Does anyone drive a Tercel with automatic transmission?

[gobbl3gook]

I just bought a "new" Tercel, but it's an automatic and not a lot of fun to drive.

Does anyone else have an automatic and like it? My beef is that since it's only a 3-speed, the top gear is like driving in 4th on a standard. It gets in the high rpms at about 57mph, gets pretty whiny at 63 mph, and tops out at 72mph. Otherwise it's a fabulous car. 1987, 4WD, 96,000 miles, interior is pristine, exterior is sharp, very clean car. But no fun for road trips.

My standard transmission SR5 1986 Tercel is comfy and happy in 5th gear up to 82 mph, and tops out around 92. (I've had it since '95, 228,000 miles, very rusty, plenty of minor issues, but runs great)

Thoughts?
Ted in WA

[splatterdog]

My sympathies.. It's not even the same as a manual in 4th without a lockup torque converter. At least a 100 rpm not going to the wheels there.

About your only choice to fix your complaint is to convert to a manual. Start looking for a trans or a parts car.

[4wdchico]

Sounds like your rusty M/T car is a candidate to be a donor car once it's issues become critical. Yes, it would be a fair amount of work, but you do have all the parts on hand for the conversion.

[Neu]

Both of my tercels are manuals...i'd hate them if they were autos.

[toughtercel]

ummmm , long time ago there was auto tranny 4WD for sale " cheap" because auto tranny was broken , so my luck to see the car but the owner selling it because he thought he can switch from auto to manaul tranny , appear that auto/manual tranny's support member to bolt under the car are different location so I took for his words. Till just now ,I've look up factory manual and there no imformation so for my experience today , there an auto 4WD just drop on my drive way few days ago ,I will check out what the difference by measuring from between (END OF REAR BLOCK TO TRANNY SUPPORT MEMBER ) then will let you all know tonight .

[ARCHINSTL]

An inactive member named fingers did an AT to MT switch a few years ago and did a good writeup - do a Search using his name - or just go to the Repair Guides section.
Tom M.

[toughtercel]

hi ARCHINSTL SAID " INACTIVE", dictionary said "not wokingor not doing anything" ??? I measure two 4WD cars , manual and auto , automatic is longer , guess what i find that toyota manufactory weld support member holder which has two separate holes, a car can interchangable either auto or manual wierd * measure from rear of engine block to support member manual tranny are roughly 23 inches and auto are 26 1/4 inches *cool.
might be lots works 4x4 shift stick , eletric , lots of tech stuff , geuss i will look up "fingers" still learning too

[toughtercel]

i look up "fingers" not much information on details stuffs , or that is that small details , thought there lots of wiring stuff

[ARCHINSTL]

Oh, Goodness! My bad! Mea culpa!
While I recommended fingers' own AT to MT swap, I should have written tooldudetool as the swapper with the big how-to.
It is still in the Repair Guides' immense three-page file, though.
Tom M.
P.S. Inactive also means sluggish or indolent, but as I was not commenting on fingers' possible personal penchants...

[jrpamn21]

Mines is an auto. It sometimes has a jerky downshift when it gets hot, otherwise it upshifts just fine. Engine really becomes whiny at high speeds. Convenient in the usual heavy traffic around the metropolis though.

[warbstrd]

mine is also an auto, and I have to agree, whinessss terrible doing past 60. I have been thinking about running taller tires. dont know if it would help, but i hate 13's.

[splatterdog]

195/75/14's shaved about 200 rpm's off at cruise speed for me. That adds amps to your sound system on the freeway.

Another problem with the ratio challenged auto is it will really suffer on the bottom end trying to get those taller tires rolling. I don't know ratio's off hand but I would bet the manual goes much deeper not counting EL.

[terceldude]

I do, myself, and I find nothing wrong with the automatic. I think the reason you dudes heard the whining of its gears is because you were driving the car faster than the maximum speed recommended by Toyota for this tranny application... I don't get a whine at all because I drive 50-55 or below and nothing higher... The automatic is very smooth for me and may have some hesitation if I were to floor the car from a dead stop... I don't really do that... So, I don't know what you have against an automatic gobbl??? I read in some 4wd magazines that automatics are better for rock-climbing provided you modified the gears to lower ratios and had a transmission cooler or put tranny cooling fluid in this.... ) Believe me, I've looked into this! I can even scan the article for any of you non-believers, provided I find the magazine in which it was featured in... )) Take care all of you guys! ; )

[jetswim]

My automatic 85 Corrolla SR5 used to whip when I put the petal to the metal. It has an overdrive too. I would slam my foot down and the thing just went like no tomorrow. I know different car and it has a 4AC but never had problems with the auto in terms of speed, reliability, and shifting.