Toyota uses the family of automatic FWD/RWD/4WD transmissions built by Aisin-Warner. They share much in common with Volvo’s AW7 and Aisin-Warner’s 03-71 transmissions, which are found in Suzukis, Mitsubishisi, and other Asian vehicles. Based on certain production dates, meaning the older units produced, buying a rebuilt transmission is by far the most affordable and reliable way to go.
Terminology: A = Aisin Automatic Second last digit denotes number of gears Last digit is the Toyota series number -E=Electronic control -F=Four wheel drive -H=AWD Transverse mount engine -L=Lock-up torque converter
A/W is the primary supplier of transmissions for Toyota and several other foreign cars. There was a period of time Dodge used the Toyota automatic and standard transmissions in the Jeep lineup, adapted to the Dodge engines.
That particular combination of engine and transmission setup was way more reliable than the later setups which used Dodge transmissions. FYI, the standard transmissions bolted to Toyota, Jeep and several other brands of cars were made by A/W. Producing a well built and reliable standard transmission too.
Remembering, of course that standard transmissions need regular maintenance as do automatic transmissions. And if you read my posts, you know I’m a big fan of synthetic lubricants.
Needless to say, the Aisian Warner Transmission Company makes a very reliable and affordable transmission. By and large, you won’t find a lot of low mileage used units around because these transmissions kept running, like the Timex watch commercial, and kept on ticking until they simply flat wore out.
Rarely did we, at my transmission shop, have an A/W transmission that was blown up. Low mileage used units can be found by the most competent transmission supply companies, however the preponderance of units come as transmissions..
With that being said, it is not such a bad omen to purchase a rebuilt transmission in this case. I say this because the facts are simple, in order to rebuild a worn out transmission, there is a good chance the rebuilt transmission will have lots of new hard parts. As we have established in earlier posts concerning rebuilding a transmission, soft parts are not even looked at, they are thrown into the trash. Period.
I want to mention that TransGo Shift Improvement kit company, makes terrific upgrade kits for A/W transmissions. I would like to add that items such as springs and certain valves in the valve body get tired from stroking back an forth constantly, therefore taking the ‘spring’ out of the springs. Effectively reducing or changing the ‘weight’ or amount of pressure exerted on the valve, by the spring, allowing it to operate by the proper pressures inside the transmission.
This is really important to address in well worn transmissions. Without making this even more complicated, it is an effort in futility and a form of fraud to rebuild a transmission with quality parts and not put a well engineered upgrade package in it. Simply put, even the new quality parts will wear out faster and in most cases the rebuilt transmission may not even work properly without being upgraded.
We have established a lot of usefull facts here. I want like to add emphatically, that no matter who installs a rebuilt transmission, there are several standard guidelines to follow. The common procedures don’t need repeating, however, it is vitally important to Flush the transmission cooler of all contaminants in an appropriate manner to insure these contaminants don’t go right back into your Toyota rebuilt transmission the minute it is fired up, causing a nearly immediate problem with the fresh unit.
In fact, any component, such as the driveshaft yoke, dipstick tube and anything that makes contact with the automatic transmission fluid needs to be ‘operating room’ clean. Don’t even think of cheating here. Literally speaking, ‘operating room clean’ is one quality any competent shop and re-builder practices. As a matter of fact, a transmission is way more sensitive to contaminants than an engine.
Does the Toyota-A/W line of transmissions warrant this much attention. Perhaps not, but we included a little bit of rebuilding theory in this post and some upgrade suggestions since it was convenient and pertinant to this tranmsission. This post is courtesy of the GotTransmissions.com Blog. Enjoy..
