Phoenix Remanufactured Tranny?

[verysweepy]

Has anyone had any experience in dealing with Phoenix Remanufactured Transmissions? They have a A4LD tranny for $650 and a $250 core charge. I found them through e-bay and after checking out their web site it sounds like a pretty good deal.http://www.phoenixhardparts.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv

 

[espnfreak]

I heard they arent that great...

 

[asp84]

A rebuilt transmission is exactly that. Most rebuilders only replace the broken parts instead of rebuilding the transmission with completely new parts. Look in to buying a new one if you plan on keeping your Explorer for a long time.
I just bought a brand new 1999 4R70W (fullsize V8 transmission) for $699 and it came with a brand new torque converter. (0K miles)

Remember .... Rebuilt = "Refried"
(unless it is done right, of course)
Good Luck,
Al

 

[verysweepy]

Where did you buy a new one from?

 

[Opera House]

If you have the talent to take it out

You can rebuild one which is a lot easier and quicker. Most problems can be fixed for about $100

 

[Rick]

Actually most rebuilders replace all of the friction clutches, and seals as regular practice. They only replace "hard parts" as needed.

 

[Opera House]

Rick, I think thats the point!

Most times you are just getting back an old transmission. It's like painting an old car and saying, "Hey, look it's a new car." I know of people who will rebuild a transmission for $250 + hard parts. There are things that fatigue that would be better to replace. Problem is that some rebuilder is deciding do I put money into the transmission or do I put it in my pocket. New seals isn't rebuilt, it's repaired. Or is there some other reason that some rebuilts go for 3 times the price.

 

[Rick]

If you buy a tranny from a reputable rebuilder. It is in their best interest to sell you a tranny that will work for at least the length of their warranty. When I worked for a tranny shop we would replace all the frictions, and seals, mic out the steel plates, check the pumps for abnormal wear and measure for clearance. In some trannys we would automatically replace the pumps and the one way clutches if that tranny model was known to have problems with those components.

Rebuilding a tranny yourself can be an excercise in frustration. All it takes is one nick on a seal and you will have to pull the tranny and diagnose what it is you did wrong. Getting the lip seals in properly is an acquired skill as are most of the finer points of tranny rebuiliding.

 

[Opera House]

Reputable rebuilder

Sorry, but that is a meaningless phrase. If they don't back their work with a guarantee what does it mean. 90 day, six month aren't worth much. Nicks in seals. You should be ashamed for promoting such fear. And people shouldn't replace their own spark plugs because they might cross thread them and ruin an engine. I don't believe in limiting people. I had a transmission rebuilt by a recommended expert. !4 months later it crapped out. I found five mistakes in the rebuild when I took it apart. Yet you think it is better to trust it to people who didn't graduate high school. Yea, that makes sense.

 

[verysweepy]

I would love to try and rebuild it myself but don't really have the time or place to do it and it being my only mode of mobility right now I don't have the luxury to tinker with it right now. Thanks for all the info.

 

[Rick]

Re: Reputable rebuilder

Originally posted by Opera House
[B. Yet you think it is better to trust it to people who didn't graduate high school. Yea, that makes sense. [/B]

Geez I guess I was just a low life drop out tranny rebuilder then who built crappy trannys only to unleash them on the unsuspecting masses.

 

[asp84]

Thats why the make those special "Lip Seal Protector" TOOLS for installing those seals.

After having my Ford Rebuilt Transmission self destruct after 800 miles on my way to Arizona, I will never let a rebuilder touch my tranny. After buying the ATSG manual I wish I would have rebuilt my tranny the right way.

Al

 

[Rick]

Originally posted by asp84
Thats why the make those special "Lip Seal Protector" TOOLS for installing those seals.

After having my Ford Rebuilt Transmission self destruct after 800 miles on my way to Arizona, I will never let a rebuilder touch my tranny. After buying the ATSG manual I wish I would have rebuilt my tranny the right way.

