My corolla came with the 3 spd tranny and i really dislike it , is it posibble to swap the 4spd one , and what would i need besides the tranny and shifter with the o/d button?
Not really. The 4 speed is electronically controlled by the ECU, but the 3 speed is hydraulic only. To get it to work, you'll need the ECU and wiring from the 4 speed, but the engine is also different, so it's not going to run properly. It's really not worth the trouble and money, I'd sell it and buy a DX with the 4 speed auto if I were you.
Unfortunately may be tough to sell, since the 3 speed auto is not in high demand and is not really worth much. You will take a loss if you decide to sell and can find a buyer
Not really. The 4 speed is electronically controlled by the ECU, but the 3 speed is hydraulic only. To get it to work, you'll need the ECU and wiring from the 4 speed, but the engine is also different, so it's not going to run properly. It's really not worth the trouble and money, I'd sell it and buy a DX with the 4 speed auto if I were you.
This is also something I've been wondering about, since I have a 97 CE. Would there be any way you could take the A240E transmission from the previous gen Prizm and make it work with the 4AFE? If I'm not mistaken, it's also hydraulic.
This is also something I've been wondering about, since I have a 97 CE. Would there be any way you could take the A240E transmission from the previous gen Prizm and make it work with the 4AFE? If I'm not mistaken, it's also hydraulic.
You've got the same problem there, the A240E is also electronically controlled (any Toyota transmission with an E on the end will be electronically controlled). It's not worth the effort and headaches if you ask me, but if you really want to, I think the 4 speed auto from pre-'93 Celica ST models was strictly hydraulic and will bolt right on to your 4A-FE.
You've got the same problem there, the A240E is also electronically controlled (any Toyota transmission with an E on the end will be electronically controlled). It's not worth the effort and headaches if you ask me, but if you really want to, I think the 4 speed auto from pre-'93 Celica ST models was strictly hydraulic and will bolt right on to your 4A-FE.
Sorry, that was my fault. I got a few things mixed up with my fact checking (seems to happen to me a lot lol...) What I should have asked was about the A240L, which I believe was used on the Corolla LE until 1992, and is hydraulic. At this point it's all just a thought I've been kicking around, because depending on the time and money, you're probably right to say that I should just sell it off or do a 5 speed swap.
I just did this swap myself to my personal car. I have a 1996 Geo Prizm (corolla drive train) originally had the 3 speed auto and 4afe engine. I went to self serve junk yard. Got a A245E 4 speed auto out of a 1997 corolla. Also I got the shifter with the O/D button on it. Also get the cars computer, in this case its the "7AFE - ECT" Also needed to change the Driver side Trans mount, its different on the tranny side, same on the body side. Oh yeah, grab the plugs and leave yourself 6 inches of wire or so from the transmission (old one had one plug to tranny "position sensor switch" and its different plus new tranny has a second plug) OK so far everything is swappable with no mods "except the wiring" Now get a hold of the wiring diagram for the ECU from your car (1996 geo prizm 4AFE - A/T) and the car you got your new cool 4 speed tranny from (1997 Toyota corolla 7AFE - ECT) now all you have to do is run 4 extra wires from that extra plug to the ECU and The 2 extra wires from the bigger "position sensor switch" also to the ECU. By the way - these ECUs share the exact same 3 plugs so if you just pull the old ECU and put in the new ECU it requires NO different plugs. Get the plugs anyway from the new ECU because you will need to add those 6 wires. Everything is color coded on the wiring diagrams and the plugs. I had to use a jeweler’s flat blade screwdriver to get the pins with wire attached to come out of the ECU plug I got with the trans and plug those 6 wires into where they needed to go according to the wiring diagram for the NEW tranny. I had to run a wire up to the O/D off light in the dash from the O/D switch in the new shifter.
*NOTE - if you don't change the computer, the car will still run and drive but will NOT shift automatically. You can shift it manually though but only 1-2-3 and R and P will work. D puts the tranny in 3rd so you start off in third, 2 in second, 1 in first, The O/D switch does nothing. I did this as an experiment to see the results.
*NOTE - You also need to get the knock sensor and Run the wire to the ECU.
The 1996 4AFE has NO knock sensor and the 1997 7AFE has a knock sensor. It is located between the 2 and 3 cylinder just below the head under the intake manifold.
I found this out by accident. I had a check engine light come on and the code said "knock sensor fault" My 1996 has NO knock sensor but the new computer was looking for one since that car had one. Its real easy, even the hole to screw the sensor into is on the 4AFE also it just isn't use.
Below you can see the 2 plugs on the A245E
If you have questions or need to see some more pics of anything let me know.
Last edited by Kiwi-Corolla; 01-11-2011 at 04:10 PM.
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The Following User Says Thank You to THE_ONE_RF For This Useful Post:
I was just told I can not post links to factory service manuals.
I will be happy to give anyone who needs a link, the info through private message. Just hit me up. Also you will find your local library a great source for factory service manuals. They are found in the resource area and are not usually allowed to be checked out. Just bring some change for the copy machine and make copies of what you need. If that not allowed where you live use a paper and pencil and take notes.
I was just told I can not post links to factory service manuals.
I will be happy to give anyone who needs a link, the info through private message. Just hit me up. Also you will find your local library a great source for factory service manuals. They are found in the resource area and are not usually allowed to be checked out. Just bring some change for the copy machine and make copies of what you need. If that not allowed where you live use a paper and pencil and take notes.
Some libraries you can check out factory manual (I checked out one for the 96 model), and some have a service called Interlibrary loan where the library can try to get the manual from another owning library, if the owning library agrees to it.
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