Oh God, total loss of drive

alfesti

alfesti

Member
I was getting the 3500 auto out tonight ready for drive it day, and pulling up the slope from my lock up the auto box was slipping, revving hard but hardly pulling. I backed down and tried on the again, then on the flat where it lost all drive, no click or thump into any gear, but park locks it up and we pushed it in neutral so the linkage works.

Anyone got any ideas, I'm not that familiar with autos. Could the fluid be too low, or the drive plate knackered, or does it sound like the box itself. I was worried as the engine oil is a tiny bit high
and thought it could have got somewhere it shouldn't but its not that over.

Thanks

Matt
 
Didnt check - its very dark and scary at my lock up and I forgot there is a dipstick for the box. Its not been checked in a while but I will look at that first light - could that give the whole slippage/no gears senario?
 
ATF is the lifeblood of an automatic gearbox & the first port of call for any faults especially loss of drive. Check the level as per the handbook. The fluid should be Red. Any other colour, ie: Brown indicates all is not well though it may just need a fluid change. I don't think the engine oil will have any bearing on it at all.
Apart from that I'm in the dark too so good luck with that. :;):
 
I'm no mech myself Matt, but I remember you must check level with engine running. My GM box in my Manta many moons ago used to lose fluid from time to time, and your symptoms fit.
'Slushbox' means just that - the fluid is the heart of the box.. :)

All the best
Jason
 
Thanks guys, thats reaussuring. I've only played with proper (manual) boxes before, bit of a mystery area for me
 
Matt,
hopefully it is just a matter of fluid level and has to be your first check.
However, and I hope I'm wrong here, but when the auto box went in my first 3500 I noticed a slight slip in drive on the way to work and barely got it back home to the garage in the evening a total trip of around 6 miles. When they (the clutches) let go they go very quickly! A re-con. box and torque converter was the answer for me. Please let us know how you get on.
Regards, John.
 
Probably good news, the ATF fluid doesnt even show at the tip of the dipstick - dont know where its gone, its been parked indoors waiting on a new radiator for a month!

I thought I had a can of fluid in the lock up, but didnt (as is always the case) so will go back later with a bottle held between crossed fingers. Failing that, I've heard that early Supra 'boxes are a fairly easy swap. Has anyone here tried that?

Cheers

Matt
 
Good show! As far as I'm aware, ALL the Borg-warners leak even after sump gasket replacement so it's probably just natural leakage & gives you the hint that you should check your ATF more often & keep it topped up. Don't faff around with cans, just buy a Gallon of the stuff. It's cheaper & you've less chance of being caught short. If you have PAS then you need it for that too anyway. :)
 
Just had a moment of clarity, and confirmed it with the factory manual...When I changed the radiator those oil cooler pipes dont go back to the engine, do they? Which explains why the oil was a bit on the browny side - I'd assumed it was just sediment and old gunge as the car had sat a few years before I got it.

You're right about bulk buying RM, its a new gallon can I've mislpaced - on old BL stuff and as they say on the Range Rover forum, if it aint leaking, its empty!

Sometimes the elation and relief are worth the initial panic!
 
Bugger I've lunched it. After a fluid top up it'll go backwards, but kept on topping till it was overful and couldnt get forward gears at all.

Plan A is now to take the box out and strip/fix or replace. Plan B is much the same but involves a garage doing the dirty fingernail stuff.

I think an old Supra box will slot in, does anyone know of other units that fit?
 
Hi Matt

Before you committ to dirty fingernail work, just have a check in the manual for the procedure to set up the operating cables. It has been known for maladjustment of the kickdown cable (goes between the box and the carburrettors) to have very weird effects on gear selection.

Assuming this fails, you're starting from the right place for a 5 spd conversion - ie you've already got the automatic's larger transmission tunnel.

Didn't BB Longman do a 5 spd Toyota conversion or is my memory playing tricks?

The more conventional route is to use an LT77 box out of an SD1 V8 or TR8 The more modern version of this box is the R380 which also uses the SD1 bellhousing. Be carefull about the origin of the LT77, there are a lot of different variations, gear ratios etc. Best place to look for a quick intro to them is the RPI web site http://www.rpiv8.com/transmission-3.htm .

This conversion is well known and I'm sure a search of this forum will yield all the information you need. If not drop me an e mail and I'll see what else is in my favourites list!

Chris
 
I hadnt thought of the cables - thats a good idea to check. I've got my eye on a Supra box at the moment, but it would be great to not have to do anything big and dramatic
 
No, just amid 80's 5 speeder however its got wires sticking out of it, so it might only work with an ECU based car, but you've just gone and upped my ambition, just when I'd settled on rebuilding the BW35 (for cash and simplicity). What 6 speed RWD manuals are out there? BMW M3? something Jag? hmmm
 
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