Did I just fubar my trans...again???
 

Little backstory:

I bought my 00 ZR2 a little over a month ago with 131K on it and a slipping trans. Finally took it in a couple weeks ago to have the trans rebuilt. Got it back a week ago (rough times here, I don't recall them exactly) and then Saturday night decided to do a little fairly light wheeling with a buddy of mine. I say light wheeling because it was just a little field we were in, and I can't go more than 1/2 throttle due to a misfire I haven't fixed yet. So I didn't think I could do anything TOO strenuous to the truck.

We got done mudding and all was fine. Drove home without any issues. Yesterday, I went to the car wash, got some lunch, etc without any issues.

Last night I had a first date with a girl, got halfway there and voila, no forward gears. I turned a corner and the RPMs jumped up like I was in neutral, but I had hit the gas pretty hard on accident so I thought maybe the trans kicked into a lower gear. I laid off the gas and ignored it. Got to a red light a few blocks later and when the light turned green, I wasn't moving.

Let the truck sit for a while as I pulled it into the parking lot, and when a friend got there, we put it in reverse and it worked. For a couple seconds, forward gears worked as well, then stopped again.

So today it's being towed to the shop to have the mechanic look at it. Did I just FUBAR my trans again?

I tried 4WD as well as 2WD and couldn't move forward, plus checked the rear driveshaft, so it does not appear to be anything other than perhaps the trans going bad or my T case gone kaboom to me. What do you guys (and girls, obviously) think?

Does it move when you put the shifter in 1 or 2 (or L, depending)?

For the 30 seconds or so that it was moving, yes all gears worked. But then once it stopped working again, no forward gears worked at all. I have 1,2,3,D if I'm not mistaken, and none of them worked.

Is it possible that mud caked around the trans could have overheated the trans?

Or maybe an electrical sensor got wet and was malfunctioning without throwing a code?

Doubtful that mud would cause the transmission to overheat. It may have damaged the wiring, but even then, I would think it should engage 1st gear...

I hope it's nothing serious. I didn't do anything really strenuous so if the trans itself went out after just having it rebuild, I'm gonna be quite irritated.

Side note: glad as heck for having towing on my insurance. Just called and breakdowns are covered as well as accidents, so they'll meet me after work and tow the car to the mechanic so I don't have to worry about paying the mechanic and waiting for reimbursement.

Well, my mechanic won't even look at the truck without charging me for at least 2 hours so he can spray the undercarriage down, so it looks like it's going to go straight to the trans shop since funds are a bit tight. Now I have a question for you guys, I need some opinions.

OK, so here are my two "good" options on the trans:

1 push it to the car wash, spray the everloving **** out of it and hope I get enough mud off that whatever the trans problem is gets taken care of by the trans guy under warranty

OR
2 tow the car home, take a few days underneath it washing the **** out of EVERYTHING to make damn sure there is not a single spec of dirt under it. Then while I'm there, take a look for loose linkage or anything of the like that I can fix myself. If I don't see anything, then call the trans guy and rest more or less assured that unless he finds dirt INSIDE the trans, it's covered.

Number 2 is a "better" option in that it's more likely the trans will be covered under warranty... but it'll take a lot longer and possibly not make a difference. Plus the fact that we don't have a hose or anything.

K so did you take it to the shop today? How did it go? Im curious!

Drove the truck (in reverse) to the spray and wash Tuesday, spend $10 to spray the crap out of it. Then drove it (again, in reverse) to my roommate's work which is also on the same block, used their hose, crawled underneath the truck and cleaned up as much of the mud as I could get to.

Then yesterday, I called insurance and got them to tow the truck up to the trans guy.

So I hope to know what's up today. I'll make sure to fill you in as soon as I hear.

ok! Hopefully he will fix it.

No word back yet so I assume he's working on it. I'm going to call him in a bit just to make sure the truck arrived safely and all, I'll update later if there's something to note.

Just got word back from the trans shop. They believe the trans overheated. They're going to go through it tomorrow and replace what needs to be replaced, but they're recommending I pay them $145 to install an external trans cooler.

