My mechanic explained that the hardened seals in the transmission are the problem; that's why things seem okay after the tranny warms up.

He said if I continue driving without a rebuild, the tranny may unexpectedly stop working.

He sends the work out; the trans shop wants $2500 to rebuild the existing tranny with a 2 year warranty. That sound like a reasonable price?

One person suggested adding a large auxillary transmission cooler -- while doing the rebuild. Good idea?

Another said that there are two electronic controls in the transmission
that go bad and cause fluid pressure problems which then causes clutches to slip and burn out.Is this a possibility?


Any advice greatly appreciated.

 

No it does not. Top dollar is $1800.00 to rebuild one of these trannies.

 

Thanks, that's valuable input. And my guess is that my mechanic is getting himself a sweet commission.

 

@Alloro: I'm shopping around for a better price, preferably with an ATRA shop. How do I determine if the trans is a 42RH or 46RH? (The best I can determine is the engine is a 5.2/318 8cyl, EFI)

 

Transmission identification numbers are stamped on the driver side of the case flange just above the oil pan gasket. There will be a 9 digit part number, a space, a 4 digit build date, a space, and a 4 digit serial number.

Auto Trans code breaks down like this:

4 = 4 forward speeds
6 = strength of trans. (1-9, higher number, stronger trans.)
R = Rear wheel drive
H=Hydraulic controlled, E = Electronic controlled shift

 

Thanks for the guidance. It's a 46RH.

 

I called ATRA (Automatic Transmission Rebuilders Association) as they have a help line. The knowledgeable guy said the tranny doesn't sound like it needs rebuilding. He suggested it might be electronic.

I stopped at a local transmission shop (not AAMCO); they said it's a solenoid and it'd cost $500 to replace it.

Big question: With 158K on the tranny, it seems like only a matter of time before it dies. I'm assuming a rebuild will have a new solenoid, so would it be smarter to get a rebuild (at between $1800 and $2500), rather than just spend $500 on a solenoid?

Advice is greatly appreciated.

 

I was stuck in a very expensive part of the country (santa barbara) when my a500/42re transmission failed. 2800$. And as if they did not profit enough off me, they refilled the rebuild with bulk dexron to boot which caused bad torque converter clutch chatter right at the end of the warranty period.

That was nearly a decade ago, and I must now stop thinking about it as my anger is rising again.

 

I don't believe replacing the solenoid is a difficult job. Certainly not 500$$ worth, though I do not know how much the solenoid pack costs.

 

You don't know that it's going to fail any time soon. It might never fail between now and the day you sell it. If we were talking a matter of a hundred bucks or two I would say go for it. But considering the significant cost difference, I would just fix what's wrong and go about my business.