R151 Manual Transmission 3rd and 5th Gear Whine (1 Viewer)

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Sep 9, 2021
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Mozambique
I've just completed another 15,000km journey around southern Africa in my HZJ79R 2013 (82,000km) and the R151 manual transmission has developed a few noises. The first I noticed was a rattle at the base of the gear shift lever, particularly cruising in 5th gear. This stops if you hold the gear lever further to the top right. Now there is also a drive train whine when in 5th gear and to a lesser degree in 3rd gear. Checked oil level and was full and clear, but not yet replaced. Any suggestions?
 
I was at a gearbox and diff rebuilder here in Perth a few years back and the owner of the business was packing R151 gearboxes onto a pallet to be sent to the mines. He said they will back soon to be rebuilt again. I asked him why they don't last long, and he just said they are too small for the job in hard conditions. I asked him about the weak points and he just said "everywhere". The bearings, the shaft sizes and gear sizes. He might have mentioned them being too compact and didnt disipitate heat fast enough, or maybe I heard it elsewhere.
Some of the mining companies asked for a meeting with Toyota Australia to complain about the short lifespan of the R151 in the 79 and 105 series.
Toyota didnt do anything except turn a 3 piece shaft into a 2 piece shaft to take some of the play out of it.
The gearbox started life in the 70s as a 4 speed Supra gearbox (R140) . Later it became a 5 speed (R150) and was used in the light duty LJ70 Prado, Bundeera Landcruiser.
Then in the late 90s it was fitted to the 6 cyl 1HZ.
Many of them here were used in hire companies where they had a short lifespan. I know 2 friends who bought ex hire 105 series and both of them needed the gearbox replaced around a 100000klms. Similar problems to yours.
You can get a long life from them if you owned one from new and drove it sensibly.
You could try some additives or different oil viscosity, but my guess is its terminal. Whining is from worn surfaces. I would say you need a bearing kit at least.
 
I spent close to R30 000 to eliminate that problem by putting in an H150 from a Single cab pick up. As Ross said, you can fix just about everything and something else go's . Toyota will never admit it, but they sent a boy to do a mans job.
Do a search on the local 4x4 community group , there are a few companies reworking these boxes and claiming to have the problem sorted. Swart Jan in Bethlehem is one of them. my swap thread is: Pulled the trigger on a H150 box for my HzJ76 - https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/pulled-the-trigger-on-a-h150-box-for-my-hzj76.1100214/post-11982645

Drop me a PM if you need to.
G
 
Could be worn input-layshaft gears. That's what caused a similar quiet in 4th, noisy otherwise issue in my R150. Been going ok since a rebuild but I would agree that the R series boxes are a bit borderline in a large vehicle.

Cheers
Clint
 
Thanks for the feedback, guys. I just hoisted the rear up and ran through the gears to rule out other drive train components. With screwdriver to ear there is a horrible growling noise from the transmission or transfer box. Can't determine which one.

I did have the vehicle from new and have taken good care of it, although use it at its limits for bushfire work so extended periods fully loaded in rough conditions as well as long hauls on sealed (often potholed) roads.

@Gengis - I probably don't have time for a rebuild right now. If I follow the upgrade advice would it be an H150 or an H151? Is this just a simple replacement job or are there modifications required?

Cheers
 
For a Pain Free, you must go for a complete ( With TX case) H150 from a 70 series vehicle and get all the katunda with it, gear levers, clutch lever, rubber bellows with plate, and linkages. You are a 2013 model?? so its wide body with front coil springs and a bonnet hump? In this case you will need a bell housing (HZ/HD to H150) a 276 clutch plate to match the splines, a new crank shaft spigit bearing to match the gearbox shaft and a hd clutch bearing
A H151 if from an 80 or 100 series and the TX case is different and the input shaft may be as well. Not saying you cant do it but you will have to plug and play with partnumbers until you puke and the drive shafts will ned to be shortened/ lenthened which they done with the H150 with part time tx case.
Try Farouk in JHB I will pm you his number, usually much cheaper that the bunch at N1 4x4. Bell housing will be your main ball ache check out the part numbers out in my thread and try Gemeni in JHB central . I got a new one from them for about 4 grand if memory serves.

Drop me a line if I can be of any further help.
 

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