TheOneAnd Posted February 17, 2007 Report Posted February 17, 2007 Hello, Its been awhile since I have browsed the forums here. Anyways, I have been running my 1993 Cutty on "Borrowed Time" in regards to the transmission, it finally is near its end. I need the transmission flushed and new filter put on but no shop will touch it.... too many problems regarding it once I were to drive away. More like unknown issues that may come about. There is 130,000 org. miles on the transmission. My buddy who is a Trans Spec. for the better part of the last 30yrs is booked up for the next few weeks, and from what he thinks its going to have to be rebuilt which is a pretty expensive job for a car of this age. I am looking for advice on what to do.... I'm not sure what I can do and I need a car for work, I have nothing else right now. I have put alot of money it the Cutty over the years and would hate to actual have to junk it at a yard. So I am kinda putting this out as "Feeler" for any of you gents/ladies looking for parts, or if anyone would make me an offer for the car. I can get pictures on request. But I just want a general idea of what is worth doing here, parting it out and when done sell for scrap etc... or try and sell it as a mechanic special? Posting here rather than For Sale section. Move if deemed necessary. Thanks. Tony Quote
White93z34 Posted February 17, 2007 Report Posted February 17, 2007 well if your transmission is dieing, chances are a fluid flush will just kill it quicker. personally i'd just get a good junkyard transmission, and have that installed. Quote
3WH12-96 Posted February 17, 2007 Report Posted February 17, 2007 well if your transmission is dieing, chances are a fluid flush will just kill it quicker. personally i'd just get a good junkyard transmission, and have that installed. X2 flush will stir up all the clutch material and contanimants already inside and waiting to be let loose a "good" junkyard trans is the cheapest way to go like Chris said but just remember what the first word is in junkyard is Quote
TheOneAnd Posted February 17, 2007 Author Report Posted February 17, 2007 Yeah, that was something I was thinking of doing but not sure if I should bother, I know if I have it flushed what could happen and likely worsen whats going on. I just don't feel like putting any more money into it anymore, plenty already in the past in repairs and upkeep. There are a couple good yards in my area, one in particular that has about 4 or 5 Cuttys in good shape sitting there. What would it cost on average to do something like that, I mean is it really worth it? I love the car always have been a fan. But with all the recent repairs and money into it, I'm starting to think its not worth it anymore. I really would'nt want to spend more than $400 or $500 on it and thats pushing it. So with that said, would it be worth parting out or would I better off trying just to sell it to someone with the problems announced first hand to that person? Thanks for the replies. Tony Quote
3WH12-96 Posted February 17, 2007 Report Posted February 17, 2007 my ? to you is what can you replace it with for say $1000?? whatever it may be it is not the car that you not only love but will not be as structuraly (sp) sound as your current W (the body men i work with call these vehicles "Tanks")...add to that I dont know what other issues you may have with your current vehicle but lord knows what your buying...... if all it is for your cutty right now (trans) and after all the money you have already spent on it IMO replace the trans and move on and remember either way the money has to be spent All the effort needed to part it out youll never make it backup remember your time and effort cost something as well Quote
TheOneAnd Posted February 17, 2007 Author Report Posted February 17, 2007 Not exactly sure on what I will do yet, I have a Rainy Day fund with around $5000 in it and I could always get a loan to possibly buy a newer car. I love the car just with all the time and money put into I'm starting to have second thoughts on whether to keep or not you know? Reason I'm asking for advice on here because I can't make up my mind right now. I don't know what else could go wrong with her even after a replace the trans. so... I know parting out I won't get much back for my time & effort but its better than nothing, if anyone on here was interested its possible we could work out a deal, my bottom line would be $500 and its yours if anyones interested or it probably gonna to sit in my buddys driveway till I figure out what to do with it or sell it locally..... last and very least would it be going to the yard for a cheap..... Quote
Crazy K Posted February 17, 2007 Report Posted February 17, 2007 IMO you could try just changing the fluid and filter, ie dropping the pan, but not a flush... as the only thing it could do is get worse. you could look for a used tranny to put it, but 130k seems so low a mileage to me I've seen some hellaciously beat trannies that will still go. how about telling us what is wrong/ what it's doing? Quote
