mtx failure question

[bkmonster]

Hi,
I'm sure you probably already know about the problems with the mtx's throwing pieces through the case. OK.

About 2 years ago I was driving home from class (not beating on my car at all), just crusing down the highway at about 65 mph. I happened to notice that there is a lot of smoke coming out from behind my car by the time I got home. I guess that my transmission ended up throwing somehting through the case, and destroying it beyond repair. I took it to the local TSI (transmission shop), and had a rebuilt one put in for about $2200 ($175 labor--because I know the guy and the rest was parts).

Now all that happened with about 92,000 miles on the car. And after dropping that load of cash on the transmission, I have been TOTALLY babying my car, making sure that I never have to deal with that ever again. But, on the way home from class today, THE SAME THING HAPPENED (with only 25,000 miles on the rebuilt transmision)!!! Most of my friends who have had the mtx transmission problems were people who would blow out their trannies by doing one of thier infamous one-wheeled burnouts.

So...does anyone know why I keep on having these problems? I do not drive my car hard at all (since all the repair costs and everything have to come straight out of my pocketbook). I never did even ONE burnout with this transmission, or done anything remotely harsh to it.

I found a used transmission with 88K on it for $850 at a local salvage yard. I am planning on going on a ~5000 mile road trip this weekend for spring break, and I am not totally sure if I should trust a used transmission for such a long trip, but I dont know.

Do you think a used MTX with 88k will be reliable enough to make the 5000 mile round trip???

Thanks for your help with my POS car

 

[shobikes]

Survey says - it's a crapshoot, my man. Depends how abused the salvage tranny is. Check and make sure it hasn't been "serviced" as that seems to be the kiss of death for these units. Tell-tale signs would be rtv/non-anaerobic sealant squeezed out from the casing halves, missing bolts/nuts, rtv gooped on a hole already in the housing, etc.

RCM in PA. has used trannys for $350 I would trust more. See if you can borrow/rent a car for your 5000 mile road trip, and deal with it when you get back. I just put 1200 miles on my car in three days, but then my tranny seems to be OK at this moment (wishing there were a "knocking on wood" graemlin...) -that could change.

 

[bkmonster]

How fast would I be able to get one of those from PA???

Does anyone know why my trans would keep going out even though I am EXTREMELY nice to it?

 

[bkmonster]

How fast would I be able to get one of those from PA???

Does anyone know why my trans would keep going out even though I am EXTREMELY nice to it?

 

[shobikes]

shrug negative thinking? j/k - there's nothing you probably did wrong. If you want bulletproof, get Bizzy to Quaife you. Sure you spend $2000, but you can stop worrying.

Russ is on eBay all the time, and he checks WTB threads here, too. Put a thread in the Wanted to Buy forum. Check alfitz.com, too. Good luck!

 

[masho95]

I guess that my transmission ended up throwing somehting through the case, and destroying it beyond repair.

You guess something went through the case?

I took it to the local TSI (transmission shop), and had a rebuilt one put in for about $2200 ($175 labor--because I know the guy and the rest was parts).

He definitely charged you for labor bud, unless he has the worst source of parts I've ever heard of. You can easily get rebuilt trannies for under $1K probably more like $700-$800. Did the tranny shop confirm that there was a hole in the case by the axles??

But, on the way home from class today, THE SAME THING HAPPENED (with only 25,000 miles on the rebuilt transmision)!!!
So...does anyone know why I keep on having these problems?

Again did you confirm there was an actual hole in the tranny near the axles? Blowing differential pins through the case is a mix of things. Previous treatment being the number one factor. If you drive in the snow and the wheels spin that puts stress on the diff locating pins too, it's not just burnouts. Every little bit of stress after that is just compounding the issue. Once the locating pins are broken the differential pinions themselves are free to back out of the diff and catch on the case causing those big nasty holes. Anyways if you're serious about keeping your car around for a long time, seriously think about getting a Quaife differential. Sure it's going to cost you a lot again, but to me it was more than worth piece of mind, not to mention a performance increase!

 

[bkmonster]

There DEFINATELY was a hole in the case of the transmission. I am not totally sure exactly where it was (2 years ago is quite a while). I took a look at it when I picked my car up from the transmission shop. I believe that the hole was on the engine side of the transmission (inside where the clutch is), because that is where the fluid was leaking from both times.

