I knew my transmission on my 96 Ram 2500 was not long for this world when I bought it. The fluid was burnt and it had been replaced at 112k and had 186k when I got it.

It's got a 318 engine and an overdrive transmission. A few months ago it stopped shifting into 3rd gear and I didn't try to push it over 50mph in second. I drove it like that for a while on short trips for groceries etc. Then I was going to take it on a 100 mile drive on country roads to get to a friend who would help me rebuild it. Before I did, I took it to a more nearby friend to have a look and see if he thinks it will make the trip or if I risk blowing the engine too!

He pushed it hard to see if it would shift. It did. Then it made some bad noises and refused to do anything else. We rolled to a stop and had only reverse. So we drove 3 miles in reverse to get back home and there it sits. That solved my problem of deciding whether or not to go on that 100 mile trip.

Now I want to get a rebuilt tranny, but I'm not finding the $700 - $1000 prices that people guessed it would be. I'm finding $1800.

The Van is in great condition other than the transmission. Nice conversion, no rust, engine purs. I put new brakes and shocks on it too. So it's not ready for the scrap yard. But I also can't afford sticking $1800 into it.

Should I look into Used transmissions? I've heard that it's not worth the labor to have to do it again when they don't last long.

What's the best way to find a deal on a good replacement?

Thanks for your help. I know I don't contribute much, but I love this forum.

 

I would probably get a good used one from a scrap dealer that offers a bit of a warranty. It might at least last long enough for you to save up for a good rebuilt one when it does go out.

Make sure it comes from a wrecked vehicle though, preferably one that has been rolled. Usually the engine and transmission are good in them since it was apparently going fine until it flipped.

 

Yeah, I think it might be fine to get a used one like that if I can find one. Shipping is horribly high on something like this though. So I'd probably have to find one somewhat local to save any real money.

I don't plan to keep the van long either. So I'm also wondering if it's better to sell it needing a transmission, or put the time and money into one first and then sell...

What could I get for a 96 conversion van in great condition other than the transmission?

 

You might be able to scrape up $1800 from it since conversion vans generally have a lot of custom, unique features and are good for camping. Just be willing to negotiate lower, as this person will have to get it towed.

I'm no used car dealer so I could be way off, but I do watch Craigslist and the like pretty much every day. As I've learned, selling a non-running vehicle like this is very difficult to do in the first place.

 

Try here and have it sort by distance from your zipcode.
http://car-part.com/