Psych0matt Posted February 17, 2007 Report Posted February 17, 2007 i think total my junkyard tranny and install cost about 600$, and that was a semi expensive tranny because it's the only one i could find in town. 300 for the install, 300 for the tranny, just to throw some numbers your way Quote
TheOneAnd Posted February 17, 2007 Author Report Posted February 17, 2007 I know its got low miles, it has been slipping slightly for about 6 months now but just got worse in the last couple days, I replaced fluid and the filter about when I started to notice the slipping and that took care of it pretty much as far as prolonging the life of the trans. What it basically is doing now is that its losing fluid quickly atleast a quart leaving it overnight. I didn't know this was happening, I'm guessing it started atleast a few days before I could actual feel it slipping bad. Don't know why that happened, I'm pretty cautious when it comes to driving, especially over speedbumps etc... anyways putting into drive and starting to drive i'll get up to about 25-30mph it goes to shift and starts to rev really high, I'll let off hoping it will shift but it won't for at least a good minute even after it shifts its still laggy won't accelerate but at a slow to moderate speed. I can hear noise coming from the trans while driving also like something grinding as its upshifting, now when I top it off it shifts more smoothly from first to second but when it gets to the next shiftpoint it jerks hard and I let off so it shifts itself. Thats the best I can do to describe what its doing. Anyways I know I could probably prolong the life of it if I just change the filter and the fluid instead of doing a flush cause of what damage can come from that.... Also at the same time, I'm not exactly in the best position to do that either, to make it short I don't have a place of residence and sorta living out of my car and friends couches right now and my toolbox is at a storage on the other side of town where I currently i'm at. Leaves me with basically a Tire Kingdom nearby... I had it at a GM Dealer and they won't touch it because of the High Mileage? If that makes sense, I don't know. Anyways thats the just of whats happening. So any ideas I am open too. Thanks for replying. Tony Quote
TheOneAnd Posted February 17, 2007 Author Report Posted February 17, 2007 i think total my junkyard tranny and install cost about 600$, and that was a semi expensive tranny because it's the only one i could find in town. 300 for the install, 300 for the tranny, just to throw some numbers your way The thing with junkyard trannys IMO is that I have no way to test them, its like taking a gamble to say the least, if I were to do something like that what would be the best thing to do when looking at one? I don't know if this things have been beat or whatever so in that regard, anything I should be aware of first off?? Quote
Crazy K Posted February 17, 2007 Report Posted February 17, 2007 have you ever tried just manually upshifting instead of letting the car shift? I heard someone drove his lumina like this for over a year with a tranny that was damaged. might give you a bit of time till the weather warms back up... Quote
Turbo231 Posted February 17, 2007 Report Posted February 17, 2007 I have a Rainy Day fund with around $5000 in it and I could always get a loan to possibly buy a newer car. . 1) It appears you love the car and 2) GOOD JOB on the emergency fund! If you are looking for a "Go to work beater" then $2000 is MORE then enough. Just find yourself a Hooptie...some ugly but reliable car. I would look at compact pickup trucks or old large cars. Both are readily available and most are easy to fix (things like brakes, etc) and are cheap to insure. This gets you two things...one is a backup car in the event your cutty totally craps the bed and two is Time. You are no longer super pressed to fix the cutty, you can take your time either finding a used transmission, having it rebuilt, or even selling it. Either way, with a backup car, having one car out of service for a period of time is no longer an issue. That's pretty much the only way you can live using older cars. They are cheap, you just need more of them. Note my signature below. Every car there cost me less then $5000 and if I have to take one out of service for maintenance/repair, I've got a backup. Quote
TheOneAnd Posted February 17, 2007 Author Report Posted February 17, 2007 have you ever tried just manually upshifting instead of letting the car shift? I heard someone drove his lumina like this for over a year with a tranny that was damaged. might give you a bit of time till the weather warms back up... Meaning starting out in low gear and just shifting it upwards correct? Or am I misunderstanding this, never thought about trying that..... Quote
