Broke Down (Tranny)
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 2,089
Likes: 12
From: Port Saint Lucie, FL
Broke Down (Tranny)
Well, just driving down the road (about 40-45) the car felt like it wasnt going anywhere. Well, I gave it a little gas and still nothing, dropped it down in D, still nothing, 2 nothing and 1 nothing. The car doesnt go anywhere in Reverse or forward. The car has 73K and it is a Auto. Any ideas on how expensive this can get?
Also if anyone knows any good tranny shops in Stuart - West Palm beach, please let me know.
Thanks
Also if anyone knows any good tranny shops in Stuart - West Palm beach, please let me know.
Thanks
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 3,195
Likes: 0
From: Lake George NY
Cruise-In IV Veteran
Re: Broke Down (C4Cvette)
I have a 96 6spd, but it cost me 7k for a new tranny, clutch and flywheel. It hurt me big time, I am eating peanut butter and jelly for the next 3 years. Im not sure what year your car is, but the LT4 tranny was like 5k just for the parts, yours should be a little cheaper. If you have any "hot spots", replace the clutch or else you may lose power. Hot Spots are like a glaze, not good for grip. no matter what you do, make sure you get at least a 1 year warranty. Im sure if you shop around you can find a good price, or ask a buddy mechanic if you know one. Make sure they put the right Tranny oil in also, vettes are a little unique. Mine doesnt use tranny fluid, it uses oil, I forget what kind exactly.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 1,012
Likes: 1
From: Bowie MD
Tranny repairs
I have survived my tranny breaking 5 times since I bought the vette in 1990. Your options are: 1. Have a dealership install a rebuilt "target" unit in your car (dealer cost for tranny is around $1700) but you will get charged more, plus labor to put it in. The good side, is that it comes with a warranty, and will be garanteed to work and shift right. I did that 3 times, each one lasted about 20k miles after the intial one lasted 50k miles. Option 2. buy a performance transmission from Art Carr or LevelTen (www.levelten.com) and have a shop install it. The good point is that it will take alot of abuse especially in hot florida. Option 3. Have a local shop put a rebuild kit in your original trannie. It may work, it may not, they may have problems, your car may be in and out of there shop several trips till it is right. Corvettes have a longer rear on the end of the tranny. some shops will not touch a corvette, the tranny is part of the frame of the C4. I have had to have the torque convertor replaced each time too. (my last oen cost around 4000 with towing) I am sure there is a corvette club down in your area, ask for a repuatble dealer or tranny shop there also. Goodluck
[Modified by corvette1990, 10:39 PM 1/5/2003]
[Modified by corvette1990, 10:39 PM 1/5/2003]
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 2,089
Likes: 12
From: Port Saint Lucie, FL
Re: Broke Down (C4Cvette)
In both of the posts, it sounds as if the tranny doesn't hold up to well. I dont rag on my car (at least not that often) and with 73K on it, it sounds a bit premature to fail. I will probably let a tranny rebuild shop go through it and maybe trade the car in on a newer Vette. I would love to keep this car, but with things like the tranny going this early I'm not sure about it. I didn't think 73K is that many miles anymore.
Also, what tranny is in my car? the 4L60E?
[Modified by C4Cvette, 3:50 AM 1/6/2003]
Also, what tranny is in my car? the 4L60E?
[Modified by C4Cvette, 3:50 AM 1/6/2003]
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 3,195
Likes: 0
From: Lake George NY
Cruise-In IV Veteran
Re: Broke Down (C4Cvette)
my car had very low miles and obviously a special tranny, because everywhere I called or went told me just the parts for it were 5k, but I guess thats because its a 6spd LT4?? or I got royally ripped off. I probably got ripped off. So the tranny's dont really go premature, mine just had very low miles (14k) and the guy never drove the car, so I had to replace every seal because they had dried up from sitting around. Low mile cars are not always a good thing. for 2k, I would just take the car to a dealer if I were you or get a performance tranny(may not be a bad idea), and be done with it. It costs money to get a new car dont forget, and you wont get much for it with a bad tranny. JMO
Volt
Volt
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 2,089
Likes: 12
From: Port Saint Lucie, FL
Re: Broke Down (C4Cvette)
I'm not saying that I would give the car up with a bad tranny, just that I would fix it and then get rid of it. I have been thinking about trading the car in on a 1996 LT-4 and this would be a good time to start looking. I almost got rid of the car a month ago, now I am wishing I did.
