I Give Up - Suggestions

[Th3WhitePearl]

Long story not so short. 

Toyota Celsior 2002 5 speed 

I got the car new years eve. 

It slipped between 2nd and 3rd gear. 

I could live with it but best not to,

Sometimes it didn't like to engage reverse, like it goes into reverse but doesn't move instantly. 

Asked my local garage to check / top up ATF if needed 

 

Did this no change if anything the reverse bit got worse. 

 

Shortcut thought just change the box over,

Done that and was great for 1 whole day. 

 

Now it drops in and out of 1st gear whilst sitting in traffic. Into neutral it feels like. Then reverse is hit and miss. 

 

Confusingly seems to be better / fixed when warmed up fully. 

 

Car is off the road. Just had 9 new LTRs of fluid and strainer fitted and filled etc. 

 

Other than this new but used box being faulty could it be something else? 

 

I thought the garage may have messed up the fluid etc. But now seen the invoices it was T-IV like it should be. 

 

Any suggestions? 

 

Otherwise I'll end up stripping the poor thing 😔

 

 

[Malc1]

Shaun, suggest you might ask Steve2006 for possible guidance ! 
He’s maybe our Celsior go-to guru 

Malc 

[steve2006]

Shaun messaged me and I have replied, my money is on the radiator leaking engine coolant into the transmission.

[Th3WhitePearl]

Thank you! 

Will update once I know more 🙂

[Th3WhitePearl]

Doesn't appear to be any leaks between the 2. 

From 9am to 1pm. 

 

[Spock66]

Could it be the ECU?

[Th3WhitePearl]

7 minutes ago, Spock66 said:

Could it be the ECU?

is there going to be an obvious way i could check that though? 

don;t really want to lose my car for even more time and more money if it isn't that 😞 

[Spock66]

I think only by swapping it over, but as you say potentially more time and money....

[Th3WhitePearl]

1 minute ago, Spock66 said:

I think only by swapping it over, but as you say potentially more time and money....

and also means immobiliser and keys etc? or is the engine ecu different? 

[Spock66]

Not sure but there may be a separate gearbox ECU?

[Bob King]

3 hours ago, Spock66 said:

Could it be the ECU?

Think you might of hit the nail on the head , the 2001-2003 RAV4 has know problem with corrosion on the gearbox ECT, if the problem is fixed early the gearbox survives.

See if these guys can advise you…

https://www.ecutesting.com/

 

 

[Th3WhitePearl]

29 minutes ago, Bob King said:

Think you might of hit the nail on the head , the 2001-2003 RAV4 has know problem with corrosion on the gearbox ECT, if the problem is fixed early the gearbox survives.

See if these guys can advise you…

https://www.ecutesting.com/

 

 

Thank you but probably still means it could not be that. Its not like running out of fuel where you know what the issue actually is. 

[Bob King]

If you do explore that avenue, be aware these companies don’t always get involved with import cars ☹️

[steve2006]

9 hours ago, Th3WhitePearl said:

Doesn't appear to be any leaks between the 2. 

From 9am to 1pm. 

 

There is a slight drop, leave it overnight and then recheck, if there is a crack in the core it could open up more when the coolant is hot.

[Th3WhitePearl]

5 hours ago, steve2006 said:

There is a slight drop, leave it overnight and then recheck, if there is a crack in the core it could open up more when the coolant is hot.

I think the second image is the later one, I didn't test it so is more pressure a leak or less? Haha 

 

am gonna try a new MAF sensor as stupid as it sounds.  And double check wiring etc. 

[Tomtit]

On 3/14/2024 at 5:52 PM, Th3WhitePearl said:

Long story not so short. 

Toyota Celsior 2002 5 speed 

I got the car new years eve. 

It slipped between 2nd and 3rd gear. 

I could live with it but best not to,

Sometimes it didn't like to engage reverse, like it goes into reverse but doesn't move instantly. 

Asked my local garage to check / top up ATF if needed 

 

Did this no change if anything the reverse bit got worse. 

