A340E Strength and LSD for Soarer

[intehnet]

Hi,

My Soarer is starting to get a little more serious now and i'm worried about the transmission, plus, the car has just clocked over to 120,000km's..

I've done a search and found many of you have said the A340E is weak and will start to slip, especially if abused with stalling, etc.

If I add a transcooler, how much power will my A340E take before it goes kaput?
Is there anything else I can do to preserve its life?

At the moment i have enough power to propel a 1993 soarer into the high 13's (did a 14.1 before a few recent mods).

If it does start to blow when I put more juice through it, what are my options?
I know I can rebuild the box using more friction plates (uses 11 standard I hear?), but can I use another gearbox, like a 2JZ auto gearbox that won't need an expensive rebuild?

Thanks in advance,

Jim

Ps; Does anyone have any good idea's on a LSD for a soarer? I'm stumped trying to find one..

[Stenno]

Trans cooler will definetely help however It may simply mask the problem for a longer period of time before the clutches start to slip.

A close friend in Adelaide runs flat 12's in his A70 supra (full weight and slicks). His A340E was rebuilt by MV Automatics, unsure of the complete specs but I may be able to find out - it also runs a 4000rpm stall converter from memory.

What's the diff code on your build plate - depending if you've got a clutch pack centre (most probably) or a torsen that will be the deciding factor of what you can do to the centre - If it's a clutch pack centre you can have it rebuilt with more shims and such to increase the preload, making it a tighter LSD but that's about it short of replacing the centre with a TRD unit.

[Norbie]

If you're interested in a 2JZ-GTE auto transmission, I have one for sale. I don't know if it's stronger than a 1JZ auto but common sense suggests it would have to be. Mine came out of a front cut with 80k on the clock so it's probably in decent shape. :)

[KDog]

Talk to Michael at MV automatics in Adelaide he will be able to help you.

If you fit a trans cooler it will help a lot.
The other thing to note is if you have the valve plate modded (actually they change the accumulator pressure spring) the gearchanges will be quicker and you will have less wear on the box. This is because the clutches spend less time slipping and they are usually the weaker parts of the box.
The box should be strong enough with some mods a big trans cooler. Talk to Michael.

[jizmstr0]

also ask supercrown about his old setup. He said he had appr. 450hp going through his and it didn't die. But then changed gearbox for the turbo 4.5L conversion.

do you have to take the gearbox out to get it modded?

[intehnet]

thanks for the advice

how much is rebuilding the gear box to handle the increased power??

[intehnet]

sorry ill be more specific

how much (roughly) is rebuilding the gearbox to handle an estimated 400-450hp fly wheel?

i'm in perth so not much point in calling those adelaide dudes

[Stenno]

Over $2000 I believe.

Like I said above, flat 12's, full weight Supra, slicks, 350HP ATW's...which equates to close to 450hp at the flywheel.

Why does it matter that you're in perth? have the thing shipped...won't be that expensive...

Get a 5 speed, you'll have more fun ;)

[intehnet]

$2000?!?!?

damn! i was hoping for around about the $1000 mark including labour to beef up the box. guess i was dreaming..

if its $2000 to beef up the auto, i could pay $3000 to get a R154 with a twin plate clutch and whack that in..

still doesn't solve my single spinning dillema though :(

any ideas on a LSD peoples?

[Shifty]

You're way off the mark on the auto and the manual. You'll be lucky to find a JZ R154 this side of $1500... and a twin plate clutch in my experience is generally around the $2000 mark. I'm sure you'll need other things like pedals, hydraulics, and a new tailshaft - budget more like $5k for a manual conversion with a twin plate.

If you're sticking with the auto.. big transmission cooler is the way to go. If you're not going to rebuild it in the short term, you can just have the valve body modified to produce firmer & faster shifts.

The problem arises when the clutches start slipping. If you keep the temperature out of it (oil cooler) and make the shifts shorter (valve body) then it will last a LOT longer.

But at the end of the day the old addage applies - speed costs money, how fast do you want to go?

