Hey guys, Been visiting the website for awhile but have never posted up here before. I currently own a 1990 TP Magna SE 2.6 EFI. I purchased the vehicle for $200 late December last year as a cheap run about '' myself having a pashion for toyotas'' thought id never come to like a car which people regard as crap..
Now myself being a mechanic which i work for a private business in Port Lincoln means fixing issues with it isn't a problem. After 3 months of owning it i had to drive out of town which resulted in making the small rust hole in the cylinder head much larger causing it blow the head gasket. Removing the cylinder head i decided to pull the motor out and rebuild the lot including chain, pistons the lot!!
Now the transmission is being stupid, mostly when changing from 2nd too 3rd, revving high and then going into gear. Another issue is that it will shift momentarily into neutral whilst being stopped and going to accelerate off. It maybe the trans computer or a shift solenoid im unsure at this point.
Was putting it out there too see if anyone else has had the same issue with theirs.


Thanks heaps guys

cheers.

G'day,
mine would do similar things, especially flaring on the 3rd to overdrive shift. it also had a loud wine when going around roundabouts in second. still haven't worked that one out. but basically it use to flare a bit during all up shifts and never wanted to take off properly in the end. when i opened her up the filter was clogged solid with crap. cleaned it and it went for a while then gave out one night. use to seems as if it has slipped into neutral. had to stop the engine and start it to make it move again. after that i got a manual box off another user and have loved it ever since but when i stripped the tranny it all looked fine inside and couldn't find what was causing the issue.

only place i found metal filings was in the torque converter so personally i reckon it had chewed the inners out of the torque converter and plugged the filter so bad it couldn't suck enough fluid up because the rest of the tranny was spotless. mind you i haven't pulled every bit off yet.

i have the old TCU if you want that, it seemed to behave the way it should, just the tranny was rubbish.

but everyone who acyually drives these cars and takes care of them seems to grow to like them. i much prefer driving it then my dads VE crummydoor, even tho his is auto

That is interesting to know as i was planning to change the filter too see if it would rectify the problem but wanted to ask too see if it was something simple. Mine just clocking 225,000 km's possibly without ever having the filter changed. I have always loved the look of these old magnas and it drives great on the highway. Pitty it doesn't have the power pack option but i don't mind the windy up windows and no cruise control. What is the average km's to a tank around town, im getting about 500 km's to a tank with the dickie fuel gauge which i have heard they are all like.

cheers Brendan.

http://www.aussiemagna.com/forums/showthread.php?t=90328 my fuel gauge hasn,t work the 7 years i,ve owned the car. check this thread out there a fix for fuel gauge in it

the TP box is the strongest and most reliable of
the first gens

could be the TPS doing that changing problem
or broken wire or corroded pins in the plugs

there are 4 wires coming out of the front of the box
and these are the solenoid wires

next the tcu which is under the floor below the radio

the diagnostic plug for the tranny is

under the top of the glovebox when open

its a plastic plug with two contacts led reads the light pulses

a blocked filter can also give the same fault

is the overdrive working

This is handy to know, all the connections are perfect and clean. The transmission fluid is clean but ill be changing the filter anyways.
Thank you for your help.

mine looked sparkling clean too....till i drained it. you can wash the filters out with petrol to clean them (thats all i did) then dry with air gun.

as to the fuel gauge i originally had analog dash and it was just the connecting nuts on the back had come loose. does temp work? otherwise the senders can be at fault.

i now get over 600 out of a tank of rural / town driving. use to be about 500 when it was auto (mines a wagon so 74L tank). i fitted the full power pack including electric windows, electronic dash, climate control, cruse(isnt connected yet), power locks ect. easy to do if you have a donar car but unless you love it i wouldn't get that carried away....

highway cursing is beautiful in these things (even without cruse control). i often drive down to magnaman89's place (200 k each way) and she never misses a beat. get it into fifth and she will stay there all day.

anyway buffy is the man for the auto, knows a hell of allot more about it then all the auto reconditioning places i asked.

more info
if the box is going into neutral at the lights
or when stopped ready to take off

could be a faulty torque converter or oil pump

recheck the oil level
when hot on level ground cycle all the gears
put into park with motor running
oil level should be between high and low mark

well its more an intermittent problem, i am going too change the trans filter and flush out old trans oil. Hoping too see a difference but if it doesn't im not too fussed. Another issue which concerns me is the amount of vibration i get thru the steering wheel and dash board etc etc.. I have replaced both front and rear mounts too fix the issue but have had no success. Anyone been able too rectify this problem.

Cheers Brendan

mine looked sparkling clean too....till i drained it. you can wash the filters out with petrol to clean them (thats all i did) then dry with air gun.

as to the fuel gauge i originally had analog dash and it was just the connecting nuts on the back had come loose. does temp work? otherwise the senders can be at fault.

i now get over 600 out of a tank of rural / town driving. use to be about 500 when it was auto (mines a wagon so 74L tank). i fitted the full power pack including electric windows, electronic dash, climate control, cruse(isnt connected yet), power locks ect. easy to do if you have a donar car but unless you love it i wouldn't get that carried away....

highway cursing is beautiful in these things (even without cruse control). i often drive down to magnaman89's place (200 k each way) and she never misses a beat. get it into fifth and she will stay there all day.

anyway buffy is the man for the auto, knows a hell of allot more about it then all the auto reconditioning places i asked.

