A343F Transmission Refresh (LX450) (2 Viewers)

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Why isn't that on their website? Jeez, how hard can it be to take my money?
 
Transgo kit is cheap and easy. Did mine, along with solenoids over the summer.

Shifts are much firmer on part throttle, especially 3-4 on the freeway. Under load it's barely noticeable. I did it in advance of adding a turbo in the near future.

I wouldn't bother with the torque converter. Do the front pump/TC seal and output seal. If you're doing the solenoids, replace the little internal harness that they connect to. It's cheap and easy.
The other seals suggested are fine to do but almost surely unnecessary.

Your posts make me wish I’d done a better job documenting my work!
 
Currently doing the same service, when I took off the pan, it had a gasket. No history from PO if this was OEM, but it had one.
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So I’m looking for the gasket route (if there really is). If there is none, FIPG it is.
 
Ok here is what I ended up doing. Hope you enjoy.

A343F Transmission Reseal/Service How To:
Mileage: 126k

Recommended Service
- Replace input seal (90311-38020)
- Replace output seal (90311-48016)
- Reseal rear extension housing with 1281E Pink FIPG
- Replace ATF inlet/outlet union O-Rings + sensor O-Ring (x3 90301-11006)
- Replace shift solenoids (x2 85420-21090 and x1 35250-50030)
- Replace filter/oil strainer (35330-60020)
- Increase line pressure from Medium to High position
- Reseal pan with 1281E Pink FIPG (00295-01281)
- Replace Speed Sensor #1 O-Ring (90301-11008)
- Top off with fresh fluid

Optional Service: Replace Shifter Shaft Seals & Valve Body Gaskets (Difficult & Requires Removal of Valve Body)
- Replace Valve Body Gaskets (35433-30064 & 35434-30076)
- Shift Shafts Seals (x2 90311-A0009)
- Shift Shaft Spacer (90560-20006), original must be destroyed during removal

Here is documentation of how I did a detailed reseal and service on a low mileage A343F while it was out of the vehicle. I had my reasons for not installing a shift kit. Before doing any work, drain any ATF left in the pan. While I did replace my valve body gaskets and shifter shaft seals, this portion requires extra attention to detail and may not be for everyone.

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Replace Input Seal

I began with replacing the input seal (90311-38020). Pull out torque converter. Remove the old seal with a standard seal puller, while being careful to avoid scratching the bore that the seal sits in. Clean the bore. Coat the outside edge of the new seal with clean ATF, and place it squarely in the bore by hand. Find a good seal driver and drive the seal flush to the face of the transmission. I used a thick plastic shop vacuum extension that was long enough to get past the input shaft. Reinstall the torque converter at the end of this service (make sure you know how to seat it correctly).

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Rear Extension FIPG & Rear Output Seal
Next, I removed the rear extension housing by removing 6 bolts seen inside the case and 2 bolts external to the case, so 8 bolts total. They all were 14mm. Note: the lower 2 bolts and the 2 external bolts had sealer applied. Tap the lift point with a mallet to separate rear extension housing.

Replace the rear output seal with a new one (90311-48016). Use a washer or flat driver to seat the face of the seal flush with the face of the rear extension housing. I used a light coat of 1281 FIPG between the seal and the housing, but that is optional.

Clean the FIPG surfaces on the rear extension and the transmission case, ensuring no oil is left. Lay a 1/8" bead of 1281 FIPG (00295-01281) in the pattern shown. Yes, it is now pink instead of orange, denoted as "1281E". Reinstall the housing and torque bolts to 29 ft-lb. I applied sealer to all bolts and made sure all threads were clean.

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Replace ATF Inlet/Outlet/Sensor O-Rings (x3 90301-11006)

Use an open end wrench to loosen the ATF sensor on the forward union, then loosen both lock nuts on the unions. Remove the unions/ATF sensor and install new O-Rings coated in ATF. Torque tight enough to not leak, but not tight enough to strip the threads :) Should you choose to replace your unions, the inlet union is 90407-14027, and the outlet union is 90407-14029. I don't think this is necessary unless your old ones are corroded, just get the O-Rings.

