RIP Auto Transmision.

[burnzie]

Gday all. im a bit of a long time reader first time poster (first time in a long time anyway) my (broken) car is an AU series 1.

Ok my auto trans just blew the other day. long story short I'm stuck with a dession... rebuild it or drop the lot and go for a manual conversion. labor is sorted... i just need the parts. anyone know of any good places to hit for parts? also if anyone has done this before or has atleast looked into this some/any advise is much appreciated.

Im in the melbourne area... more specificly the SE suburbs.

Thanks

[JC]

Try FTG auto salvage for the parts, and LG for the advice - he has done this conversion.

[Mechan1k]

I think LG has a box lying around as well ... well an auto ... apparently in immaculate condition ... but I could be wrong.

I might have to look into a rebuilt transmission in the not too distant future myself ... the fluid is burnt out around 20,000km now with the trans cooler ... it was 12,000km last time it NEEDED a service. I thought i had stuffed my transmission seeing as it was deciding to select N while in D ... no forward tractive power. Lucky it just need a service and new fluid.

[howesy]

From what I have read the engine management is mapped differently in the auto to the manual and relies in part from communication with the gearbox in a round about way. people have tried this before and had headaches with economy etc. Get the ECU from the manual as well. Of course I could have read wrong so look in to it and ask questions before you start.

[burnzie]

Originally Posted by Mechan1k

I think LG has a box lying around as well ... well an auto ... apparently in immaculate condition ... but I could be wrong.

I might have to look into a rebuilt transmission in the not too distant future myself ... the fluid is burnt out around 20,000km now with the trans cooler ... it was 12,000km last time it NEEDED a service. I thought i had stuffed my transmission seeing as it was deciding to select N while in D ... no forward tractive power. Lucky it just need a service and new fluid.

yeh thats what happend to mine... had it looked at.... was supposedly flushed and serviced but was told it was ****ed and needed new trans and he did me the service of even booking it in for me at his friends down the road and was in the process of organising it to be transported down. for a cool $3200... seeing as he was charging me over 300 for a basic service i told him i would sort it myself and if he ever tried to forcefully work on my car again he could book in my foot square up his ****. he also rang me back after to tell me that he forgot to charge me for the pulys he replaced in the engine and it would be an extra $250... i laughed and told him that was his problem and hung up. seeing as the black sludge that flowed out of my transmission didnt look like fluid that was 2 weeks old and the ratty gaskets didnt look that old either. i flushed and replaced the fluid myself (with a mate) and we found the leak but it did need someone a lil more experianced to fix... and had been putting it off for a couple of weeks... the car started slipping again the other morn... nothing major so i figure right o get that looked at... that night it slipped... i went to pull out form work... went into gear... then quickly slipped out, reved... then BANG.... no more drive. and me stuck in the middle of the road looking like a bit of a dick. reved it more... no go.... shifted throu all gears... nothing.... banged it into reverse THANKYOU flew back into the carpark and thats where it stayed till it was towed.

anyway i can get it rebuilt through a friends work for about 1500 all up... but if i can get the parts for the 5 speed i can get that done. so i have a few days to try and sort out parts.

been a bit of a **** week i must say.

[Mechan1k]

Jeeezus ... Don't go back to that transmission place again. $3200 for a transmission swap ... must be made of Gold ... LOL.

Hope you can sort something out ... going to 5-speed you will need a few things done ... including a new ECU to handle manual as well (don't know if there are that many out there either).

Or get a strengthened 4-speed auto put back in it ... I think the 2nd option might be the easiest and less time consuming.

Getting a 5-speed conversion kit will cost about the same a getting a decent auto put back into it ... but more hassle installing the 5-speed.

[stiddy]

But the 5spd is more fun, alot more fun and makes the car noticably faster :P

[Mechan1k]

STIDDY ... where the hell have you been.

I know the 5-speed is more fun ... would love to have a manual in the ute ... but then again ... Sydney traffic with heavy load would not be fun for me :(

I miss driving a manual car soooooo much.

[stiddy]

lol g'day mate, been lurking around..

Thats one thing I agree on its, shocking in traffic.. but the other times make up for it..

[Mechan1k]

True ... I need a project car ... and a work ute ... LOL

[stiddy]

Project car lol do it, buy an ex taxi, and i'll go halves with ya on everything.. *drool* 10 second manual taxi..

Manuals are pricey to fix aswell..
Mines on the way out, its taken ALOT of punishment, im suprised its taken this long to let go.. and its going to cost anywhere from $2200 to $4850 depending on the replacement box that I want.

[Mechan1k]

See ... that's the thing with a replacement box.

I think for burnzie though ... it might be easier and cheaper to get a replacement auto ... a stronger rebuilt one at that ... as the stock item isn't exactly the strongest and doesn't like spirited driving too much either. I know it doesn't like the work i give it everyday.

Getting a manual might be all well and good ... but you need a manual pedal box ... ECU ... decent clutch ... and i am not sure if the tailshaft is the same length for a manual compared to an auto either. I know there are kits out there ... and the best people to speak to would be FTG ... they have the conversion kits ... and most likely the ECu to go with it.

Labour is an added cost ... and i would be putting a better than standard clutch in for sure if i was doing the conversion.

