Ok, lets start the count....GM Goodwrench trans failure #1..

[dbtk2]

holy crap :shock: you should really consider pulling it all out together and seeing just how much easier everything is that way! after disconnecting hoses, pulling the hood off, draining fluids and pulling axles out it literally only takes 2 minutes to have the engine and transmission out of the car and on the ground where you can work on it with ease. you don't even have to disconnect the wiring harness from the engine...just unplug the bulkead connector from the firewall, unbolt the ECM from the fender area and and pull it all out with all sensors still attatched to the engine.

 

you couldn't pay me $200 to install a 5-speed with the engine already in place. it would be next to impossible. it's hell enough lining up the splines with the engine hanging off a cherry picker.

 

I have no way at all of pulling the engine out. If I did, I'd probably do it that way. Its really not that hard to do it with the engine in the car though, so I see no reason to invest in a cherry picker yet. I realize it would be easier to do with the engine out of the car... Although most trans shops pull the trans right out of the bottom without pulling the engine and thats also how we do it at school as well.

 

To reply to what Jeff said, I can't really hide the mods I did. I'm not swapping my heads & intakes back just to get my trans fixed. I'm also not changing my exhaust back to stock, or putting my stock air intake on, or the stock chip in it, or anything like that. Not only that, but they'd probably notice the cam even if I did change all that stuff back, and I really have no way of changing the cam back to stock without buying a new one and thats not worth the work. If they try to deny the work I will just tell them it was screwed up from day 1, if they don't want to do anythying about it they will not hear the end of it from me. When I pay almost $2k for a trans that only lasts 6 weeks, I'm NOT happy if they don't do something about it. I could swap the trans into my dads TGP which they wouldn't be able to tell wasn't stock (just has TG160 chip, 160 t-stat, no cat, and K&N), but thats not worth the work either. We'll just see if they give me any trouble with this one first.

 

There is a dealer not too far away that is pretty cool too, so if I can't get the dealer that I bought the trans from to do something about it, I might be able to take it to the other one with no problems. When my dad needed to get his fuel pump fixed on his '02 GTP (which he ended up doing himself since it was just a bad relay) he called up the dealer and told them about the problem and told them about his mods and that the car ran 12.8's (at that time), they said the mods were no problem and that they would fix it anyways. They're pretty badass but not worth the drive if the local dealer will fix it.

 

Shawn

[Jeff M]

To reply to what Jeff said, I can't really hide the mods I did. I'm not swapping my heads & intakes back just to get my trans fixed. I'm also not changing my exhaust back to stock, or putting my stock air intake on, or the stock chip in it, or anything like that

 

WHAT that would be insane for me to ask you on those such items silly besides those don't necessarily look like serious performance mods to most people like dealers . So back to being more realistic about this, chip they won't see anyways, and a scan tool won't show your tuning work, but they don't need to scan your ECM to know your tranny is dead. Quick swap to a stock air filter maybe, for sure its good to not have a manual/boost controller on your car is about all you would need for that one-time it takes to visit these guys to get warranty work approved, not like this brief/simple change is going to kill your lifestyle :shock: but sounds like you got good dealers so you can throw all this out, besides they are just my ideas, you can always do what you want, don't need my approval 8)

 

Not only that, but they'd probably notice the cam even if I did change all that stuff back

 

does your dealer have x-ray vision or something ? how are they going to see a different cam :? Even if it did idle different(?) not many dealers know much about TGPs, might think that is the way they came stock

 

When my dad needed to get his fuel pump fixed on his '02 GTP (which he ended up doing himself since it was just a bad relay) he called up the dealer and told them about the problem and told them about his mods and that the car ran 12.8's (at that time), they said the mods were no problem and that they would fix it anyways. They're pretty badass but not worth the drive if the local dealer will fix it.

