is there anyway of getting rid of my 3speed auto and putting in a 4speed

Can't help except to say Good Luck on this one.

I want to do the same thing and I can't find anyone (or any source) that knows for sure.  My understanding is that the 4-speed autos were only available in the 4 door models, but, I don't know if it is just a matter of simple of modifications or if it requires custom driveshafts, cutting the shifter tunnel, adapter plate between trans & engine

Please keep me posted if you find out anything.

WHY WOULD YOU WANT TO DO THAT
   THE THREE SPEED IS SIMPLE AND RELIABLE MECHANICAL VS 4 SPEEDS ELECTRONIC AND YOU CAN SWAP THE THIRD MEMBERS FROM THE 3 SPEEDS 4.30 TO THE MANUALS 5.12
  I'VE BEEN POUNDING THE DAYLIGHTS OUT OF MY 3 SPEED FOR ALMOST 2 YEARS AND NEVER HAD A PROBLEM MY TRACKER IS MY DAILY DRIVER AND HAS OVER 130,000 MILES ON IT  

WHY WOULD YOU WANT TO DO THAT
   THE THREE SPEED IS SIMPLE AND RELIABLE MECHANICAL VS 4 SPEEDS ELECTRONIC AND YOU CAN SWAP THE THIRD MEMBERS FROM THE 3 SPEEDS 4.30 TO THE MANUALS 5.12
  I'VE BEEN POUNDING THE DAYLIGHTS OUT OF MY 3 SPEED FOR ALMOST 2 YEARS AND NEVER HAD A PROBLEM MY TRACKER IS MY DAILY DRIVER AND HAS OVER 130,000 MILES ON IT  

MPG and a better 1st gear.

Jerry, it's computer shifted. You would need the whole harness as vehicle speed/ TPS angle, rpm,ECT and MAP values all contribute to shift points. It can be done, but would be easiest with a complete donor wreck to rape for the project. And  the 4-speed autos are only behind 16v's, not sure if the bellhousings are the same...

16V and 8V are the same block

Good Question, I wish I had an answer.

 From what I understand there is a huge amount of work involved due to the computor controled features.  From what I hear it's a toyota designed Tranny so that says good things for it, also you may be able to find some parts to go back and forth with.
 I for one have the 3 speed. Ran for 3 years on a "Bad Tranny" and finally replaced it and can't get the new one to stop leaking ATF.
 Good Luck

I hear there is a rubber ring seal
between the bell housing and the
trans body, mine seems to be leaking
there too, but it helps keep the
ATF fresh and clean  

Wild

Yeah it stays fresh, in mine.
 About 3 days old is about all I can get. I figured it was due to some extra pressure caused by a big tranny cooler I installed with the new tranny.
 If I save my pennies I may have one of those "Professionals" look at it and see if they can stop the leaks/down pour.

Jerry, it's computer shifted. You would need the whole harness as vehicle speed/ TPS angle, rpm,ECT and MAP values all contribute to shift points. It can be done, but would be easiest with a complete donor wreck to rape for the project. And  the 4-speed autos are only behind 16v's, not sure if the bellhousings are the same...

Didn't know it was computer controlled :-/  Even if, as Wild says, the 8v & 16v blocks are the same and the 4-speed would bolt up, there was no 8v, 4-speed ECU, was there?

Donor vehicle with 16v, 4-speed, correct ECU combo sounds best.  Then I just have to find out what mount changes, drive-shaft differences, trans tunnel differences, etc. are.

All in all, it sounds like a PITB project.  Does anyone know how this would compare to a 3-speed auto to 5-speed manual conversion?  I'd still have to find out about drive shaft lengths, tunnel differences, pedal (brake, clutch, and gas?) changes, but 5-speeds have no computer connections, do they?

Didn't know it was computer controlled :-/  Even if, as Wild says, the 8v & 16v blocks are the same and the 4-speed would bolt up, there was no 8v, 4-speed ECU, was there?

Donor vehicle with 16v, 4-speed, correct ECU combo sounds best.  Then I just have to find out what mount changes, drive-shaft differences, trans tunnel differences, etc. are.

All in all, it sounds like a PITB project.  Does anyone know how this would compare to a 3-speed auto to 5-speed manual conversion?  I'd still have to find out about drive shaft lengths, tunnel differences, pedal (brake, clutch, and gas?) changes, but 5-speeds have no computer connections, do they?

I'm pretty sure that there's only one wire.  This tells the computer that the tranny's in 5th gear.  This affects (maybe disables, I'd have to look it up in the service manual again) the exhaust gas recirculation operation.

Oh, and the reverse indicator, of course.

- Craig

I thought about doing the 5 speed conversion, but i looked at the gear ratio's and realized that 5th gear isn't much lower on the rpm scale so I scrapped that idea.  :-/ I think it would be awesome if you could do the 4 speed auto swap. I personally like the auto better for wheelin anyway.

i'm kinda in the same situation at the moment. i've got a 5sp but have picked up a 4sp auto cheap but without the transmission control module.

i've got a heap of literature on the auto, and was thinking of just running it manually (have to shift each gear), but according to the stuff i've got it only uses 1st, 2nd and 4th gears and i'm wondering how this would go in a daily driver.

IF YOU WENT FROM A 3 SPEED AUTO TO A 5-SPEED MANUAL YOU WOULD HAVE TO CHANGE YOUR THIRD MEMBERS AS WELL THE 3 SPEED HAS 4.30 AND THE 5 SPEED HAS 5.12 IF YOU PUT THE 5 SPEED IN 5TH IT WOULD TAKE THE MOTOR WELL OUT OF ITS POWERBAND AND YOU'D PROBABLY SLOW RIGHT DOWN  THE PEDALS AND DRIVESHAFTS ARE THE EASY PART  

4.30s are in the newer Vitaras
with the auto trans, earlier Track/Kicks
had 4.62s in the auto trans models