99 XLT 4x4 4.0 transmission--thinking of buying this-advice

[GroupExploder]

OK, the guy says the whole unit only has 97k. But, here is what he said about the transmission.

Direct quote from an email "it will shift initially when you first start driving, but after it warms up it will start acting up. I think it’s losing pressure in the valve body and it starts late shifting then it seems like it won’t shift past second gear. I don’t think it gets stuck in second. 50 is the max speed when it warms up and it won’t reverse after it warms up. I really don’t recommend driving it that far but if you can deal with the shifting issues while driving down there then you may be able to make it"

Making it means 120 mile trip from his place to mine.

I guess it is possible that trans is toast. I guess it is possible the valve body gasket or something internal that can be repaired without a teardown.

I guess it is possible to do an oil change, replace the fluids with all sorts of gunk additives such as TransX, etc,

So what you all think?

 

[Mbrooks420]

The v6 transmissions are junk. Highly doubtful any additive will help. At the very least I’d expect a flush and valve body replacement, but you may as well count on a rebuild. Most likely this was driven in this manner while they sorted out finding another vehicle, and I bet the fluid is all burnt, along with all the soft parts in the transmission. Unless it was extremely cheap, and I had the cash and interest in doing a rebuild on it, I’d avoid it.

 

[GroupExploder]

I tend to agree, he said it was just serviced. But you know, buyer beware.

 

[Mbrooks420]

I’d be leery of any vehicle the seller said MAY make it home. Transmissions tend to get serviced when they are grasping at straws. I’d bet money the transmission shop that serviced it told him it needed an overhaul.

 

[GroupExploder]

someone at work suggested the front pump was going south