Transmission problem, please help!

[ghostbuster88]

So I was driving my 94 Previa down the road and engaged the cruise control at 40. There was a slight delay for the van to catch and take over and when it did, there was a slight jolt, the the van's instrument panel warning lights came on, the engine shut off and i rolled to the side of the road. I shut it off, waited a little, and turned it back on and it drove and shifted fine, but there was a whirring noise coming from around the trans that changed pitch with acceleration and deceleration. I drove it to a strip mall where Im at and at every "stop for pedestrian" crosswalk, when i accelerated it would slip and then go. The next crosswalk it took longer for it to go. It gradually slipped worse and worse, til it wouldn't shift at all. Seemed like it ran out of fluid. Had to call a tow truck. Noticed some trans fluid where the engine and trans met and on the ground under it. Like I said it shifted and drove fine til i got to the strip mall parking lot and had to stop and go. Any thoughts on what it might be?

[TheMAN]

input shaft seal

[timsrv]

Auto transmission will not engage and/or shift properly if there isn't enough transmission fluid. Trying to drive without enough can damage the transmission, but usually they survive. Like TM said above, it sounds like the input shaft seal is blown. Unfortunately the transmission needs to be removed in order to replace it. My advice would be to add fluid until the correct level is attained then go on a test drive. If the transmission engages and shifts properly then I would drop the transmission and replace the input seal. If the problem is still there, then I'd have the transmission rebuilt or start looking for a good used one. If the transmission is good, depending on how fast the leak is, you may be able to use it and simply check fluid level regularly/add more when it gets low. There is a product (additive) designed to soften seals and make them seal. Sometimes it works but sometimes it causes more problems then it solves. IMO it's a bit risky, and if it works, results are probably just temporary. Since others may suggest it I figure it's worth mentioning. Here's a link: http://www.amazon.com/Hi-Gear-HG7014...nd+conditioner. Good luck. Tim

[ghostbuster88]

Thank you guys for confirming my suspicion! So glad you guys said input shaft seal. As soon as it wouldn't shift I turned it off immediately. Already ordered the seal and its on the way. have the factory service manual so that should help. Now I just need to get it going with fluid, and get it to a shop or place with a lift and trans jack. You guys rock, thanks again!!

[ghostbuster88]

so a few weeks ago i posted about my input shaft seal getting blown out. I removed the old, replaced it with a new one but went to put torque converter back on and a bunch of small cylindrical bearings came out as well as a few spherical ones. Ordered a reman toyota TC from ebay. Is there a way to salvage the original?

[timsrv]

Is there a way to salvage the original?

There are shops that rebuild these. They cut them open, replace bearings and/or whatever else is failed, then weld them back together. Not sure what you paid for the eBay unit, but suspect the price for having your old one rebuilt would be about the same. If that had happened to me, I wouldn't trust anything short of a complete rebuild..........or a whole other unit. Not even sure I'd trust one from eBay.........some of their sellers are a bit iffy. Hope you get a good one. Tim

[ghostbuster88]

I paid $125 for the ebay one, it's a rebuilt toyota one for a46de trans. Found a toyota place in canada that has one for $500ish. might pick that one up too just to have another.