Kim Moulton Miller

It looks like I am going to get that used trans for $300 that came from a camper/rv...very low mileage...guaranteed to work...and being charged $200 to put it in. I'm keeping my original trans and will rebuild it down the road if need be...or if I hit the lottery. :-) I'm on a single budget so I have to do things in spurts.

Rescue Rogers

Is your friends shop the one with this deal? If it is go for it. If its that other guy be careful.

Just saw your from Greenville. I spent 5 years in charleston. Lived west of the Ahley, Goose creek, and around there. Loved that city. Good times.

Kim Moulton Miller

Yes...I don't believe the other fella will see my baby again. Do you think I need a new torque converter, too?? Tight budget now, so if it can wait without tearing up the new trans, I need to do that.

Rescue Rogers

Im not a transmission genius but I dont believe there should be anything wrong with it. I had a torque coverter go bad and it seized so that it would stay engaged and not idle like it was in neutral. They should be able to use yours if its the same size. I dont know if the one with the rv tranny will work. It should.

Kim Moulton Miller

Yes, South Carolina is nice! I've been here 27 years. I was, however, born in Springfield, Mass!! :-) Lived in Lee, Mass for first two years. Then the rest in Florida until 1988.

Rescue Rogers

Small world. I left SC in 89 just before Hugo hit. Went back and everything was gone. Sad and amazing. Spent 91-14 beteween Utah and Alaska. Just moved back to Mass in 2104 to keep an eye on my folks. Not the same.

ddawson

If amazon is correct a new torque converter would only be $130.

All that gunk in your picture is also in the torque converter. It can be cut open and cleaned but a stock converter may be cheaper.

I know it seems like a lot but if the RV trans is solid why install a torque converter fill if gunk.

Rescue Rogers

I didnt see those pics. I would get a new converter. My problem with my converter left that crap in my fluid and when they rebuilt the tranny that stuff got recycled and screwed it up again. Maybe they can use the converter that was in the rv. When this is all done you'll be able to rebuild a tranny yourself
Keep your chin up. The car still runs and didn't catch on fire.

lurch59

Unfortunately that's an ominous sign. I see my post has some typos, sorry I typed it quickly at work. The idea is to compare the color of your old trans fluid to new on a paper towel or other white background.

lurch59

I've serviced my own transmissions for decades and that fluid and residue in the pan looks really bad. The good news is there are millions of good used transmissions out there cheap. Many on the forum here convert their automatics to manuals and practically give their trannies away. Why not post a wanted ad in the parts section?

BowTieRocket

Not sure what a trans rebuild would run. We had one done in my son's Trans Am that he drove to high school about ten years ago (1979, THM350) and it was about $1400 including remove and reinstall. I worry about used transmissions. Had a C-6 in a Shelby GT500 I owned for years - $750 to rebuild about 20 years ago.

The old 3-speed automatics are typically a lot cheaper to deal with than the newer multi-speed units. I think '78 is a little early for the lock-up torque convertors, but definitely change that as you go. The existing one could probably be flushed and all, but the labor and materials to properly flush it would likely run as much (or nearly so) as a new/rebuilt convertor.

Kim Moulton Miller

Wellll....the mechanic who rebuilt the engine said he would rebuild the trans for $750. BUT, he's not getting his hands on my car again. I'm going with the used one from an RV for $300 and call it a day. Saving my original trans for possible future rebuild and use if necessary.

Thank you all for your help on this. I feel SO MUCH more educated and have surprised a few people when I quoted your suggestions. One fella even stuttered..lol. Thank goodness he didn't follow up with another question or I would have been the one stuttering! I'll be back with updates. (Guess I will go and look for an a/c face plate and levers as mine won't slide.) Also, need to another A/C compressor and that other part that is behind passenger front wheel....accumulator I believe! This will be the 4th compressor etc. They keep locking up. Getting them from NAPA - only had to pay for the first one, but now I'm thinking to go another route. One a/c guy who installed the 4th one said my car can't tear them up as NAPA manager suggested. BUt they keep dying on me so I don't know. More research!)

gungatim

one thing you could do if you want to learn is rebuild it yourself. it's really not very difficult. I rebuilt my first TH350 trans in HS when I was 15. borrowed a book from the library (this was pre-internet) and bought a set of clutches/seals for $50. fortunately I didn't need any bushings, and for special tools I just used a bunch of C-clamps. it actually was not too hard and it worked great for several years. take it apart, replace seals, clutches, get a junk yard core for extra parts like springs if they are bad, etc.

even if you put another one in it, you can tear apart the old one to learn on...then you can do it for other people and make $500 profit...(JK) but you seem smart enough to be able to do it yourself based on your questions...

Kim Moulton Miller

Wow...I appreciate the vote of confidence, but I am a girly girl altho I LOVE cars..the louder the better! And I love learning about them, but if it's going to interfere with my nails....I can't do it! lol

Rescue Rogers

diehrd

I hate to say it but using a used trans from a RV may end up being a very bad idea. I know RV makes it sound heavy duty but it also means it was put under a heavy demand with every mile it drove.

Additionally :
You not only need a new torque converter BUT you also should flush the cooling lines and the cooler in the radiator if not completely eliminate the rad cooler and install an external cooler. Or else that grime and particles you see in the pan is also everywhere else and will enter the transmission and cause harm.

lurch59

I agree except for maybe the trans cooler. I would recommend synthetic trans fluid as it runs cooler and lasts longer. But, a trans cooler will certainly not hurt.

diehrd

You think that varnish you see in the pan is not in the cooler ? If you do its a mistake. Her cooler is going to release that with new transmission fluid and put it back into her replacement transmission.


I know I had a tranny shop> We would never in a million years suggest not professionally flushing that rad cooler with solvent at the very least..


Replacement however is a better solution time wise and cooling wise. Your ensured no contaminates get back to the replacement unit

lurch59

Well. perhaps more precisely I should have said I don't necessarily agree with installing an external trans cooler in addition to the cooler in the radiator. Of course everything should be very clean. Synthetic transmission fluid runs much cooler than petroleum based fluids. I presume you also recommend replacing all the transmission lines, for the same reason?

Kid Vette

I think you guys are getting way carried away. I wouldn't do anything to that tranny until I replaced the vacuum modulator and checked the governor gear and valve.

It's hard to tell from the pic just how much sediment is in the pan. It looks like somebody smeared the sediment around and now it appears to have more than it really does. I'll say it again; its normal to have a some accumulation of metal filings in the pan.

And I wouldn't worry about the flushing tranny lines and cooler. I'd blow out the lines and be done with it.

One thing we haven't seen yet - the filter. Any accumulation of crud on the filter?