started all of a sudden, but I don't drive it everyday so I can't be exact. I tried the Lucas mechanic in a bottle, didn't help. I figure it's time.
Pretty brown, smells pretty bad. Please see my post above for history. It milkshaked 5 years ago. Thanks.
I'm telling you guys YouTube makes this job look faster and easier then it is, and I haven't even got the tranny off. So many nuts and bolts, and they're in places that are hard to get. Like even the sway bar brackets. Why would they put those bolts in there like that? It will get better once I'm into the transmission. I bought a Toyota factory manual specific to the E,H, and F and it so far looks pretty informative. Lots of diagrams. Kinda weird though it shows using what looks like a wrench that comes with a chainsaw or outboard motor to disassemble it. Is that really something they would use at the factory in Japan? I doubt it.
phattyduck
Elite Member
96RedRunner
Senior Member
[MENTION=122311]4SKIN[/MENTION], Carry on. Good Luck !!
Yes, I believe it does. I got 5 years out of it. I didn't think I would get any. I have my 2000 SR5 so it's not like I don't have a vehicle. I can take my time.
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