1993 FZJ80 Transmission slips in forward gears (1 Viewer)

[spdwaver]

1993 FZJ80
199,xxx mi.
Stock drivetrain, 35" tires (new)
Recent rotor replacement (within days of purchase)

Tonight, ten minutes after I got home from work, I needed to drop off one of the kids, so I climbed back into the Cruiser. I started the Cruiser and put it into the "D" (drive) position of the shifter. I depressed the accelerator, the RPM's climbed up to about 2200, but I got very little forward movement.

So, thinking I may have left the e-brake applied, I checked, and found that it wasn't applied. I then put it back into Park. I left the engine running, then I put the shifter into the D position: same thing.

I walked away from it and dropped off the kid in another vehicle. I came back, started it, and it immediately went forward with no hesitation. I walked inside to start a thread on the subject, but there was a database error. So, I tried it again, and right back to the same hesitation or slipping.

I checked the fluid level as I had done two days ago: same now as it was then, at the first notch or the "add a quart" mark, as I would call it.

I went ahead and topped off the fluid, and tried again: same hesitation, or slipping. I call it hesitation because it sounds/feels like I am starting out in a much higher gear. Reverse is fine. I do not smell anything unusual, burning or otherwise, and there is no visible smoke.

Why would I have intermittent issues now, as opposed to any other time - as in, why so sudden?

I need to get to work tomorrow, of course, so any insight into what I can look at or test would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Kernal]

From reading on mud IIRC others have adjusted the transmission cable up at the throttle body (A442F tranny?). Only time I've had weird shifting was when the fluid was low after draining the pan and not putting enough back in.

 

[spdwaver]

I read a lot of the threads in regards to the slippage between gears. Mine just will not fully engage, or is starting in a higher gear, or it is slipping. This is the first time this has happened in the five days I have owned it. There were no issues while driving it either.

 

[spdwaver]

I just tried it again, and it moves forward without issue. I am going to wait until it cools a bit more, then check it again.

I have a FSM for the '91; are the linkage adjustment requirements similar with the '93/'94?

 

[MARLIN375]

From reading on mud IIRC others have adjusted the transmission cable up at the throttle body (A442F tranny?). Only time I've had weird shifting was when the fluid was low after draining the pan and not putting enough back in.

X2...threads with A442F problems are pretty rare. It is one (of many) reasons that makes the 93-94 more superior than the rest.
Linkage adjustment or fluid level.

What does your fluid look/smell like. I think my first step would be to change the fluid. Or take it one step further and pull the pan and clean the screen (the pan holds an extra liter you don't get when you drain it).
Or you could take it to a tranny shop and they will flush and change the fluid (way faster than pulling the pan yourself).
They might even adjust your linkagewhile you wait.

 

[96r50]

Have you tried driving it with the shifter in the L or 2 positions as opposed to the D position?

 

[spdwaver]

X2...threads with A442F problems are pretty rare. It is one (of many) reasons that makes the 93-94 more superior than the rest.
Linkage adjustment or fluid level.

What does your fluid look/smell like. I think my first step would be to change the fluid. Or take it one step further and pull the pan and clean the screen (the pan holds an extra liter you don't get when you drain it).
Or you could take it to a tranny shop and they will flush and change the fluid (way faster than pulling the pan yourself).
They might even adjust your linkagewhile you wait.

I just may take it in, but that means I can not make it into work tomorrow, which is not an option.

The fluid is as clean as it could be, and does not have any particular odor.


I am going to check the linkage, as I have read this before. I just did not think that intermittent operation would be due to adjustment, but I'll try it anyway. Thanks.

 

[spdwaver]

Have you tried driving it with the shifter in the L or 2 positions as opposed to the D position?

Yes. I did try the other positions and had the same results in any position - except reverse. Sorry, forgot to mention that in the first post.

 

[Kernal]

"This is the first time this has happened in the five days I have owned it" "I checked the fluid level as I had done two days ago: same now as it was then, at the first notch or the "add a quart" mark, as I would call it."

If this is a new to you rig and it was a quart low (when warm) question seems to be why was it low? Leaks or did the PO not fill it all the way back up after changing the ATF recently??

 

[darnold87]

My 93 did this about 3 months ago. I pulled it into 1st, which got it to take off in 1st gear, rather than 2nd or 3rd. It never happened again (crossing my fingers now). I did research it and also read about a simple adjustment on the cable that could fix the issue... hope that works for you!

 

[spdwaver]

"This is the first time this has happened in the five days I have owned it" "I checked the fluid level as I had done two days ago: same now as it was then, at the first notch or the "add a quart" mark, as I would call it."

If this is a new to you rig and it was a quart low (when warm) question seems to be why was it low? Leaks or did the PO not fill it all the way back up after changing the ATF recently??

This was my concern as well, but this engine does not leak anything; power steering was leaking, but I think that may have been due to the PO putting regular power steering fluid in there. I have since corrected that, and the leaks have stopped.

