How to tell the year of à tranny?

How-to's and repair secrets for your 4WD can be found here. Have a question? Ask it in here!
User avatar
J Dumarais
Member
Posts: 49
Joined: Mon May 11, 2015 10:33 am
My tercel:: Toyota Tercel 4WD Wagon '86 & Jose 87' Tercel 4WD Wagon

How to tell the year of à tranny?

Post by J Dumarais »

Im still working on finding a used Differencial for my 86' boken baby... juste fund two but the Guy can't tell the year.... any clue how to tell.
User avatar
Petros
Highest Ranking Member
Posts: 11930
Joined: Sun Jan 28, 2007 6:31 pm
My tercel:: '84 Tercel4wd w/extensive mods
Location: Arlington WA USA

Re: How to tell the year of à tranny?

Post by Petros »

externally the easiest way to tell is the electrical connectors: '83-84 has only a reverse light and 4wd indicator connections, on '85 and later, it will have the reverse light and 4wd indicator, and also have an :"Extra Low" light indicator. If I remember correctly the EL indicator is on the lower left side of the gear box case. the others are located elsewhere (top or right side).
'87 Tercel 4wd SR5 (current engine swap project)
'84 Tercel 4wd (daily driver, with on going mods)
'92 Mazda MPV 4wd (wife's daily driver)
'85 Tercel 4wd DLX auto(daughter's daily driver)
'01 Honda Civic (other daughter's daily driver)
xirdneh
Highest Ranking Member
Posts: 2121
Joined: Thu Aug 04, 2005 11:38 am
My tercel:: 87 tercel 4x4 wagon w/reringed engine, 83 tercel 4x4 wagon w/salvaged engine and 4.1 Diff's
Location: seabeck, washington, USA

Re: How to tell the year of à tranny?

Post by xirdneh »

Keep in mind you can interchange transmissions, its the differential that is different 3.73 vs 4.1 gear ratio. You can separate the transmission from the differential.
Love those Tercell 4x4 wagons but they sure suffer from road noise.
xirdneh
Highest Ranking Member
Posts: 2121
Joined: Thu Aug 04, 2005 11:38 am
My tercel:: 87 tercel 4x4 wagon w/reringed engine, 83 tercel 4x4 wagon w/salvaged engine and 4.1 Diff's
Location: seabeck, washington, USA

Re: How to tell the year of à tranny?

Post by xirdneh »

The electric connectors. On early models one conn on right side and one on left side. On late models a third conn on top rear.
Love those Tercell 4x4 wagons but they sure suffer from road noise.
User avatar
J Dumarais
Member
Posts: 49
Joined: Mon May 11, 2015 10:33 am
My tercel:: Toyota Tercel 4WD Wagon '86 & Jose 87' Tercel 4WD Wagon

Re: How to tell the year of à tranny?

Post by J Dumarais »

I can i tell the difference beteen a 85' and a 86' i need a 4.1 ration....
User avatar
Rednecklawrence
Top Notch Member
Posts: 135
Joined: Sat Dec 26, 2015 1:52 pm
My tercel:: 5.5 Tercels total... Not enough

Re: How to tell the year of à tranny?

Post by Rednecklawrence »

Lol small world. I'm the guy with the two trannys to sell. Ill have a look see to tell what they are. Ill put up some pics so you can ID them.
xirdneh
Highest Ranking Member
Posts: 2121
Joined: Thu Aug 04, 2005 11:38 am
My tercel:: 87 tercel 4x4 wagon w/reringed engine, 83 tercel 4x4 wagon w/salvaged engine and 4.1 Diff's
Location: seabeck, washington, USA

Re: How to tell the year of à tranny?

Post by xirdneh »

The only way to tell what ratio it is, is to remove differential cover and count the teeth on pinion gear, 10 for 4.1, 11 for 3.73
Love those Tercell 4x4 wagons but they sure suffer from road noise.
User avatar
J Dumarais
Member
Posts: 49
Joined: Mon May 11, 2015 10:33 am
My tercel:: Toyota Tercel 4WD Wagon '86 & Jose 87' Tercel 4WD Wagon

Re: How to tell the year of à tranny?

