Can an E-series gearbox synchro's be made stronger?

**PrettyCoolWagon** · 12-09-2012, 10:16 PM

Quoted from terryo's article on the E-series:
The Achilles heel of these boxes is definitely the poor syncro
action once they have 100,000km or more on them, and this
is especially so with the ‘wide” version. The gear train is
simply too heavy for the syncro rings to slow. Toyota tried to
remedy matters with various in-service changes including
coating the inner part of the cone with an abrasive, but none
of these solved the design fault. A clever 3-piece syncro
system was first used on the ST185RC model to help
improve the change to 2nd , and was progressively
introduced to other models in both wide and narrow box
formats.
I'm guessing this 3 piece synchro is what I'm after... don't know if models later than the ST185RC (1991 IIRC) had even better synchro's again or if they're compatible with the E57F5 because Toyota's E-series gearboxes continued to be produced for well over a decade after the ST185RC was released..

In the mazda forum link posted previously in this thread there's great photo's showing a transplant of MR2 E-series internals into a later model camry E-series casing that has an updated oil-pipe that squirts between 3rd and 4th.
3rd and 4th seem to be where the common synchro problem CRUNCHING! in the AE95's E57F5 box starts..

I think upgrading to the best known 3-piece synchro for the E-series and fitting the oil cooler pipe between 3rd and 4th gears would be the answer to this thread's question.

**Classique71** · 13-09-2012, 12:55 AM

the best E box was clearly the St205 Celica St205 Gt4 E154F ( if i recall the right number ) these will happily see 400 - 500 +hp before needing tweaks. maybe look into the compatibility of the syncro's in that ?

**Classique71** · 13-09-2012, 12:56 AM

or even better - sell the A series gear , get a 205 front cut - and put a 3s beast in it ? It will certainly be unique and a dead set sleeper

**PrettyCoolWagon** · 14-09-2012, 06:39 PM

Originally Posted by Classique71

or even better - sell the A series gear , get a 205 front cut - and put a 3s beast in it ? It will certainly be unique and a dead set sleeper

I know of 2 ae95's with 3sgte's.

One in W.A. (Australia) and the other's an AE95-sedan in Russia.
Much easier to build a 7a than shoe horn a 3s engine..

Time to email toyota parts interpreter I think...

**knightrous** · 14-09-2012, 06:52 PM

Originally Posted by PrettyCoolWagon

Time to email toyota parts interpreter I think...

Who will surf over to toyodiy.com and tell you what you already know

**PrettyCoolWagon** · 04-10-2012, 05:06 PM

So I checked out toyodiy good for part number comparisons but doesn't tell me the internal diameter of the synchro's or their widths.
I'd like to compare E57F5 synchro's with other E-series synchros to find the strongest replacement.

Scuse me if I get this wrong.. so being the last of the GT-fours with the powerful 3sgte I'm guessing the st205 has the strongest synchros?
There are so many E-series gearboxes it''s not funny. (from Camrys to Rav4's etc..)

If it's possible my goal is to upgrade the E57F5 (AE95) gearbox with the following components.
>oil pump hose to each gear
>strongest synchros
>strongest shift fork
>all mated to AE95's gears

**Bazda** · 05-10-2012, 09:18 PM

I run a hybrid of a E51/52 box with the new syncros. The new syncros are carbon/ceramic lined they dont have the grooves like the older style syncros.
Shift so much better than the older style syncros. But being carbon lined they are sensitive to what oil you run.
Motul Gear FF LSD II is designed for the newer style carbon syncros.

There are a few other tweeks I do to them also. And there is a reason why some boxes get hard to shft from 2nd to 3rd or 3rd to 4th. Its a very very easy fix and has nothing to do with the actual syncros

.

I done over 100 drag passes on my box at 500hp, using big as slicks with getting 1.7s 60fts, flat shifting as well. Box never had an issue once i did the required mods.

**PrettyCoolWagon** · 16-10-2012, 06:02 PM

Baz,
I sure wish I could have this conversation in person with a box pulled apart in front of us..
I intend to rip this thing through some mud and generally have as much fun as I can with it so 'over 100 x 500hp drag passes' sounds like the kinda box I'd like to build.

When you say 'the new synchro's' does that mean toyota upgraded all their replacement synchro's for the likes of the early E-series boxes?

Regarding other tweeks, all I can think of is the upgraded oil pipe between 3rd & 4th toyota introduced in later boxes, ..if it's something else ?
..sounds like info you'd like kept quiet

**PrettyCoolWagon** · 09-04-2013, 12:30 AM

Found some interesting info for the stock 4wd corolla boxes recently over at alltracwagon.net
Differences between years: 1988-1992 - All-Trac Wagon Network

As someone mentioned earlier, it looks like a lot of the E-series boxes got upgraded synchromeshes around 1992-1993.

"...in 1992 the e57f5 transmission got a redesigned of the synchromesh mechanism of the second and third gears. Also a synchromesh mechanism was and to the reverse gear. It says the synchro was changed from a single cone type to a triple cone type for second gear And a double cone type for third gear to increase synchronizing capacity. Also a double cone type for the reverse gear. It also says the basic construction and operstion of the respective synchromesh mechanisms are the same as those of the E53 manual trans in the 92 camry...."

So that's good news in itself.
Since starting this post I've dropped out my engine and have an AW11 4AGZE ready to go that I might turbo later, so I started looking into taller gears.
I started tearing into an E58 box I had, looking to see what I could swap over or mix with the corolla 4wd box, then found I needed some star shaped fittings for the torque screws that hold down the bearing plate.
Since the shops were closed and my progress was halted, I thought I'd take a looked at that MX6 link again:
The Toyota gearbox thread. - Mazda MX6 Forums: MX6 Forum

The 1MZFE box from a V6 camry seems to be the best option for taller gears and being a later model box than the early 90's 4wd corolla box it comes stock standard with better synchros and oil squirters to all gears.

The OP seems to suggests you can swap the whole rear half of the camry case onto most E-series bell-housings too.. seems to make sense.

Just thought I'd update..
Anyone know the cost of an E153 Camry V6 box, I hear they stopped making them in Australia and they cost quite a bit??

**PrettyCoolWagon** · 31-03-2014, 02:03 PM

Do any of the E-series boxes share the same synchro, or can a later synchro be used as an upgrade.

Few of the guys on alltracwagon.net in America are finding it hard to get rebuild kits for their E157F5 boxes.