yotafreakshow

Hey out there in Toyota lovers land, I have just purchased an 85 4Runner with an auto tranny, 22re, 90k on it. The motor runs perfectly, and the tranny seems to be shifting correctly, but the truck is a dog. I mean it is hard to keep speed up on the freeway, flat sections, ect without keeping the pedal on the floor. If there is wind or a slight hill, forget it, I'm down to 50 or less. The tires are 30x9.5, and the truck is stock. I live in the mountains of Colorado, and have to crawl over the mountain passes at 15 mph(I have loaded tractor/trailers blowing by me. I also have a stock 89 4x4 22re, 5spd that will rally these same passes at 50+ in third gear no problems. I am wondering if the auto tranny really makes the 'Runner that slow or is something wrong? The engine seems like it stops accelerating at higher RPM (maybe 2800 or so, no tach), my 89 truck will pull strong right up to the point that I shift (sometimes that probably exceeds 4000rpm up steep hills), but the Runner seems like the engine hits a power barrier at higher rpm. From a stop, with the pedal to the floor, the truck will accelerate to about 15 and the engine seems to "top out" and just maintain rpm for a second or two before the tranny shifts, same in second and third gears, and will go to overdrive, but I have trouble keeping speed up, so the pedal is back to the floor and the tranny shifts back to 3rd. Any body that's owned one out there have any feedback for me? I just drove across Kansas mostly in 3rd just to keep my speed up to 60.
I'm looking for anyone that has experience with these auto 4runners to let me know if I'm crazy or if these things are really just that slow.
chris

RED 85

Hey I haven't owned one with a auto in it but typiclly they are slower. I say swap it out for a 5 speed. What part of CO do you live? In Denver there is a junk yard who has nothing but Toyota trucks and 4runners it is called Yota Yard, may the parts be with you, they usually have good price's and warrenty there stuff for 30 to 60 days. let me know and I can find you their number and address.

Welcome by the way!

gumbo

I have the same exact problem with my 86 auto. I'm beginning to think that this is how it is going to be.

Duffdog

your right, the auto 4runners are known to be the slowest things alive. maybe a cam and exhaust might help out a little bit....swap for a 3.4L if you actually want to make it up the hills.

T

ilion

Learn to love it!

(from an 88 V6 AT owner)

Just look at it this way, you going extra slow gives all those audis and whatnot more time too look at your first gen and pine for it.

You know they do.

LarsDennert

Let me preface by saying I have an automatic in my '99 and love it because you can crawl slowly but I would swap the auto out of the 1st Gen and put in a 5 speed. That tranny just doesn't work well in the first Gen. I've seen first Gens literally not be able to transmit enough power to the ground offroad to get over obstacles where stick shift ones cruised right over. Usually a 5 speed first Gen towed the auto equiped one through the spot. Auto tranny and 4cyl mix poorly.

86toyota

Sounds like your vacuum advance might not be working. The auto are big time dogs thou.

yotafreakshow

The 5 speed swap has been on my mind all day, anyone know what else needs to be done. Rear crossmember looks really low compared to my 89 truck. Will the new brake pedal and clutch pedal assembly out of a manual 1st gen 4runner bolt up under the dash? I assume the master cylinder will have a punch out hole in the firewall as well....Are driveshaft lengths the same for the w56 tranny? All these questions, I guess I'm headed to Yota Yard in Denver with a tape measure and a toolbox.

kyle_22r

an auto behind a 22RE engine is not just a dog...it's more of a weiner dog

everything is the same on auto/stick except for possibly the crossmember and the holes in the floor. everything else pretty much bolts up

yotafreakshow

I live about 5 miles from Vail, and have Yota Yard's web site addy (www.yotayard.com). They will be an important resource for the 5 speed project.

I know the ECU controls the shifting, will the check engine light be on forever if I go unplugging the wires from the tranny? Can it be reset if so?
Also, are the diffs geared ok for the manual.
I guess I could read my factory manuals, but you all are much more engaging than the books!

kyle_22r

i believe the ecu in '83-91 or so 22RE engines was standalone from the transmission. gears should be better than stock when you put the 5 speed in there(4.30)

yotafreakshow

Awesome. I'll be getting underway in the next couple of weeks, after I round up the parts. I'll probably be starting a new thread when I get that going.
Do you know of any websites that have info on the swap, people that have experience doing it? I have pulled the tranny, clutch, ect, and done the timing chain on my 89, so mechanically I can handle the task, I just want to plan as well as possible so I'm not sitting around waiting for a parts while my runner is in a billion pieces in my buddy's garage.

Anyody need an A340H tranny/transfer? I'll sell 'em cheap!

kyle_22r

might want to search on pirate...i'm sure somebody's posted info on that in there

one more thing -- you'll need to put in a flywheel. search for one in a junkyard, and get it resurfaced...should be pretty cheap

yotafreakshow

What is pirate?

I thought of the flywheel as well.

kyle_22r

pirate4x4.com forums

sign up, but don't start posting right away. the guys there will eat you alive. search the forums a ton, it's probably one of the best off-road and toyota tech goldmines on the net