The A442F tranny any good? (1 Viewer)

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hi there fellas.

i am about to buy an american 1993 LC80 with the 1FZE engine.
dont have so much info yet on the car. other thaat it got leather seats, moonroof, electric lockers, automatic transmission etc.

so i now have the 1994 HDJ80 with manual tranny. H150F.

wondered to do an tranny swap since i would be having everything i need.

but how is the A442F in everyday use and offroading?
is it strong, does it shift quickly/smoothly? is it reliable?
i really like a automatic transmission, but if it is a downgrade i will rethink this project.

hope to get some experiences here. thanks.
 
The A442F is literally a bus transmission. I have it in my hdj81 and I live it, shifts smoothly, nice gearing and fully mechanical which I consider a positive though others may not. Just look up a picture of it...it's huge and built like a tank!
 
Yeah, I reckon it's pretty good for DD and wheeling. I find the ECT version is almost like a manual (without clutch) - you can select the gear you want and more aggressive shift points, if the needs arise.

Larger trans cooler & syn ATF are best.
 
I think once you drive the fzj auto you'll be thinking about converting the hdj to auto ;)

I personally prefer the auto in every respect except towing. For towing i prefer the better gear control and ratios.

You won't have to worry about reliability so long as servicing is kept up. The auto generally outlasts the manual for performance since the manuals are prone to syncro and gear wear.
 
I have been liking auto more and more over the years. especially for towing.

ECT version? i have little or no knowledge of these transmissions. so please elaborate. :)

i am worried that the tranny is slow to shift, my experience with old autos is that they never shift when i want or quick enough.
 
and yes, the sync rings on my manual tranny was worn out, i have rebuild this tranny. so it is quite nice now.
 
ECT version?

i am worried that the tranny is slow to shift, my experience with old autos is that they never shift when i want or quick enough.

Am no guru by any stretch of the imagination, so tranny whisperers, pls chip in :D

A442F comes in 2 flavours -early ones were full hydraulic followed by Electronic Control Transmission ECT versions with solenoid.

The 4 speed ECTs allow Over-drive off, 2nd start and power mode for more aggressive driving style. Am running mobil1 ATF with 3rd party trans cooler and tranny shifts smooth. I like the ratios. Torque converter locks between 60 & 80km/h (higher rpm when pulling hard). 2 stage kick down.
 
the ect version, when did it arrive, and when was the mechanical version fased out?

"stock" car and rpm of engine in 60mph/100kmh?
 
i am worried that the tranny is slow to shift, my experience with old autos is that they never shift when i want or quick enough.

The autos are definitely faster to shift up the gears. You will really notice it if you tow up a hill. The long stroke of the manual gear stick slows things down. Only time I find the auto slower is when going from reverse to drive. Unlike a manual you have to be at a complete stop before putting it into drive. Other wise you get a clunk and a feeling that you've just brought the death date for your auto a little closer.

Moving between the ranges, ie park - reverse and drive, the box should engage in less than a second. That's the standard service spec for the cruiser autos. If it takes longer there's something wrong with it.

OT: Only time i've seen slow shifts in an auto have been in trucks and buses. Some trucks are just automated manual gearboxes (road ranger/eatons) and shift pretty slow. Some hydraulic autos are made a bit slower to help longevity and shift smoothness in buses. For every other cars autos=faster. That's all I ever heard and experienced.
 
the ect version, when did it arrive, and when was the mechanical version fased out?

"stock" car and rpm of engine in 60mph/100kmh?

I can't really speak for markets other than australia, but here the non electric trans was only in 90-92 models. You can tell the difference because the electronic one has an overdrive button on a 6 position shifter (PRND21), where as the non electric one has the 7 position shifter (PRND321)

My fzj is somewhere around 2400-2500rpm at 110kph. It is a bit lower than manuals as the overdrive is slightly taller in the auto compared to manual. diff ratio and tyre sizes are the same between auto/manual
 
Does anyone have any info on what buses these were installed in, I want to see pics :D

I'm not sure why people say that like it's a good thing.

I've seen reference to an a450, which is apparently a 2wd version of the a440 used in toyota coaster buses. Possibly some Hino medium duty buses use the transmission. The a440 is made by Aisin so in one form or another it could have popped up in any light/medium duty truck or bus.

Toyota make a mini bus based on the hilux running gear, but you don't hear people going on about hilux transmissions being bus transmissions

However the a440 is a massive transmission, but the manual transmissions are equally big and sometimes referenced as 'truck' transmissions. It doesn't actually work in toyota's favor. These transmissions are way to big for a vehicle like an 80, and the added weight is a huge drawback IMO.
 
but how is the A442F in everyday use and offroading?
A friend of mine has the old style on a '90 or '91 HDJ80 and I didn't like it much. Scratch that I pretty much hated it, having experienced the manual h151 before. The annoying torque converter slippage mad it impossible to enjoy the low end torque of the 1HD-T. In the city or bad traffic it kind of redeemed itself, but I don't do enough of those to want one myself.
I didn't do any offraoding but I suppose the auto could be better considering how slow the manual is, as well as its deep gap between 3rd and 4th. Then again it's nothing a 1hd-t couldn't take care of. :D
 
the ect version, when did it arrive, and when was the mechanical version fased out?

"stock" car and rpm of engine in 60mph/100kmh?

Good comments from Rove. Search MUD for A442f lineage.

I run 275/70R16 - 60km/h@1400rpm, 110km/h@2400rpm. I would say that the ratios/ECT combined with 1HD-FT/3" exhaust makes it a great DD in the city: power button ON & OD OFF

My butt-dyno says its suited to more aggressive driving style for DD, my right foot concurs :D
 
I have both a 1991 and a 1992 HDJ81 the 91 has the hydraulic controlled tranny and the 92 which was built in September has the ect tranny. I like the ECT tranny better it shifts smoother and seems to put more power to the wheels
 
Worse tranny in the land cruiser lineup. One word- a343f:flipoff2:
 
I'm fairly new at this. Which trannies would you say are/were the best? I'm particularly interested in 5-speeds that go well with a HJ47. (most likely a 2h or 12ht engine). Thanks!
 

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