lateralnw

This sound started a few months back.
The recording was done inside the car centre console near the firewall.
The car is in Park.

SC400slide

iTrader: (11)

That is your power steering pump. It likely has a leak if the fluid gets that low. Top it off and if it appears to get low again you know there is either air in the system or you have a leak.

lateralnw

Thanks for the reply, I guess the power steering pump could sound like this too but it's not in this case.

The power steering was a problem and it does have a similar sound when running dry but I sorted that out a while ago.

My car is an automatic, the recording was done inside the car with windows and doors closed.

The car won't move regardless what gear selection it's in.

SC400slide

iTrader: (11)

Could have mentioned that before...lol

Check your transmission fluid level. On a level surface with the engine running.

lateralnw

Thanks again. (sorry about doing that) I was hoping someone might have identified the sound without me suggesting what it is.

Your spot on with your suggestions and I have done what you are suggesting previously.

I think it is the automatics pump that has let go. Here's why.

Long story is that the auto started to make that noise a few months ago.
Then it lost all gears when the transmission oil was hot. (Mountain driving- well at least in Australia we call them mountains.. more like steep hills really lol)

Let the car sit for 20 minutes on a 20 Celsius degree night and it would move again no problem.
But it got worse over the next couple of weeks. The noise was constant, it didn't get louder but persisted.

Finally got access to my driveway (my brother had 3 cars that didn't work in the way!)

Dropped the trans oil and it looked like rusty thin oil
Dropped the trans pan and the filter but no particles and the magnets microscopic metal particles but not many. In other words it looked perfect better than I could have imagined given the car has traveled at least 150KLM without the trans being touched. (Shes done 350KLM in total)

Replaced the oil with Chief oil which says it supports Toyota Type 2 and 4
Car worked no problems but the noise didn't go away.

Then it got worse. It would randomly slip out of gear. Had to pull it in to a lower gear to get it to engage again.

Came up with brain wave of an idea where I would do a complete oil change.

Diligently went to Toyota and purchased 8 litres of the their type 4 trans oil.

Put the car back up on ramps and disconnected the cooling hoses and ran the engine to push all the trans fluid out! That didn't' work out the way I was hoping. It pumped out about 2.5 litres while the engine was running and then stopped, with just little dribbles, so I turned off the car. (Basically the same amount of oil that you get if you took the the oil via the sump plug.) I did remove the trans sump plug but only about 100mils came out.. just a dribble again.

Thought I might have got air in the system when I attempted to dump all the oil via the radiator cooling hoses. I figured I had sucked air in the trans/pump.

So I put it all back together, put the you beaut Toyota oil in and kept using the car. Unfortunately the noise didn't go away and the slipping got really bad to the point that the car won't move anymore regardless of what gear it is in.

I have in-car footage which might explain what I'm on about. I will try to get it upload to YouTube in the next day or two. (Its 1 am atm time for bed)

**SC400slide**
Would you be able to alter the heading to add the word "Automatic" or something similar you think might encourage others to have a listen.

SC400slide

iTrader: (11)

Your title is edited.

How did you fill the transmission with the fluid? You must fill it with the engine running on a level surface so that the torque converter (or the transmission pump, what you call it) is in motion and can distribute the ATF into the transmission. How does the fluid smell?

lateralnw

Thanks for the title update.

Thanks also for the follow up replies.
**********
Got auto logged out and lost my original reply. Could the no action timer be extended? I'm a bit slow in replying so it looks like I'm not active.
***********
The car was off.
The oil smells like oil, but you can see in the photo, its not like new oil

Wouldn't the transmission oil pump suck the oil (via the thin film metal filter) up once the engine is started anyway?





My understanding of the set up is that the torque converter among the other things it does only mechanically spins up the oil pump. It is directly connected to the oil pump via the two notches on the external shaft on the t/c. Once the engine is started the t/c spins which spins the oil pump and hopefully pushes oil around the Auto.

Here is what my oil looked liked when I drained it. At least 150 KM or 93,000 Miles most likely 200 KM or 124,000 Miles since last touched. Have to give credit to a well designed car that the transmission lasted this long.

SC400slide

iTrader: (11)

The vehicle MUST be on when filling the transmission with fluid. The torque converter has 3 components. A pump, a turbine, and a stator. The pump inside the T/C is sort of a centrifugal pump. As it spins, fluid is launched to the outside. As the fluid is launched all around, a vacuum is created and draws in more fluid in the center.

