Texas_Ace

Ok, so after all teh years of abuse with the supercharger the 2.0 pulley +meth injection was finally too much for 2nd gear to handle and it is hurt.

So time for a new tranny. Can't afford a rebuild so I am going to get a used tranny and then get the valve body upgrade i should have got before the smaller pulleys to keep it together this time.

I have never really dealt with auto trannys before, always been a manual guy myself. So a few questions.

First off what are my options for the transmission. Do i have to get a 4runner tranny or can i use a taco/tundra? Or some other car maybe? I have read they are both different and can't be used and they you can swap out the parts to make any of them work on any of the trucks. Anyone know for sure?

After i see what my options are i want to see what ya'lls luck with auto trannys from a junkyard have been? I have got my share of junkyard manuals over the years but never an auto. Not sure if they fair as well when sitting for years unused and empty.

Lastly, how hard is it to swap the tranny on our trucks with only a jack and jackstands (should be able to borrow a transmission jack)? Looked at the BGB and looks like most of it is pretty basic, nothing that really stood out except getting to the 2 top bolts on the transmission-engine. Also the torque converter looked like it could be fun to get off.

Could it be done in a few days? Any special tools or parts i will need? Kinda in a rush to get this fixed since it is starting to get cold here and no way in heck i am doing this in the cold.

donomite49

i hear that the 340 auto's were upgraded late nineties. look up offroad solutions website for more info. i found engine, trans, and transfer case from 2000 4runner w 6 mo/6000 mi warranty for my 88 22re swap in progress. i'm impressed the trans held up this long with the mods your running. i was gonna ask you what you recomend tuning wise when i install my 2nd gen supercharger on my 3.4 after i find everything i'm missing and get it running. like your posts on the water injection. how long running time before water refills? and and will an aquamist system take care of fuel issues w/o 7th injector?

Texas_Ace

Looked up that site, didn't see anything on transmissions, maybe i was looking in the wrong place?

Well for the first 2 years it was only running the stock pulley with a 7th injector kit making ~225whp. I also would lift just before the 1-2 shift to help it out.

The last year or so has been with the 2.0 and meth, held up great for awhile but then I started enjoying the power and not lifting before the shift, i think thats what finally did it.

The valve body would end up saving you money long term. I hear it really improves the shifts as well, I would like firmer shifts.

With the right nozzle and setup yes a meth injection system will give you enough fuel. How much you use is dependent on you. My dad could have gone 2 tanks of gas on 1 fill up of meth, I would get 1 tank of gas per meth if i drove it normally (aka like i stole it). If i really beat on it i would get less.

Now with the larger nozzle and tuned setup I am using it a fair amount faster. I would say 2 gallons per fill up? But I have also not driven it enough to know for sure and i have been beating it pretty hard enjoying the new power so a little early. Could mount a 5 gallon resivor under the truck someplace and then you would have plenty. Just use a ~3/4"-1" hose ran up to the engine bay to fill it.

I have thought about doing this myself.

donomite49

i went back to ors website looked up 3.4L engine conversion auto transmission tech info. i am still computer challenged. sorry, gotta learn how to cut and paste lol. it says 3.4 trans are same but some have different sensors and controllers/ecu so i think you will need trans from same yr model.hope that helps you out some. thanks for tuning info. thats one mean 4runner you have there. hope my pu turns out good like your yota.

Texas_Ace

Yeah i read that as well but also read that i could just transfer all the parts from my transmission over to another model as well since i would have mine to use for parts. Not sure what the truth is.

donomite49

just remembered reading posts about import transmissions ipt. think it was when i searched "supercharger info" also gadget online-transmission mods. but they were more expensive than ipt 600 instead of 475 i think it was. but my thought was that you could contact ipt to find out whats up for sure

vital22re

iTrader: (2)

try looking for low miles Japanese transmissions. The best thing to do is get the valve body upgrade and install it into any transmission you buy.

donomite49

gadget online he did the same thing to his trans went and he went to level 10 and rebuilt his tranny and modified the converter any way good read on "trans mods" and "supercharger maintenance" also.

Texas_Ace

Thats exactly the plan. Gonna get another tranny, then use it's valve body to send out to get worked over. Then just swap trannys.

Where would i find JDM trannys? I can hardly find any trannys at all. Only place around here that might have some is closed till money. Ebay doesn't have any that i saw (at least that i would trust more then the local ones for the price).

Texas_Ace

Yep, read that a few times. Not worried about the converter. Loosening itup will also cause a loss of power to the wheels, not worth the little gains it would give off the line IMO.

Can't affprd a full rebuild so just want to get another stock tranny and run that with the valve body upgrade. Level 10 tells me that should be good for ~500whp so plenty for me.

vital22re

iTrader: (2)

We have several japanese import shops around here but we are a coastal state. You may have to find a craigslist tranny from a wrecked truck/ runner. A good floor jack, long extensions and wobbly 17 and 14 mm sockets will get the bell housing bolts. Once you remove access cover on bottom of trans you can get the tq converter bolts.

Texas_Ace

Not a thing on craiglist, at least 4runner transmissions. Still not sure if i could use taco trannys, there seem to be a few of those around. No JDM import places that would have those kind of parts around here that i know of (they generally list everything on craiglist and it doesn't pull anything up)<

I guess I can call a few and see what they got.

So it sounds like those top bolts are not that bad with a long extension? I was hoping that was the case as besides physically getting the transmission down without crushing me that sounds like the hardest part.

Can it be done with a floor jack without breaking anything? Would be nice to not have to find a transmission jack. With the transfer case this is the biggest tranny i have done so not sure how bad it is going to be.

