Skool Me With Toyota Transmissions...

84Toyota4x4 · Dec 8, 2006

Skool Me On Toyota Transmissions...

A comment was made in another thread in the Chatter Box, which lead me to some questions, and rather than COMPLETELY hijack that thread, I thought I would start a new one here. Heres what was going on in there...

Mark m. said:
Turbo engines are junk and the trannys have more problems than the W56s.

W56s commonly have problems? Hmmm... I'm still fairly new to all this crap, but I though the newer transmissions were the ones people wanted? My girls 4Runner has a W56 in it, and it doesn't like to go into first NEARLY as easy as my G54. Anything over about 10 MPH hers doesn't like to drop into first. Kind of obnoxious because when you're slowing down for a light or something, and you wanna slip it into first to go again because it turned green or whatever, it wont let you - it just grinds. So you end up going with 2nd, which bogs the motor and blah blah. My G54 would probably drop into 1st at nearly 30 if I wanted to. Maybe not, but you get the idea. Is that synchro problem a common problem with the W56s?

Are the trannies that have a lot of value that I seem to remember being sought after the W58s and the W56s out of the NEWER 4 cylinder trucks (89-98)? I thought the turbo R151F was a good HD transmission? Or are the G-series transmissions the good ones?

My other question then would be how do you setup dual cases? Do you need a transmission that was originally designed for a top shift case like the W56? Is THAT why they're so desirable? Or can you convert a forward shift tranny to be used with duals? Then you use two top shift cases, right? Either converted from forward shift, or originally top shift, it doesn't matter does it?

This is good info for me to have since hers is having problems (or something, maybe its normal?), and I have a couple t-cases laying around and I wanna do duals sometime, so I kinda wanna know what I should keep my eyes out for. Thanks guys!

~T.J.

skrause · Dec 8, 2006

Let me rephrase that line...

Toyota 4cyl engines are junk and I'm going to bash on the trannys so I can get a replacement for cheap.

:flipoff:

skrause · Dec 8, 2006

84Toyota4x4 said:
I though the turbo R151F was a good HD transmission?.

It is THE Toyota manual transmission to put behind a 4.3 V6. If you want to know what's what with Toy trannies ask Marlin. The order of strength goes like this weak to strong. G series, W series, R series.

84Toyota4x4 · Dec 8, 2006

I actually almost bought a dead Turbo 4Runner a while back thinking I would run that tranny behind a potential 4.3 swap, also steal the rear end out of it for my truck (I still have the narrow track), and do some other crap with it. Turns out, I never did, and probably should have.

Holy crap, I just had a funny idea... If I had bought it, I could have swapped rear ends straight across (mine in the Runner), maybe throw some spacers on it to match the front track width, then dropped a running NA motor I've got in it with a G series tranny and T-Case, and used it as a daily driver while keeping the top shift t-case for a dual case setup, and the R-series tranny for my rig. Damn, that would've worked too :booo:

~T.J.

Bunk1 · Dec 8, 2006

I would never run any toy trans behind a 4.3. Toy powertrain systems are designed to work together, In my opinion a 4.3 it stretching the toy trans too thin. I never had probs with my 85 w56, But my buddies 84 with the g52(?) had to be rebuilt twice in 130k.

PORTER · Dec 8, 2006

Bunk said:
I would never run any toy trans behind a 4.3. Toy powertrain systems are designed to work together, In my opinion a 4.3 it stretching the toy trans too thin.

I would fully agree with this statement, as I have a guy that works for me that put a 4.3 in his runner. In three trips out be blew up a 4.3 input gear, and from there axle/burf went "BOOM". If you are going to run the Toy stuff stick to the 4 popper, as it wasnt intended to be run with V-6HP, and Torque.

Mark m. · Dec 8, 2006

I don't know why people think the turbo trans are so great. They are pretty much a V6 trans with a bellhousing to fit a 4 cyl. I see more broken ones than good ones and Iv seen a lot of Toyota trannys.
Most of the problems with them seem to be the shift forks for reverse. Maybe Mr. Cox will chime in hes had lot of experience with them lately.

CrustyJeep · Dec 9, 2006

Just get a real tranny, with a real first gear with none of those pesky first gear syncros

notstock · Dec 9, 2006

As I remember there is no synchro for 1st gear. The turbo trans is stronger than the w56 & is a good transmission. I have put over 200,000 miles on mine. Turbo tranny has larger bearings & main shaft. transfer cases are 23 spline versus 21 for the w56.
Here is a source of info: http://www.marlincrawler.com/htm/support.htm