No Lockup from trans

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UPDATE: FIXED No Lockup from trans

Hey all, Been having an issue with my 97 Runner. I'll give the full story.

I'm a Marine Engineer, work on a boat 1/2 a month or so and home for equal time off. Was on the boat over the past months and came across this Limited, Black on tan, fully loaded 97 4Runner with 284k Klms in the next Province over. Emailed the guy and it sounded like a good truck.

He bought it off a Toyota lot in British Columbia in 2000 (No salt out there) and lived there for a number of years, then drove it home to PEI where it was until the winter past. Sent me a bunch of pictures and decided to go ahead with the sale. Only downside was it needed a trans.Said he lost in within days, Reverse was fine but no forward gears. So it sat in his garage for 8 months. The price was right and it was remarkably clean, and always wanted a Limited.
Sent him the money sight unseen and had a friend pick it up with a flat-deck.

Got off the boat, with arrangements already made for an apparetly rebuilt trans for $240. Bought the trans and made my way to my friends place in PEI where he had a hoist with the truck stored. Sure enough, got there and first seeing the truck I was amazed at the shape underneath. Started it up, had a misfire from a cracked coil pack, so called a salvage yard that had a bunch of tacomas and picked it up in morning. Like stated, no forward gears, pop it to drive and it would barley inch forward, reverse was fine tho (Clutches I assumed)

Dropped the trans, had a ton of filth in the pan, she was cooked. Went to put the "new to me" trans and converter in, and the torque converter wouldn't seat. Tried everything, trans on its end, twisting every which way, no go. However the old converter slipped right in. I know its not recommended but it was what I had at the time. Put the old one in and bolted everything up.

Dropped the truck off the hoist with everything hooked up and proceeded to take my new truck for a drive. Pulled out on the road, huge smile, couldn't be happier. Running through the gears, gaining speed it feels great Shifts out of 1st, 2nd, into 3rd and it stopped. I'm waiting for O/D and the smile is slowly dropping as the revs increase. Sh*i I only have 3 gears. Hitting the O/D button does nothing. The light comes on the dash but no mechanical change. Truck is at operating temp, no CEL. Keep driving it and nothing. It's doing 100kph at 3000k RPM.

Let it cool off after parking, pulled the other pan and swapped all 3 solenoids from the original trans and the temp probe. Fill it back up, still nothing.

When you're driving,and coming to a hill for example, the revs increase without speed increase, like slipping. I'll put a video in the comments once it uploads. And when on a hill in Drive, the truck rolls back, won't hold.

Now (Thanks for bearing with me) :focus: I'm thinking torque converter. Has no lockup no matter what. I've done the manual shift test by unplugging the trans and shifting 1,2 and D. When doing this, the truck does do like it should, 1st is 1st, 2nd is 3rd, and D is O/D. This is the only way I can achieve O/D.

As I write this, I have a new in box torque converter by my feet, but want the opinion of members before I arrange to pull the trans for a 2nd time.

Thank you

Sterling
 
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Dropped the truck off the hoist with everything hooked up and proceeded to take my new truck for a drive. Pulled out on the road, huge smile, couldn't be happier. Running through the gears, gaining speed it feels great Shifts out of 1st, 2nd, into 3rd and it stopped. I'm waiting for O/D and the smile is slowly dropping as the revs increase. Sh*i I only have 3 gears. Hitting the O/D button does nothing. The light comes on the dash but no mechanical change. Truck is at operating temp, no CEL. Keep driving it and nothing. It's doing 100kph at 3000k RPM.

Let it cool off after parking, pulled the other pan and swapped all 3 solenoids from the original trans and the temp probe. Fill it back up, still nothing.

When you're driving,and coming to a hill for example, the revs increase without speed increase, like slipping. I'll put a video in the comments once it uploads. And when on a hill in Drive, the truck rolls back, won't hold.

Now (Thanks for bearing with me) :focus: I'm thinking torque converter. Has no lockup no matter what. I've done the manual shift test by unplugging the trans and shifting 1,2 and D. When doing this, the truck does do like it should, 1st is 1st, 2nd is 3rd, and D is O/D. This is the only way I can achieve O/D.

As I write this, I have a new in box torque converter by my feet, but want the opinion of members before I arrange to pull the trans for a 2nd time.

Thank you

Sterling

Are you hearing a torque converter whine? Was there a new oil pump installed on that rebuilt tranny? Sure one of those solenoids isn't bunk? Any codes?

On the shift solenoid it's the opposite of what you're experiencing though... you would see rpms stay stagnant as you push the pedal, moreso a hiccup when youre at 60-65mph...
 
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Are you hearing a torque converter whine? Was there a new oil pump installed on that rebuilt tranny? Sure one of those solenoids isn't bunk? Any codes?

On the shift solenoid it's the opposite of what you're experiencing though... you would see rpms stay stagnant as you push the pedal, moreso a hiccup when youre at 60-65mph...

Not hearing any whine. Not sure about the pump, never saw any receipts for the trans, so I assume the worst. No codes on the old solenoids or the ones i put in. The ones in the "Rebuilt" trans are Denso, the original trans has the Toyota stamped ones. I'll attach a video in the comments once it uploads (Internet in the sticks has terrible upload)
 
Not hearing any whine. Not sure about the pump, never saw any receipts for the trans, so I assume the worst. No codes on the old solenoids or the ones i put in. The ones in the "Rebuilt" trans are Denso, the original trans has the Toyota stamped ones. I'll attach a video in the comments once it uploads (Internet in the sticks has terrible upload)

Man trannys suck. I got nothing besides checking the oil pump screen/filter if it wasn't cleaned when it was rebuilt. If it's the torque converter you'll know when it takes a shit, which basically means another tranny as you know.