Al

Yep, there are many special tools available to help rebuild a tranny. And how many folks are going to get them for a single job? Compressing the springs in the clutch housing is another nice trick without the proper tools.

Also many people have trouble with brand NEW trannies in brand NEW cars. Latest case I can think of is my friend with a new HD3500 Chevy with the "kick ass" Allison tranny. He is on his 3rd "kick ass" Allison in 10,000 miles.

There are so many things that can cause problems with an auto tranny that are not readily apparant iit's not even funny. Sticky valves in the valve body, worn valve body or valves, warped valve body, case porosity, bad solenoids, etc.

It's great you feel more capable than a professional rebuilder after working on your own tranny and getting it to work, but IMHO, you got lucky.

If tranny's were so easy to build we wouldn't have so many people frying them out so quickly. Even the MANUFACTURERS can't build a long lasting auto trans using all brand new parts of their choosing. Look how many people on the board are taking their trucks back to Ford for tranny related warranty problems.

 

[Mbrooks420]

There is so many things to go wrong on an auto tranny I'd rather be able to blame it on someone else when it burns up. Well gee honey I musta nicked one of dem seally things.

 

[Opera House]

Form vs Substance

If I have had a philosophy in life, it has been that. I've tried to search out the truth from the double speak and political correctness. Still looking for those who really know what they are doing. In high school I thought things would change when I went to college. This should have been a more select group. NO! When I got out in industry, these were the people turning the wheels of the nation. NO! They must all be in NASA. NO, there was that O-ring thing. Even Moses got lost in the desert for 40 years. My high school physics teacher told me something that I have kept near and dear to me. "All you need to know is F=MA and you can't push a rope. Everything else you can figure out from that. " Those who would consider rebuilding a transmission come from a history of being succesful at other projects. It is obvious from reading posts here that there are some who have extreme problems changing a fuel filter. If the transmision is where they reach their limit, so be it. Failure never hurt anyone. All you have lost is a couple bucks. Anyone who believes that a commercial rebuilder fully staffs with highly trained technicians is severely deluded. This is a low paying position. There is no reason that it has to be anything more. I do believe that any transmision involves a great deal of luck. There are just too many old parts. But, I don't believe it is beyond the skill of many people who have the patience to read and understand. There are a lot of logistics issues to rebuilding a transmission and I respect those decisions.

Rick: Now I don't know you and all I have to go on is what you post. Now I know we all don't choose our words as well as we should. This is a discussion about rebuilding an A4LD and we should limit our discussion to that. When you imply that an A4LD is hard to do and that you mic the steel plates, I wonder how close you have been to this transmission. That's just my feeling.

 

[Mbrooks420]

You'd think it'd be hard to rebuild a transmision on such a high horse?

 

[Opera House]

No problem at all

For sure people will hear what they want to when they read a post and then push whatever mantra they are curently into. So you would obviously rather hear people say you are too stupid to do something. There are those who believe they should put their fate in the hands of others and be lead away to the promised land, for a price of course. I'm from the government and I'm here to help. I'm an internal ISO auditor and stuff happens no matter how you try to control it. As a student of Demming ("whatever you are currently doing is weong"), I believe we are all sinners and we all make mistakes. I just prefer to make my own mistakes rather than pay someone to do them. You are certainly right. It is easier emotionally when you have others to blame. Sorry, but I will continue to preach the "can do" philosopy. Do you have anything factual you want to comment on?

 

[Rick]

So why do you need to use this website Opera House? Sounds like your mantra is that you have it all figured out already.

 

[daniel cauchon]

hey men Opera House ! did you wake up on the wrong side of the bed this morning !! men... you sure do have alot to ***** about...sorry men but your attitude makes me..s..t !! this morning ! it seems like you had a attitude prob...judging by the lenthgs of you response, I can see why you work for the gouv...alot of times on your hands.....