Bad Tranny & Diff.

["Al Powell" <APOWELL@agcom.tamu.edu>]

> From: Charles Huckleberry <charles@carl.a-com.com>

>  We have a 4000S (2wd) 'in the shop'.  Actually, it is 'back in the shop'.
> We took it back to 'The Shop'.  They said the brake fluid looked 'really
> bad' and insisted we change it (untill I reminded them they already DID that
> quite recently- the brake fluid is fine in my estimation).  

Charles - this is a sure symptom of a "Shop" with the prime directive 
(Trekkie Talk) of going farther into your wallet than anyone has
ever gone before!  The fact that they don't even keep records on the 
cars they work on - whgich would have reminded them of the previous 
job - assures you that these people are TROUBLE.  No go "Da Shop", 
bad juju!!

> They diagnosed
> the situation as a 'planetary gear pinion shaft' problem.  Soon, they were
> describing that this was not_that_common.  They said the gear would cost
> $1100(US) and installation would run 8 hours at $47/hr. 'PLUS anything we
> find broken along the way'.  I looked for a rebuildable or rebuilt Diff for
> a couple days and found them scarce _BECAUSE_ this is a common problem.
> [Interesting]

They may be right....but I wouldn't believe a word they say.
 
> Eventually, I was granted an audience with the Shop owner.  He described
> that the $1100 was for an exchanged Diff. and the 8 hours were needed to do
> all the work. [Interesting]

He is probably accidentally telling the truth.  Labor rates on such 
jobes are normally based on what the "book rate" is, not on what 
the actual time required is.  If the mechanic beats the book time, 
he/she comes out a bit ahead.  If not, he eats the difference.  I 
wouldn not be surprised if the book time were 8 hours.  However, other 
shops will give you a "package deal" of X dollars for the entire job.

> Not only was the Diff sick, but I was missing the right 'sub-frame bolt'.
> (My respose was !WHAT!)  This is the somewhat large bolt that holds the
> 'sub-frame' (with all the engine & anti-roll bar mounts up front) to the
> rest of the car.  I had a rare & strange clunk sound, but didn't expect this.
> [VERY interesting]

TROUBLE, right there in river city....no go "Da Shop"......

> My take on the actual problem is that something was done wrong when the
> seals were serviced.  

Probably, but possibly the problem would have occurred anyway.  IMO, 
it's too late to prove it.

> Right now, I have it in an actual transmission shop
> with a trans tech. experienced in German stuff.

GOOD.  Now you're where you should be.

>  Trans shop just called.  Torqueconverter filled with metal from fluid. 
> Trans. needs 3 clutches, a band, and other stuff ($1100 w/T.C.)  Diff needs 
> Pinion shaft & 2 bearings ($1500+).
> 
> Mind you that this trans should have been torn down last year.
> They said there is a 'split ring' missing in the Auto. 
> (an infamous circlip?)
> Don't split rings last more than 5000mi?

They last forever.  Problem is - again - that you can't prove the 
past shop's errors now.

> Has a similar failure happened to anyone else?  I was supposed to have 
Synthetic in the finaldrive- could the wrong juice here have caused such a 
quick failure? 

NO NO NO NO.  The synthetic is the **ONLY**  way to go with an 
automatic.  It probably kept you on the road much longer than 
standard oil would have.  Use nothing else but synthetic lubes in the 
tranny AND differential.  Instruct the competent shop about your 
desire in this regard!

> Has anyone out there had a trans inspection and repair followed by 
diff failure?

Check the archives for much woe in the 5K series proving that dual 
failures do occur.  There is some debate about whether a tranny 
failure can cause a diff. failure, but it is not uncommon for both to 
fail at the same time.

> My first choice is to reuild the Auto and mate it with a low mile used 
>Diff (about $450 w/ trans here) & rebuild my 'core' for when the used 
> one fails.

I would do just as you have suggested, but NOT rebuild the "core" - 
store it and don't mess with unless you need  it later.  If you DO 
have to rebuild it, you'll have time then.  IF you can get a good 
diff. (and make sure it has at least a 30-day warranty, as good 
wrecking yeards offer them...but they don't cover labor for 
replacement...) for $450, YUMP on it.

Condolences on your empty pocketbook.  Good luck with this.

Al Powell                           Voice:  409/845-2807
Ag Communications                   Fax:    409/862-1202
107 Reed McDonald Bldg.             Email:  a-powell1@tamu.edu 
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