94 J30t Transmission Rebuild Help

[cssJ30]

Took my car to T3 in Marietta,GA(highly recommend this shop - cool guys there) and verified my concerns about my transmission. Its going bad...I've included a timeline of the symptoms I experienced. Perhaps this will be helpful to someone else with similar problems. Other posts describe losing actual gears (Reverse, D, 1, etc.) which has not yet happened.

Question: Anyone know a good place in Atlanta to rebuild this transmission? Or is it better to go the reman. route?

Symptoms

Initial – Three Weeks Ago
During first start in morning, car stalls when initially placed in reverse. Subsequent tries do not cause car to stall.

Two Weeks Ago
Transmission occasionally slipping at speeds estimated to be greater than 40 mph (RPMs would climb without effecting speed). Letting off gas momentarily appears to correct this problem allowing the transmission to properly engage into gear.

One Week Ago
Noticed minor humming noise under gear shift selector when car was in Park or Neutral. Within one (1) day, louder, intermittent grinding/rattling noise heard from same location when in Drive.


Thanks to this forum for all the great info regarding J30s; it has been very helpful!

Chris

[texml69]

yeah mine did the very same thing better get her in a shop cause it wont last long i think mine ran about 200 miles once the humming started to rebuild the transmission around was going to cost around $2800 i have heard you can get a new one for about $3000 or you can do what i did find a low mileage J at a junk yard and get the transmission outta there just make sure it has a warranty and check the color of fluid and pan for chucks of stuff about a days work in your driveway and a few buddies and bang your J is back on the road

[cssJ30]

Thanks for the confirmation. Strange the transmission would go out with only 101,000 miles on it. Flushed it at 86K. No leaks, no other problems except MAF replacement.
Just bought a new transmission RE4R01A for a Nissan Pathfinder and should be back on the road soon. Next step. refinishing the clear coat...and am interested in examing old transmission to see what happened. T3 indicates noise most likely coming from oil pump. Grinding noise = metal shards = very unhappy transmission.

Thanks again,

Chris

[texml69]

yeah i think it was the flush that did you in. mine had more miles around 160k and i had it chem flushed 2 months later is when my problem's started . post up a pic id like to see her what did the transmission set you back since it was for a pathfinder??

[cssJ30]

Who knows what happened. Maybe just the age of the car? Anyway, really like the car. Paid $2650 for it 3 years ago and its has been extremely realiable, excellent car. Its crazy these cars go for so cheap. Find a good one and you're all set. Have no interest in buying anything else, although eventually I plan to get a G35 and keep the J30. I paid $699 for the transmission not including shipping. I'll get some pics up soon and follow-up with details about installation and reason for failure. I know I've heard overheating can cause issues with these.

[texml69]

man you got a deal on that i paid 400 for one out of a junk yard when this one blows up ill have to get in the info on where you ordered the transmission from

[txQ45]

Here's a link on craigslist for "Built Autos for J30"
http://dallas.craigslist.org/dal/pts/2180911513.html (auto parts)

[swimshark]

im in the Atlanta area and have a trans for sale. i think the flush kills the trans somehow. where was it flushed at? i had mine flushed and about 15k later 3rd and 4th gear went out. so i just went to a manual trans.

[driverdriver]

I reccommend full transmission flushes with the machine. The drain and fill method doesn't change the entire transmission fluid. A significant amount of old fluid is left behind.

[swimshark]

i had mine flushed by the machine and it died 15k later. was running perfectly before flush.

[J30tChumpCar]

15K after a flush? No way that can be attributed to a failure.

Of all the customers I have flushed units for the only failures were strictly in units already ailing , usually within weeks.

NOTE: I never use chemicals in the flush process, just fresh fluid.

[swimshark]

after the flush it started shifting hard into 2nd and then 3rd and 4th completely went out. before the flush there was 0 issues. but i got a manual trans now, so no worries.

[driverdriver]

If there are underlying issues with the transmission, a transmission flush won't solve transmission woes but rather exacberate it, hastening failure sooner.

[J30tChumpCar]

Swim, while your unit was working fine before the flush it sounds like your transmission was too dirty or chemicals used liberated some junk that lodged in the valve body causing a cascading failure thus why I never flush with more then fresh fluid and turn away some flush jobs based on overly dirty fluid..

[yodawill2000]

Wise words.
Many peeps think any oldish transmission will die with a chemical flush.
Only those not maintained with filter change and fresh fluid on schedule will have issues.
Not dissing you Shark Dude.
No way in Hades I would chemical flush mine because when I bought her she was at 162K.
No records of maintenance as it was a salvage buy.
So far so good with the drain and fill method.(Every 25/30K)
I might add that after 8/10 drain and fills i would think 90/95% plus has been replaced.
I don't stop till what comes out is the same color as what goes in.
Tupperware tubs make that a snap. (Don't you DARE tell the Wife LOL)

With a shift through all gears and 15 Second idle between each drain.
If the cost of that much fresh transmission fluid is too much your in the wrong car.