'85 Toyota 4wd PU info?

[NVR FNSH]

I just received an '85 Toyota 4wd P/U from my sister. It's got ~162K on it - been in the family since it was new. 3rd gear doesn't work - synchro gone? All other gears work fine. Planning on using it as a daily driver once I get the transmission fixed and do a bunch of basic maintenance stuff. The brother in law hasn't kept up on the maintenance too well - something about 1. 5 year twins & a 3. 5 yo... ... .



Any suggestions for Toyota websites similar to TDR? What about transmission interchangability info?



Brian

 

[Skydiver]

I have an 86 4x4

I bought it new. Basic short truck only has air cond. On my transmission I had the shifter actually pulled up from the trans. I just stuck it back down in the hole. The second time it happened it hung up in 5th gear. I took it to my mechanics friend house and luckly he had just completely rebuilt one just like mine 2 weeks before. I pulled the transmission along with the transfer case using only a floor jack. When we split the cases on the transmission a piece of plastic fell out from the bottom. Yep it came from the bottom of the shifter. We just added some RTV and slammed it back together. Works perfect.

Make sure the radiater flows good and use the right oil filter and it should be good for 400k to 500k miles. Sell it to me first. Tim

 

[JLinder]

www.offroad.com

They have an excellent Toyota 4x4 page with lots of great links. I've been working on my project '85 for 2 years now, and found tons of great info on that site. What in the world would take 2 years to complete? A complete frame off resto and a 388cid small block Chevy... It's almost done, and the few test runs I've made tell me this thing will be scary fast.

 

[Will24]

my daily driver is a 93 v6 with +/- 100k on it. Still has stock clutch (rare for a truck with an 18 year old driver )

No trans problems yet, hopefully never will have any



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[Crazy Horse]

Brian

You can go to Northwest Offroad in Oregon or Downey Toyota in Calf they both specialize in Toyotas. Here's my 83.

 

[LSMITH]

Odds are that the transmission problem is minor, a synchro could be it but I would guess at a bent shifting fork (ie can't reach 3rd but reaches 5th marginally). 160K is nothing for a Toyota that has had even somewhat decent maintenance. The 85 will never be quick, but a decent vehicle can only aspire to be as solid and reliable as the Toyota's are. Drop the transmission and pull the shift tower off, I would guess that your problem will be obvious at that point. You can manhandle the transmission and transfer case seperately too, you just need to buy one more gasket if you do not have a transmission jack.



Now join me in prayer that Toyota starts building a 2500 full size 4x4 with a crew cab and a Cummins... ... nah, life cannot get that good.

 

[Todd G]

I had a '87 Toyota that got the shift lever stuck in 5th going down the freeway. I drove home over a 100 miles with it stuck that way. It was kinda hard on the clutch when you had to come to a stop.



After I got it home, I checked the fluid in the transmission. There was none! Dry as a bone. I have no idea how long it was without as this was the first time I ever checked it at 80,000 miles. :--)



I filled it up to the correct level and drove it for another 50,000 miles before I sold it. It still worked perfect. It even had the original clutch still in it.



Man are those trucks tough.

 

[illflem]

Originally posted by LSMITH

Now join me in prayer that Toyota starts building a 2500 full size 4x4 with a crew cab and a Cummins... ... nah, life cannot get that good.

LS I second that, I'd drop my Dodge like a hot coal. 310k on my '82 Toyota with just the regular parts that wear out, has never used a drop of oil. Doubt if I've put even $1000 into it in 20 years...

 

[The patriot]

I worked for Toyota back then. When they first came out with the 5 speeds,(in the early 80's) they werent known for being too strong.

Other than that, you've heard everyone else talk about them.

Eric

 

[stevek]

Crazy Horse

That is one nice looking Toyota! I have been looking for a 81-85 4x4 to play with for a while. You just can not beat 'em

 

[PHaller]

I have an 86 that's been my daily driver since new. Best vehicle I ever had. Sadly, it now can't pass smog. Co way too high. To this point all I have done was a head gasket at 15,000, brakes, one clutch, and a clutch master cylinder.

-Paul R. Haller-

 

[NVR FNSH]

Originally posted by LSMITH

Odds are that the transmission problem is minor, a synchro could be it but I would guess at a bent shifting fork (ie can't reach 3rd but reaches 5th marginally).

The shifter will go into 3rd but when the clutch is let out it sounds like the whirring of a playing card in bicycle wheel spokes - gears not engaging.

Originally posted by LSMITH

Now join me in prayer that Toyota starts building a 2500 full size 4x4 with a crew cab and a Cummins... ... nah, life cannot get that good.

I'd be okay with it even if they used a Japanese diesel engine. Ever heard of a Toyota with brake pull or steering wander? I didn't think so... ...



Brian

 

[LSMITH]

Brian, it sounds like 3rd is stripped off or the nut backed off, kinda like our 5 speed problems. You are going to have to drop the transmission and take a look. Up here in the salt belt there are a ton of 80's Toyotas in the boneyards too, so a salvage transmission should be reasonably priced. The salt and humid air found the only real weakness on them that I know of, the beds and quarters rust like they are made of iron paper. Lots of lower mileage trucks that were pulled off the road from the rust. Hope this helps, good luck.

 

[NVR FNSH]

I figured I am going to have to drop the transmission - no big deal. There's no strange noises coming from the trans so I don't think it's anything will cause catastrophic failure. We have a Toyota factory service manual - only problem is the manual got packed with all my sisters crap and is crated up in a storage warehouse... ... won't be able to get my hands on the manual until they buy house and get all their crap out of storage. I've been driving the truck w/o 3rd gear and it works fine - except for that hill on the way to work, either rev the **** out of it in 2nd or lug it in 4th.



Brian

 

[JIM S.]

I drove a 85 toy till I got my CTD it never missed a beat till the timeing chain wore a hole through to the water jacket and drained all the coolent into the oil pan..... the one thing I suggest is replace the timeing chain and all will be good!

Jim