gear oil

[timothygodden]

http://www.widman.biz/uploads/Transaxle_oil.pdf

Some good technical reading.

[Jonymoto]

Thanks Timothy, I'll be changing my oil this weekend, probably too late now after using GL5 for 30 years.

[ARCHINSTL]

Oddly, I will be doing the same this weekend. Like you, Jonymoto, I've used GL5 in Goldie since I got her in 2005 (dunno what was in before). I change every 4000 miles (6400+km), being paranoid about the trans/diffs and would rather spend a few extra bucks on frequent changes than the alternative . I use 80W-90.
Being retired, I've only put about 24K+ miles on her since 2005; she is now sitting at nearly 195K. I do have the Dodge/Mitsu p'up to also use.
Tom M.

[Jonymoto]

Sounds like there will be a lot of Tercels off the road soon unless we can get new syncros made soon.

[timothygodden]

Very true jonymoto. Still looking for some one who can do brass tooling to reproduce the synchros I have.

[xirdneh]

New synchros?
Know anybody with a multi-axis milling machine?
Computer model made of part based on accurate measurements
Once the NC program is made it can be used over and over.

[Jonymoto]

Does anybody have a detailed drawing of the synchro rings? I'm happy to check here in Oz if anybody can make them.

[timothygodden]

I have not been able to find one. I actually have contacted aisin for any hard info. They have not gotten back to me. Not sure if a fortune 500 company will even bother with me. I have a set of synchros that I bought recently but I have nothing to compare them too.

[4doorVIP]

do you think a 3d camera and printer could reproduce these?

[Petros]

do you think a 3d camera and printer could reproduce these?

it is a fairly big job to rebuild these six speed 4wd transmissions, using an unproven manufacturing method into how this item is made introduces a lot of unknowns into its life and durability. Do you really want to risk trashing a rebuild transmission with an unknown/unproven manufacturing method.

they may use 3-D printing to make parts in the future, parts designed around the properties of a "printed" hard part. But that would not be for a transmission designed over 35 years ago.

We have to duplicated the materials, design and dimensions of the original as accurately as possible, or risk having a lot of unusable parts made.

[timothygodden]

3-d printing would be good for proof of concept or sending models to a machine shop with the capabilities of reproducing the synchros but don't want to lose the originals. I imagine even if I can I find original tolerances and material specs and have them made we will still need to "sacrifice" a transmission to test out the newly made synchros

[Petros]

of course, that would be true these days even from an unknown parts supplier. There are some supposed Tercel4wd clutches out there from at least one supplier that is too thick, you install it and find out you can not drive the car. So the whole job has to be done over again to get the correct clutch in there.

If we can get, or develop, full detailed technical specification of the original syncro: dimensions, tolerance, material specifications, etc. it would be far better. We will have a much better chance of getting good parts rather than with a sample. BTW, those technical specifications are far better, and more important to a potential supplier, than a sample of the actual part. So save your sample syncros, send plans, specifications, and pictures to any potential supplier.

The single biggest problem we have with examples we have (I also have a set, and so does Bob), we do not know what the tolerances should be. We can make an educated guess, but we do not know if the samples we have are at the high, low, or middle part of the tolerance range. That is why finding the specification is very important. BTW, it would not be just the original supplier that would have these specs, but also all after market suppliers as well. Since none are interested in making these parts any more, one of them, if they still have the spec in their archives, might be willing to give us, or perhaps sell us, the specs.

Not an unreasonable request, there are many clubs for antique and classic cars that make small runs of critical parts for their club members. Some years ago I considered buying a project Jesnson Healey sports car, it was in great condition but had not run in 19 years, engine frozen. A friend had it, took it in payment for a money owed, and she did not know what to do with it. I assumed I would have to rebuild the engine, it came with a lot of spare parts from a parts car. I discovered there is an international Healey club that I contacted, club president had all of the production records, he could tell me the production date, first owner's name and address, and all of the equipment that came standard on the car, including the factory color (it has been painted several times, all layers were peeling off, typical problem with these cars). they also had a long list of discontinued parts (the manufacturer went bankrupt and was out of buisness in 1978), including chrome trim, wood dashes, tail light and indicator light lenses, etc. that different club members were having made in limited production quantities at reasonable prices for the benefit of club members. It was quite an operation, quite a dedicated group of enthusiast for a rather nice sports car. I did not end up buying the car, for some reason these cars had hardly any resale value, despite the big name manuacturer, a lotus engine, and classic looks. A full restoration would mean not just a major (and costly rebuild), but stripping the car down to bare metal to redo the factory primer job that was bad. I would have put several thousand hours into it, to have it worth about the value of the parts. Since I did not want to own one long term, I passed on it. I thought would be fun to fix it up and enjoy it for a year or so, than sell it to get my time and money out of it. but too much work for no pay off.

So requesting the technical information of no longer available parts should start with "I represent a member of a world wide Toyota Tercel4wd group that wants to take over production of NLA critical parts for these classic cars, and need your assistance...." I suppose we can even call this forum an "international club" of Tercel enthusiasts, membership is free, you just sign up!