Post by J Dumarais »

Hahha perfect !sound easy enouth, i don't mind seal it back after words
xirdneh
Highest Ranking Member
Posts: 2121
Joined: Thu Aug 04, 2005 11:38 am
My tercel:: 87 tercel 4x4 wagon w/reringed engine, 83 tercel 4x4 wagon w/salvaged engine and 4.1 Diff's
Location: seabeck, washington, USA

Re: How to tell the year of à tranny?

Post by xirdneh »

Its always a good idea to check teeth count just in case someone previously swapped it out. I bought a 1983 tercel in 1999 that had been switched from 3.73 to 4.1
Love those Tercell 4x4 wagons but they sure suffer from road noise.
User avatar
Rednecklawrence
Top Notch Member
Posts: 135
Joined: Sat Dec 26, 2015 1:52 pm
My tercel:: 5.5 Tercels total... Not enough

Re: How to tell the year of à tranny?

Post by Rednecklawrence »

Okay, I got the one with the bell housing apart and the pinion gear is the one in the back right? Cause I counted its teeth and its got 10, so I guess its what you're looking for. Turns out my other tranny doesn't even have the differential on it, I just knew I had 2 trannys, differential or not.

Here's some pics:
WP_20170717_15_16_55_Pro.jpg
WP_20170717_15_17_03_Pro.jpg
WP_20170717_15_17_29_Pro.jpg
WP_20170717_15_21_34_Pro.jpg
WP_20170717_15_27_37_Pro.jpg
WP_20170717_15_27_59_Pro.jpg
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
User avatar
Petros
Highest Ranking Member
Posts: 11930
Joined: Sun Jan 28, 2007 6:31 pm
My tercel:: '84 Tercel4wd w/extensive mods
Location: Arlington WA USA

Re: How to tell the year of à tranny?

Post by Petros »

if the edge of the ring gear has "4.11" stamped in, it is the 4.11:1 ('85 and later), the 3.73 has not number stamped in it.
'87 Tercel 4wd SR5 (current engine swap project)
'84 Tercel 4wd (daily driver, with on going mods)
'92 Mazda MPV 4wd (wife's daily driver)
'85 Tercel 4wd DLX auto(daughter's daily driver)
'01 Honda Civic (other daughter's daily driver)
User avatar
Rednecklawrence
Top Notch Member
Posts: 135
Joined: Sat Dec 26, 2015 1:52 pm
My tercel:: 5.5 Tercels total... Not enough

Re: How to tell the year of à tranny?

Post by Rednecklawrence »

The edge along the front facing part I can see? I'm not taking it apart if I don't have to
User avatar
Rednecklawrence
Top Notch Member
Posts: 135
Joined: Sat Dec 26, 2015 1:52 pm
My tercel:: 5.5 Tercels total... Not enough

Re: How to tell the year of à tranny?

Post by Rednecklawrence »

Just kidding that's not the ring gear. lemme check
User avatar
Rednecklawrence
Top Notch Member
Posts: 135
Joined: Sat Dec 26, 2015 1:52 pm
My tercel:: 5.5 Tercels total... Not enough

Re: How to tell the year of à tranny?

Post by Rednecklawrence »

Along what edge is this marking? You have a reference picture?
User avatar
Petros
Highest Ranking Member
Posts: 11930
Joined: Sun Jan 28, 2007 6:31 pm
My tercel:: '84 Tercel4wd w/extensive mods
Location: Arlington WA USA

Re: How to tell the year of à tranny?

Post by Petros »

it is stamped into the edge of the actual ring gear (the part with the teeth). take a rag and wipe the edge of the gear, and rotate it around so you can examine all of the ring gear, if it is a 4.10, you will see it. It is perhaps 8 mm high, and stamped into the steel the way you would with letter dies and a hammer.
'87 Tercel 4wd SR5 (current engine swap project)
'84 Tercel 4wd (daily driver, with on going mods)
'92 Mazda MPV 4wd (wife's daily driver)
'85 Tercel 4wd DLX auto(daughter's daily driver)
'01 Honda Civic (other daughter's daily driver)
Post Reply