FJ62 Transmission Help - Atlanta (1 Viewer)

[GeauxMudding]

I’m in the Atlanta area and need some transmission help. I am a newbie and any guidance or advice is greatly appreciated. Also, if I should have posted this somewhere else, please let me know.

I bought my 1988 FJ62 a coupLe of weeks ago and love it. She drove great for a a few days but while driving a few days ago it started shifting late (allowing the RPM to get over 3k) before shifting. It would do this for a little while and then stop. It would do it when cold and other times after warming up. It wasn’t the same situation every time.

I took the Cruiser into Peter Merriam with Merriam Automotive (really great guy and very helpful throughout this) and let him check it out today. He told me:

1. Fluid coming out of pump seal and torque converter area
2. Kick down cable binding
3. Transfer case is dry

Peter doesn’t work on transmissions so he recommended I go to a transmission specialist. I called the company he recommended and they told me they were extremely busy and to call back next week. It wasn’t the answer I was really looking for but I get it - they can only do what they can do.

Now I’m worried about what all of this means, who can do the work (that will do it right), and how much this will cost. So, I’m hooping the Mud family can help me out.

I guess my questions are:

1. How big of a deal is this? Rebuild? Simple adjustments, fluid?
2. Who in the Atlanta area do you trust to work on transmissions?
3. Expected cost for something like this
4. How long should this work take?

I apologize in advance for all the questions and not knowing much. If anyone can help, give advice, and possibly even recommend someone to look at it, I would really appreciate it.

Thanks!

 

[3_puppies]

transfer case dry? did he fill with gear oil?

can you do some work yourself? I would start with, Rodney flush, the party trick, change oil and filter while doing this change the kickdown cable and see what happens

hard to say how much something will cost without knowing exactly what is wrong.

IIRCC brand new A440F's are still available from Toyota

 

[dad4x4]

I had the exact same problems that you have mentioned from the delayed shifting when cold and then I most recently experienced trans fluid on my shop floor. The best thing I've done to my 62 so far is drop it off at Abercrombie Transmission is Douglasville. Ask for Tim and he will take care of you. I dropped mine off on march 3rd and picked it up last Friday which was a full rebuild. They are a really great family owned business that actually care about the customer.

 

[dad4x4]

By the way, I would have suggested several things to try first but since you carried it to peter already and he recommended you carry it to a trans shop, I would do just that.

 

[GeauxMudding]

transfer case dry? did he fill with gear oil?

can you do some work yourself? I would start with, Rodney flush, the party trick, change oil and filter while doing this change the kickdown cable and see what happens

hard to say how much something will cost without knowing exactly what is wrong.

IIRCC brand new A440F's are still available from Toyota

Not sure about adding gear oil. I hope he did because I need to get it back. I will call and ask him.

I can do small things but after reading about the Rodney Flush, I wouldn’t be comfortable tackling that alone. If someone wants to point and tell me what to do while drinking coffee and/or beer (provided by me) and whatever they want to eat (also supplied by the Novice (me)), I’m willing to go that route!

 

[GeauxMudding]

I had the exact same problems that you have mentioned from the delayed shifting when cold and then I most recently experienced trans fluid on my shop floor. The best thing I've done to my 62 so far is drop it off at Abercrombie Transmission is Douglasville. Ask for Tim and he will take care of you. I dropped mine off on march 3rd and picked it up last Friday which was a full rebuild. They are a really great family owned business that actually care about the customer.

Thanks! I will reach out to him this morning.

 

[BMValentine]

the A440F is an expensive transmission at this point in time. I am having similar issues with mine which is what prompted me to do a motor and trans swap. Before I landed on the idea of swapping I was doing research and getting quotes on keeping my FJ62 stock; I got quotes for a rebuild as low as $4,500 and as high as $6,600. The H55f swap is about the same cost as the low end of the A440F rebuild and you still have the 3FE, however a lot of reports on here say that the H55F really is a night and day difference over the automatic.
Edit: the H55f swap will probably be a bit more if not doing the work yourself.

 

[dad4x4]

Thanks! I will reach out to him this morning.

agreed, my 2 cents: if it's pouring trans fluid from the torque converter and pump seal take it to a shop.

 

[cps432]

agreed, my 2 cents: if it's pouring trans fluid from the torque converter and pump seal take it to a shop.