[stiddy]

Agreed..

plus a stronger auto with a 3000rpm stallie would make for some fun aswell and probably bring it up to par quickness wise with a manual if not faster.

[Mechan1k]

True that ... decisions decisions.
Hi-stall would be fun.
Imagine me trying to tow a horse float with a hi-stall ... poor horses would get whiplash ... and I'd have bald rear tyres as well

[Bucknaked]

My E-Series had burn't fluid. I was quoted $3,000 for a reco one installed, or $1,500 for one out of a taxi. : So I bought an AU which cost over $30,000. Let me know if your having trouble understanding the logic :hihi:

[janek]

your logic is flawless!

the au is the best option

[stiddy]

Originally Posted by Bucknaked

My E-Series had burn't fluid. I was quoted $3,000 for a reco one installed, or $1,500 for one out of a taxi. : So I bought an AU which cost over $30,000. Let me know if your having trouble understanding the logic :hihi:

LOL aww Bucky, see your not just all good looks :

[burnzie]

well finding the parts is becomeing as it seems a lil hard... so it may just be an auto rebuild. wish i had an e- series seems to be alot more commen and easy. oh well there goes that plan i think... unless anyone knows anywhere i can possable get the stuff i need... ftg had nothing plus all the local reckers pretty much said good luck.

[stiddy]

Burnzie, i can direct you in the right direction if you want..

Speak to Mark 0415 727 951 or (02) 46214178 if you want to go for a manual conversion.
If your not in NSW, he will freight aswell.. everything supplied.

[GK]

Originally Posted by Bucknaked

My E-Series had burn't fluid. I was quoted $3,000 for a reco one installed, or $1,500 for one out of a taxi. : So I bought an AU which cost over $30,000. Let me know if your having trouble understanding the logic :hihi:

Nothing wrong with your logic at all. Just looking at your lovely car, you probably are glad now that the tranny gave in! LOL!

GK

[Mark351]

People say trafffic + manual = bad. I say, if you can't hack manual + traffic, then manual + traffic + whinge = wuss. I spent my early years learning to drive, getting a manual from Kogarah/Carlton to Kingswood, with peak hour Sydney traffic between Kogarah and the M4 that would make most people go mental. Since those formative years of learning to drive, I have still not owned an auto. Felicity's Escape is an auto, and sure it's easier, but it's BORING. My F100 is a 4 speed manual, effectively a 3 speed because 1st gear is a 'with load' launch gear, and the straight cut gears are a pain in the ****, but I'd still prefer it over an auto. My left foot needs a job.

PS Free beer at work = opinionated posts at home! Woohoo!

[JC]

Originally Posted by DeathXR

My left foot needs a job.

And in an auto it has a job - to keep the foot rest from getting lonely.

[Mechan1k]

Originally Posted by DeathXR

People say trafffic + manual = bad. I say, if you can't hack manual + traffic, then manual + traffic + whinge = wuss. I spent my early years learning to drive, getting a manual from Kogarah/Carlton to Kingswood, with peak hour Sydney traffic between Kogarah and the M4 that would make most people go mental. Since those formative years of learning to drive, I have still not owned an auto. Felicity's Escape is an auto, and sure it's easier, but it's BORING. My F100 is a 4 speed manual, effectively a 3 speed because 1st gear is a 'with load' launch gear, and the straight cut gears are a pain in the ****, but I'd still prefer it over an auto. My left foot needs a job.

PS Free beer at work = opinionated posts at home! Woohoo!

I'd love to go manual ... but when you have a 1 ton load on ... in Sydney city trafic ... 12 hours a day (not just for Sydney's 3-4 hour peak period) ... it does tend to get a little straining ... as I am not always just driving all of the time .... have to run across the city as well ... in and out of building ... loading docks ... pushing heavy trolleys as well.

At the end of the day ... i am stuck in that last 3-hour peak period trying to get home ... after being in the car from 6am that morning. Manual is not a good thing ... especially 5-6 days a week.

Plus auto tows a lot better ... and handles load work better as well. I have my reasons ... and I am sticking to it.

A lot of people that traffic is only an hour long in the morning and afternoon ... it maybe for every other capital city ... but Sydney is very different ... traffic has it's peaks ... but can be still very heavy all day long ... so there are no "nice cruisy periods" when driving around Sydney metro area ... unless you get more than 20km away from the city itself.

[jonbays]

Well i am a sales rep in Sydney and you wouldnt really want a manual here. When i was younger I thought I would never get an auto but with age and increased taffic I have wised up a bit. with a BF they are certainly not the poor cousin anymore anyway

[Uncle_Ken]

A lot of people that traffic is only an hour long in the morning and afternoon ... it maybe for every other capital city ... but Sydney is very different ... traffic has it's peaks ... but can be still very heavy all day long ... so there are no "nice cruisy periods" when driving around Sydney metro area ... unless you get more than 20km away from the city itself.[/QUOTE]
I agree Mechan1k, auto for Sydney if you go anywhere near the big smoke, catching the bus every day I see poor buggers changing gear to to 1 metre, stop and then do it all again.
Uncle Ken

[Mechan1k]

I used to do it in my Proton ... although it had an upgraded clutch ... it was nothing heavy ... plus it was a small car with great compression braking ... so it wasn't too hard a task in a small hatchback.

But in a larger vehicle though ... definitely auto ... next vehicle with have sequential though.