Author |
Message |
Ben Meyer
Tinkerer ACT UZZ31 V8
Posts: 20 Reg: 09-2005
| Hey guys, haven't posted here for a while. I'm not too cluey on trannies of any kind. What I want to know is this: Are there any autos other than the regular Soarer 4-speed that can bee fitted to the V8, with minimal work? I'm looking for something with an extra gear or two. The car is bog stock and I have no intention of doing any power upgrades, but I would love the added performance and better fuel economy that a 5 or 6 speed auto would allow me. It's unfortunate that I can't put in the slick Mitsubishi 5 speed auto. Nice gearbox that. Thanks in advance for your help guys. |
Callum Finch
Goo Roo WA Soarer TT
Posts: 1020 Reg: 09-2005
| Doesnt quite work like that >.> Your car will run more efficient ~mid 2000rpm - ~mid 3000rpm afaik, as you have better airflow, waterflow (to cooool it) and so on. I dont think it would be financially effective to even consider swapping out the standard Toyota trans for anything else purely on fuel economy. You could always look at a triptronic gearbox with paddles! |
Don Bagnall
Moderator New Zealand I have LESS Soarers than Hayden :-(
Posts: 3307 Reg: 05-2005
| OR source a late model SC400 5 spd.trans with the gated shifter from the US, along with the correct trans ECU. But me thinks would be an expensive exercise. Or maybe source the 5 spd.auto from a local wrecked LS400/430
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Ben Meyer
Tinkerer ACT UZZ31 V8
Posts: 22 Reg: 09-2005
| Good points guys. It was more a point-of-interest sort of thing. I can't help but think engine performance would be significantly increased with an extra ratio or two, but there are more important things to take care of... Like getting a new CD player. That stacker is crap! |
Andrew Ferres
TryHard WA Cressida V8
Posts: 314 Reg: 07-2005
| The Toyota 5 speed auto has the same overdrive as what you have now. It just has an extra gear around 2nd. So no benefits for fuel economy there. The 6 speed however runs a 0.5:1 6th if my memory serves me correctly, but you'll spend a fortune buying it, and another fortune buying a controller to control it. |
Ben Meyer
Tinkerer ACT UZZ31 V8
Posts: 23 Reg: 09-2005
| Ha! looks like I wont be investing in teh 6 speed! I bought my soarer because it's low maintenance!! Thanks for the tips anyway guys. |
Matthew Sharpe
DieHard North Island 3.0 GT
Posts: 823 Reg: 10-2005
| Low maintenance compared to what? 15 year old Soarers are not particularly troublesome for 15 year old performance cars, but no way would I describe them as low maintenance, unless you are the type that drives cars into the ground. |
Gary Redman
Tinkerer NSW UZZ31
Posts: 34 Reg: 09-2005
| Gee Ben, I think your being a bit hard on the stacker. Once you get Mark to adjust/replace the laser, they play brilliantly. |
Callum Finch
Goo Roo WA Soarer TT
Posts: 1050 Reg: 09-2005
| Low maintenance my ass. Since i bought mine last year in Sept i have put almost $4000 into keeping it on the road! |
Mark Paddick
Goo Roo ACT UZZ31 V8 Soarer , JZZ30 TT Soarer
Posts: 2352 Reg: 07-2005
| I reckon my car is low maintenance. Apart from upgrades I have spent less than $500 on repairs in 5 years (suspension motor/pump a broken door handle and a few bulbs) I probably should include the torque converter lock up clutch as well as if I hadn't upgraded it anyway it would have failed. |
Callum Finch
Goo Roo WA Soarer TT
Posts: 1059 Reg: 09-2005
| Mark, i can see your future, it involves saggy airbag suspension, leaky aircon evaporator and condenser, blown turbos and worn clutches. *puts his voodoo-car away* >=D |
Matthew Sharpe
DieHard North Island 3.0 GT
Posts: 827 Reg: 10-2005
| Callum, you're running a 14 year old TT thats tuned to hell. Its probably as far as you can get from low maintenance without owning an Italian or British car. I bet its still a lot better than most 14 year old high performance cars though. |
Ben Meyer
Tinkerer ACT UZZ31 V8
Posts: 24 Reg: 09-2005
| Low maintenance compared to My old ST185 GT-Four. I loved that car but it was a black hole for money. Yeah I believe the soarer is low maintenance. I've had to replace one door handle and the wiper blades in the 6 months I've owned it. Mark did originally fix the laser in the stacker but it's back to it's worst now. I reckon it's probably time to give up the ghost and get something new. When I originally bought it, I wasn't so sure, but now I do plan on keeping it for a good while. I'm really happy with it. It has all the power I want and is extremely comfortable. My only problem right now is that the power steering pump is leaking. Somewhere onto the block or exhaust manifold because I can smell it for about 10 secs after I turn off the car. |
Don Bagnall
Moderator New Zealand I have LESS Soarers than Hayden :-(
Posts: 3365 Reg: 05-2005
| Ben.....FIX IT QUICKLY!!!. Or you will be replacing the alternator AS WELL!. Suggest paddling over the border to see Neil Griffiths the Soarer Uber Guru. The address is: 5 Silva Avenue, Dodsworth, Queanbeyan. Ph: 6284-3111 or Mob: 41 5289859. Silva Avenue is off the Yass Road.
