'Nuther day, 'Nuther problem...The Sequel

[joeyd13903]

OK, so I got the oil pressure under control and the truck was running great. I drove it to Cortland, NY - about an hour north of here (Binghamton) - but I didn't drive it home.

The tranny was acting whacky (as described in another thread). The upshifts were coming near redline and it was jerking into drive from park. I figured it was a vacuum or fluid issue, but the fluid was fine and I couldn't find anything else (to my uneducated eye anyway) so I just drove it for a day or two like that and lived with it.

After I replaced the oil sending unit it ran great. For less than 24 hours. First it wouldn't shift into 4th, then third, then it just slipped to a stop and wouldn't move. It did leave a good amount of tranny fluid on the flatbed that towed it away, though.

So, I assume that at best I'm looking at a blown main seal or forward pump or whatever they call them. At worst a new tranny will be installed.

As I said in the thread title - 'nuther problem. I'm diggin' in for the long haul, though. I don't give up that easily. I know I'll be a bit poorer for the effort but I really do like the truck and hope to keep it around for awhile.

Any experiences or thoughts on a rebuilt tranny vs. new, etc....? And the cost? And/or is there a better tranny than the 700r4 that's in it? From what I understand it's a pretty good unit (not the particular one that's in it, mind you).

The transmission shop that I had it towed to is right next door to the owner's house and he was there when we got there. He said around $1200 for new and $600 - 800 for rebuilt. I guess for a third more I may as well go with new. Yes?

[OverBoardProject]

Talk to him, he's the expert.
The advantage of a rebuilt is that you can have a shift kit installed at the same time.
Plus he might give you the same warenty as a new one or even better.
The shop that rebuilt both my Blazers, and motorhome's transmission gave me a 2 year unlimited mileage warranty
They actually paid the shop where I got my motorhomes done to drop it again, since they somehow used the wrong gaskets in there

The advantage of a new transmission is that you know everything should be new, whereas rebuilt re-uses all the good parts

[joeyd13903]

Originally Posted by OverBoardProject

Talk to him, he's the expert.
The advantage of a rebuilt is that you can have a shift kit installed at the same time.

The advantage of a new transmission is that you know everything should be new, whereas rebuilt re-uses all the good parts

Pardon my ignorance but what is the advantage of a shift kit?

I will probably be opting for the new tranny IF it's around what he's talking about - unless it turns out that I don't need the entire thing and it is just a seal. I really don't think so, but I guess I can hope.

I guess my other concern is the transfer case. The problems really started when I performed my little around the block 4WD experiment. Could that have been the catalyst to this whole mess? And if so I wonder what the status of the 4WD is. Questions, questions.

Oh, well. Thanks again for your input, and I'll keep you posted.

JD

[OverBoardProject]

The best that I can describe it is a shift kit will allow the transmission to shift at a more suitable place.
Someone else might be able to do better than me.

[joeyd13903]

Originally Posted by OverBoardProject

The best that I can describe it is a shift kit will allow the transmission to shift at a more suitable place.
Someone else might be able to do better than me.

No, that's cool. I have heard of them being installed in muscle cars and the like. I'm a bit familiar but with trucks I never know what I don't know. If that makes any sense. (Actually I steal that line from Socrates all the time = "I'm wise because I know how much I don't know" - not to imply that I'm wise, mind you, but well you get it.)

The shop owner promised me he'd get to it first thing in the a.m. and call me as soon as he makes his assessment. So, the best I can do until then is keep on keepin on. And crossing my fingers.

The saving grace is that my g/f's mother JUST got her Jeep back today, which freed up her Astro, which she is letting me use for work until I get the Blazer back. Funny how things do work out sometimes, isn't it? (I had let her use my Monte Carlo while her Jeep was down - favor returned!)

Anyway, it's been a long day and I'm hitting it. G'night and thanks again.

