Transmission problem? ATF wrong color!

[tamrat]

Hello to the good people of this forum,

After what's been like 6 months, the family Surf is finally out of the garage. It was running fine till this afternoon. The reverse gear stopped working (I don't know another way to put this). I tRied to put it back to PARK but made a horrible metal-to-metal grinding noise (the same noise that comes if you don't press the clutch deep enough and try to change gear on a manual transmission veichle). I took out the ATF dipstick and VOILA...the color had changed from the DEXRON II red to light gray. The oil even doesn't feel like an oil. I assumed the oil gotta be changed.

My questions are:
1) Did the oil cause the reverse gear problem? Or is there another cause to this?
2) How do I remove the old oil? I followed the dipstick tube and it lead to a rectangualr box with a single bolt underneath. Is this the correct tanker for the ATF, or should I just use the tube that runs to the radiator?
3) How many liters of ATF can it take in?

Here is a pic of what the oil looks like.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/ml0xq8hpx5...%2007%20PM.png

[muddle]

That looks awful. What did the garage do to it?

The trainer for the autobox is on the bottom. It's a 14mm headed bolt. If you look under at the gearbox you will see a sump, the bolt is on that.

[tamrat]

the garage is a long story...but thanks for the info about the bolt. I will get to it after I know how much liters it drinks...

[woodwarm]

http://www.hiluxsurf.co.uk/showthread.php?t=78620

hope this link works


great advice from Bushwacker

[BUSHWHACKER]

The grinding noise is most likely due to the transfer lever being in neutral.

Pull the lever back towards the seat before starting the engine then try the gears again.

Grey ATF means the transmission is buggered or soon will be!
The grey colour is graphite from the clutch packs. Try new fluid anyway, it will definitely help, but look for a replacement transmission ASAP.

[tamrat]

...but look for a replacement transmission ASAP.

oh hell no...thats gonna cost a fortune. I am sure I wont find one (especially an auto one) for any less than $2500 (thats US dollars). how long do you think it would last (after an oil change I mean)?

[lord lucan]

you have water mixing with your trans fluid ,buggered rad ,replace or bypass,change the fluid and you might save the box

[tamrat]

you have water mixing with your trans fluid ,buggered rad ,replace or bypass,change the fluid and you might save the box

Oh that "might" make some sense since the garage told me they had fixed up the rad. They said it was blocked somewhere and they repaired it. Apparently they might have caused something there since ATF runs to the bottom of rad too. I will check on the rad.

[tamrat]

so much for ATF...look at the pic below

https://www.dropbox.com/s/4czv8f893n...%2011%20PM.png

[Sancho]

so much for ATF...look at the pic below

https://www.dropbox.com/s/4czv8f893n...%2011%20PM.png

That'll be water then...

[tamrat]

And what do you made of the engine noise? It is normal? I think there is a "wrong noise" in there!

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/88054382/20130225%20171311.m4a

[Sancho]

There are probably two wrong noises in there but given that you have water in your transmission and, hence, ATF in your rad, I would refrain from starting it up anymore until you've either put a new standard rad in there or swapped it out for a different rad and an ATF cooler.

[BUSHWHACKER]

You really need to get rid of that truck and look for something else IMO, it looks and sounds like a money pit to me.

[tashtego]

And what do you made of the engine noise? It is normal? I think there is a "wrong noise" in there!

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/88054382/20130225%20171311.m4a

Hi Tamrat, are you in Addis?
When you say a garage did work on your car what type of garage do you mean?
A toyota or similar main dealer?A franchise such as kwikfit? A reputable garage with trained supervisors used by NGOs, embassies and similar? Or a "local" garage? If it is the last , then I think I agree that you should get rid of the vehicle. If the auto transmission is truly buggered there won't be anyone able to fix it there. Possibly not even in Nairobi. "Local garages" bodge things, but you can't bodge an auto tranny , and to some extent not even a radiator. The surf is a different animal to the hilux pickups and minibuses those local garages work on.
If the auto box is not damaged irreparably by the water then take the vehicle to a proper garage, new rad and ATF fluid, and then a nice ad in the Addis newspapers.
Cheers

[tamrat]

Hi Tamrat, are you in Addis?
When you say a garage did work on your car what type of garage do you mean?
A toyota or similar main dealer?A franchise such as kwikfit? A reputable garage with trained supervisors used by NGOs, embassies and similar? Or a "local" garage? If it is the last , then I think I agree that you should get rid of the vehicle. If the auto transmission is truly buggered there won't be anyone able to fix it there. Possibly not even in Nairobi. "Local garages" bodge things, but you can't bodge an auto tranny , and to some extent not even a radiator. The surf is a different animal to the hilux pickups and minibuses those local garages work on.
If the auto box is not damaged irreparably by the water then take the vehicle to a proper garage, new rad and ATF fluid, and then a nice ad in the Addis newspapers.
Cheers

Hello,

The garage is a very, very long and complicated story. As a matter of fact, there are many local garages involved in different parts of the car. I know that is not a right thing to do but, what can you do? Money is a big issue.

MOENCO is the sole Toyota spare parts importer and the most respected garage in the country. But they are overpriced. You can perform a full service+paint job at another respectable garage with the money you pay MOENCO for only a paint job.

Garages in my country do not rely on genuine parts, rather aftermarket products and retrofits and modified parts. As I said before this is mainly a money issue. Buying the car itself will deplete your economy as a Surf SSR-X 1991-1994 costs 18,500 USD and a 3rd gen Surf costs up to 34,000 USD (yes, that is US Dollars). [check out this site - http://www.mekina.net/?search-class=...&search=Search - 1USD ~ 19ETB) Thats the same for all cars. A post 2009 Toyota Land Cruiser V8 costs up to 160,000 USD.

I have had good deals for changing the auto box to a manual one, but I don't trust their work. I have planned to sell the car multiple times, but as it is a family car its hard to bring every one to an agreement.

I have changed the ATF completely and flushed the rad. The car is now running fine and everything works, but I don't think it will last for long. Because I found a lot of oil, quite similar to the old ATF's, in the rad. There is a mix up some where.