new user with my transmission story

[moroberts61]

hi everybody. been lurking for about a year but now joined and posting.

the short version... 2002 2wd sport. bought in AZ last year. insanely clean, 93,000 miles. no issues at all. drove back to pennsylvania, garaged in winter and hardly ever driven, maybe 1500-2000 miles this year.

last week i drove ny to new orleans, no problems. then i'm driving non-stop on my way from nola to albuquerque, after 15 hours my transmission completly gives out. just rpm's, no engaging. sounds like marbles or something loose in the case.

we're talking 1 am now. get a tow, and then another 2 hour tow to a very reputable shop in albuquerque the next day.

no overhearing, no milkshake, no burnt fluid, no slippage. so it just overheated and seized ? damn man.... just broke 100,000 miles and i need possible a rebuilt tranny..

thanks and glad to be here... i'll be getting a transmission cooler unit installed for sure !!

 

[BrianSD_42]

this is a strange story. I am still going strong on my tranny (knock on wood) at 205,000 but sometimes failures just happen.

My engine ran perfectly, perfectly until 199,800 miles and then out of nowhere with no warning it started running rough and threw a CEL. ... cool story bro ... I know ... anyways my point is that sometimes failures just pop up out of nowhere.

It also could have suffered a milkshake before you bought it. From what I have ready, after a milkshake the tranny will usually fail 10k - 15k miles later. The previous owner could have flushed it all out, the only way to know would be to somehow verify the radiator is still the original factory one and it was never changed.

:ybrick:

 

[moroberts61]

thanks for the response. from the best i could tell everything is original. i bought it from a mechanic at a very reputable repair shop in scottsdale while looking for a 4runner in albuquerque. but yea, maybe he replaced the radiator. it was crazy clean and was his family car so i'm sure he was on top of the maintanance.

i'll find out when the tranny place calls today. they're very familiar with this situation with toyotas and didn't really flinch or seem suprised at the mileage. they know there's a design flaw and said either now or a year from now, at a certain time these things just fail.

the owner showed me some flywheels for a tauruses that had overheated during long desert drives and then just kinda melted. and it wasn't till after the car stopped that the problem happened, it's kinda frozen tight when it's running so you cant seize.

yea, maybe I had the slightest slippage once or twice on the long drive, but basically no warning whatsoever..

oh well, it's only money :-(

 

[LittleCaesar]

I'd be pulling out the rest of my hair if that happened. Glad you have a positive outlook on the situation.

If the rebuild gets into the thousands, look for a used one first (Car-Part.com--Used Auto Parts Market). I am curious on why it crapped out so keep us abreast of you saga.

 

[moroberts61]

i've already had my stressful 2 days.

plus I went thru neurosurgery and know what's really important in my life I mean that in the best way...

keep you posted for sure..

 

[moroberts61]

planetary gear overdrive failure.

2500 for a rebuild with a 3 year, 36,000 mile warranty, plus 175 for the cooler installed.

he can look for used but gottta factor in labor and no warranty. or look for someone else's rebuild.

ugly no matter how you look at it..

damn....

 

[NachoPitt]

PM for a great shop here in Albuquerque; A bunch of my friends take their trucks there and they do great work. Super fair. Their Toyota mechanic spent years working for Toyota and does great work.

 

[moroberts61]

3 days later

even though i found some used trannys in seemingly good condition, ( how do you verify mileage? just trust the seller ?) the general consesus was that if the 4runner is in good condition ( which it is) and i plan on keeping the car and I get an excellent warranty, the choice is to get it rebuilt. ANd the dealer warranty is only a year, this shop is 3 years, 36, 000 miles.

the guys at the shop have seen this before on certain 4runners. it's the overdrive gear that gets chewed up from too much heat and they blame a faulty design. they're going to check whether there are any updates to correct this, plus install the cooler just to be safe. And my father's toyota genius in New Jersey had never heard of this happening, and he's a bad ass. So go figure....

apparently there's no "better" or "stronger" aftermarket gears for this model. If you have a F250 or a Chevy truck then yea, you can buy some heavy duty gears, but nothing like that exists for 2000-02 4runners. If someone is aware of any then please let me/us know.

again, no warning on this, car wasn't overheating at all. just driving cross country, 16 hours straight at 80 mph. Previous owner had towed a boat though. I'm sure that didn't help...

Anyway, all comments welcome

 

[LittleCaesar]

I think that I have heard where the planetary goes bye bye, but usually it is around 200k miles or more. I also have read where the impending failure is preceded by a tranny whine that can be faintly heard, growing louder until the situation you have arrived at.

If the used yard or tranny seller will stand by his word, he will usually give you at least 120 day warranty.

Heat kills transmissions, nothing more nothing less. That is why it is imperative to have an external cooler on any SUV or truck. The one good thing going for ya is that your tranny guy has seen this before, so this is not his first time with the A340. If you can swing the money, have it rebuilt. And make sure the cooler is mounted against the condenser right in front of the fan. If you fan clutch is original, it may be time for a new one of those as well.

 

[NachoPitt]

I vote for rebuild if you are going to keep it - you will know what is in that transmission; it is a crapshoot with a used tranny.