Good Times

Hey guys:

I have some rather great news . I high centered my truck over the weekend while having fun with everyone and banged up my automatic tranny oil pan (of all places) pretty hard. This caused my 2nd/5th gears to stop working (doesn't engage/light up at all). I was able to drive home in 4th gear so I'm not sure what to do. The other 3 gears work fine (engages in 4lo and can lock the center). (automatic transmission btw)

Anyway long story short, since I have rather no experience in this area, I took to a local shop and told them to hammer out the pan and see if that fixes the problem.

They just called me told me that the valve body is bad. They said they should be able to find a new valve body (toyota doesn't sell just the valve body alone but they can find someone) but are not sure if there are any other damages to the tranny (internally). They recommend that I just get a new tranny... Told me I can try to get the ins comp to try and cover it as an accident while camping or something (you know).

Anyone know any source for used wrecked parts so I can salvage a tranny? I suppose I can have the mechanic just replace the valve body and take a chance and then if no good, I suppose I can just replace the tranny.

Need some advice

Anyway.... just venting...

shazaam

call up IPT performance and see if he might be able to help you. He is "trans dude" here on the board

Marc P

That sucks Lance. I know if you buy a reman transmission from the dealer-even over the counter it comes with a 3 year 36k warranty. The dealer I work for also has a toyota store-I will see what kind of deal I can get you.

dcampen

That sucks!. Why didn't your skid plates prevent this?

Good Times

Take a peek under your stock skids and you'll learn why...

The tranny pan is actually located between two crossmembers and the exhaust. Funny thing is that somehow the rock found its way into a small unprotected spot.

Well I already have a full belly skid pan on the works but little too late. I gues you just learn from stupid mistakes. Atleast I was having fun while it lasted.

Marc: Thanks for your help. Keep me posted on your results.

I've started to search for a replacement valve body to see if that remedies the problems. If not, I've already started looking for a salvaged 4runner for parts (tranny). Hopefully I'll find something asap.

doanlaw

where in sd where you wheelin so i can avoid this infamous rock?

Tacoma Dude

Bummer Lance... hurry and get it fixed so we can see you bust it up again at Pismo

EDGE

Try and find a new or used valve body, even go to a Toyota or Lexus Dealer and ask them if they can find you the part,

Doubt you did any real damage to the trans itself, but if you ever replace the trans you can hold onto it and eventually sell it to make back some of what you lost.

4x4 is more like $x$, but then again it is the same key

PoBoy

Toyota tranmissions are pretty much known to be bullet proof. I doubt you need a new one. I say fix the valve body and go from there.

If you do need to replace it or find a valve body - car-parts.com is a good place to look.

Good Times

Jason (Demello) was able to take a quick peek at the tranny while it was on the lift. He told me that it looks like nothing is damaged and hopefully flattening the pan would do the fix on the transmission.

The mechanic has told me that they did a quick obdii test to see if the solenoids/wiring are working and it looks fine so this makes me feel that the valve body is good. It just could be that the pan itself was hitting the solenoids causing it to miss the gears. Crossing fingers!

I'll know more for sure on Monday as I gotta get a gasket for the pan.

Thanks for the great response! As for finding a spare valve body... hehe I've tried and no luck, the truck is way too new. I guess I'll just have to keep on searching on car-part.com!

02Runner

Thats good to hear (the part where it may be ok).

But......As I was reading this thread, the thing that kept popping into my mind was....Doesn't or didn't Lexus have a manual transmission on a few of their V8's? Maybe on one LX,GX or Prado models. I remember seeing a dark charcoal grey interior with a 5 speed I think on a GX.

Thinking this, I was wondering what possibility there was of mounting a manual tranny up to that new V8! I know that we don't have much room in the footwells as it is, but it was just a thought.

Anyway, I'm hoping that everything will work out for you. Keep us posted.

Doug M.

Good Times

Doug.... Don't get me started on more mods! I'm already up to my head on trying to figure out finish my current mods

Although a M/T 4th gen does sound kinda fun!!!

Maybe all of this is a sign for me to "chill out"??!?!?!







yeah right.... hahahaha

EDGE

Why don't you just buy a new pan

Good Times

new pan takes 14 days from japan. nobody has one here so it's all about pounding for the time being.

Darx

This must be the rock you said you, "took care of" for me as I came across after you in that little cliff wall section we eventually had to turn around in.



Well, I hope the lesser of the two expenses fixes your problem Lance! Damn dude next time you're over at Jason's shop give me a buzz and I'll cruise over. I work like 10 minutes away from there. I'd love to stop by chitchat and watch Jason work his magic.

He told me he was waiting on the powder coaters to finish up your order last time I was there.

Later!

Good Times

I'll let ya know the next time I'm there I'm going to try to get the 4runner there next week so hopefully we can meet up or something!

Lefty

[QUOTE=Good Times]Doug.... Don't get me started on more mods! I'm already up to my head on trying to figure out finish my current mods

Although a M/T 4th gen does sound kinda fun!!!

QUOTE]

Mods ? Did someone say mods ?

Just a thought here, but if you have to replace that tranny, you could always go with a Tundra 4 speed from a wrecked truck. While you are at it, snag the x-fer case and you can have 2-wheel high again as well, with all the gas savings that go with it...

Just tryin to help ya out here, Lance...

Steve

02Runner

Yeah! What he said! Good call Steve!

Good Times

Update:

After having the tranny oil pan pounded out flat (or somewhat back to normal), the 2nd/5th gears were still not engaging. Found out that mechanically everything was working fine. The solenoids were all working per the computer so it had to be something else.

Ended up taking alot of parts apart to find out that it was the shift lock control ecu that was busted and needed to be fixed. There is a switch that controls the 5th and 2nd gears that wasn't engaging as the shifter wasn't hitting it anymore. Fixed it by taking it apart and reassembling the unit and checking (many times I might add) to make sure everything was back to normal!

After putting everything back together, everything is fine! Didn't need to plunk down on a new tranny after all Boy I'm one big fat happy camper!!!

Thankful I have those handy toyota service manuals to help me thru some nasty stuff

Thanks for the help, suggestions and support ya'll

Marc P

Glad to hear that Lance!!