Transmissions?

[sremim]

Anybody know much about transmissions? I have to get one replaced on my 4runner and can't decide if I should have it rebuilt for $2000 and a 1 year warranty or get a remanufactured one for $3500 with a 3 year warranty.

How long do rebuilt trannys usually last?





























"I'll keep my guns, freedom, and money.
You can keep the "change"!"

 

[Zigga]

D13er is a tranny. I would ask him......her.

I would pay the 2k and cross your fingers. Looks like I'm not the only one keeping the beaters running.

 

[marcopolo]

That all depends on if you have $2,000 dollars in your pocket or $3,500 dollars in your pocket!

 

[Kirby]

Depends on how good the rebuild is... Personally I would say go new. Unless you know the guy doing the work and he is anal freak for doing it right.

Kirby

When in doubt, floor it.

Diplomacy is the art of saying "nice doggy" until you find a big stick.

 

[nickman]

Several issues in play here.

Where do you live? If you are in a larger metro area, then you can probably find an independent trans shop that will install some or all of the upgraded available trans parts.

For example, Ford,Chrysler and GM all produce transmissions that go thru HUNDREDS of "factory" upgrades. They put this stuff out and redesign it as it fails.....WARRANTY....the stuff that dosen't fail MAY make it past the warranty coverage and they get lucky. What does fail is replaced with upgraded designs and sent out again....to be tested by the consumer again.

How long a factory transmission will last is simply a matter of luck.

Aftermarket trans specialists have redesigned and reengineered these same units, but the factory folks won't generally upgrade theirs due to costs. Bushings get redesigned with bearings, seals and o-rings are enlarged or doubled, pressure valves are opened up or restricted.....etc., etc., etc.,

Depending on the talent and attitude of an independent builder, you may NEVER have another trans problem.

There is no way that I would EVER buy a factory rebuild.

Find some guys that are into auto racing.....in any venue...and ask them.

Either way, transmissions are one of the best profit areas in the auto industry. On your worst day, you cannot generally destroy more than $400 in "hard" parts in a tranny and any tranny guy who cannot rebuild one in a day is lazy.....$3500 for the job is good money!

Now, I'll probably get some heat from some tranny monkey working for AAMCO, but I don't care.

I spent 18 years as a Service Manager for different big 3 dealerships, so I KNOW how it works.

 

[TAGATTRACTER]

LAST EDITED ON Mar-20-09 AT 02:15PM (MST)[p]Where do you live? I have seen you on the Az board quite a bit. If you are in Az I can direct you. I own a Phoenix area company that rebuilds Torque Converters for Automatic Transmissions. Some Trans shops are very knowledgable others not so much. You really need to be careful where you go. 30 years in the Phoenix area I know who does and who doesn't do good work. A good rebuild is the better way to go over the factory unit but like I said you must know who to trust. I sell to Transmission shops all day and know which ones do the quality work. By the way I would be glad to supply the Torque Converter for your vehicle at a huge MM discount.

 

[Model_70_Guy]

I will chime in and second what Nickman posted. I was in to drag racing in the late 60's for a few years and had a good transmission man that rebuild a tranny better than anything you could buy new and of all the parts I used to break transmissions were something I did not have to worry about after he started putting them together for me. Like Nickman said there are not that many hard parts in a transmission and probably the key is to maintain it. They last a hell of a lot longer if you do, probably one of the most neglected parts on a car.

 

[sremim]

Thanks for the responses guys. I am in AZ north of Phx. The shop I have been talking to has a tranny guy that will rebuild it for about $2500. They also install Jasper transmissions which are remanufactured.

Is there any difference in a rebuilt or remanufactured tranny? or is it just a fancier word for the same work?

I am having a hard time justifying spending an extra $1,000 for 2 years and 88,000 miles of warranty.





















"I'll keep my guns, freedom, and money.
You can keep the "change"!"

 

[mossback50cal]

I second what everyone is saying: If you know the right person, go with the rebuild. Remanufactured are generally more expensive and are filled with "test" parts. In a rebuild, you can pick the brand parts that you want and feel comfortable with.

 

[BGbasbhat]

>D13er is a tranny. I
>would ask him......her.
>
>I would pay the 2k and
>cross your fingers. Looks
>like I'm not the only
>one keeping the beaters running.
>


Well played Zigga, well played.