As for the LSD, I would have thought that all (if not most) Soarers come with one from the factory.

Look at the build plate (silver thing attached to the firewall in the engine bay).. there will be a "diff/axle" code. Find out what this is.. chances are it will be Gxx5.

If it ends in a 5 it is an LSD already. If it ends in a 4 it is a non-LSD centre. If it starts with G and ends in 4, you don't ahve to worry too much.. you can get an LSD out of prettymuch most things. An older Supra (88-92), many Hiluxes, etc, all use the G-series diff. Some came with LSD's and some didn't. If you are looking for one, remember the numbers I moentioned above.

[intehnet]

what LSD from a hilux can i put in my soarer?

[Stenno]

Originally posted by Stenno
What's the diff code on your build plate

[Norbie]

Originally posted by Shifty Look at the build plate (silver thing attached to the firewall in the engine bay).. there will be a "diff/axle" code. Find out what this is.. chances are it will be Gxx5.
Nah, it will be one of the newer style axle codes, eg A01A, like the JZA80 Supra. A Hilux diff won't fit.

[the big fist]

JZZ30, stop being disobedient and go look at your build plate :P

[Supercrown]

Yep, as mentioned I have an A-340 and ran it behind my 5M turbo. It lasted a long time actually, but once I really started to stall it up heaps and heaps-it died. I had fitted a cooler, but it was a little small in the end once I really started pushing the trans.

As mentioned by shifty, using a large trans cooler and having the valvebody mod done will extend the life of the box immensely. A big cooler will be about 150, and the valvebody about 350 (MV autos will ship it to you with a set of instructions).

One thing to note is that the shifts will no longer be nice and smooth-they wil be hard and fast-but the box will hold together better.

The full box rebuild is about 2000-2200 on top of the valvebody (I think the converter gets done too-but check with Mike from MV).

I took my car for it's first spin with the valvebody, manual shift box and full trans rebuild yesterday-and all I can say is-SELL YOUR GRANDMOTHER TO GET ONE..........

Sean

[jizmstr0]

BTW how big is big for an auto trans cooler. I have one front mounted on my car that is about 30cm by 15cm. i only use this though, doesn't go through the bottom of the radiator anymore.

[intehnet]

ill check the diff build plate tomorrow

cheers

[JZA-61]

Hey JZZ30,

I'm looking at the same issus myself, atm! And in Perth!

I'm going to install a Serck(sp?) cooler (prob 16 row - unless anyone advises differently) for now. Then get the valve bodies done for faster changes & maybe up the stall speed to around 2700 to get further into the boost and rev range.

Bailey's Auto's seem to be everybody's local recommendation for the converter and valve work. I'll do the cooler myself - I'm just a bit scared of spilling that expensive Redline fluid down the drain!

Please keep in touch and let me know what you end up doing!


cheers,

Justin
1984 JZA61 TT Supra

[C-Red]

I've got a Torsen 4.1 (I think) out of a JZA80 which I was going to keep for the JZX100, but hey everything is for sale. I'd want at least a grand exchange.
Jash

[JZA-61]

Also,

FWIW, JMS are selling a 'tricked up" Soarer box with 3K rpm converter for $2K. Dunno what you'd get for your existing box, but it might make the swap attractive if you were planning to go all-out on a rebuild.

Food for thought.

[Stenno]

Originally posted by C-Red
I've got a Torsen 4.1 (I think) out of a JZA80 which I was going to keep for the JZX100, but hey everything is for sale. I'd want at least a grand exchange.
Jash

I know you're a Licensed trader, but this isn't the for sale section.

Please keep it to PM or the FS sections in future :)

[C-Red]

Stenno,
With all due respect, I was reading the thread and I though that jzz30 might like to know I had something he was chasing. I dont use PMs as they shit me to tears.
Jash

[Stenno]

Jash,

People who advertise their goods in non for sale section(s) shit me and probably other moderators to tears.

Don't do it in future please - it sets a bad precedent.