Transmission problems

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xirdneh
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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: Transmission problems

Post by xirdneh »

i hope you save the old tranny
wreck yards usually want the old one as a core (usually 100.00)
i would give you 100 for it

being stuck in gear could be
broken tranny
shift rod is bound up where it enters tranny (this can be freed up) if water is in the shifter area when you remove shifter assy that would be the first thing to try
and last but not least a longshot requiring a combination of things to occur. if stuck in neutral. if previous owner dissconnected tranny from bell housing and reconnected it, the lower shift rod could have been bumped causing it to get stuck in neutral. and maybe thats why it ended up in the wrecking yard.
i sent you a PM and Email recently
Love those Tercell 4x4 wagons but they sure suffer from road noise.
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BaileySims
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Joined: Sat Aug 30, 2014 6:52 pm
My tercel:: 1983 Tercel SR5 4WD
Location: Texas
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Re: Transmission problems

Post by BaileySims »

If it has a decent steering column cover, I would like to buy that from ya.
WAGON MAFIA.
Blood, sweat and beers.
NotYourHairyUncle
Newbie
Posts: 11
Joined: Sun Sep 03, 2017 11:04 pm
My tercel:: 1987, sr5

Re: Transmission problems

Post by NotYourHairyUncle »

Well it only took about 8 hours of work to get that transmission out haha :lol: :lol: :lol: . 4th transmission I've ever removed and my first 4wd tranny.

Big thank you to Petros for the advice about prying that radiator out of there you helped out significantly :D

As far as the inclinometer goes it was swiped before I got there sadly. And I didn't see the message about the stearing column cover until it was too late sorry bailey. However I did talk to one guy at the junkyard who said it will be there for the next month so I plan on going back probably on Tuesday to pick up some cosmetics and guts for the passenger side door.

I was hopeful that it was a newer transmission swapped into an older model because one electrical hookups was just hanging there with no wires in sight. Also the engine was remanufactured but upon further inspection I'm almost positive it's an older model.

Xirdneh I'll message you soon just been super busy


TL/DR..... mission accomplished I'm going to be holding onto this tranny for a while just incase mine shits the bed.
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NotYourHairyUncle
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Posts: 11
Joined: Sun Sep 03, 2017 11:04 pm
My tercel:: 1987, sr5

Re: Transmission problems

Post by NotYourHairyUncle »

One more thing, I grabbed the driveshafts because I was worried about the gear differentials not being the same thinking I would need them. I realized I was being a bit silly and ignorant. There is no reason for me to keep them is there?

Also on a side note say I was to swap the rear axel from the 83 to the 87 alongside the transmission would that allow me to use 4wd without any problems? Assuming I hooked everything up correctly
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xirdneh
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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: Transmission problems

Post by xirdneh »

[quote=Also on a side note say I was to swap the rear axel from the 83 to the 87 alongside the transmission would that allow me to use 4wd without any problems? Assuming I hooked everything up correctly
[/quote]

swapping entire rear axle is not necessary and would be a lot of unneeded work
pull the axles out of each end and get the differential only.
also if you seperate the tranny from the front diff housing you can use tranny (only) in any tercel, not having to worry about diff ratios.
Love those Tercell 4x4 wagons but they sure suffer from road noise.
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Petros
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My tercel:: '84 Tercel4wd w/extensive mods
Location: Arlington WA USA

Re: Transmission problems

Post by Petros »

if the drive shaft universal joints, and center carrier bearing is good, the drive shaft assembly is worth keeping. the bearing and u-joints should be smooth rotating. the u-joints wear and start feeling "notchy" when you rotate them.

since you removed the cv axles, I usually take them too if they are good (boots in good condition and all joints with no rotaional play and rotate smoothly), you can buy them new for $60 each, so do not pay to much for them, but if good they should last a long time.

these parts wear out and are worth keeping as spares.

BTW, that looks like a great price for the parts you bought.
'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
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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: Transmission problems

Post by xirdneh »

great price.
early trannys have two electric plugs
late trannys have three
the only sure way to know what the gear ratio of differential is is to remove cover and count teeth on pinion (small) gear
11 teeth is early models 83-84 3.73 ratio
10 is late models 86-88 4.1 ratio
the 1985 year is still a mistery to me
Love those Tercell 4x4 wagons but they sure suffer from road noise.
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rer233
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Joined: Sat Jan 01, 2011 1:49 pm
My tercel:: Multiple

Re: Transmission problems

Post by rer233 »

'85 has the "late" (4.10) ratio.
if it aint there, there's a good chance it won't break!
83 SR5 Silver/Blue (Snowmobile/work beater)-totaled but drivable
85 SR5 Blue
88 SR5 White (the 'good' one)-not anymore-totaled
87 fwd silver wagon a/t
87 4wd dx Cream (a/t- not anymore- now m/t)
NotYourHairyUncle
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Posts: 11
Joined: Sun Sep 03, 2017 11:04 pm
My tercel:: 1987, sr5

Re: Transmission problems

Post by NotYourHairyUncle »

Haha well the tranny finally bit the dust. Was on the free way of course doing 75 and it was making a funny noise in 5th then all of a sudden it pops out and won't engage in gear. Any idea as to why all of a sudden it would refuse to engage in gear? It stays in gear but no wheel movement Almost like an cv axel came loose or something. Haven't crawled under the car yet but planning to as possible.
xirdneh
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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: Transmission problems

Post by xirdneh »

if front axles are ok, not broken or not popped out of differential
if it will not attempt to move forward in any gear i would say the main idler gear and probably input shaft gear teeth have stripped off
Love those Tercell 4x4 wagons but they sure suffer from road noise.
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Petros
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Joined: Sun Jan 28, 2007 6:31 pm
My tercel:: '84 Tercel4wd w/extensive mods
Location: Arlington WA USA

Re: Transmission problems

Post by Petros »

sometimes the stub axle or spline shaft on the CV axle fails, and it will act this way.

main shaft failure of the trans, or as Xirdneh points out, gear teeth gone. if running low on gear oil these get lubrication starved and causes it to get stripped of teeth.
'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)
NotYourHairyUncle
Newbie
Posts: 11
Joined: Sun Sep 03, 2017 11:04 pm
My tercel:: 1987, sr5

Re: Transmission problems

Post by NotYourHairyUncle »

So the passenger side cv axel inner boot was punctured. It seemed fairly recent but no way to be sure. Oh well gonna throw that junkyard tranny in, tired of not having first gear haha.
NotYourHairyUncle
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Posts: 11
Joined: Sun Sep 03, 2017 11:04 pm
My tercel:: 1987, sr5

Re: Transmission problems

Post by NotYourHairyUncle »

Anyone know the socket size for the bolt that connects the cv axel to the rotor? Biggest I got is 32mm but I believe that's too big. Also is it a 24mm for the drain plug?
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