I went ahead and adjusted the cable, took it for a test drive, then parked it. Started it up, put it into drive, and it is still fine, so I will see tomorrow how it reacts.

Thanks for all of the help, gentlemen.

 

[-Spike-]

This was my concern as well, but this engine does not leak anything; power steering was leaking, but I think that may have been due to the PO putting regular power steering fluid in there.

What else would you use? Tranny fluid is fine, hydraulic fluid is fine, but there's nothing wrong with using 'regular' power steering fluid. Whatever you did, I guess it worked.

Next time the truck won't move in drive, throw it into low range and try it.

 

[powderpig]

Maybe the archives do not show the way past. The 442 tranny some times has a problems with the #1 and #2 shift solenoids. This can create your problem, key word "Can", but no always. The Toyota Factory service manual has a diagnositc section that you can trouble shoot this with. The 93 manual is OK, but the 94 manual is the one to have(it includes the locker section). You may want to look at the connectors just above the starter, the Shift select sensor(also houses the safty netural sensor). Last but not least, the Solenoids.
The next manual to have is the Toyota service manual for the 442 tranny. This also has the rebuild sections.
Dan may pipe in, but the early Transmission Computers can create some funny codes and shifitng problems. But usually they trip a code.
Again the FSM can show you how to retrive the tranny codes(they do not trip the check engine light). So you may have codes you are not aware of.

 

[spdwaver]

Maybe the archives do not show the way past. The 442 tranny some times has a problems with the #1 and #2 shift solenoids. This can create your problem, key word "Can", but no always. The Toyota Factory service manual has a diagnositc section that you can trouble shoot this with. The 93 manual is OK, but the 94 manual is the one to have(it includes the locker section). You may want to look at the connectors just above the starter, the Shift select sensor(also houses the safty netural sensor). Last but not least, the Solenoids.
The next manual to have is the Toyota service manual for the 442 tranny. This also has the rebuild sections.
Dan may pipe in, but the early Transmission Computers can create some funny codes and shifitng problems. But usually they trip a code.
Again the FSM can show you how to retrive the tranny codes(they do not trip the check engine light). So you may have codes you are not aware of.

Thanks for pointing out the difference in the factory service manuals, in that the 1994 would be the one to get. This should have been the very first item purchased.

It is good to know that there are other means of diagnosing this, as this issue is intermittent. I was able to drive to work without issue this morning. It could be that the cable adjustment did work, but we shall see.

 

[spdwaver]

What else would you use? Tranny fluid is fine, hydraulic fluid is fine, but there's nothing wrong with using 'regular' power steering fluid. Whatever you did, I guess it worked.

Next time the truck won't move in drive, throw it into low range and try it.

I used transmission fluid; the PO used regular power steering fluid. Even though I would normally assume that regular power steering fluid would be fine, the use of transmission fluid stopped the leak.

I will try low range next time, thanks. That is one thing I did not try, surprisingly.

 

[Tools R Us]

There is the possibility of something stripped in the drivetrain, most often a front axle drive plate. As Spike said try it with the center locked, I would do it in high range. If you don't have the CDL switch, shift low range to lock the center diff, remove the diff fuse, shift drive and drive. To unlock install the fuse.

What your explaining sounds like your driving on the viscus coupler, it will cause a slip in all gears like your explaining. It will be less in reverse due to the lower gear, higher rpm input, so the viscus coupler will more quickly go into hump (almost lock) mode.

 

[spdwaver]

There is the possibility of something stripped in the drivetrain, most often a front axle drive plate. As Spike said try it with the center locked, I would do it in high range. If you don't have the CDL switch, shift low range to lock the center diff, remove the diff fuse, shift drive and drive. To unlock install the fuse.

I will try this.

What your explaining sounds like your driving on the viscus coupler, it will cause a slip in all gears like your explaining. It will be less in reverse due to the lower gear, higher rpm input, so the viscus coupler will more quickly go into hump (almost lock) mode.

I will read up on the viscous coupler, thanks.

 

[spdwaver]

Here is the writeup on the VC:

https://forum.ih8mud.com/80-series-tech/124794-tutorial-removing-viscous-coupler-photos.html

It may not be a bad idea to remove the VC; especially since it is said that there is no ill-effect in doing so, but others may have differing opinions.

 

[Tools R Us]

I was not inferring that you VC is bad. If anything it sounds like something may have broken in the drive train and the VC is trying to overcome the slip, in other words working correctly. As long as it's working correctly I don't see any benefit to removing it, for my uses, if it were to fail, I would remove and not replace.

 

[spdwaver]

I was not inferring that you VC is bad. If anything it sounds like something may have broken in the drive train and the VC is trying to overcome the slip, in other words working correctly. As long as it's working correctly I don't see any benefit to removing it, for my uses, if it were to fail, I would remove and not replace.

I did not gather that you were inferring the VC was bad; after reading the thread, I thought it might be a good idea for eliminating any future issues.