Viable option for automatic transmission?

[mahleek87]

Has anyone seen this on ebay?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/86-Toyota-Van-Automatic-Transmission-A-T-Model-A44DL-2-2L-/321222107674?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item4aca54621a&vxp=mtr


Could this be a viable option for those with Automatic 2WD's Vans 86-89? I paid $600 last time for a transmission that was guaranteed tested and to have low mileage. I have already put 66K on it and so far so good although I feel it is slowly wearing out due to the excessive city driving I do delivering flowers.

Also I thought the 2.2's used A45DL?

[timsrv]

Yes, I've actually had a watch on that auction & another he has (a transmission listed for 87-88 2wd van). He's had these listed for a long time (over a year I think). I think the other is an A45DL transmissions & that he's a little confused. It's a killer deal, so if the condition is as represented, I would think this could save some major bucks. I've almost purchased the cheaper one a couple times, but decided to wait until I have a failure. If they're gone, then I'll just pay my transmission guy to fix. I'm luckier than most as I have a transmission guy that will rework a transmission for around $200 + parts (provided I bring him a removed transmission). Parts are expensive though, so depending on how bad the transmission is I still end up paying between $500 - $800 (total). Tim

PS: If you're thinking of buying, don't forget to check his shipping........this is what kept me from buying already.

[mahleek87]

84-85 vans use the A44DL right?

What if he has that listed and it actually belongs to an 84-85 van? I can't really tell from the picture or wouldn't know how to tell anyways.


I just like you would only want to purchase near a break down or a break down.

No matter how hard I try to take care of my auto trans, I have only been able to get 100K or so out of these each time I put one in my van.
I have been changing the oil every 15K using Toyota Transmission Oil and Filter every 30K. I have put about 70K on this trans and the gears feel a little slippy. Especially 2-3 gear which from my experience on my prior transmission was always a sloppy shift.

Wish mine was manual so I could cut the crap and save the expense.

[timsrv]

A44DL is a 4 speed auto transmission used in the 2WD van from 84 - 86. A45DL is pretty much the exact transmission (except used in 87 - 89 2WD vans). There may be slight internal differences, but no change in bell housing, splines, or anything else that would affect interchange (even the gear ratios are the same). So as far as I'm concerned, other than age, they are the same transmission. The reason I said the seller might be a little confused is because he could be listing for 84-89 Toyota vans (along with some other makes & models). Of course his very limited application list is good for those of us that know about this (as other potential buyers may not be able to find his listings). He has another listing for "87-88 Toyota Van Automatic Transmission, A/T Model A44DL, 2.2L" (http://www.ebay.com/itm/87-88-Toyota-Van-Automatic-Transmission-A-T-Model-A44DL-2-2L-/321141497676?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item4ac5865f4c) (he's asking a little more $$$ for that one). If it wasn't for the cost of shipping (and me not wanting to store), I would have bought at least one of these a long time ago. I'm a little surprised nobody else has. Tim

Is this the same transmission you were using during the broken shovel/snow plowing incident? :(:

[mahleek87]

Ahh Tim you remembered! Very impressed.

Anyhow that incident happened Valentines day in 2007. That transmission lasted 110,000 miles. It ran fine for a long time after that incident. I burned the over drive sensor that night when I got stuck, and then just disconnected it. Even towards the end right before I replaced that trans Drive worked fine but the reverse gear went out and I drove it like that for maybe 5 months before getting sick and tired of maneuvering in special ways when I would deliver to make sure I wouldn't have to use reverse to get out of a neighborhood. It was getting really frustrating.

So at 305,000 I put in a used transmission that was guaranteed to work and I believe it had 120K on it. Now I have 362,000 miles and it is still working but I can feel it aging.

Since I inherited this van from my dad I have put two used transmissions in it. Each time paid $1,000-1,200 for finding a tested transmission + installation. Thats expensive, Id hope to get more miles out of a auto transmission if your spending that kind of money.

[timsrv]

You sure drive a lot of miles. Considering the cost vs miles you've been getting out of the used transmissions, I would think one of these eBay transmissions would be a good deal for you (assuming the rest of the van has this many miles left in it). These Aisin automatics seem to fail somewhere between 200 - 300k miles. I just rolled the odometer over 200k on my 86 a couple of weeks ago so I guess there's a failed transmission coming up for me too..........unless I park that van. And I'm seriously considering that as the engine is somehow consuming a quart of oil every 200 miles.........and it doesn't leak :no:. I can't see any smoke in my mirrors, but I'm guessing the people behind me can smell it :LOL2:. Just 10k miles ago it was only consuming a quart every 500 miles. That van may very well become a donar for my other vans. Tim

[mahleek87]

Yeah for the transmission it is definitely a good deal. I think for now I will wait on buying it because I'm pretty sure I can get atleast another 30-40K out of the one that I have now. I'm always on the lookout because some weeks I drive more then others and may not be able to keep up with the maintenance and have a failure. I just noticed some oil drips coming from my diff when last year and 20K ago I replaced a center carrier and left axle with a used one. :cnfsd: So I gotta check up on that.

How many of your vans do you drive? Did you ever fix your main van that you spun a rod bearing on?

[timsrv]

I put a valve through a piston actually. Details & pics are in the comment section (very bottom) of my 1st blog HERE (http://www.toyotavantech.com/forum/entry.php?27-Tim-s-RV-van-blog). As you may recall I pumped about 7 grand into that van and cherry'd it out.......only to have a meth head crash into it the 1st day back on the road. It's still sitting in my shop collecting dust, and yes I need to start that project soon. We were moving last fall so that pretty much turned my life upside down for 6 months, then came the busy season for my RV business. Things are starting to slow down now & I'm finally getting to a place where I can start that body/structural project. I'll be grinding out welds and cutting out the structural pillar between the passenger door and the sliding door. I'll be cutting up one of my parts vans to get the body parts I need. Then there's welding, bondo, paint, etc. When it's done I won't need the 86 van and it will likely go back into retirement.........probably for good this time. I used to rotate rigs but maintenance took up too much time, so the ones I quit using ended up sitting and waiting (and falling apart) while I drove just one. When the 89 got wrecked I pulled the 86 out from behind the barn (where it had been sitting for the past 13 years). It ran good when I parked it there, but when I pulled it out black berries were growing over it and there was a 4" tree growing inches from the driver's door and up over the van :lol:. It also resembled an oversized Chia pet :lol:. Of course it no longer ran and considering the work & parts I've had to invest over the last 10k miles, I probably should have let the old girl sleep and fixed my 89 instead. My van parking lot (ones that grow moss) has dwindled to just 4 vans now. All but one ran when I stopped using them, I'm guessing none of them run now. Tim

[ivanivan]

I need to replace an entire automatic transmission of my Toyota Van (Electric Fuel Ingection) 1984. I still have the
Repair & Tune-up Guide and it says it might be an A40 or an A40D one. But it does not say which one is the right
one for my Toyota Van (EFI) LE 1984. Hopefully someone can help me out this this question.

[timsrv]

Ivan, Hi and welcome to TVT! :wave2: I took the liberty to move your post to a more appropriate place. I know you're new here, so I'm not going to give you a hard time, but in the future, please search the site before starting new threads. You might find the answer you seek and may not need to post. If you still have a question, please post in an existing thread of the same subject matter. Doing that helps keep things organized and makes future searches easier and less cluttered. Thank you :thmbup:. Tim

PS: There's a tag right below the front of the passenger seat that has the transmission code on it (bottom right of that tag). There's a little flap of carpet that lifts to reveal the tag.