YES, install the external cooler! but its a pretty easy job to do yourself if you have the tools, you might also think about installing an external filter as well as a trans temp gauge. After dumping 2200+ into my trans (4rth one iv'e put in it, lol) I now try to treat her real good!

I was absolutely considering a temp gauge actually. How difficult are those to install?

As far as the cooler, well, I'll probably have the shop install it for me so I don't have to drive an hour (each way) for them to inspect it once I get it done. Also, never heard of an external trans filter, what is that? (I know WHAT it is, just don't know anything about them, haha)

Assuming you have a 4L60-E you have a few options:
A. Use some 3/8id barbs and a brass T inline between your radiator and your cooler, use a brass bushing and install the 1/8npt sender in the T.
B. Install the 1/8npt temp sender in the pressure test port of the trans, its on the drivers side somewhere above the electronics/shift linkage (if I remember correctly).
C. Install the 1/8npt sender in your remote filter housing (see below).

It is basically a remote oil filter that is plumbed between your trans out line and you radiator, adds a quart of fluid and filters through the "push" of fluid as opposed to the "Pull" of fluid as in the way the internal filter operates. Search "perma-cool" I think.

I also have a thermostat which I plan to install so as to bypass the extra components until the radiator or transmission sufficiently warms the fluid to running temp.

NOTE: Over-cooling, under-cooling, over-filling, and under-filling of transmission fluid can kill your transmission!

This is an example of ONE type of setup, this just shows the pieces and how they CAN connect, your situation might dictate a different setup, as mine does.
http://img820.imageshack.us/img820/4828/coolantpath.gif

Interesting stuff for sure.

I'm definitely having the trans shop install the cooler I decided. Not worth the money saved to have to drive 2 hours (round trip, hour there and hour back) plus wait around for them to inspect the trans so I can do it myself. I'll just have them do it while they're messing with the truck anyways, and everybody is happy

Im glad they are going to fix it. Keep us updated.

You have no idea how happy I am about it! lol

I kind of want a 2WD now though so I don't get tempted to go mudding again and blow up the trans.

I have driven my truck pretty hard and the transmission does great , I did have to rebuild it once and replace it once but it was my own fault . I drove through a pond and the seal around the dip stick was bad and filled the tranny with water , it still worked great but everyone told me it wouldn't last , and they were right it froze up over the winter . But I also drove this s10 blazer 60 miles one way everyday to work . I do go through quite a bit of other suspension parts though , like idler arms they suck .

well ive had my last blaze for a year now. I beat the heck out of it everyday and i have yet to hav e any kind of failures knock on wood. Just a fuel pump and minor things. My trans shifts a tiny bit hard sometimes..but im happy.

Well... if my trans cooler isn't working as they are suggesting, it would certainly cause issues, no matter what type. Of driving I am doing.

Your trans cooler is in your radiator, it also serves to warm the fluid when cold. The cooler they are suggesting is an add on.

I'm just going to go out and say it, this sounds shady, the bottom line is regardless it shouldn't have overheated unless something was wrong. Its more likely you overheated it with all your reverse driving and they are just covering there butts cause someone screwed up putting it back together. Sorry to say I have heard of and had the very same troubles with transmission mechanics. First price is cheap, you get the truck, it goes nuts, they want another $500 because whatever happened wasn't entirely there fault. Bla bla...

I hope it works out for you, I am keeping my fingers crossed!

I agree with monkey. I dont think the trans overheated. I beat the hell out of my 91 in the woods,etc and its only got the radiator cooler and ive never had a problem. Sounds like they are covering up they're butts. But whatever as long as they fix it right.

Yes, and with the trans being bad previously, isn't it possible that it got clogged with junk from before? Or, for that matter, could it have gotten some mud/grass caked in it or something and not be working? That's basically what I'm thinking. Plus, I would like to get some toys (ATVs) so towing those won't stress anything much, but a trans cooler is just cheap insurance right?

As far as the quality of the shop, my friend works at a mechanic shop and this is the shop they use. I trust her when she says that in 2 years they've had one car come back with trans trouble, and they found evidence of burnouts and stuff with it.