.... and have them install a 5 speed manual and don’t look back...

 

[dad4x4]

the A440F is an expensive transmission at this point in time. I am having similar issues with mine which is what prompted me to do a motor and trans swap. Before I landed on the idea of swapping I was doing research and getting quotes on keeping my FJ62 stock; I got quotes for a rebuild as low as $4,500 and as high as $6,600. The H55f swap is about the same cost as the low end of the A440F rebuild and you still have the 3FE, however a lot of reports on here say that the H55F really is a night and day difference over the automatic.
Edit: the H55f swap will probably be a bit more if not doing the work yourself.

I wouldn't entirely agree with this. I first received a quote from ACC to rebuild my trans and it was $3600. Abercrombie Trans called me every morning with an update on the process and a full rebuild, new cooler and inspection of the case cost me $2600. This is a lot cheaper than the H55F swap.

 

[GeauxMudding]

I wouldn't entirely agree with this. I first received a quote from ACC to rebuild my trans and it was $3600. Abercrombie Trans called me every morning with an update on the process and a full rebuild, new cooler and inspection of the case cost me $2600. This is a lot cheaper than the H55F swap.

.... and have them install a 5 speed manual and don’t look back...

Ha. I went automatic for the Atlanta traffic and ease!

 

[BMValentine]

I wouldn't entirely agree with this. I first received a quote from ACC to rebuild my trans and it was $3600. Abercrombie Trans called me every morning with an update on the process and a full rebuild, new cooler and inspection of the case cost me $2600. This is a lot cheaper than the H55F swap.

I'm in Virginia Beach so prices are probably regional. I also have a feeling I was being priced high because people didn't want to work on it, as it is an older transmission and less seen at that.

 

[cps432]

Ha. I went automatic for the Atlanta traffic and ease!

I grew up in Cobb/Paulding... I know what you mean. I used to drive a 66 ford stepside on 75 with no power brakes or power steering and the clutch was just as bad.

 

[Saucerman]

I wouldn't entirely agree with this. I first received a quote from ACC to rebuild my trans and it was $3600. Abercrombie Trans called me every morning with an update on the process and a full rebuild, new cooler and inspection of the case cost me $2600. This is a lot cheaper than the H55F swap.

Funny, I was quoted nearly double for the A440 rebuild from the same shop. Most of the job was sublet too.

 

[Code Red]

Welcome aboard Geaux.

The easiest and cheapest way to get back on the road is to take it to a transmission shop for a rebuild on the A440. Rebuilding the A440 is going to be cheaper than an H55 swap, (ACC put an H55 in mine for about $7k in 2017), but a the H55 is a huge upgrade, and it will be cheaper to do it now, than to rebuild the A440, decide you would rather have the H55, and start over. Even in Atlanta traffic, (I drove downtown this morning from Smyrna) the H55 will make it twice the car it was with the A440.

 

[NearJetties]

My a440 is still running strong but I’m going forward with an H55f swap. I’ll have the auto for sale for a reasonable price in the near future. Catch is it’s in Northern VA.

It’s been run with an aux trans cooler since I’ve owned the truck (3.5 years).

 

[Michael Hanson]

Just rebuild it at a good recommended shop,they are great transmissions when equipped with an after market transmission cooler. Mike

 

[GeauxMudding]

Thanks for the great feedback. I’m going to drop it off at Abercrombie Transmission tonight and I will let everyone know what he says. I’m expecting the worst and hoping for the best! He will check it out in the morning.

 

[fruitjack]

I bought my FJ62 last July; it came with a very minor transmission leak (it dripped only once that I recalled); welp, this April, driving about I20 east of Madison, the gears began to slip and just as I got to exit 130 it was damn near impossible to drive and maintain both speed and rpm; towed it back to Duluth. Of course I brought it to Peter and he recommended High-Tech Transmission in Doraville. They were quite busy and it took about three days or so before a slot opened for my car (she's not my daily so time isn't an issue). The oil was bad, as was the clutch, and one of the input gears simply had to go, they found a slew of problems. Long story short, a minor rebuild, ~$4500. They had already worked on a couple of FJ62's before mine so I was eager for them to work on her with that experience still fresh. fantastic job, so far.

 

[Michael Hanson]

Hi, I just had ours rebuilt for under 2,000. Mike