The ATF then goes into the turbine, which is connected to the tranny spline. This turbine caused the trans to spin which propels your car. As the turbine causes the fluid to change directions, the momentum of the ATF causes it to keep on spinning.

The stator is inside the very center of the T/C and it's purpose is not important to the issues you are experiencing.

A worn/dysfunctional T/C can cause ATF from being pressurized which creates issues.

Though, it may be too late for the transmission, try filling the trans with the engine running, on a level surface. Though it sounds like your transmission is too far gone. No transmission on an SC400 fails at 120k miles, they just don't. Take care of the car and it will do the same to you. My SC400 transmission is at 320k and still works great!

And btw, this is all from personal experience, I burned up an Explorer transmission by not having the vehicle running in park whilst filling it with ATF.

lateralnw

tomorrow my time (its midnight here) I'll get my car jack and stands back from my son and dump the oil and have a go at putting the oil in while the engine is running.

can't hurt to try, given its not moving at the moment!

my car has done 350KM (217K miles) and the last 150KM the auto hasn't been touched. sometimes you learn the hardway.

Thanks again for your feed back.

lateralnw

Well F..k me guess what is moving again.

A couple of things,
1st A special thanks SC400slide for following this thread and offering possible solutions. You may have saved me $1000 ish
2nd. My car is now moving agaiin.. F..k me

Got my stands and jack back and even talked my son in to helping me.. he hands me the tools!!

A couple of things.
Fortunately Melbourne weather decided to be hotter than the last 150 years on record... so I didn't have to work in the rain.

I couldn't stop thinking that I may have clogged up the filter when it was put back on last time I touched it.
So first thing I did was dump the pan. No particles in the pan that has to be a good sign.

As I was removing the filter it started to dump more oil. This didn't happen last time. I suspect I had an air lock in the transmission. The filter was dirty. I am guessing using a rag to wipe the crap off the metal filter last time wasn't the smartest idea. (Hindsight is a wonderful thing.)

Cleaned the filter with degreaser then rinsed it and then soaked it back in transmission fluid to remove any water. My air compressor is broken so I couldn't blow it out.

Fitted the filter and put the pan back on. I then started the procedure you suggested i.e. run the engine while putting in the oil.

Got my son to jump in the car and run it through its gears. F..k me again.. you could tell straight away that the car wanted to move.

Took if for a spin around the block and noticed no more noise or if there is noise it is very quite.

A little later I took the car for a hard spin up the mountains holding gears and pulling it down gears for tight corners.. it just did it, never complained. (Car could do with a good tune though!) COP (Coil over plug I want to do to it)

I have to revisit the work I did today as I re used the (previously added Toyota type 4) old oil as I didn't expect it to work. I also have to reseal the box but it's not leaking a drop it seems.

Driving it in to the city tomorrow so that will also test it in peak hour traffic (1 hour drive) but I feel confident it will do it without any slipping.

Now what am I going to do with the gear box I just bought to swap out

A special thank you SC400slide, I may not have had another go if I hadn't had the replies and prompts from you.

SC400slide

iTrader: (11)

Awesome! Glad it is working now, that is what forums are for.

lateralnw

Almost a week and the box is working like it never had a problem.
I'm amazed I hadn't wrecked it when it was playing up.




This weekend I'll be getting under the car and cleaning the filter one more time and top up the fluid "while the engine in running!!"

Thanks again sc400slide

SC400slide

iTrader: (11)

Why aren't you just replacing the transmission filter if you don't mind me asking...

lateralnw

that last photo was before I had started to fix (wreck) the box!

Being a fine metal filter and that the gaskets on the filter arn't broken and it cleaned up better than I had epected I figured it would be fine to reuse.

I'm also reluctant to purchase an unknown from ebay. I also still have another box now. Costly lesson learned.

If you can shed light what I might be missing I'm happy to consider.

Thanks for the question.
via phone so could be unusual words in reply.

SC400slide

iTrader: (11)

I was just thinking since the filter is cheap...(around 30 bucks on the internet) why reuse when you can get one for a small amount of money? Also, if I recall correctly, earlier on you mentioned that one of the issues was that the filter was slightly clogged and you cleaned it incorrectly. Could have dodged that if you just replaced the filter straight out.

Just a thought. If it works fine for you then great!