Common Problems Found In The Toyota A340E Transmission
 
Hmmmm...... yeah that's one for a trans guy. Your rpms are pretty low for 90mph too...lacking OD. I'm stumped. Update when you find the solution so I can learn something too LOL

BUT - you did say the new torque converter wouldn't seat so you used the old one...so what makes you think this new one will? That sounds like a red flag somewhere

Sorry forgot to add, I tried slipping this converter on my old trans, no issues.
It was just the one that came with this trans I bought.

I'll keep you in the loop

Cheers
 
Hmmmm...... yeah that's one for a trans guy. Your rpms are pretty low for 90mph too...lacking OD. I'm stumped. Update when you find the solution so I can learn something too LOL

BUT - you did say the new torque converter wouldn't seat so you used the old one...so what makes you think this new one will? That sounds like a red flag somewhere

That's 90 kph not mph.
 
Hey all, Been having an issue with my 97 Runner. I'll give the full story.

I'm a Marine Engineer, work on a boat 1/2 a month or so and home for equal time off. Was on the boat over the past months and came across this Limited, Black on tan, fully loaded 97 4Runner with 284k Klms in the next Province over. Emailed the guy and it sounded like a good truck.

He bought it off a Toyota lot in British Columbia in 2000 (No salt out there) and lived there for a number of years, then drove it home to PEI where it was until the winter past. Sent me a bunch of pictures and decided to go ahead with the sale. Only downside was it needed a trans.Said he lost in within days, Reverse was fine but no forward gears. So it sat in his garage for 8 months. The price was right and it was remarkably clean, and always wanted a Limited.
Sent him the money sight unseen and had a friend pick it up with a flat-deck.

Got off the boat, with arrangements already made for an apparetly rebuilt trans for $240. Bought the trans and made my way to my friends place in PEI where he had a hoist with the truck stored. Sure enough, got there and first seeing the truck I was amazed at the shape underneath. Started it up, had a misfire from a cracked coil pack, so called a salvage yard that had a bunch of tacomas and picked it up in morning. Like stated, no forward gears, pop it to drive and it would barley inch forward, reverse was fine tho (Clutches I assumed)

Dropped the trans, had a ton of filth in the pan, she was cooked. Went to put the "new to me" trans and converter in, and the torque converter wouldn't seat. Tried everything, trans on its end, twisting every which way, no go. However the old converter slipped right in. I know its not recommended but it was what I had at the time. Put the old one in and bolted everything up.

Dropped the truck off the hoist with everything hooked up and proceeded to take my new truck for a drive. Pulled out on the road, huge smile, couldn't be happier. Running through the gears, gaining speed it feels great Shifts out of 1st, 2nd, into 3rd and it stopped. I'm waiting for O/D and the smile is slowly dropping as the revs increase. Sh*i I only have 3 gears. Hitting the O/D button does nothing. The light comes on the dash but no mechanical change. Truck is at operating temp, no CEL. Keep driving it and nothing. It's doing 100kph at 3000k RPM.

Let it cool off after parking, pulled the other pan and swapped all 3 solenoids from the original trans and the temp probe. Fill it back up, still nothing.

When you're driving,and coming to a hill for example, the revs increase without speed increase, like slipping. I'll put a video in the comments once it uploads. And when on a hill in Drive, the truck rolls back, won't hold.

Now (Thanks for bearing with me) :focus: I'm thinking torque converter. Has no lockup no matter what. I've done the manual shift test by unplugging the trans and shifting 1,2 and D. When doing this, the truck does do like it should, 1st is 1st, 2nd is 3rd, and D is O/D. This is the only way I can achieve O/D.

As I write this, I have a new in box torque converter by my feet, but want the opinion of members before I arrange to pull the trans for a 2nd time.

Thank you

Sterling
I have a few publisher friends if you're looking to get this novel in print. Let me know!
 
I have attached the A/T Diagnostics Section from the FSM for your reference. It goes through performace testing step by step followed by a symptom chart.

I'm not an A/T expert but have some experience. The performance testing is key - you want to have clear direction if you decide to go into the trans - no guessing or exploratory surgery.

From what I gathered from your description, the symptom associated with the slipping indicates low line pressure or internal A/T clutch wear which could also be associated with the lack of shift into OD . My advice would be to first make sure you have the correct A/T fluid and that the fluid level is not low. Get the Toyota brand fluid to make sure. After that, I would check line pressure.

Buckaroo
 

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I have attached the A/T Diagnostics Section from the FSM for your reference. It goes through performace testing step by step followed by a symptom chart.

I'm not an A/T expert but have some experience. The performance testing is key - you want to have clear direction if you decide to go into the trans - no guessing or exploratory surgery.

From what I gathered from your description, the symptom associated with the slipping indicates low line pressure or internal A/T clutch wear which could also be associated with the lack of shift into OD . My advice would be to first make sure you have the correct A/T fluid and that the fluid level is not low. Get the Toyota brand fluid to make sure. After that, I would check line pressure.

Buckaroo

Fluids are all O.k, Think the line test is the best thing right now to try, thanks for that.
 
Update

Fixed! Dropped it off at the dealer and they ran some tests. Apparently when the Previous owner did the "Grey wire/blue wire" Locker mod so it can be used anytime, it was tricking the trans computer into thinking it was always in 4Low even unlocked.

Anyway they patched all the wires and everything is prefect now. I just need to sort a way to have the locker whenever and then switch it over when back on the road.
(I'm thinking ON-OFF-ON SPDT toggle switch where the common is the 4x4 computer, 1 pole is the ground and the other pole is the normal wiring. That way I can switch it)

Thanks for the other info thou folks.

Cheers.
 

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