Oh yeah well i have heard its an effort too fit power windows and cruise and digital dash. Im thinking that when i retire the old thing im going too rip the motor and other things i have replaced and buy another tp magna ''hoping for an elite'' and just use my current one as a donor for bits and pieces as she was owned by an elderly couple in adelaide. Another scary thing i had realised that the engine in my magna was a second hand engine off what im assuming a TM because during the rebuild had 86 stamped on it and the car being built in 1990. But im assuming the head design was changed in the TP and one major issue it probably was designed for Leaded. I really love the old school look about it '' my family call it a lounge room on wheels'' coz it is really you can just stretch out in it! Id buy another after this one for sure!!

Any car built after 1st of January 1986 had to be built for unleaded fuel, so you are probably fine there with the older motor.

i agree love the first gens .and the room in the back off the wagons is massive. with your vibration do,es it stop when put in nutral or keep vibrating.and what is idile speed.

i agree love the first gens .and the room in the back off the wagons is massive. with your vibration do,es it stop when put in nutral or keep vibrating.and what is idile speed.

Yes it does stop when in neutral. Minor vibration can be felt but is no issue until you select drive or reverse.

Any car built after 1st of January 1986 had to be built for unleaded fuel, so you are probably fine there with the older motor.
Yes this is true but when i stripped the motor down i found the cylinder head was corroded so a mate had a TP head sitting in his shed which he sold to me, comparing the two the numbers on the front were different if it means anything but my old one i think said M1 or something like that and the new head says M3?.

head in original 89 tp motor was m5. the one in my current motor (93) is a m7 which are meant to be better flowing apparently and have a better rocker system.

mine had a vibration at the lights ect that was first documented in 1992 on a RACV pre purchase check. i made it better by fixing all the vacuum leaks and did replace mounts but it never quite went away. was fine in neutral. no one has been able to tell me why but it must be torque converter ide reckon.

if you can get a full elite loom it only takes about a day to swap it all in. good chance to clean the interior as you STRIP EVERY PIECE OUT!!! talk about dedicated. also need the front loom (head lights, fans, fuse box ect).

but they are the sort of car that has problems because of neglect as they are worth nothing. but once you sort them out they are as reliable as anything and pleasurable to drive. what more do you want? lol

head in original 89 tp motor was m5. the one in my current motor (93) is a m7 which are meant to be better flowing apparently and have a better rocker system.

mine had a vibration at the lights ect that was first documented in 1992 on a RACV pre purchase check. i made it better by fixing all the vacuum leaks and did replace mounts but it never quite went away. was fine in neutral. no one has been able to tell me why but it must be torque converter ide reckon.

if you can get a full elite loom it only takes about a day to swap it all in. good chance to clean the interior as you STRIP EVERY PIECE OUT!!! talk about dedicated. also need the front loom (head lights, fans, fuse box ect).

but they are the sort of car that has problems because of neglect as they are worth nothing. but once you sort them out they are as reliable as anything and pleasurable to drive. what more do you want? lol

HAHA well i have already had the dashboard out to block off vents that allow constant fresh air into the cabin, doing so has also quietened down the interior noise on the road too and less engine noise! The only issue i have is rattles are appearing and are driving me crazy :fruitcake
the number on the engine i would have too double check.

i have to welcome you to the gen1 bergade. there,s about 10 gen one,s members i think. i have some gen2 and have driving many gen3,s ill stay gen1 for the comfort and driveability.(love that car ) have you check out carcycle in sa. he has a large collection off gt gen1s.

i have to welcome you to the gen1 bergade. there,s about 10 gen one,s members i think. i have some gen2 and have driving many gen3,s ill stay gen1 for the comfort and driveability.(love that car ) have you check out carcycle in sa. he has a large collection off gt gen1s.

Yes it has become a favorite daily, loads of torque for a four cylinder! I have been too carcycle before but they were closed, viewed the back yard, seen all the magnas.

My partner and myself have just returned from adelaide tonight after a weekend over, a relative had a spare vehicle for us to drive around whilst there, 1990 magna executive with 174 tho on the clock, carby and auto. Was original right down to the new looking genuine mitsubishi aircond. sticker on the side window :)
Well i have gone from driving a auto efi magna too a carby which was quite a shock :0 especially when we went to mount lofty lookout ''which requires climbing steep hills at 110 km/h'' i definatley could NOT get it above 80! we had road trains attempting too pass us on steep climbs. But im sure when they are alot newer they would have had more punch in them. But im keeping in mind mine has never had a tow bar on it were as this one did almost killing my shin on the massive thing, when i put my foot down it didn't effect the speed at all if not it goes slower ha! seems like the torque converter has issues..
but unlike mine it doesn't vibrate in drive. Have i mentioned yet its bright yellow! was a great well kept car with NO rust anywhere. Really enjoyed driving it!!

Problem has been fixed, was a blocked trans filter. Drove from Port Lincoln to Adelaide the other day and didn't miss a beat! Love the old girl!