Race Director
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 10,306
Likes: 15
Re: Broke Down (C4Cvette)
It looks like you are headed for a decent size bill. I live 20 mins from you and I know the mechanic of the stuart corvette club. I don't know if he specializes in Trannies.
I also have my best friend that works in a dealership in tampa who knows alot of people. I would not just bring that in to a shop if you don't have a regular mechanic. If dropping a few grand in it is no problem then go for it.
Personally though I would try to find yourself a used one or one in good condition and do the swap. Especially if you are getting rid of it.
However if you can't wait a few weeks to have it fixed then I guess you just have to go in and pay top dollar.
Good luck and sorry to hear about the tranny. :cry
I prefer the sticks for that reason, they have less things to break.
I also have my best friend that works in a dealership in tampa who knows alot of people. I would not just bring that in to a shop if you don't have a regular mechanic. If dropping a few grand in it is no problem then go for it.
Personally though I would try to find yourself a used one or one in good condition and do the swap. Especially if you are getting rid of it.
However if you can't wait a few weeks to have it fixed then I guess you just have to go in and pay top dollar.
Good luck and sorry to hear about the tranny. :cry
I prefer the sticks for that reason, they have less things to break.
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2000
Posts: 1,994
Likes: 0
From: Charleston, WV
Re: Broke Down (xlr8nflorida)
Man I hate hearing about all these tranny problems. It sounds like the converter has gone out of this car but to verify you'd have to drop the pan as if to service it. If there is no trash in the pan you could get away with just a converter. I always replace the front seal at this time because I'm in there and the seal's cheap.
When a person goes through a tranny they don't HAVE to replace all the seals in the trans. They don't dry rot from sitting. Even if they aren't run the fluid stays in there. I have taken a bunch of parts trannies aprt that have laid around for years in a junk yard and the seals were fine. If a car goes in for a warranty repair the manufacturer will only pay for repairing what's wrong with it so they don't rebuild the whole thing either. In other words if the forward clutch went out they will replace the forward clutch and any selas they disturb to get to it like the front pump seals and the big gasket. They rarely replace all the bushings and bearings as THEY will last forever unless a high stall converter is installed and the trans temp goes way up and melts one. Other things can cause high trans temp too but that was just an example.
I wish all you guys were closer so I could be of some help
Mike
When a person goes through a tranny they don't HAVE to replace all the seals in the trans. They don't dry rot from sitting. Even if they aren't run the fluid stays in there. I have taken a bunch of parts trannies aprt that have laid around for years in a junk yard and the seals were fine. If a car goes in for a warranty repair the manufacturer will only pay for repairing what's wrong with it so they don't rebuild the whole thing either. In other words if the forward clutch went out they will replace the forward clutch and any selas they disturb to get to it like the front pump seals and the big gasket. They rarely replace all the bushings and bearings as THEY will last forever unless a high stall converter is installed and the trans temp goes way up and melts one. Other things can cause high trans temp too but that was just an example.
I wish all you guys were closer so I could be of some help
Mike
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Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 2,089
Likes: 12
From: Port Saint Lucie, FL
Re: Broke Down (C4Cvette)
Well so far what I have found out that the shaft for the TC is snapped in half, and that there is metal in the burnt tranny fluid. I will find out tomorrow when the tranny is taken apart what the metal in the fluid is from. So far it isn't looking good. :eek:
Safety Car
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 3,753
Likes: 191
From: Orange County California
Re: Broke Down (Voltech_LT4)
I went the AAMCO route, took a lot of alot of flack for it on the foum but i'm glad that's what i did. I paid an extra 300 for the 3 yesr 50,000 mile warranty. I have even been thinking of paying anothe r250 to move to the lifetime warranty (i don't know how long i will have the car i am think a long time but you never know). Did i pay a little extra at $1750, yes i did. On the flip side i have no tranny worries for the foreseeable future. If it breaks they fix it end of story. It's my opinion that the 700R4 is not all that great. My father went through 4 of them in his Chevrolet truck and i am on my 2nd in my vette. It took AAMCO twice to get it righ (they installed the low reverse wave spring in wrong the first time but since then (about 2 months ago i have been driving it with no issues. Each shop is different though but i like the idea that this thing is covered for more than a year. JMHO.