 

[KILLERBEE]

if i was in your shoes, not knowing a ton about them, i would jump on TAGATTRACTOR's bandwagon a run! get with someone who does know their stuff and run

 

[maxxbob1]

A couple years ago the transmission started going out in my 98 4x4 GMC. I had swapped out several "slip & slid powerglides", in high school and college (like 35 years ago). So, I went to Harbor Freight and bought a tranny jack, less than a $100, pulled the tranny in a couple hours. It was pretty simple, but it weighed a lot with the transfer case, so you need a jack. I called a place in Phoenix (they sell on Ebay) and found a rebuilt for $650 w/12 month 12000 warranty. They had a store in Prescott (closer to where I live in Albuquerque). So put the old tranny in the trunk of my car and I ran over Prescott and swapped for the rebuilt (make sure all the bolt holes, etc, are exactly the same). It took me about 4 or 5 hours to reinstall it. Putting it in is where you really need the tranny jack. Unlike the old days, there was nothing to adjust, just a bunch of wires (??) to hook up. Pretty easy and my gas mileage really increased, and I saved $$$$. I drove it for over a year without a problem, then I got a Ford. I miss that good gas mileage!
-- Bob

By the way, as reliable as a Toyota is, you should be able to pick a good used one at a junk yard.

 

[bobcatbess]

I DIDN'T THINK TOYOTA TRANNYS EVER FAILED???

WTF???

YOU MIGHT TALK TO RANS!!!

HE CARRIES A FEW SPARES!!!

"I'M NOT COMPLAINING,I'M TELLING IT THE WAY IT IS,SOME OF YOU MAY NOT LIKE IT,THATS O.K.,SOMETIMES THE TRUTH HURTS & YOU HAVE TO ACCEPT IT,OR YOU FIND OUT WHAT THE FACTS ARE,STAND UP & VOICE YOUR OWN OPINION,THIS IS STILL AMERICA THE LAST TIME I CHECKED"!!!

REMEMBER!!!

THERE'S ONLY ONE bobcat!!!

 

[mtmuley]

What IS the difference between rebuilt and remanufactured? Nuthin I bet. mtmuley

 

[slcbohntr]

Rebuilt is when it is your original tranny remans are someonelse's tranny that bought a new one. Do your homework and find a dependable and knowlageable guy to rebuild it. and save that 1500$ for hunting.
Good Luck and Great Memories

 

[stinky]

Look at car-part or carpart.com amd price them and get one w/under 100K on it....OR...do an internet search for a low mileage JDM transmission from that same places that import motors.

But, w/your luck, your truck was probably made in the USA and not delivered to Japan...yes that happens, like w/the Nissan Quest for one. If my memory is correct Toy trucks are made in the US and cars in Japan.

A reman is a rebuilt w/more new parts in it...or not, maybe w/just a longer warranty but it should have all new parts in it, vs just those that needed replacing.

 

[Elkcrzy1]

I own an auto repair shop in Colorado, family business since 1955 and I would do just what Stinky said in the last post. Look for a used transmission on car-parts.com or any local wrecking yards. Id feel better about a used one than having a rebuilt, reman, or having someone rebuild it for me. Llike was already mentioned these transmission shouldnt fail anyway why not find a used one rather than gamble on someone you dont know rebuilding it ?

 

[BoneJunkie]

Its my experience that if a tranny is warrantied for a year thats enough time to know if its good or not. If it fails it was no good and if it makes it the year it will last as long as a three year one unless you are doing J HOOKS in the high school parking lot then you battered get something with a V8

 

[jodog]

Just yeaterday, I replaced the auto trans. in my daughters 02 Ford explorer. I went to a new and used Ford parts warehouse and bought a used trans. with 58,000 miles on it....With core exchange $527.00 $32 Mercon-v $18 filter 6 hours, one of my sons and I had it done.... she's back on the road.

 

[TAGATTRACTER]

Sremim, sent you pm

 

[caterpillar]

If you have not already done some trouble shooting, i would figure out what the problem is first before i i just replaced a expensive part like a tranny. Some places like Minekie will give you a free analysis of your tranny. I would make sure that you do not have to replace a filter or a faulty wire connection before you spend all the money. You may only need a torque converter, and if that is the case then it sounds like you could get one pretty cheap here on the MM site.