A44D Automatic Transmission Issues

Hello all- looking for some advice. Just purchased a 2004 Tacoma 2.4 automatic 2wd, so it has the A44D transmission. I got this truck for dirt cheap, but was told it had a bad transmission. it has 150k, engine runs great, body is in good shape, so I jumped on it. I'm okay with putting a junkyard tranny in. Had it towed to my house.

The truck would move but very slowly and only at high revs. Tow truck driver (a mechanic) said, "thats weird, that's not how a tacoma tranny would normally go bad", he was wondering if it was low on fluid. I check the dipstick, and it is not low, but high. I drained out about 1-1/2 quarts of excess fluid. Fluid was dark but didn't smell burnt.

So I am looking for advice- I've been trying to find more info on the A44D, but can't find too much online. I can replace the tranny, or I can drop the pan and clean the filter. I have read some articles talking about how you can damage the tranny running it overfilled. Anyone with any experience with this?

Just wondering if it is worth fully draining it and dropping the pan, or whether I should just drop the whole thing and either have it rebuilt or replace with a junkyard one. Any thoughts? I've got time to think about it, as it is freezing outside- I'll be waiting for the spring thaw to work on it.

 

before I would drop the pan I would pop a line off the radiator and run her just to see if there is any trans fluid being pumped. Is the TV cable, the cable off the throttle body that goes to the trans, hooked up. take the cable off at the throttle body and pull on it to see it is is broken. Does she work in reverse?

 

I know you said A44D- but have you scanned this thread before?

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads...sions-write-up-your-4-speed-automatic.325531/

 

Thanks for the suggestions- I did check that TV cable, took it off and pulled it to make sure it was still connected- it is fine. Pulled the trans line to the radiator, hit the key, and it spat blood like an artery, so I assume it is pumping. It does the same thing in forward and reverse- nothing, until you push the accelerator hard (not to the floor, but mid pedal), and then it moves, but slowly.

I did look through the long thread on the 340- lots of good info in there, wish there was as much info on the A44D. Anyone know how similar the two are?

Anyone experienced anything like this, where it moves, but only slowly?

Thanks!

 

if the revs are high and she is barley moving the clutches are shot and she needs to come out and apart. It is just doing more damage.

 

Did you ever get this resolved? I'm struggling with similar issue with same transmission