Texas_Ace

Ok, i could use an answer quick as i will pick this up today if it will work.

I found a 1996 4runner 4x4 auto V6 transmission with 60k miles on it for $325. The price is right and the mileage but not sure about the fitment. Is it the same as the 2000 transmission? I hear the transfer case is different but can i just swap that over?

Basically can I use the 96 tranny in my 2000 limited? Swapping parts between the trannys is fine.

Texas_Ace

Well, just got back from the junkyard with a 96 auto tranny with 60k miles for $325. Not a bad deal if i say so myself.

After comparing them best i could it looks like they are at least close enough that I can swap the parts around to make it work in my 4runner.

Now to pull the junkyard tranny apart and get that valve body out so i can send it to level 10.

4Tard

Money wasted. Should've gotten a 1UZ A341E, and converted to 4WD. I did this when I tried to put an LS400 1UZ in my 4Runner.

The V8 transmissions have more clutch packs and steels in every gear to cope with the extra torque of a V8. Supra guys upgrade to these transmissions all the time, which is where I got the idea to modify the LS400 trans when I put a 5VZ back in my truck. Much beefier gearbox for towing and power upgrades; if they can take 600HP+ in a Supra, they will work for a piggish 4Runner.

Only things you have to change out are the input shaft on the oil pump and the output shaft. I drilled and tapped one new hole for the 4WD extension housing on the back of the trans. Used the 4WD trans oil pan and valve body. All the wiring is EXACTLY the same; there's only a few connectors on the trans, most of which you don't need. Basically, you end up with 2-3 connectors that you will not use on the Lexus trans, and your speed sensor will remain on the 4WD extension housing. Only thing I had to do here was change out the shift selector shaft because the Lexus has the selector on the opposite side of where it is on a truck. Pretty easy to do, as long as you have the service manual for the A34x series transmissions. A little intimidating, but automatics are much simpler to disassemble that manuals.

Level 10 is a joke; 90% of what they do can be accomplished with the higher rate solenoid springs that come in V8 A340, or by adding spacers to the solenoid springs. Really firms up shifts. Waste your money if you'd like, but you can get identical results with a $20 bar of aluminum stock from McMaster.

Texas_Ace

I read something about using the lexus tranny but i also ready that it would not work with my ECU. Also something about them not using a kickdown cable so it would not work with a 4runner setup.

Bolting the tranny in is no problem but any custom work to make it work quickly leaves my ability's. If it can't be done with an angle grinder and a drill, i don't have the tools for it. Also opening up the transmission beyond the valve body is not in the cards since i don't have the tools to do it. Plus never messed with an auto before, always manuals.

If there was a proven and easy bolt in option like that i would do it for sure but as it is the only option seems to be Level 10. Yeah you can get firmer shifts with some washers ect but can you make the tranny hold up to 500whp like level 10 claims?

Wish you had spoke up sooner, kinda committed at this point.

Got any links on doing the valve body yourself? I know what level 10 does is nothing I can't do myself the problem is can i do it and get the same results of stock like shifts around town and lighting fast shifts at WOT?

Lot of the DIY valve body upgrades i have seen just make it shift harder all the time.

4Tard

Level 10 and IPT drill a few holes in your valve body and send you some new springs. If you feel that's worth $600 go for it. It does nothing to strengthen the drive assembly inside the trans.

Swapping the valve body is super easy; the grommet is already on the Lexus trans so you can feed your 4Runner kick down cable in.

The ECU is a non issue since you're using the 4Runner valve body and 4WD extension housing. This is where all the computer controlled bits are, and you obviously are connecting those to the original 4Runner harness. You can keep the Lexus shift selector switch or swap in the 4Runner unit; same part.

Only special tool you need is a $15 set of snap ring pliers from Harbor Freight. And an inch pound torque wrench if you don't already have one.

Texas_Ace

I don't think that the Level 10 work is worth $700 but there is also no write up on how to get the same performance doing it yourself.

Even the 1uz tranny would not have the same shift quality as a modded 5vz tranny i would think. I hear tales of the level 10 upgraded trannys chirping the tires between shifts, thats what i want.

So what exactly is done if using a 1uz transmission? What are the exact steps involved? How hard does your transmission shift? What year and model truck is the tranny from?

4Tard

You won't find much "Tech" on Yota tech, so you'll have to broaden your search for answers:

http://www.supraforums.com/forum/sho...-auto-now-what

http://www.clubna-t.com/forums/showt...highlight=a340

Pics were up last year, gone now. Sucks.

http://www.supraforums.com/forum/sho...-take-a-nap%29

http://www.cygnusx1.net/Supra/Librar....aspx?S=AT&P=1

http://www.uzswap.com/forum/index.php?topic=192.0

Hours of reading.

If you want to sell your junked A340F, I'm interested. I need parts to convert my Tundra to 4WD...

Texas_Ace

Read through those links, I basically see that it is too much work for my goals.

If the valve body upgrade will really handle ~400whp+ thats enough for me, why go to all that extra effort? Cost will end up being the same or more after all is said and done not to mention trying to source parts from a few different trannys. Think i will be better off just getting the valve body done and swapping trannys. For the cost of this tranny I am happy, can't really beat $325 for a tranny with half the miles of my truck.

I won't be going much over 400whp on stock internals anyways. If i build the motor that means that stage 4 of this build has started, that means 1000whp+ and 9 second 1/4 mile times. I don't think either one of these trannys will hold up to that lol.

Now you did get me thinking and I found IPT which does the same work as level10 but for cheaper. Around $500 vs 700. Gonna talk to them tomorrow.

Far as my tranny, i will be selling it after I swap it out but shipping it won't be worth it i am sure. Thing is big and heavy.