For the TSI shop, I got the rebuilt transmission for COST. My buddy that works over there was having a really hard time trying to find one that was rebuilt (I called around to all the salvage yards around my area, and the cheapest thing that I could find at that time was a $1100 used one that had... "ahh...I think its about 110,000 miles". And that coming from those salvage yard guys really meant..I have NO CLUE.

Is there any way to half-*** the transmission so that I can gaurantee that it will last 5000 miles??

 

[bradman]

If you're thinking of trying to nurse the existing tranny 5000 miles with a hole in the case, let me tell you it's not gonna happen. If you have time, get on the phone/internet, and hit the junk yards to find a used one. Either swap in a different trans before your trip, or take a different car.

 

[masho95]

bkmonster:
For the TSI shop, I got the rebuilt transmission for COST.

That must have been one great tranny for $2025! Oh wait it broke, quick like. Don't take it the wrong way I'm really not knocking you, I just find it VERY hard to believe. I could've shipped you a completely rebuilt tranny for over $1K less.

 

[bkmonster]

Im not planning on taking the road trip with the transmission that is currently in there. I am just looking at 'just in case' the USED transmission that I am going to put in throws that pin through the case while I'm out in the middle of nowhere.

 

[masho95]

bkmonster:
Im not planning on taking the road trip with the transmission that is currently in there. I am just looking at 'just in case' the USED transmission that I am going to put in throws that pin through the case while I'm out in the middle of nowhere.

It's a crap shoot with a used transmission. Unless you actually drive out the diff pinion locating pins you'll have no idea of their condition and basically no idea if they'll blow....or even if they are already broken.

 

[qiksho]

From your post I don't believe the transmission you put in was TOTALLY rebuilt. Most times they don't change the differential pins, which is what blew on you both times. So they probably did synchro's and blocking rings, maybe the bearings.
So the diff pin (if all the info you have is correct) lasted about 135k on the used/rebuilt transmission.

FWIW if I were you and I wanted to drive this car I would buy a transmission from bizzy with a quaife in it. This totally eliminates the possibliity of you throwing the diff pin again. Even if you do high rpm clutch drops. (not saying your clutch will hold up to it).

 

[munkee]

Too bad you didn't know about the quaife 2 years ago. Then you could have spent 2000 rebuilding the trans and never had to worry about it again.

 

[BeautifulDisasterSho]

Bkmonster,
I live in Brooklyn Park also.
Sorry to hear about the tranny troubles.
I'd just buy another SHO for the prices of a used tranny being rebuilt, unless it was being quaife equipped of course.

I also have had tranny problems from TSI. I had my Town Car AOD rebuilt for $1200 or so with a shift kit. It was starting to slip shift so I had them redo it after 9,000 miles. But that's also a heavy RWD car and I put a large share of stress on it. evil_gri

 

[bkmonster]

I think I've come to the conclusion....

I need to sell my SHO and buy Another honda. My v-tech accord hasn't let me down yet. The SHO on the other hand.... lets just say 1 transmission costed more than my honda.

 

[bkmonster]

I think I've come to the conclusion....

I need to sell my SHO and buy Another honda. My v-tech accord hasn't let me down yet. The SHO on the other hand.... lets just say 1 transmission costed more than my honda.

 

[Lurch]

bkmonster:
I think I've come to the conclusion....

I need to sell my SHO and buy Another honda. My v-tech accord hasn't let me down yet. The SHO on the other hand.... lets just say 1 transmission costed more than my honda.

Hmm... POS SHO with blown tranny... I'll give you $50.

 

[bkmonster]

Its all yours...

 

[Lurch]

Hmmm.... Minnesota to East TN. I wonder how to get it here w/ a blown tranny. Solutions, anyone?

[edit]I was kidding... are you?[/edit]

<small>[ March 12, 2004, 02:50 PM: Message edited by: Lurch ]</small>

 

[billyshoe]

You need to call Mike at Courtney Truck Service in Eden Prairie. You won't pay that much more and you will have genuine SHO experienced mechanics. Mike's shop has fixed more SHO trannys than anyone in town. There will be no fooling around.