 

Some dealers will work with you, others won't, I wanted to mention the possibility so that you could plan ahead and avoid: "if they don't want to do anything about it they will not hear the end of it from me" at least I like to avoid getting that pissed off if I can

 

Good luck either way, sure you know what you are doing and all that, just offering some tips to you AND OTHERS who seem to nose in and read our posts and learn from them

 

Peace

Jeff M

[Guest TurboSedan]

hey you quoted the wrong person

[J]

Damn! good luck Shawn, keep us updated

[Jeff M]

hey you quoted the wrong person

 

 

oops :oops: thanks for letting me know, fixed it Silly Jeff

[Guest TurboSedan]

no problem, just didn't want anyone to get confused. i know NOTHING about automatic transmissions :oops:

[Jeff M]

no problem, just didn't want anyone to get confused. i know NOTHING about automatic transmissions :oops:

 

Super thanks for catching it, guess I don't know nothing about posting either :oops:

 

Jeff M

[dbtk2]

To reply to what Jeff said, I can't really hide the mods I did. I'm not swapping my heads & intakes back just to get my trans fixed. I'm also not changing my exhaust back to stock, or putting my stock air intake on, or the stock chip in it, or anything like that

 

WHAT that would be insane for me to ask you on those such items silly besides those don't necessarily look like serious performance mods to most people like dealers . So back to being more realistic about this, chip they won't see anyways, and a scan tool won't show your tuning work, but they don't need to scan your ECM to know your tranny is dead. Quick swap to a stock air filter maybe, for sure its good to not have a manual/boost controller on your car is about all you would need for that one-time it takes to visit these guys to get warranty work approved, not like this brief/simple change is going to kill your lifestyle :shock: but sounds like you got good dealers so you can throw all this out, besides they are just my ideas, you can always do what you want, don't need my approval 8)

 

Have you seen under the hood of my car???? There is no way they'll believe its stock!

 

 

I don't think putting a stock air cleaner on it is going to make a difference. They'll still be able to see the ud pulley as well, and the removed cat and magnaflow mufflers and my egr removal plate, etc.... Not that my dealer cares, just that if they did look for things like you say, there is no way my car would pass their little "test" without me doing tons of work.

 

I understand your replying to help other out, not just me, I'm just filling everyone in on my situation and why some of the things you mention aren't reasonable for me to do.

 

Shawn

[Jeff M]

Yea yea, it don't look stock I know that, but pay attention 8) its the chance (only a chance mind you) that a "performance mod" such as a manual boost controller (i.e. an obvious "performance mod " used to well..........increase the boost/engine's power that is then.......thrown through this tranny ), that stands out as a item the dealer "may" look for. Not that your car does not "look" stock looks don't mean the same unless you have a T4 turbo on there and bald tires when you come in for warranty work Other changes or mods like an under drive pulley or muffler upgrades don't get much attention with a dealer as something like a manual boost controller does :!: But I am ready to quit beating this dead horse

 

And to give you a well deserved compliment, aside from a few wild hoses running around over by the water pump area, it looks like a clean enough install to be stock 8) Nice job and I know how much that kind of work is to do so, Excellent Job!!

 

Jeff M

[SleeperRed90TGp]

So I'm driving the STE and I stop at a stop sign. I drop it down into first gear manually, roll up to ~10mph and go WOT. It is obviously smoking the tires and whatnot, so I hold it WOT up to ~100mph ish. Shawn

 

Dammit Shawn next time take it out of first gear.

 

Well you have definatly had more than your share of tranny problems. Sorry for that. i've had my share also. Mine has been in and out 5 times, once for the sprag unit and 4 times for 3rd clutches. The third clutches were finally fixed with a different drum and clutches. Got 70k miles out of it be fore I had sliping again in 3rd at moderate speeds like passing gear but dosent slip if you go into it at wot. Still run the 1/4 mile. And you have an idea of how much power it has. Bite the bullet and get GM to give you a check and get it rebuilt by somebody that has learned how to beef them up a little.

 

If you want a couple of sources let me know although it would require R & R and shipping.

 

Well hope you get it sorted out.

 

Jud

[dbtk2]

So I'm driving the STE and I stop at a stop sign. I drop it down into first gear manually, roll up to ~10mph and go WOT. It is obviously smoking the tires and whatnot, so I hold it WOT up to ~100mph ish. Shawn

 

Dammit Shawn next time take it out of first gear.

 

Well you have definatly had more than your share of tranny problems. Sorry for that. i've had my share also. Mine has been in and out 5 times, once for the sprag unit and 4 times for 3rd clutches. The third clutches were finally fixed with a different drum and clutches. Got 70k miles out of it be fore I had sliping again in 3rd at moderate speeds like passing gear but dosent slip if you go into it at wot. Still run the 1/4 mile. And you have an idea of how much power it has. Bite the bullet and get GM to give you a check and get it rebuilt by somebody that has learned how to beef them up a little.