 

Shortcut thought just change the box over,

Done that and was great for 1 whole day. 

 

Now it drops in and out of 1st gear whilst sitting in traffic. Into neutral it feels like. Then reverse is hit and miss. 

 

Confusingly seems to be better / fixed when warmed up fully. 

 

Car is off the road. Just had 9 new LTRs of fluid and strainer fitted and filled etc. 

 

Other than this new but used box being faulty could it be something else? 

 

I thought the garage may have messed up the fluid etc. But now seen the invoices it was T-IV like it should be. 

 

Any suggestions? 

 

Otherwise I'll end up stripping the poor thing 😔

 

 

Has it left a fault code ?

[Th3WhitePearl]

43 minutes ago, Tomtit said:

Has it left a fault code ?

Nope 😞

[Tomtit]

7 minutes ago, Th3WhitePearl said:

Nope 😞

That's a pity. The workshop manual has a list of trouble codes and areas to check.

[ColinBarber]

On 3/15/2024 at 1:50 PM, Th3WhitePearl said:

and also means immobiliser and keys etc? or is the engine ecu different? 

certainly the immobiliser keys are stored within the engine ECU on the 3UZ-FE engine (I assume this is the engine you have).

On 3/15/2024 at 2:42 PM, Spock66 said:

Not sure but there may be a separate gearbox ECU?

No, Toyota normally always have a combined engine and transmission ECU and that is the case in this instance on the 3UZ-FE 4.3 V8 engine.

[Th3WhitePearl]

5 hours ago, ColinBarber said:

certainly the immobiliser keys are stored within the engine ECU on the 3UZ-FE engine (I assume this is the engine you have).

No, Toyota normally always have a combined engine and transmission ECU and that is the case in this instance on the 3UZ-FE 4.3 V8 engine.

Thank you! 

Well will be trying the new MAF today and then I suppose I'll be pulling the ECU out lol 

[Th3WhitePearl]

I drove it home today for the first time in a month! 

I feel like it slipped once on the way back but no dropping out of gear etc. like it was before. 

 

Could it be all that new fluid working it's way around finally. 

The mysterious genuine £19 MAF sensor from amazon?

 

Pure luck? 

 

Who knows. 

 

Will keep the thread updated if it comes back as I'm sure I won't be the last poor bugger to experience transmission issues. 

🤞

[Malc1]

35 minutes ago, Th3WhitePearl said:

I drove it home today for the first time in a month! 

I feel like it slipped once on the way back but no dropping out of gear etc. like it was before. 

 

Could it be all that new fluid working it's way around finally. 

The mysterious genuine £19 MAF sensor from Amazon?

 

Pure luck? 

 

Who knows. 

 

Will keep the thread updated if it comes back as I'm sure I won't be the last poor bugger to experience transmission issues. 

🤞

Please do update us in say a month ………. either way ! 
Thanks

Malc 

[Th3WhitePearl]

11 minutes ago, Malc1 said:

Please do update us in say a month ………. either way ! 
Thanks

Malc 

I will do,

I had such high hopes and plans for this boat it would be a shame to bin it off. 

🤞 Everything remains the same and I'll do a premature trans fluid service this time next year to keep it stable. 

 

Still on the cards 

Wheels

Exhaust needs sorting. It's a bit brash for my liking 

The rest of the sound system 

And of course timing belt! 

[Th3WhitePearl]

Well short lived as ever. 

Overall it is better than before. 

But when cold it is still a bit hit and miss with a little slip through lower gears and dropped into neutral once whilst on my way out the estate. 

 

Again once warmed up it was fine 🤷‍♂️

 

Does anyone have a simple checklist I can run through with a garage or tech? 

 

Gearbox itself?

Fluid again?

Sensors?

ECU? 

pulling my hair out 😞

[Bob King]

Pity you can’t have a chat with this guy he seems to know his ECU’s…..

 

https://youtu.be/Nupy486Fz7Q?si=r8ZSJ_xXDGo0crhm