tranny took a crap

[trixie]

Trans on my 94xlt dumped all it's contents onto the pavement like an over-eager frat chick. What's it gonna cost me? I think it was the front seal to blame. Hymen. Anyway, the trans worked fine once I filled it back up (although spurting fluid) for the 50 or so yards I drove it to get it into position to be towed. Should I replace the seal only? Should I do it myself? Should I find a new trans? I've tossed better cars off than this, but I like this one. Any advice is nice.

Michael.

 

[Redrig]

sounds like the front seal. and it isnt real hard to replace. just getting the tranny out enough to do it is the hardest part. but how many miles is on the tranny? b/c if you go as far as to pull it out enough to replace the seal and it has high mileage you should rebuild it if at all possible.

 

[trixie]

trans

The guy I bought it from claimed that the the trans had been rebuilt by a good T guy. Just wondering if pulling the trans for a seal, doesn't mean pulling it out again soon for something else. In theory, the trans has 15000 on a rebuild.

 

[trixie]

also trans

sorry, should have asked this quetion before: does dumping the thing into 4 wheel at 50 do anything bad to the trans? We had a strong winter last year, and I did that a bunch of times.
michael

 

[Redrig]

now im not sure. im pretty sure you can shift on the fly. did you get under it to see where the fluid is leaking from? i just noticed you needed it it towed. is it not working at all now?

 

[trixie]

trans

Well, it worked until it dumped all the fluid. Yeah, they say you can press the button on the dash to go to 4wd, but just wondered how smart that is to do, since it hardly ever happens at 50mph that you need to do that. I guess my real question is this: How much would you pay to replace (only) the front seal.

I could do it myself, but it's been a long time, and I'm lazy.
michael.

 

[Redrig]

hummm i had my tranny pulled and rebuilt and put back in for 1300 bucks. so id say maybe 2 to 300 bucks max

 

[trixie]

I was quoted 400. Which sounded fine by me, unless it blows up on the way home.
michael

 

[Redrig]

id take it to a couple of tranny shops and get oponions first. see what they say. before you just replace the seal. and if they think its the seal go for it. i didnt take into consideration of the transfer case. 400 probably isnt bad.

 

[trixie]

not to sound stupid, but what do you think could be wrong with the transfer case?

 

[Redrig]

nothing it just has to be removed also to get the tranny out more labor costs

 

[trixie]

I like that answer. 385/labor- 15/parts. That's fine. It's a pain in the ass to do that. I'd feel a different way if I didn't live in a city, and not have a driveway. I'd love to do it myself. But, I can't.

 

[Redrig]

yep it suck to pay that or do it yourself for such a minor fix. but lets hope that only the problem. get opinions from some shops. im far from a tranny expert.

 

[trixie]

You're right.

 

[dgibson]

If you have to pull the whole thing off anyway, I would get the thing checked out just to make sure. No since in paying that kind of labor just to replace a seal and then pay it again in 3 months because something else went wrong. There is a good chance that since you dumped all the fluid twice that it could have hurt something inside.

Mine dumped all the fluid once and I didn't know. I pulled over when the x started down and upshifting with me doing nothing to it. Welded all my gears together. Cost me $2300

 

[trixie]

trans

Got it fixed, all the seals, including the rear main. $800. I knew it might happen, so it seems I caught it in time. (Plus had 10 quarts of trans fluid on hand when it busted. It was enough to move it 50 yards to get off the highway.) Been driving it--it seems fine now.
michael.