2nd Gen 3.0 TD Auto - not engaging gears properly

[Tony260Z]

Hi All,

My first post... here goes...

I've had my Surf for about a year now - a 1994 SSR-G 3 litre diesel auto - and been very pleased with it. It's been a trusty workhorse and shrugged off rain, snow, mud and children with dirty boots. It's pretty effective at getting roadhogs to stay over their side of the road too (might be the bull bars!).

Over the last few journeys it's developed a fault where it doesn't always engage gear until the engine revs a bit and then it suddenly wakes up. This happens in drive, reverse and second irrespective of whether it's in 2 or 4 wheel drive, so I don't THINK it's the gearbox. If it was a manual I'd be saying clutch. It's intermittent though - sometimes if I'm stopped at lights I can feel I have to hold it on the brake and other times I feel it slip "out" when I stop.

I've checked the ATF fluid and if anything I think it was a bit too full (that dipstick is junk) so I've taken a bit out. Confession moment - I topped it up just before this problem started and because the dipstick is so naff I think I might have overdone it :-(

Looking under the truck it looks very oily on the NSF side. Might be the damper that I know was on the way out but it seems a bit widespread for that. I've put some whiteboard on the drive to see what's leaking and what colour it is but I haven't got under there myself yet.

Help! Is it probably an easy fix or am I about to get my bank balance slaughtered by a garage?

Cheers,

Tony

[Tony260Z]

Bump!

Any ideas anyone? Winter's nearly here....

[andyverran]

Any ideas anyone? Winter's nearly here....

Did you have any joy?

level checked with gearbox warm I assume....

colour of the fluid?

[BUSHWHACKER]

ATF needs topping up.

You check the level on the dipstick with the engine running in case you didn't know.

Welcome on board by the way, enjoy your stay.

[wishbone]

leak is probably power steering pump.

[kamaangir]

I had something similar on my auto box. If you get under it there is a multi plug that goes into the box, unplug it and drive it around. You will have to shift up and down with the gear shifter like a semi automatic. If it engages fine and doesn't slam into gears then it may be the solenoids that are sticking or failing.

Mine used to get worse when the box was warm.

It only takes a minute to get under and undo the plug so worth doing just to eliminate the solenoids.

[Tony260Z]

More info and an embarrassing admission!

Ummm....

Time to put the dunce cap on and admit to utter and complete stupidity. My excuse is I've been unwell!!!

Having done some research and doing the tests suggested (thanks all) I've found that I was making a really elementary mistake and checking the wrong thing. The dipstick I was looking at was the power steering one... that's fine. I SHOULD have been looking at the RED dipstick (the hint's in the colour Tony... duhhhh) because when I checked that it showed absolutely sod-all on the metal!

I reckon the leak underneath is ATF and pretty dirty (although that could be from running over other dirt under the truck, I don't know). The leak is on the OFFSIDE underneath and although I can't see exactly where from I reckon it's about nine inches back from the OSF driveshaft about level with what I think is an anti-roll bar. It's leaking in a steady drip too.

And to think that up until a few years ago I used to do loads of work on my cars... I should be ashamed of myself!

So, I'll top up the ATF but that doesn't resolve the leak issue. Where is the most likely place for the leak and is it an expensive fix?

Thanks folks... and sorry for being so dense!

[andyverran]

Another user on here with a 3.0L had a leak from the joint of the pipe to the cooler, where it enters the gearbox sump...right hand side as yours is, roughly under the drivers seat area...

[Tony260Z]

Cheers... I'll have a look under there... hopefully not a total PITA to fix if that's the problem. Once it was warm it was leaking fast though!

Why do these things always happen once the weather goes to pot and it's cold, wet, dark and windy outside??????

[andyverran]

Cheers... I'll have a look under there... hopefully not a total PITA to fix if that's the problem. Once it was warm it was leaking fast though!

Why do these things always happen once the weather goes to pot and it's cold, wet, dark and windy outside??????

I'd hazard a guess the increased contraction and expansion caused by greater temp extremes tips weak parts over the edge.....

Good luck.

[Tony260Z]

Ewwwwww...

Got underneath the truck and had a look this afternoon. It's absolutely plastered under there... no way I can tell what's a fresh leak and what isn't. Looks like it's been leaking for a while too. Wish I had a Haynes manual! I downloaded the owners manual but that isn't in depth enough

[wishbone]

Buy some degreaser and smother everything then jetwash it all.

Check the next day and you'll have some answers.

(if you haven't got a jetwash use the local garage)

[Tony260Z]

Ahhh-haaa....

OK, done that. Leak found....

What I have is a pinhole in one of the ATF pipes. If you stand on the drivers side, looking down past the steering column (roughly level with the top of where the column is covered with a rubber/plastic bellows), you'll see two horizontal metal pipes right next to a six-sided nut (that points almost vertical). One of these pipes has a pinhole in it and there's a very thin jet of ATF at pressure coming out of it that goes about two inches before hitting something and then dripping down.

So... problem located. Question is how to fix it?!

I could of course do a spot of diy bodging to stop the leak but I'm guessing that pipe can't be in great nick or it wouldn't have sprung a leak. Do I have to buy a specific part or can I go to a motor factor and make up a new one with xyz diameter pipe? Is it a cheap part? Easy access? Worth doing myself and braving or weather or saying sod-it and getting a garage to do it?

Cheers for the help all!

[wishbone]

Get one off a breaker. There's a bracket or 2 holding it onto the engine but nothing major. Pretty easy and you could do an atf change at the same time.

Rob.

[Tony260Z]

Thanks Rob - sounds achievable and the ATF refill is a good idea. I've got a high-lift trolley jack & heavy duty axle stands so those might come in handy.

I just wish it wasn't ###### freezing outside!

I'm going to contact Jap4x4parts in Forest Gate tomorrow (not too far away - I'm in Essex). Anyone used them?

Tony