Automatic Gearbox problems

[wildapache]

Hi all I am in need of some help as I am new to the world of surfs and to what can be done to fix me problems.
Firstly I have a gen 2 1kz130 auto on an M reg 94

The problem I have is the rad has started to leak inti the auto box......
Went to a specalist who said the only cure was a complete rebuild costing £1350 plus vat.
I said to him that I would get a secong hand box and fit it but he told me that there are many different variants and that i would get compalability issues if I did.
Is this true and if so couldn't i use a second hand box and use the donner vehicles gearbox ecu to overcome this. I assume the ecu is not programed just plug and play.
Secondly what would be involved in converting to a manual gearbox.
Anyone with any advise........
Thanks Richard

[Vagrant No2]

Has the gearbox gone faulty yet ? If not why not fit new rad and flush gearbox a couple of times with new ATF and see how it runs . If the rad has a high enough antifreeze in the coolant it may not have done any damage yet.
You need a new rad anyway so not much lost to try it

[BUSHWHACKER]

First of all, hello!
Second, don't go to that garage again, they obviously don't know much about Surfs or auto transmisions.
Third, do what Vagrant suggested first, if there's still any problems, a second hand transmission can be bought for under £100 and you won't need a matching ECU, yours will still work the replacement trans.

In any case, you still need a replacement radiator.

[IanB2]

In North America, they call this problem the "pink milkshake", and it usually results in the tranny being pooched. You definitely need a new rad, and I agree that trying to flush the tranny is worth a try, if you caught it quickly enough you may still be fine.

[wildapache]

Thanks for quick response guys really appreciate it. Symptons, after a long run down the motorway for example and you wait at a junction as you try and pull away the box dosent select first so you end up pulling away in 2nd/3rd once up to speed all seems fine. Also when parking for example when you select reverse it take a while to engage reverse and you need to give it a bit of a rev to get it moving. Once going up hill it seemed to not want to change up to top gear.
I drained to atf when I got the surf about 2 weeks ago. Only from the sump plug (once hot) and refilled ran up to temp and drained again. But still the same problems. Oil is brownish still but i only 9 liters in total through the system and obviously the torque converter will be full of old oil still.
The oil hasnt gone frothy yet and the level hasn't risen on the atf dipstick to tell me a massive amount of coolant has got into the oil.
I think I'm going to get a new rad, drop the sump off change the filter and fit an external aft oil cooler and see what happens.
I just wanted to see what I would be up against if came to the worst and I needed to change the box. With that in mind has anyone changed the autobox on the floor before ? If so any pointers would be most welcome and thanks again it's nice to know I'm not on my own.
Lastly what kind of mpg should i be looking to be getting( I know it's a 3.0 litre 4x4 monster but just wanted to compare)

[lord lucan]

in the uk we call this the straberry milkshake , basics water goes in the tranny then goes to steam which melts the bonding on the clutch plates, try the flush, but prob gearbox swap

[BUSHWHACKER]

Straberry?

Did you check the fluid level with the engine running?

Don't worry about mpg, thats for people who buy cars for commuting.

[wildapache]

Yes check with engine running after 15k road test