Overhaul, friction and steel plate kit for the Toyota A245E four-speed automatic in 1993-2008 Corolla 1.6L and 1.8L cars.
A 1993-2008 Toyota Corolla with the four-speed automatic that now flares between second and third, takes a few seconds to pull into Drive after sitting overnight, or smells burnt on the dipstick has usually worn its clutch packs past the point a fluid change can help. This A245E master rebuild kit puts every seal, gasket, friction plate and steel plate for a full overhaul in one box, for the 1.6L Corolla from 1993 to 1997 and the 1.8L from 1993 to 2008.
Toyota and Aisin built the A245E from the A240E used in the 1989 MR2, shrinking it and cutting weight so it would fit the Corolla engine bay. It is a four-speed transaxle with a lock-up converter, ratios of 3.643, 2.008, 1.296 and 0.892, and the final drive in the same case. Each gear is held by a combination of clutches and brakes fed from the valve body. Once the paper on those plates wears down toward the core, the pack needs more pressure than the pump and valve body can supply, and the shift that depends on it starts to slide. The overhaul seals in this kit stop the pressure loss and the new frictions and steels give each pack its full holding capacity back.
The most common A245E fault that is not a clutch problem is a broken wire inside a shift solenoid coil, which causes a harsh or missing shift with clean fluid. Check solenoid resistance at the connector before you pull the transaxle. Then drop the pan: friction material and a burnt smell confirm the packs are done. Our Aisin harsh and delayed shift walkthrough covers the road test, and shift flare vs slip explains how to tell a pressure problem from a burnt clutch.
This kit fits the Toyota Corolla 1.6L from 1993 to 1997 and the Corolla 1.8L from 1993 to 2008. The same transaxle went into the 1993-1997 Geo Prizm 1.6, where it carries the Aisin AW70-40LE name. Two cautions before you order. First, the same Corolla years were also sold with the three-speed A131L and with manual transaxles, and none of their parts interchange, so read the model code stamped on the case near the bell housing. Second, Toyota changed the B3 brake from six discs to five in 2005, so count the plates in your old pack and set clearance from what you measure, not from memory. If you are unsure, send us the year and VIN. The Aisin transmission parts page lists our other Toyota and Aisin parts.
This kit covers soft parts and clutch material; the drums, planetaries, pump, valve body and filter are reused or bought separately, so plan on a new filter. Soak the frictions in clean fluid for at least 30 minutes, replace the pump o-ring and the case seals while the unit is apart, and air check each pack as you stack it. Inspect the pump bushing and the rear output shaft bearing, since a worn bearing lets the shaft wander and damages the rear planetary. If you only need to reseal a unit with good clutches, the A245E overhaul seal and gasket kit is the lighter option. The A245E holds about 7.6 liters total and takes Dexron III or Toyota Type T-IV depending on the year, so check your owner manual or dipstick; Type T-IV fluid and Dexron III fluid are both in stock. On a 2003-2008 car, tired motor mounts make a fresh rebuild feel harsh, so check them while the transaxle is out; the Corolla automatic mount kit fits those years.
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The A245E is the four-speed automatic; the A131L is a three-speed. The model code is stamped on the transaxle case near the bell housing, and the shifter on a four-speed car has an overdrive button or a D-3-2-L layout with overdrive.
No. It contains the overhaul seal and gasket set plus the friction and steel plates. Buy a new filter for the rebuild, because the old one is usually packed with clutch material.
Toyota changed the B3 brake from six discs to five in 2005. Count the plates in your old pack before assembly and use the number your unit was built with, then set clearance to spec.
Earlier cars call for Dexron III and later cars for Toyota Type T-IV. Total capacity is about 7.6 liters, but refill to the dipstick hot mark rather than by volume.
Probably not. Clean fluid with harsh or missing shifts usually points to a shift solenoid with a broken coil wire or a sticking valve. Test the solenoids before you rebuild.
