Transmission woes!

General discussion about our beloved Tercel 4WD cars
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da_matrix
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Joined: Thu Aug 29, 2019 5:37 pm
My tercel:: 86 sr5 wagon, all stock hoping to restore to its former glory

Transmission woes!

Post by da_matrix »

Hey everyone,

I have an 86 Tercel SR5 4x4 wagon that I’ve been trying desperately to get into good driving condition. After a new carburetor, and full engine rebuild, the Transmission has suddenly given up on me. It’s stuck in second gear. Between myself and a couple friends, I know I could manage a swap but I am not confident in my ability to repair my existing Transmission. Is there anyone selling a transmission I could buy? Or better yet someone in Washington State who has the knowledge to repair my existing transmission?

Thanks!
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dlb
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Joined: Mon Jul 06, 2009 9:03 pm
My tercel:: '87 sr5, '83 dlx parts car
Location: bc, canada

Re: Transmission woes!

Post by dlb »

I love that colour of T4. Don't see many of them. Looks like it's in pretty good shape, body wise.

Have you checked the gear oil level in the trans? Park somewhere level and when you open the 24 mm fill plug, oil should either come out or you should be able to feel oil just below the plug hole inside. If you can't, you need to drain the gear oil from all three drains and see how much oil was in it. It should have 4.1 liters or quarts, I can't remember which. If the trans was run low on oil, that may have trashed it.

Make sure to clean the metal sludge off of the drain plug magnets too, while you're in there. They filter the fine metal particles out of the oil to keep it from circulating and causing further wear inside the trans.
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da_matrix
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My tercel:: 86 sr5 wagon, all stock hoping to restore to its former glory

Re: Transmission woes!

Post by da_matrix »

Gear oil was just changed, but alas it looks like it was changed too late. Before it got stuck in 2nd, it kept slipping out of 1st and 2nd. The shifter would just not stay in. After that a friend of mine and I cooked up a cocktail of some 75-90 with some 140 weight and a bit of Lucas. It worked for a while, but right now it seems like the whole trans is trashed and dry of any oil. It's a shame too, since the car just got a rebuilt engine in November.
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Petros
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My tercel:: '84 Tercel4wd w/extensive mods
Location: Arlington WA USA

Re: Transmission woes!

Post by Petros »

forum member Xirdneh is in Washington (near Seabeck), and has rebuilt more of these transmissions than anyone on this forum.

if yours can be fixed, he can likely do it for you. see if you can arrange to take it over to him and you two rebuild it together.

when it pops out of gear it is an indication that the main shaft bearings are shot, allowing the main shaft to shift around so much it pushes the gear collar out of engagement. if the rest of the parks are okay, it usually does not take a total tear down to replace the front and rear bearing on the main shaft (that are still available). if it needs any parts, he might have some spares, and you can put in new seals while you are at it.

sometimes when it is stuck in gear it means the shift fork worked loose on the linage, and there is no way to get it out of gear. that is an easy fix, but if it was also popping out of gear, there are other parts that need to get replaced.


good luck.
'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)
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da_matrix
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Joined: Thu Aug 29, 2019 5:37 pm
My tercel:: 86 sr5 wagon, all stock hoping to restore to its former glory

Re: Transmission woes!

Post by da_matrix »

Headed there now! Thanks for the advice Petros!
Treley trip
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My tercel:: Toyota Tercel’s
Location: Salem

Re: Transmission woes!

Post by Treley trip »

Did you fix it or do you need a tranny still
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