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Filter/Solenoid/Solenoid Harness Replacement & Increase Line Pressure.
1. Remove 19 trans pan bolts
2. Gently tap a smooth metal putty knife between the pan and transmission and pry. You may have to do this in several places. Do not tap it in at an angle and gouge the metal! Remove the pan.
3. Remove the oil strainer from the valve body by removing the 4 mounting bolts. Keep bolts in the respective holes. Set to the side.
4. Disconnect 3 connectors from shift solenoids and remove the harness mounting bracket on the exterior of the transmission. Pull the harness out.
5. Remove the 3 shift solenoid mounting bolts and pull out the 3 solenoids.

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6. OPTIONAL, PROCEED WITH CAUTION: Replace Shift Shaft Seals & Valve Body Gaskets
a. Remove the valve body per FSM
b. Mark the position of the neutral safety switch adjusting nut. Remove the adjusting nut. Bend the fingers of the lock washer flat and remove the large nut and lock washer. Wobble the switch off the shifter shaft.
c. Using a sharp chisel and hammer, cut off the spacer and remove it from the shift shaft. Do not drop any metal pieces into the transmission case.
d. Place something underneath the shifter shaft to catch the roll pin or else you risk dropping it into the heart of the transmission. Using a 1/8" roll pin punch, slowly drive out the roll pin.
e. Pull the shifter shaft out the side of the case.
f. Remove and replace shifter shaft seals with new ones. Lubricate them with Vasoline or similar.
g. Clean the shifter shaft and slide it back in with a new spacer in place
h. Install the roll pin
i. Slide the new spacer into position. Dimple the spacer into its locking hole using a larger roll pin punch. This 1/4" worked well for me.
j. Reinstall the neutral safety switch. The large staked nut is torqued to 35 INCH-lb, and the small adjusting nut is torqued to 9 ft-lb. Restake the nut.
k. Replace valve body gaskets and assemble the valve body per FSM and install.

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7. Spread clean ATF on the new solenoid's O-Rings. Replace the solenoids. The different part numbers have different shaped brackets, so you probably can't put them in the wrong spot! Install their mounting bolts and torque to 7 ft-lb.
8. Apply clean ATF to the O-Ring on the new solenoid harness and install into the transmission. Torque mounting bolt to 7 ft-lb. If you are on a budget, don't buy the harness and replace its O-Ring with a new 96721-24018.
9. Turn line pressure from the "Medium" setting to the "High" setting as shown, using a flat head screwdriver.
10. Transfer mounting bolts to the appropriate holes on the new Oil Strainer (35330-60020) and install. Torque the bolts to 7 ft-lb. If not replacing your oil strainer, make sure the gaskets on yours are in good shape and you clean the screen inside it.
11. If your transmission is upside down, fill the oil strainer with clean ATF.
12. Thoroughly scrape, clean, and degrease the pan and its mating surface on the transmission. Take care to keep debris out of the transmission. The pan takes a while to clean. Apply Toyota 1281E (00295-01281) pink FIPG in a 1/8" bead on the pan, making sure to go on the inside edge of the pan. Reinstall pan and torque 19 bolts to 65 INCH-lb.

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Replace Speed Sensor #1 O-Ring
- Clean around the area of the speed sensor to avoid dirt falling in the transmission.
- Remove the speed sensor on the LH side of the transmission by removing the mounting bolt. Gently wiggle out of the bore.
- Remove and replace O-Ring with a new one coated in clean ATF.
- Reinstall sensor and torque to 7 ft-lb
 
Service Transmission fluid
- Allow torque converter to drain overnight. Refill with about 1 quart of new ATF. Install and make sure you know how to fully seat the converter.
- You're ready to install onto the engine per the FSM. Once installed, fill the transmission pan via the dipstick tube to the "cold max" line. Start the car, monitor the fluid as you shift through the gears, and add fluid accordingly to achieve the correct level while the engine is running in park.
- Consider doing a fluid flush through the transmission cooler lines.

That's it, that's the maintenance that I thought a low mileage A343F needs if it is already on the bench for something else. I have my power train removed to install a new engine, so it was out. "While you're in there" 😂

If you are doing a "quick and dirty" reseal, just at least consider doing the input and output seals.
 
The unit repair manual says you can reuse that "spacer", but I don't see how you can, at least in good conscience. The first one I took apart had been into before and someone had actually reused it. His work didn't stand the test of time. Mine has (so far).

I replace it and the spring pin. I don't want to hear about that thing falling out of the hole and rattling around inside the case.
 
Yes, I did end up replacing the spring pin as well. I don’t see how you could reuse the spacer either. It would be a very bad day to have to dive back into the transmission if that spring pin fell out!
 

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