Transmission Options

[Devin]

I have a 1985 SR5 with a bad 6 speed transmission. Apparently 1st went out and then it got stuck in 2nd. It has 220,000 miles on it so it held out pretty long.
It looks like my options are:
A) Buy a lower miles junk yard trans.
B) Buy a JDM trans ( this concept is new to me).
C) Get the original trans rebuilt.
Any thoughts? Has anyone ever gotten a bid for a total rebuild ( minus the labor for removal and installation)? I reckon this might be expensive.
Thanks

[takza]

I'd pull the shift lever 1st to see if it's full of rust...just need to get the snap ring out...pull it...check for rust...clean it up some...add 1/2 cup gear oil. Might luck out....

[4wdchico]

The problem with rebuilding the t4wd trans is that there is one bearing that is no no longer in production. The only way I got one was to buy a new old stock tranny master rebuild kit: bearings, seals, gaskets and syncro rings. The kit cost me just under $600

[Petros]

I have not heard you can get a Tercel4wd trans as a JDM import. If you can, let us know the price you find.

The most practical option is to find a used trans from a wrecking yard (make sure it is from an '85 or newer one so the diff ratio will match, the earlier trans had different ratios).

If you can have the trans rebuilt you will likely spend $1500 or more on it. Wrecking yard trans are area anywhere from about $60 (for a self service yard like Pull-a-part, U-pull-it, etc.) to about $600. I think a fair price would be more like $250-350 for a yard if they warranty and deliver it.

There are not a lot of "low miles" trans out there, and I think not as important as condition. I have seen them fail at under 100k miles, and I have seen them last 500k miles. Usually with normal care they will be good for 300k miles if not abused. . So how many miles it has I think is not as important, and it is doubtful you will find any in any US junk yard with less than about 150k miles (which I would consider low miles).

Keep fresh quality gear oil in the next one, and no "speed shifting" or other adolescent behavior, it should hold up well for many miles.

let us know what you find out about a JDM trans.

Good luck.

[takza]

http://www.car-part.com/ has only 17 or so listed...from $600 to $150. One in CA has around $100 K on it.

There are also other websites to search for used parts.

[hberdan]

I live in Boulder, and am familiar with places for parts here.
http://recycler.car-part.com/BlakesSmallCar/
Blake's is a good place, not very far from Wheatridge, they are up near Erie. I would call them first thing in the morning. Good chance they have a tranny.
If you are not going to install the part yourself, I wholeheartedly recommend the only front range mechanics I would ever trust to install it properly-
http://www.charleysgarage.com/
In Boulder. Trust me, they are excellent mechanics and specialise in olderToyotas. They have installed a used tranny for me and a couple of my friends. And they have mechanics that understand Tercel carburators, too.
DON'T have a generic repair shop do this job!

[LittleRed4wd]

Devin, I'm also from Colorado and like hberdan said, Blakes is a great place for Tercel parts. However, I was there a couple weeks ago and they didn't have any transmissions for the T4. Worth a shot to try though, they could have got one since then. I also have used Charley's for engine and carb work and can vouch that they know the old Toyotas.

[Devin]

Well thanks to tercel4wdrules, I was able to find a JDM trans in California. The transmission was $275 and shipping was $175. The company was Soshin USA. I would recommend them because it arrived in about 4 days. The guy said it has between 30 and 60 thousand misles on it. Let's hope it works!

[Krunk]

I* have had this problem in many cars, chances are there is nothing wrong with your transmission. You probably have something stuck in your shift linkage, for me it was always spare change, gets stuck in there somehow and then i think im in big trouble.

[SynthDesign]

Well thanks to tercel4wdrules, I was able to find a JDM trans in California. The transmission was $275 and shipping was $175. The company was Soshin USA. I would recommend them because it arrived in about 4 days. The guy said it has between 30 and 60 thousand misles on it. Let's hope it works!

Stupid question. Will a JDM trans even work in our USDM cars without modification????

Both Japan and Australia are right hand drive. USDM, being left hand drive has the clutch cable on the other side of the trans as what was shown on Matel's Aussie pics if I'm correct.

[4wdchico]

Well thanks to tercel4wdrules, I was able to find a JDM trans in California. The transmission was $275 and shipping was $175. The company was Soshin USA. I would recommend them because it arrived in about 4 days. The guy said it has between 30 and 60 thousand misles on it. Let's hope it works!

Stupid question. Will a JDM trans even work in our USDM cars without modification????

Both Japan and Australia are right hand drive. USDM, being left hand drive has the clutch cable on the other side of the trans as what was shown on Matel's Aussie pics if I'm correct.

Look at the transmission in this thread: http://www.tercel4wd.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=754

The transmission is a separate unit from the bell housing & front diff. Don't know for sure that a JDM tranny will bolt up to a USDM bell housing, but there is a very good chance that it will.

[tercel4wdrules]

They sold him a JDM transaxle. The only thing you have to do to get it to work is switch the clutch fork to the other side.

[SynthDesign]

So a quick with a tear down, the and USDM shaft swap is the minimum to install a JDM Trans. Not so bad.
I called a local importer, Foreign Engine, and it sounds like they can still get our transmissions which is very positive if they end up getting limited in our junkyards.

All good stuff to know.

@4wdchico
Where did you find a transmission master kit?

[4wdchico]

Synth:

I got the master kit thru a local and very well respected tranny shop.

[hberdan]

Well thanks to tercel4wdrules, I was able to find a JDM trans in California. The transmission was $275 and shipping was $175. The company was Soshin USA. I would recommend them because it arrived in about 4 days. The guy said it has between 30 and 60 thousand misles on it. Let's hope it works!

So, how about an update? !!