safegyde

Hello all, thanks in advance for your time. Feel free to just post links for me to read if you know where to send me instead of typing. I've been searching for a while now.

1990 4runner, V6 Automatic. 190k miles. It has been running great for a long time. The tranny never made any noises, never shifted hard (after warming up) never slipped, no grinding or whining, no symptoms what so ever. It would get hot if we ran it over 75mph for several hours, but that is expected to some degree. All of a sudden I cranked it up and drove down the street. I noticed that I had to give it more gas and it wasn't picking up any more speed even though the engine was revving up higher. Pulled over to try and restart motor and shift gears. It never got moving again. When I start it up and put it into gear I hear the click and it feels like it is in gear, but it won't go anywhere. No sounds still, just won't move, in any gear.

I dropped the pan. No metal or anything, clean fluid, clear without any burnt smell. The filter was clean.

Any ideas??

Thanks again for anything. I don't want to sell it. I love it, but can't afford dropping $2500 for a rebuild. Got another baby on the way!! I can spend a little for something more simple though.

-Daniel B.

hilandfrog

Probably get a manual for cheap,
If you want one, I have one, just come get it from MT

Repo

safegyde

Thanks Hilandfrog. I will hop in my Runner and head up there...........wait a sec.........I'm in Florida...........I don't think so! lol. I'd replace it before selling the truck. Still a lot of money though. Hoping it is something simple since there were no symptoms first. Like maybe.......hell.....I don't know.

Magnusian

Bad solenoids maybe? If it is, there's a thread about changing them out somewhere on here.

Sounds like a good excuse for a 5spd swap!

Kiroshu

I would start with solinoids and possible blockage in throttle body. Usually a trans thats on its last leg about to "go out" will have symtoms and slippage before it does so.

Possible trans oil pump bad.

safegyde

Thanks you all. I would much rather change out a solenoid than the whole tranny.

I did some research though (I repair furniture, don't know enough about my 4runner) Seems there are several solenoids, three right? Which one would I change? Hopefully not all three since they are about $120 each. (did find one thread with a link to ones for $79 on this forum though.)

If I could only change one, which one would it be?

thanks again for all your help. I want to cry every time I see her sitting there, not moving.

James Woods

iTrader: (1)

So it doesnt go into any gear? Have you tried reverse, and manual shifting it as in gear selection and not just drive? Have you tried to check for any codes? Is it 4WD or 2WD, if it is 4WD it could be an issue with the transfer case, I would go to a tool store, somewhere cheap and buy a line pressure guage and do a line pressure test on the transmission.

skeezy_v

I have a question, did you smell a burn smell lik a gun powder smell when the tranny would shift down on the highway or when you'd gun it from a stand still?... I ask cuz im havin those smells yet my fluid was nice and clean red and im hopin I don't have the same outcome as you haha cuz that sucks big time!

safegyde

Skeezy, no, no smell at all. Ever.

James, I tried everything! Every gear, 4x4 and not. Started it in neutral, hard shifts, you name it I tried it when it comes to this. I will try the pressure gauge test. Does that just test the transfer case or the tranny fluid as well?

Any idea which solenoid to change if it comes to that?

thanks again all.

swampfox

There is a cable that affects shifting that goes from the throttle body to the trans that you could check. If it broke or came unhooked it might be causeing a problem, This is a long shot but it is easy to check. I would not think it would cause it not to move, but you never know.

Marc

Did you check it for codes by shorting out the diagnostic connector?

swampfox

Isn't there a separate ecu on these trucks for the transmission ? It has been ten years since I have worked on an automatic Toyota, so I may be wrong, but this could also be a possible source of the problem.

James Woods

iTrader: (1)

A line pressure test will test the pressure in the transmission, I dont think that you can check the transfercase as it doesnt operate on pressure. If you check the FSM it should (not positive) give you info on doing the line pressure test and solenoids that supply the pressure. Look over the FSM, it gives good info and it will really help you out in diagnosing your problem, like the previous post said, there may be a seperate computer for just the trans, usually there is for autos.

safegyde

Swampfox, yeah, that was the first thing I checked as it's the easiest to check and fix. It's all working properly. Thanks.
Marc and James, my mechanic friend concurred that the trans. ecu is separate and requires an older specialized reading machine that he didn't have.

Here is my plan for those that are interested. I am open to alternatives.
Take it to the local transmission shop to have them read for any codes. If one gets spit out then it means it is something electrical, or at least half way easier to repair than if not. From what I understand is that if it doesn't spit out any codes then the problem would be something which they would need to rebuild it, for $2500. So if no codes then I'll just pay the $40 for the test and try to find a used trans. for cheap to swap it out myself.

Sound good?

My other plan hasn't come through yet. You know, the one where another 4runner just shows up on my front lawn looking for a good owner.

Marc

You can check the codes yourself. It doesn't take a "special reader".
Short out the TE and E terminals in the dignostic connector and count the O/D light blinks.

James Woods

iTrader: (1)

I would try what Marc is saying first, check the FSM, you can download it from here
https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f120...s-info-175794/
it might help you before you go and spend your hard earned money on something you could have done yourself.
Also after reading my previous post, I realized that some of the automatic transmissions did have electronicly controled transfercases that work off of line pressure so a line pressure test might also work to check that.

Team420

To check line pressure without a guage, simply pull one of the lines off the bottom of the radiator, put it in a bucket, start truck, and see if anything comes out... it should come out at a good rate, if its slow, or nothing at all, theres your problem.
If you can hear it click when you shift into gear...I would say your solenoids are fine...

safegyde

Thanks Team420, I think your post might have just saved me some money.
James and Marc, good call. Thanks for the link James, didn't really know what to do otherwise. I will give this a shot and update this post.

Peace and God bless.