 

If you want a couple of sources let me know although it would require R & R and shipping.

 

Well hope you get it sorted out.

 

Jud

 

Yeah, let me know of a couple of good sources. I have no problem with R&R and shipping if these guys know what they are doing and can do it right. This is the reason I never turned in my original trans for a core charge in case I needed to get it rebuilt at some time...I didn't see how it was worth giving it back to them for $250.

 

shawn

[SleeperRed90TGp]

I'll dig up the shops for you when I get back next monday. I am in SC now heading for Charelston, plan to spend two days there, man there is alot see, then to Florida and the naval air musem then home. Long haul but were having fun.

 

Jud

[z284pwr]

Have you seen under the hood of my car???? There is no way they'll believe its stock!

[/img]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v338/dbtk2/pict0062.jpg[/img]

[/img]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v338/dbtk2/pict0063.jpg[/img]

Shawn

 

Umm, wow, they looks weird, way weird, and a jumbled messed Got hoses here, hoses there, hoses everywhere, spark plug wierds way messed up looking, motor mount looks crooked, rusty stuff, lines this way, lines that way, things unplugged here, theres there, haha, I don't think very many people would look at that thing seriously and think it helped destroy a transmission in 6 weeks but very cool looking in a way i think? :?

I link how you used the stock air box tube to help make your upper intake pipe, very ingenious way of reusing parts even though I'll bet that gets hot, but oh well, very cool to finally see what it looks like :shock:

[TurboGTU]

Hey..you've seen mine. I resuse old parts whereever I can. But most of the time I get mine from home depo and autozone. . Its called prototyping .

 

Well GM will never beef up a trans. All they do is rebuild to specs. So its still a slow shifting low line pressure box. But you also have to consider they prob had it in storage getting some moister rust inside the valve body. They will all fail because they are all built the same. Slow shifting , smoth peaces of crap. Hi-po is the only way to go. I woun't be suprised if they gave you a N/A 3.1 tranny.

[dbtk2]

Have you seen under the hood of my car???? There is no way they'll believe its stock!

[/img]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v338/dbtk2/pict0062.jpg[/img]

[/img]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v338/dbtk2/pict0063.jpg[/img]

Shawn

 

Umm, wow, they looks weird, way weird, and a jumbled messed Got hoses here, hoses there, hoses everywhere, spark plug wierds way messed up looking, motor mount looks crooked, rusty stuff, lines this way, lines that way, things unplugged here, theres there, haha, I don't think very many people would look at that thing seriously and think it helped destroy a transmission in 6 weeks but very cool looking in a way i think? :?

I link how you used the stock air box tube to help make your upper intake pipe, very ingenious way of reusing parts even though I'll bet that gets hot, but oh well, very cool to finally see what it looks like :shock:

 

Those pics are the same ones I posted about a year and a half ago when I got done with the swap, that was seriously like the day after I got it done. A lot of that stuff is different now, I just had to get it together then so I could drive it since it was my only car. I have slowly worked on it and its slowly getting better. The upper charge pipe doesn't really get that hot, not any hotter than the original one did anyways. The only thing unplugged is the EGR and thats because its not there. (in that pic it is still there but is unplugged since it was blocked off on the manifold, now I got the manifold welded so I don't have the EGR there anymore) The motor mounts were crooked in those pics because my lower engine mount was broken. That was replaced when I got my transmission fixed the first time so the engine sits in there straight.

 

You could've seen those pics a long time ago if you looked. Not to mention they are on my website (and have been since I took them) which you can see by clicking the www on the bottom of any of my posts. I don't have a camera so I can't take pics often.

 

Shawn

[z284pwr]

I honestly never even noticed that boy do i feel dumb now :oops:. I can definitely understand throwing it together since it was your only car though. Just call it "sleeper trim."

[Jeff M]

Yea my boys around here all call their quick-mods "Getto Job", what ever it takes at the time to make it work , then later clean things up, or later finally come up with that perfect idea to address an area that needed some serious thought but nothing good came to mind at the time 8), always make it better.

 

I never hear others post this "Getto Job" saying, so I wonder if its a local thing only :?

 

Modified, what else is there?

 

Jeff M