Need Advice

[a216vcti]

I recently blew my trans after owning the vehicle for only a few months. When I bought the 4runner in February, the previous owner said timing belt and water pump was done. I'm wondering if the radiator was done as well to cover up a pink sludge issue. I found no traces of pink sludge. I was wondering if they drained the trans fluid to get enough life out of her to be able to sell her. I did end up putting about 5k miles on it.

So I pulled the OE trans and put in a trans from a salvage yard. When I bought the trans from the salvage yard, it had written on it that the trans was missing the filter. I go to swap out the oil pan because the oil pan that was on the trans from the salvage yard had a mangled dipstick tube. So I pull the trans pan off the OE trans. It is in decent shape to put on the salvage trans, has a bend but not completely shut, and I find the bottom has a bunch of brown sludge at the bottom.

So to rehash:

- OE trans blew at 256k
- OE trans was found to have brown sludge at the bottom.
- OE trans pan has a slight bend in the dipstick tube.

- Salvage yard claims this trans has 95k on it.
- Salvage trans is missing trans filter
- Salvage trans has broken off dipstick tube.

I had the following questions:

1. Why would the salvage yard remove the trans filter? Is this common?

2. Anyone have any guesses as to why the OE trans pan has that sludge? Mileage? I'm worried it might be pink milkshake. It looks brown though.

3. Can I reuse the trans oil filter from the OE trans? If not, can someone recommend a good website to buy the trans filter from? All of the local places do not stock it. Advanced Auto parts carries it, but I don't want to use an aftermarket one.

4. I'd like to install an aftermarket oil cooler. Is it possible to not use the metal lines coming out of the trans? They seem bent up, due to my own doing.

5. Is it possible to replace the dipstick tube without buying a brand new pan? Is there any aftermarket solutions?

6. Since I used the transfer case from the salvage yard, how do I balance the drive shafts since the tick marks on the old transfer case do not line up?

I'm getting really excited to get this thing up and running again. I'm amazed that I was able to get that thing installed without having to jack up the truck. I'm just hoping that going the cheapest route didn't bite me in the ass.

 

[heat]

Number one concern for me would be the brown sludge in the replacement trans. No telling what abuse it's been through. I'd send it back.

 

[Jc12]

. Why would the salvage yard remove the trans filter? Is this common?
No idea, simply buy a new one online. Just search a toyota parts website or parts geek and find a brand you trust

2. Anyone have any guesses as to why the OE trans pan has that sludge? Mileage? I'm worried it might be pink milkshake. It looks brown though.
this is caused by the internal clutches wearing down and particles being broken off, normal on a well used/wrecked trany for sure IMO

3. Can I reuse the trans oil filter from the OE trans? If not, can someone recommend a good website to buy the trans filter from? All of the local places do not stock it. Advanced Auto parts carries it, but I don't want to use an aftermarket one.
as mentioned above, just google toyota parts online and locate one or make a trip to a dealer and have them order it in if not in stock

4. I'd like to install an aftermarket oil cooler. Is it possible to not use the metal lines coming out of the trans? They seem bent up, due to my own doing.
yes this is where you tap into the transmission lines to run an aftermarket cooler (like B&M). No way of knowing if you still can without a pic but you can always tap into the existing lines that go to your radiator

5. Is it possible to replace the dipstick tube without buying a brand new pan? Is there any aftermarket solutions?
sorry i have no experience with this, look for a 4runner being parted out?

6. Since I used the transfer case from the salvage yard, how do I balance the drive shafts since the tick marks on the old transfer case do not line up?
see if there are any markings on the old transfer case that you can match up with the new one otherwise you may have to just put it in and adjust a few times until you find the sweet spot. I have been told you can have it done at a shop for $100 although others disagree as ours are balanced differently. I do have first hand experience talking to a guy who had it done and said it worked fine (having a shop balance it)

 

[a216vcti]

Number one concern for me would be the brown sludge in the replacement trans. No telling what abuse it's been through. I'd send it back.

The brown sludge was in the bottom of my OE trans. Not the replacement trans. The pan of the replacement tran was pretty clean. Almost too clean which made me wonder about the filter and why would it be removed.

 

[a216vcti]

. Why would the salvage yard remove the trans filter? Is this common?
No idea, simply buy a new one online. Just search a toyota parts website or parts geek and find a brand you trust

2. Anyone have any guesses as to why the OE trans pan has that sludge? Mileage? I'm worried it might be pink milkshake. It looks brown though.
this is caused by the internal clutches wearing down and particles being broken off, normal on a well used/wrecked trany for sure IMO

3. Can I reuse the trans oil filter from the OE trans? If not, can someone recommend a good website to buy the trans filter from? All of the local places do not stock it. Advanced Auto parts carries it, but I don't want to use an aftermarket one.
as mentioned above, just google toyota parts online and locate one or make a trip to a dealer and have them order it in if not in stock

4. I'd like to install an aftermarket oil cooler. Is it possible to not use the metal lines coming out of the trans? They seem bent up, due to my own doing.
yes this is where you tap into the transmission lines to run an aftermarket cooler (like B&M). No way of knowing if you still can without a pic but you can always tap into the existing lines that go to your radiator

5. Is it possible to replace the dipstick tube without buying a brand new pan? Is there any aftermarket solutions?
sorry i have no experience with this, look for a 4runner being parted out?

6. Since I used the transfer case from the salvage yard, how do I balance the drive shafts since the tick marks on the old transfer case do not line up?
see if there are any markings on the old transfer case that you can match up with the new one otherwise you may have to just put it in and adjust a few times until you find the sweet spot. I have been told you can have it done at a shop for $100 although others disagree as ours are balanced differently. I do have first hand experience talking to a guy who had it done and said it worked fine (having a shop balance it)

Thank you for your response! I ordered a trans filter from amazon and it will be here on wednesday along with an external cooler. I'm going to see if I can get the existing metal lines that run to the cooler to work. They should work if I can get them lined up. The lines don't have any holes in them.

I think I did the process to reconnnect the metal lines backwards. I screwed the ends of the metal lines and then tried to secure them to the block. I should have done it the other way around.

 

[a216vcti]

Also, anyone have any useful tips to flush the trans? Should I take it to a dealer for them to flush? I'm certain I'm going to need to add fluid in order to get it moving. I was thinking about towing it to a dealer to get the driveshafts installed and balanced and then getting the trans fluid flushed and filled.

 

[ben550]

Also, anyone have any useful tips to flush the trans? Should I take it to a dealer for them to flush? I'm certain I'm going to need to add fluid in order to get it moving. I was thinking about towing it to a dealer to get the driveshafts installed and balanced and then getting the trans fluid flushed and filled.

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/maint...on-service-4th-gen-toyota-4runners-prior.html

I followed Mike's writeup. I did it at 138,000 miles and am at 162,000 now with no issues. I also used a filter from advanced auto. It is just a screen that sits at the top of the pan.

Be sure to clean the magnets in the pan. Mine were covered in the brown sludge too but cleaned up nicely.

Hope this helps but its for a 4th gen.