TheOneAnd Posted February 17, 2007 Author Report Posted February 17, 2007 I have a Rainy Day fund with around $5000 in it and I could always get a loan to possibly buy a newer car. . 1) It appears you love the car and 2) GOOD JOB on the emergency fund! If you are looking for a "Go to work beater" then $2000 is MORE then enough. Just find yourself a Hooptie...some ugly but reliable car. I would look at compact pickup trucks or old large cars. Both are readily available and most are easy to fix (things like brakes, etc) and are cheap to insure. This gets you two things...one is a backup car in the event your cutty totally craps the bed and two is Time. You are no longer super pressed to fix the cutty, you can take your time either finding a used transmission, having it rebuilt, or even selling it. Either way, with a backup car, having one car out of service for a period of time is no longer an issue. That's pretty much the only way you can live using older cars. They are cheap, you just need more of them. Note my signature below. Every car there cost me less then $5000 and if I have to take one out of service for maintenance/repair, I've got a backup. The rainy day fund I started a little over two years ago... so yeah it helps, I do love my Cutlass, but given my current situation with out a place of residence.... this is what that rainy do fund is for to help me get into a new apartment, but I'm unsure of the cost, this whole situation just came out of nowhere with the car so to speak... but its an idea, and I appreciate that. Tony. Quote
ns87 Posted February 17, 2007 Report Posted February 17, 2007 Did you ever check your transmission vacuum modulator? It has a vacuum line that runs to the transmission. When my transmission started slipping and such it turns out my vacuum line was broken there. The part only cost me $30 PS also nice job on the rainy day fund! Quote
TheOneAnd Posted February 22, 2007 Author Report Posted February 22, 2007 Did you ever check your transmission vacuum modulator? It has a vacuum line that runs to the transmission. When my transmission started slipping and such it turns out my vacuum line was broken there. The part only cost me $30 PS also nice job on the rainy day fund! No, I haven't checked that out. Anyways, I've decided to sell it if anyone here is interested let me know(should I just post in the For Sale section?) I actual found a 2000 Cadillac Seville STS Fully loaded with 52,000 org miles for $8000. Already got a small loan to cover what I don't have out of my Rainy Day Fund. If anyone is here is interested in my Cutlass shoot me a PM, I have had offers through Craigslist from $150-$800 I think blue book is between that. I would like to get $500-$1000 but at this point don't really care, but would rather see this car go to someone that has a love for w-body's. Thanks to all who responded, I appreciate your input. I will be sad to see this car go... but I'm doing what I have to do, I neither have the time or patience to find a new/jy tranny or have it repaired. My small business depends on me having transportation. So let me know. Thanks Again. Tony Quote
Crazy K Posted February 22, 2007 Report Posted February 22, 2007 have you ever tried just manually upshifting instead of letting the car shift? I heard someone drove his lumina like this for over a year with a tranny that was damaged. might give you a bit of time till the weather warms back up... Meaning starting out in low gear and just shifting it upwards correct? Or am I misunderstanding this, never thought about trying that..... exactly. good luck on your new venture! Quote
TheOneAnd Posted February 22, 2007 Author Report Posted February 22, 2007 Did you ever check your transmission vacuum modulator? It has a vacuum line that runs to the transmission. When my transmission started slipping and such it turns out my vacuum line was broken there. The part only cost me $30 PS also nice job on the rainy day fund! I haven't checked it yet, could you tell me where its at? I'm trying to pinpoint exactly what your saying, but now entirely sure, either way, I'm still going to sell the car so if anyone here wanted to buy it, it just might be a simple fix.... Quote
Crazy K Posted February 22, 2007 Report Posted February 22, 2007 on the front of the tranny, basically directly below the upper radiator hose. it's a big vaccum selonoid thingy... it should have a metal line running from there to the upper intake plenum. Quote
TheOneAnd Posted February 22, 2007 Author Report Posted February 22, 2007 on the front of the tranny, basically directly below the upper radiator hose. it's a big vaccum selonoid thingy... it should have a metal line running from there to the upper intake plenum. I'll check it out in the morning.... If its that ok, replace and test, I guess.... that would be the simplest fix. Thanks for your help. Tony Quote
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