Newbie here, making my first post (I've read all the transmission threads I could find on the forum, but none seem to match my problem, and neither new fluid nor a kick-down cable adjustment have helped so far).
I just bought a 91 fj80 from a buddy for $500 less than kbb. He was trying to flip it, so he didn't know much about the history. I've had a major gear lust for a Land Cruiser since I was about 14, so this seemed like the right opportunity to get into one.
The Cruiser was a B title (mileage in addition to what's on the clock) with the odometer showing 159,000. I took it to two different mechanics who pointed out several leaks, a non-original tranny, and the looks of being driven over 200k miles, but otherwise the engine still sounded strong.
I noticed the transmission sticking once or twice while test driving it, but honestly wanted to buy it so bad, I tried not to notice it. After buying it, I have figured out a definite pattern and tried to remedy it without success. So now I'm asking for more help.
Here's the pattern:
The transmission will not shift into 2nd gear until I get over 3,000 rpm (sometimes almost 4,000) the first time after it has been put in Drive. It only sticks the first time, and it only sticks between 1st and 2nd gear. It shifts smooth with all other gears, and after it has made the primary shift to 2nd, all subsequent shifts from 1st to 2nd happen around 1,500-1,800 rpm - until I take it out of drive and put it back again, then the process starts all over again.
It doesn't necessarily have that much to do with the car heating up. Once or twice it has made the shift to second when cold, but almost always it's a hard shift to 2nd gear - just the first time - even if the car has been running for a half hour.
I had a mechanic (from the Toyota dealership) pull the pan, clean out all the crap, and fill with new fluid - didn't help. I have adjusted the kick down cable a mm or so in either direction and this hasn't helped. Loosening the cable seemed to make it slip in other gears, tightening seems to pull the throttle cable and make it run 30 mph without my foot on the gas (slight exaggeration).
I am now thinking that I got in over my head on this purchase, especially considering that I'm not exactly the Car Whisperer or anything like that. Here are my two thoughts:
1.) Could it help to replace the kick-down & throttle cables? I run a bicycle shop in downtown Phoenix, and when I see brake or shifter cables this old, I almost always recommend to replace them. The plastic housing is pealing off and they seemed kinked in ways they aren't supposed to be.
2.) Could my non-original tranny be something other than an A440F? A couple guys have told me it sounds like I have a bad transmission solenoid. Everybody on the forum says there are no solenoids on the A440F. So, where do I find a serial number or stamping on the transmission, or how do I figure out if it's not an A440F, and if that is the case, how do I find out what kind of transmission it is?
Any help on this? Thanks in advance...
Chris
Wait, almost forgot:
I just bought a 91 fj80 from a buddy for $500 less than kbb. He was trying to flip it, so he didn't know much about the history. I've had a major gear lust for a Land Cruiser since I was about 14, so this seemed like the right opportunity to get into one.
The Cruiser was a B title (mileage in addition to what's on the clock) with the odometer showing 159,000. I took it to two different mechanics who pointed out several leaks, a non-original tranny, and the looks of being driven over 200k miles, but otherwise the engine still sounded strong.
I noticed the transmission sticking once or twice while test driving it, but honestly wanted to buy it so bad, I tried not to notice it. After buying it, I have figured out a definite pattern and tried to remedy it without success. So now I'm asking for more help.
Here's the pattern:
The transmission will not shift into 2nd gear until I get over 3,000 rpm (sometimes almost 4,000) the first time after it has been put in Drive. It only sticks the first time, and it only sticks between 1st and 2nd gear. It shifts smooth with all other gears, and after it has made the primary shift to 2nd, all subsequent shifts from 1st to 2nd happen around 1,500-1,800 rpm - until I take it out of drive and put it back again, then the process starts all over again.
It doesn't necessarily have that much to do with the car heating up. Once or twice it has made the shift to second when cold, but almost always it's a hard shift to 2nd gear - just the first time - even if the car has been running for a half hour.
I had a mechanic (from the Toyota dealership) pull the pan, clean out all the crap, and fill with new fluid - didn't help. I have adjusted the kick down cable a mm or so in either direction and this hasn't helped. Loosening the cable seemed to make it slip in other gears, tightening seems to pull the throttle cable and make it run 30 mph without my foot on the gas (slight exaggeration).
I am now thinking that I got in over my head on this purchase, especially considering that I'm not exactly the Car Whisperer or anything like that. Here are my two thoughts:
1.) Could it help to replace the kick-down & throttle cables? I run a bicycle shop in downtown Phoenix, and when I see brake or shifter cables this old, I almost always recommend to replace them. The plastic housing is pealing off and they seemed kinked in ways they aren't supposed to be.
2.) Could my non-original tranny be something other than an A440F? A couple guys have told me it sounds like I have a bad transmission solenoid. Everybody on the forum says there are no solenoids on the A440F. So, where do I find a serial number or stamping on the transmission, or how do I figure out if it's not an A440F, and if that is the case, how do I find out what kind of transmission it is?
Any help on this? Thanks in advance...
Chris
Wait, almost forgot:
