Junkyard Tranny replacement (1 Viewer)

[devo]

has any one bought a transmission, A343F, from a salvage yard, installed it into their 80 and had good longevity and luck with it?

The tranny in my 1997 is acting up. I need to have it remanufactued or buy a remanufactured replacement. That will run me about $3700.00

Or I can buy a less than 200K mile tranny from the yard for $500.00 and plug it in. The risk being that the tranny may not be any better or may not hold hold up.

Is it a crap shoot with a salvage tranny? Should I fear the unknown?







devo

 

[scottryana]

It is a crap shoot like any old used part you buy. I think you can get a reman from Toyota for about $3300, and a rebuild and better quality from ATF Speed for $3499. But I guess I would also look to the large cruiser shops like Slee, Ironpig, Mudrak, Arcteryx, etc and see if they have a known good. I would trust them before I would trust a random junkyard.

 

[bulhas]

Where are you local too?? I have one that during mated to my old motor that was performing great before I pulled the motor and trans out

However I'm in Alberta

 

[Seth_O]

I'd hit up local cruiserheads for leftovers from someone doing a powertrain swap.

Junkyard parts are great for something not req'd to make your car go/stop. Anything critical I leverage a looooong list of other potential sources first.

 

[baldilocks]

What leads you to believe a transmission replacement is necessary?

 

[inkpot]

So, what is your current transmission doing/not doing right? These units are pretty hardy and rarely fail.

 

[lastresort576]

Yoda jims? I'm pretty sure they have some type of warranty. Also throw one of their stickers on your truck before you go to purchase and get a discount.

 

[slow95z]

i have one i will sell you for 100 bucks if you want to gamble

 

[stpetedale]

Was thinking about putting this on ebay. It has been in storage since 02 with approximately 4k miles new from Mr.T

 

[lastresort576]

Was thinking about putting this on ebay. It has been in storage since 02 with approximately 4k miles new from Mr.T

View attachment 1590178

puurty

 

[excessive]

The A343f is a pretty indestructible trans , I rarely hear of them going bad. I wouldn't think twice about buying a used one - from a fellow mudder preferably over a junkyard unknown .

 

[devo]

What leads you to believe a transmission replacement is necessary?

So, what is your current transmission doing/not doing right? These units are pretty hardy and rarely fail.

What does my tranny do. First of all it up shifts and down shift without issues

From a rolling idle it seems to take a few more revs to get it to engage. On cold mornings in reverse, it engages, then goes to a neutral position until I rev the rpms then it goes into gear

 

[devo]

Yoda jims? I'm pretty sure they have some type of warranty. Also throw one of their stickers on your truck before you go to purchase and get a discount.

Jim has one but it has 230k on it, so?????

 

[baldilocks]

What does my tranny do. First of all it up shifts and down shift without issues

From a rolling idle it seems to take a few more revs to get it to engage. On cold mornings in reverse, it engages, then goes to a neutral position until I rev the rpms then it goes into gear

Have verify fluid level? When was the filter serviced last? Sounds like a fluid flow issue or for some reason it is shifting into first gear kind of lethargically.

If you search transmission problems on the 80 series you won’t have much to read other than solenoid replacement, fluid replacement, and throttle cable adjustment.

As stated before, these units are very robust and reliable. They seem to outlast the engines.

 

[lastresort576]

Jim has one but it has 230k on it, so?????

Gahhh. That’s more on a trans than I’d want to install in my truck.

 

[BILT4ME]

I'll bet you're having drive flange issues or viscous coupler issues, not transmission.

Check all your fluid levels when at proper operating temperatures and procedures.

Place the 4WD lever in the LOW range position and advise if the CDL (Center Differential Lock) light comes on. You may need to move forward and back a little to make that happen.

Then drive it a little to see if it still behaves similarly. If so, you MAY have drive flange issues.

Second test:
Leave it in Low Range.
Shut off the truck
Pull the CDL fuse (lower left of steering column I believe)
Place the 4WD lever in the HIGH range position
Start the truck.
Drive the truck and advise if the issues still persist.
If not, the drive flanges or the viscous coupler are the issue.

 

[devo]

BILT4ME,
I'll give that procedure a shot.

I know it's not low fluid or a dirty screen. Also the the symptom of what happens in reverse only happens once in the cold morning, and never again through out the day.

What if it is the drive flange?

 

[Rifleman]

If it's not your DD, and if your any good at turning wrench's why not do the overhaul yourself? I'd be will to bet that if you do it yourself, you'll be able to do it for a 1/3 of the price you quoted, or maybe even less. Here's a link to rebuild kits, and prices you might find helpful.
A340, AW4 - Toyota Rear Wheel

 

[devo]

Thanks

 

[BILT4ME]

If it is the drive flange, you replace the drive flanges, and maybe the out birfield shaft in the front axle and you move on. For short term, you place it in low range to lock the CDL, shut it off, remove the fuse, then start it and drive it. Without the fuse in place, the CDL will not UNlock and will allow you to drive normally. You still need to make the repairs to the front axle.

When the drive flanges strip, the axle spins in the housing. The Viscous coupler will allow the movement in the ONE front heel only as long as you are light in the throttle. When you give it hard throttle, the shear in the viscous coupler forces it to turn the rest of the center differential and will move the rear axle. You cannot do this too much, or you will overheat your VC and lock it up tight.

In order to test this theory, I pulled my truck up onto a pile of snow and stopped. I accelerated lightly and one front tire spun and I went nowhere. As I accelerated harder, I could feel it starting to pull. Then I stopped, put it into low range to lock the center differential, and I drove over the top of the pile of snow because then front and rear got equal power.