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Transmission shot. After $60 it's back.

1K views 9 replies 5 participants last post by  JE.Electronics 
#1 ·
The wife has complained the odd morning the LHS would not engage drive.
This happened about 2 or 3 times a month for the last year or so.
It got worse and one morning, no reverse or drive.
Either way it would eventually engage.

Next she said I'll have to drive this car, she no longer trusts it.

Brought it to a general garage. The read a code 35 in the transmission.
Told me it would be about $1900 install a rebuilt unit.

Second garage. Good friend who runs a shop that's transmissions ONLY.
Found the same code 35 but confused that all the other numbers looked good.
He showed me CLI numbers that indicated my transmission clutch packs were as good as new. Also after a long test drive while watching these numbers on his scanner also concluded the trans was in good condition.

His first guess was the o ring on the filter was torn or missing. Then he dropped the pan. Fluid good, magnet relatively clean, o ring good, filter clean.
Went to replace the filter. Ah ha. Wrong filter. My old filter was apparently for a 604. I did the service 2 years ago and obviously got the filter to fit but failed to realize there was more to it than sticking the tube and oring in the hole. The proper 606 filter not only places the tube and o ring in the hole but also clicks twice. The incorrect filter was from my local Dodge dealer. I'll file this as a mistake on their part, even saved the filter.

I didn't post my findings right away since it was an intermitent problem I wasn't sure it we really fixed it. So far it's been 2 months and it engages every morning and we've had some cold temps lately.
 
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#3 ·
That is truly a good friend you have at the tranny shop. It seems more times than not when I here of someone with a tranny problem most shops just want to replace. Whatever happened to diagnose and repair the problem? I know there is more money in complete overhaul but if you can find the right tranny shop your golden. I took a 93 Ford exploder to a well known tranny shop because it was hanging up in gears too long. They called me the next day and said it needed a complete rebuild. $2200 I then took it to Ford and they replaced some solenoid for under a $100. I wish shops would just do the right thing.
 
#4 ·
Good point ambmech but I would not be surprised to hear a 94 or a 93 Ex like your may need a rebuild. These transmissions don't stay young forever.
It when a car is around 5 years old and they are diagnoised as full rebuild. Quite often these not too old transmissions have one failed part that only needs to be replaced.
I've seen solenoids like you mentioned and speed sensors and in my most recent case an incorrect filter get diagnoised as a fully rebuild.
 
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