Help! Is my auto box toast!? (1 Viewer)

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Nov 11, 2022
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Location
Zimbabwe
Help! Has auto gearbox shat itself!?

Hi guys, I’m a new member on this forum. I have read it for a few months, love the content!

I currently have HDJ 81 with a 1hdt and an auto box. It’s a 1995 JDM model.

I’m have some issues currently with the transmission. It started about 4 days ago. I was coming off a dirt road and as I got onto the tar road I started to lose drive (engine was revving but no acceleration). I pulled over, checked trans fluid, it was a bit murky but level was all good.
I switched the truck off for a few minutes and the started her up again. It drove fine for about 20kms the did it again…
I switched off again and restarted, no problem, good for 10km this time then same problem.
I had to do this for another 30km to get to the nearest town. There I changed the fluid in transmission but still had no change. I ended up having the truck put on a low bed and taken back to my home town.
My question is, is this a clogged filter type of situation? Or is it more of a burnt clutch situation? There was a cavitation type of sound wheel shift lever was in neutral.
The truck is parked at the moment and I’m at work in the sticks. Trying to comprehend what causes this… really hoping I don’t have to rebuild box as the box has been rebuilt twice with previous owner. It only has 15000km on this new “rebuild” and isn’t even a year old! The box was rebuilt twice in South Africa. Both times they said burnt clutches.
I’m from Zimbabwe.
Cheers guys!

A8F49031-9B70-409D-8013-C15ABC06D0FF.jpeg
 
Shifter cable adjustment
Kickdown cable adjustment
Transmission fluid level (Must be driven more than 10 miles in drive to get up to temp.) check with engine running, in park. Do not overfill. Preferably 30 miles (or equivalent km)
It looks like you have front locking hubs. Does this tcase have 2WD or is it a full time 4wd case that someone installed locking hubs. If one hub is unlocked, then you are overloading the viscous coupler(if equipped). However, usually, VC failure causes it to seize and lock up all the time.

We need to know exactly which transmission and transfer case you have to make an accurate diagnosis.

I'm guessing it's cable adjustments.
 
Thanks for the response BILT4ME

The transmission is a A442F if I remember correctly. T case is still full time looks like. If it helps, here’s what I noted and tested.
It will not send drive to the front axle unless I lock center diff with switch or put it in low range. If I lock front hubs, it won’t have 4WD unless I lock center diff in hi range.

If you switch truck off for 20 seconds, it’ll drive and shift fine for about 1 km then completely lose drive.

It is cable adjustments yes.
 
Shifter cable adjustment
Kickdown cable adjustment
Transmission fluid level (Must be driven more than 10 miles in drive to get up to temp.) check with engine running, in park. Do not overfill. Preferably 30 miles (or equivalent km)
It looks like you have front locking hubs. Does this tcase have 2WD or is it a full time 4wd case that someone installed locking hubs. If one hub is unlocked, then you are overloading the viscous coupler(if equipped). However, usually, VC failure causes it to seize and lock up all the time.

We need to know exactly which transmission and transfer case you have to make an accurate diagnosis.

I'm guessing it's cable adjustments.
Thanks for the response BILT4ME

The transmission is a A442F if I remember correctly. T case is still full time looks like. If it helps, here’s what I noted and tested.
It will not send drive to the front axle unless I lock center diff with switch or put it in low range. If I lock front hubs, it won’t have 4WD unless I lock center diff in hi range.

If you switch truck off for 20 seconds, it’ll drive and shift fine for about 1 km then completely lose drive.

It is cable adjustments yes.
 
Thanks for the response BILT4ME

The transmission is a A442F if I remember correctly. T case is still full time looks like. If it helps, here’s what I noted and tested.
It will not send drive to the front axle unless I lock center diff with switch or put it in low range. If I lock front hubs, it won’t have 4WD unless I lock center diff in hi range.

If you switch truck off for 20 seconds, it’ll drive and shift fine for about 1 km then completely lose drive.

It is cable adjustments yes.
If it has the full time 4WD transfer case, then your hubs MUST be locked in, OR your CDL must be locked. That's why you're not going anywhere.
 
Shift solenoid could also be bad.
 
If
If it has the full time 4WD transfer case, then your hubs MUST be locked in, OR your CDL must be locked. That's why you're not going anywhere
If I lock the hubs in and engage CDL, it drives for about 1km then the same thing happens again. I’m going to drop the pan on Tuesday when I get back to town just to have a look at the filter screen. It feels like the pump is starving and cavitation is occurring. As soon I switch off, the oil on the system goes back to pump which enables it to work for some moments before it starves again.
Anyways I hope it’s that, going to start with the simple things before I pull box and send it to be overhauled.
 
So I pulled the pan today. Filter was extremely blocked up and dirty. Found two small quarter inch pieces of clutch plate in filter housing too. Don’t think it’s major wear. The filter housing looks as though it’s never been cleaned in its life. Going to clean pan, filter and flush entire system.

226C893A-6B32-47F8-ACDC-F287AA89AEE9.jpeg
 
Guys, I seem to have won! It shifts better than before, changes down quicker and no more horrible cavitation sounds. Did a full flush on the system, cleaned the filter thoroughly and flushed the cooler. Fingers crossed it stays happy 😃
 
Yes, your tranny internal clutch probaby toasted. I had the same happened to my A440F and had to put in a low mileage used tranny in....
 
Is any of that metal/magnetic? My A442F self destructed but the junkyard replacement has been solid.

 
When mine went a number of years ago I bought a brand new Toyota trans which I don't think is even available anymore. It lasted 8k miles. The junkyard takeout I installed last year has been flawless.
 
Thanks for the response BILT4ME

The transmission is a A442F if I remember correctly. T case is still full time looks like. If it helps, here’s what I noted and tested.
It will not send drive to the front axle unless I lock center diff with switch or put it in low range. If I lock front hubs, it won’t have 4WD unless I lock center diff in hi range.

If you switch truck off for 20 seconds, it’ll drive and shift fine for about 1 km then completely lose drive.

It is cable adjustments yes.
Start with Solenoids that's the biggest problem with the A442F cheap 2 hour job
 

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