JD

[joeyd13903]

Originally Posted by OverBoardProject

Talk to him, he's the expert.
The advantage of a rebuilt is that you can have a shift kit installed at the same time.
Plus he might give you the same warenty as a new one or even better.
The shop that rebuilt both my Blazers, and motorhome's transmission gave me a 2 year unlimited mileage warranty
They actually paid the shop where I got my motorhomes done to drop it again, since they somehow used the wrong gaskets in there

The advantage of a new transmission is that you know everything should be new, whereas rebuilt re-uses all the good parts

The expert told me it would be $1500 to rebuild my transmission. Sounds like a lot of cash to me, so I began surfing around and have found at least 5 different places that will ship a remanufactured tranny to me (or the shop of my choosing), the best with a one year warranty, for under $700. I can't imagine what a brand new unit would be. For the time being it's looking like a used tranny from the local pull yard ($125), crossed fingers and a good luck, I guess. At least until I can spare around a grand for a new one to be shipped and installed.

[OverBoardProject]

$1500. does seem pricy, but they base those prices on what needs replacing not what the job usually costs.

When I had my motorhomes rebuilt there was a damaged valve body which cost me about $300.00 extra to replace

Good Luck with the used transmission, and I recomend that you look in the local used car parts free add paper for someone wrecking a S-10
It'll be cheaper, and they'll usually only sell good used parts.
Autowrecks just don't know what they have, and hope for the best.

[joeyd13903]

Originally Posted by OverBoardProject

$1500. does seem pricy, but they base those prices on what needs replacing not what the job usually costs.

When I had my motorhomes rebuilt there was a damaged valve body which cost me about $300.00 extra to replace

Good Luck with the used transmission, and I recomend that you look in the local used car parts free add paper for someone wrecking a S-10
It'll be cheaper, and they'll usually only sell good used parts.
Autowrecks just don't know what they have, and hope for the best.

I found a rebuilt tranny with torque converter with a 2 year 24K warranty for $460 plus $150 shipping to the shop. I too was leary about a used tranny, not knowing what I was getting. So, the shop that the truck is at is going to put it in for around another $400. Less than the rebuild of mine and there's no core charge so I can see what I can get for my old one.

Should be done this week. I hope.

[OverBoardProject]

Their pretty good transmissions in general, so you should be fine.

Those top Bell housing bolts are a BIG pain to get off, so they will be working for their money. Other than those bolts the job isn't too bad

[joeyd13903]

Well...I got the tranny shipped and installed and went to pick up the truck on Friday. It went less than a mile before making a horrendous screeching sound and finally refusing to shift at all. I turned the engine off, started it back up and was able to limp back to the tranny shop.

The owner of the shop listened to it and 'thinks' it sounds like a pump vein. (?)

So, now I get to fight with the seller of the tranny, who sold it with a two year warranty. Should be fun.

Details to follow....

[OverBoardProject]

All that I can say is good luck.

I wish that my spare transmission was a 4.3L bolt pattern. The old 2.8L is a different bellhousing (of course built right on)

[joeyd13903]

Originally Posted by OverBoardProject

All that I can say is good luck.

I wish that my spare transmission was a 4.3L bolt pattern. The old 2.8L is a different bellhousing (of course built right on)

Thanks for the wishes...I'll get it sorted out, albeit not without some frustration and head banging along the way. What fun would life be without these setbacks?

[OverBoardProject]

I think that life without these setbacks would be called heaven, and like you said what fun would that be.

[joeyd13903]

Originally Posted by OverBoardProject

I think that life without these setbacks would be called heaven, and like you said what fun would that be.

Well...a bit of good news for a change. It turns out the problem was that the filter was clogged with some plastic that must've been overlooked during the rebuild. Mistakes are human, so I'm not casting stones at this point.

Anyway the filter was replaced along with the fuel filter, and I drove it home tonight (about an hour drive) and it ran like a champ.

All's well that ends well, I suppose. Now all I have to do is dig out that wish list I had compiled and get to work on it.

[OverBoardProject]

I'm happy for you joey.
I wish that I could honsetly say I've never made mistakes, so I sure can't condem people that make the odd honest one.