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Mark Paddick
Goo Roo ACT UZZ31 V8 Soarer , JZZ30 TT Soarer
Posts: 2358 Reg: 07-2005
| My airbag suspension had better not sag for a while. I put new struts in 3 months ago although I don't include that as maintenance as there was not a lot wrong with the originals and they didn't actually need to be replaced....I just wanted new ones. And it was worth it!!! Ditto for the clutches. If you are lucky enough to pick up a good Soarer in the first place then they give little trouble if serviced properly. There are some absolute dogs around now though....and I get to see most of them. I don't know why Italian cars have such a bad rep. Perhaps the smaller mass produced ones are bad but I've previously owned 3 large V12 Ferraris and a 308 Dino and all were less trouble than a bog stock Commodore (VL at that too which was probably their best). The Italians have a reputation for rusting which is a bit odd when the four I had were all Kevlar, fibreglass, alloy or plastic panels and chassis were solid steel. Ben, the laser in your stacker may just need a tweak again. Some of the earlier ones I did weren't left on test long enough and I know a bit more about them now. |
Ian Johnston
DieHard South Australia UZZ30 GT 4.0
Posts: 599 Reg: 07-2005
| I agree with Mark. My Soarer has cost me stuff all in general maintenance in the 18 months I have owned it. All my costs have been upgrades-TT brakes, TT wheels, 12 stacker factory stereo, Jaycar tweeters and crossovers.( all worth the money). General servicing has to be done to any car if you want it to last. And ,as stated, they are a 15 year old car. |
Don Bagnall
Moderator New Zealand I have LESS Soarers than Hayden :-(
Posts: 3380 Reg: 05-2005
| In 17 months of ownership mine's NEEDED 1 x brake light bulb and 2 x frt.shocks. The rest has been what I WANTED |
Callum Finch
Goo Roo WA Soarer TT
Posts: 1066 Reg: 09-2005
| Ill admit that now i have spent mony fixing everything, my car is running fsking sweet. |
Ian Johnston
DieHard South Australia UZZ30 GT 4.0
Posts: 600 Reg: 07-2005
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Matthew Sharpe
DieHard North Island 3.0 GT
Posts: 843 Reg: 10-2005
| To be fair, its usually neglect and old age that gives the Fiats, Alpha Romeo's, Opels, Triumphs etc. their bad reputation. Mind you, my boss has a 1998 model low k's Opel station wagon that he's tipped a small fortune into. He seems to have given up on it now and is driving his wifes Golf. |
Mark Paddick
Goo Roo ACT UZZ31 V8 Soarer , JZZ30 TT Soarer
Posts: 2363 Reg: 07-2005
| I think I'm up to at least double what I paid for mine with more on the way but as I said it's all what I want rather than what it needs. I was actually caught out yesterday by a mate of the owner of a car I was working on. He asked the usual questions about my car and when he wanted to know what it was worth to me I told him $30k.....and he got his chequebook out! Decisions, decisions....my car is still in my garage. There's no way I could build another one like it for that money. I'll be able to let you guys know how the late model 5spd auto performs soonish....if it ever gets here. |
Vinh Bui
TryHard NSW 94 UZZ31 (V8) / 96 JZZ30 (TT)
Posts: 376 Reg: 07-2005
| In the 5 months that I've had my TT Soarer, I've only had to replace 2 x rear parkers. That's about it for repairs, haha. Everything else, like the other guys, is what I wanted. |