Well, got another call from the shop and they have their proof that I went offroading. Apparently the clutches were shot and I have mud caked inside the torque converter.

Since I'm a friend of the person they regularly do work for, they'll warranty labor, but they want me to buy the upgraded rebuild kit which they say will handle offroading (to an extent) so I should be good there.

Only problem now is that it's $645 bucks for that kit. Plus the $145 for the cooler, and I'm up about 800 dollars on this trans re-rebuild.

645 bucks for the "upgrade" kit? What all does that include? You can buy the performance kits for like 300 bucks..But from what i learned,have them buy the kit. Its more money at the time which is a ripoff, BUT if it breaks etc they have to warranty it again. I cheaped out on buying my own fuel pump since it was cheaper and having a shop install it. 4 times later,835 bucks down the drain with ****ty airtex pumps and labor i finally fessed up a ac delco.


Also the cooler kit. you can get for like 60 bucks
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/B-M-7...Q5fAccessories

I run it on my 92'. works great.

I don't know. They said it'd handle offroading unless I get really really stuck though, and I trust them to not lie about that ****.

Trans guy just sent a picture of the bellhousing... it's got some mud in it, and shows the torque converter with dirt on it, but nothing IN the t.c. like I thought. I'm uploading the pic he sent me now.

In the meantime, he said that because some bearings are worn out now my options to rebuild it are either buy a new case, or the upgrade kit which includes:

New (upgraded) sunshell
Upgraded clutches
Upgraded steels (parts that go between clutches, right?)
Shift Kit
Upgraded Servo
Heavier duty bands
And a new torque converter. He said it’s an RB one, supposed to be heavy duty?


Edit: Pic
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-K...701_131639.jpg

Picture of the clutches in the case. I don't know what is right/wrong here, can anybody comment?
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-7...701_135616.jpg

First of all they should have flushed your trans system in the first place. Second your trans is a closed system, only way dirt could have gotten in is though an opening! That sure doesn't look like alot of dirt in the bell. This is all besides the point as they have you buy the jewels now. So my serious advice is; BEFORE giving them any more money, GET IN WRITING, EXACTLY what service theye are selling you.

That's a very good idea.

I'm seriously considering trying to just sell the truck (bad trans and all) to try and recoup some funds from it and get something older or something.

I just cannot afford another 800 on top of the 1200 dollar loan I have for the first rebuild.

I call BS on their claim that it was your fault. If they had done their job correctly, the trans should not have failed so quickly regardless of use.

I agree with you, but I don't really have a leg to stand on since there was mud in the bellhousing. Technically anybody would call that "abuse" I would think.

Who cares if there is mud in the bell housing. It does not prove or disprove the source of the transmission failure. Bands can smoke themselves due to the trans being overheated just as much as they can from a crappy rebuild. The presence of the mud in the bell housing will not cause the transmission to overheat, btw. And for the trans to only last, what, a week or two... Screams of a bad rebuild that they are trying to get you to pay for.

Stick to your guns and threaten them with BBB or the district attorney. Right now they have you bent over a barrel because you let them bend you over a barrel.

I don't even care enough right now. I'm aggravated that it happened, but I just want either my truck back or the 94 I'm considering a trade for so I can get out of my sisters car.

Plus, I don't want to start too much crap with them because of their relationship to my friends work. I don't want to get her in trouble either.

Just the attitude that they want you to take. :icon_doh:

Meh oh well. I'm tired of dealing with it, so whatever it takes and all that.

The guy with the 94 is headed over to look at it a little later on.

hope every thing goes planned and i agree what swartlkk said but i didn't wanna make it a problem for ya

Oh I agree they should fix it under warranty too, don't get me wrong. I know I didn't wheel it hard enough to blow it up... however I also don't want to make a big stink and cause my friend's company to have to find a new trans guy.

really for the trans to blow that fast they did a terrible job rebuilding it .

i say put the good parts in and do it right the 1st time but some of these trans guys are thick headed