I was off work today. I was thinking that if the transmission is already shot, there's no harm in pulling the pan and taking a look at it, and learning a few things in the process. Well, the pan was a snap to get off. I pulled it, and there was maybe a pint or two of dirty transmission fluid in the bottom. The pan has a couple of nasty dents in it where the drive shaft beat the crap out of it, there was an enormous hunk of aluminum, along with the magnet. The magnet was filthy. So I disposed of the dirty fluid, saved the giant piece of metal, and took a look around. There is a flat plate piece of metal with, what I took to be a siphon coming out of the bottom of it. Is this the filter assembly? I wiped all the drips off, and there are a lot of torx screws. Other than the missing piece of the case, the rest of it seemed to look ok.

Here's what I am getting at: Is it possible for this transmission to be mechanically intact even with this hole in the side? If I were to change the filter and patch this hole, is it possible that I could just run using this transmission? I am well aware of the risk that I would be taking, risking this thing going out on me sometime down the road. I guess what I am asking is, could it be ok? Could I drive it like this? If I have to put another transmission it later, no big deal, because I thought I was going to have to anyway.

 

It could be ok, but remember, it probably went out on the highway. It lost most of the fluid immediately and trannys don't like not having fluid. On the up side, the most you would be out is repairing the hole and fluid....Just make sure to be ready to start pumping fluid when you fire it up. The cooler and torque converter are probably dry...

 

Well, the story I got was that the PO was on his way to work when it started vibrating. He turned around, and got maybe a hundred yards when it came loose. I just texted him and asked him how fast he was going when it let loose. We'll see.

 

I wouldn't get my hopes up too high, but hey. You never know....

 

The reason I was thinking about it was that I put the tranny into drive the other day just messing around, and the plate that you mount the double cardon joint to started spinning. So I thought maybe it might be ok. Just a thought, and I figure what the hell. If I can get another 500 miles out of it, at least I can drive it around town.

 

He texted me back a little while ago and told me that he was going about 45 when the drive shaft let loose. So I guess there's no harm in trying.

 

Yes, the flat thangy with the plastic tubbie looking thang-a-majig sticking down is the filter. Take out the Torx bolts holding it in (they are long) and pull it off, one of the bolts goes through the plastic (pickup tube) once you pull it off, simply pull the pickup tube off to reuse on the new filter, you'll need a new filter and two new O-rings for the re-install.

Ifn that were my machine I would - keep the Big-O-Chunk-O-Metal for the welder, once he (or her) sees it they may be able to use it, instead of having to "fill" the whole hole. Using it may also help prevent getting weld spatter in the tranny.

Yeah - I'd try it however, I wouldnt trust the job to a guy that a guy knows that knows another guy that swept the floor at a welding shop that watched a guy turn on a welder...once. I'd be looking for the guy that can weld aluninum foil together (a good shop).

 

PS - although his speed is kinda relevent, whats more important in this case is, how fast he stopped moving and turned off the machine.

 

Night Train is right. If it was just that driveshaft let go and punched a hole then it should mean there is nothing wrong mechanically with the tranny, unless her ran it for a while and then it sucked metal pieces into the lines and ran the system. You can have it welded and see how far it goes or if you were really on the cheap and depending on how big and where the hole is maybe even JB Weld would work. Transmissions are not all that expensive for a used one with a warranty from a wrecking yard. Try and see what you get, just dont try a cross country trip with it right away.

 

He had it towed home on the back of a flat bed. The driveshaft was flailing around under there, and causing all kinds of hell. It looks like the damage was contained to the casing, and the bottom of the pan. If it's warm today, I'll head down and take a closer look. It was freezing yesterday.



LOL I was considering the JB Weld option. I am going to contact a guy I know who is a great mechanic, and see what he has to say. He might know somebody who's a hell of a welder.