Vegas Shops

Xodius · **Posted:** Sun Nov 09, 2008 5:51 pm

I was wondering if anyone here has any experience with a transmission shop in vegas that is trustworthy and good? I am starting to wonder if my tranny is shot and needs to be either rebuilt or swapped out.

Lastly, anyone have any xp swapping out their own tranny? Last one I worked on was on my 49 Studebaker...do you still need to pull out the engine to swap out the tranny? I have a huge headache over this crap, lol.

mrkake · **Posted:** Mon Nov 10, 2008 1:50 am

I haven't had any experience with tranny shops here. Last one I changed was in an International Scout and it was easy. My brother-in-law and I did the complete swap in about 4 hours. According to the FSM you don't need to remove the engine to do it.

What is going on that makes you think it is going out? Maybe you should take that heavy ARB and winch off of there so it doesn't strain the tranny so much :wink:

.

Xodius · **Posted:** Mon Nov 10, 2008 5:35 pm

mrkake wrote:

Maybe you should take that heavy ARB and winch off of there so it doesn't strain the tranny so much :wink:

.

...and let me guess....give them to you

Last Thursday I noticed a weird...stagger when shifting. It would jump just a tad but only after it was warm. Then...Saturday on my way home from seeing my Mom who was in town it went from 4th to 3rd gear while I was accellerating. I was stopped and had my foot on the gas, hit about 35-40 it shifted then maybe 5 seconds later it acted like it slipped out of gear all of a sudden my RPMs shot up and it jumped a bit. This only lasted maybe 1 second then it dropped back into 4th and it was good the rest of the way home. I was not hitting the accelerator or anything like that that is why I am wondering what is wrong with it.

So when I got home I swapped out the tranny fluid and filters...man can you say messy? After reading Yellow Coyotes posts I was worried but I checked out the plate and it was good. Everything looked great so I put it back together and Sunday it drove great. Then this morning it was kind of jumpy again but not as bad.

Any ideas?

I am also curious the best way to remove the slick residue form my garage floor as I have nearly fallen on my arse a few times now from when I cleaned up, but apparently not well enough, the ATF +4 fluid

Lastly as a heads up, I did some searching on the tranny and did find out that it is used in some other Dodges and what not and they do have a cast Aluminum one with a drain plug

So, I might hit a junk yard and pick one up. Anything to make that change easier I am totally all over. What a PITA.

mrkake · **Posted:** Thu Nov 13, 2008 12:12 am

I have used several things on oil spills. The one that I am using now and really like is called "Oil-Dri" "Quick Sorb". I got it at AutoZone and it works well. I like this one because the granuals are much finer than most other products. Most are the consistency of kitty litter. This stuff is more like fine sand. You spread it out over the spill and let is sit and soak up the oil. I have left it for days sometimes. Then you just sweep it up. It won't do anything for stains or oil that the concrete has soaked up, but it takes care of surface oil really well. I have gotten in the habit of keeping a coffee can full under the car whenever I am doing any kind of fluid change because I always spill. If you have set in stains that you want to get rid of, I have found a great product is "Pour and Restore". Its expensive but it really works.

Mine did that same thing once. My wife was with me and I was just driving down a surface street when the thing down shifted for no reason. My wife looked at me and said, "Why did you do that?" and I responded with "It did it by itself!" and she just gave me that "yea right look". No other problems besides that one though *knocks on wood*.

Mine has a drain plug. Maybe its because I have the heavier tranny since I have the diesel engine. I know that my tranny is also used in Dodge trucks.

As for your problem, it could be something like a faulty sensor and not a mechanical problem. I don't have enough experience with transmission problems to venture a guess though.

Xodius · **Posted:** Fri Nov 14, 2008 7:31 pm

I actually used a product called Lucas Tranny Slip fix and it did work for a couple days but today while in Henderson it did the same old thing. Actually slipped right out of 4th into 3rd for about 200 feet then it was fine. I called United Jeep since they bought our Desert...not sure if that is a good thing or not yet...but they said it is probably a sensor but they can not guarantee that with out a Diag. So, I am going to take it in Monday and spend the day without a Jeep

Not sure if I will rent a car for the day or if I will just hang out in my office that day.

For the oil pan, I found one for a Dakota that is allegidly the same as the KJ 2002 and it has a plug

So I may pick that up, I may pick it up sooner than I think if they have to swap out the tranny fluid...again, lol. What a PITA. Always something, I swear.

Saturday though we are headed out geocaching. Thinking about either near Pahrump in the desert or perhaps the second turn off for Mt. Charleston. There are a few 4x4 trails in there that I have not done yet and they have some new caches there

I will keep you all posted.

Xodius · **Posted:** Mon Nov 17, 2008 1:09 pm

Dropped off KJ today at United Jeep. According to the service writer, there are 3 other KJs that have the same issue and each one is a bad tranny. He said that they will test it though and will let me know. If he is right he said that the rebuild would cost me roughly 3800-4500 and if I go with a brand new one from Mopar it would be roughly 4500-5000. SO, I am really hoping that this is not the case...if it is....I am not sure what I will do yet. I will know the results around 2-3pm today so in about 5-6 hours. Now to try and get some work done...easier said than done when my baby is being assessed. Sad thing is, if it is the tranny, I might just have to swap out vehicles...hmmm wonder how much my payment would be on a JK....probably more than I am willing to pay for one...

Xodius · **Posted:** Mon Nov 17, 2008 5:02 pm

Still no verdict...I am more antsy than OJ at anyone of his verdicts, lol.

Worst case...I will be selling my KJ.

Postive to the worst case...I will be picking up a newer Wrangler 4 door...hopefully.

I did talk to my buddy who owns a Jeep Dealership in Wis and he thinks it is BS that my tranny could go out. He knows the trails I have been on and would be amazed if it did in fact crap out. However, there is always a first time and I am just the one to have that first time

In the meantime...I am attempting to look like I am working at my office....sadly even the boss laughed at me and patted me on the shoulder and said, darn you would think it was your kidding going in for surgery. I told him it was. I will keep you posted...now where are my tums.

Xodius · **Posted:** Mon Nov 17, 2008 6:12 pm

**Update**
Tranny is dead. 5K to replace.

KJ Taz · **Posted:** Mon Nov 17, 2008 6:42 pm

They aren't going to warranty it? Dammm them.

mrkake · **Posted:** Mon Nov 17, 2008 8:28 pm

That totally sucks! Let us know what you are going to do. I am still down to help if you decide to DIY it.

Xodius · **Posted:** Mon Nov 17, 2008 10:55 pm

I called a second dealership with the error codes and low and behold I do not need a whole new tranny, I just need a new valve body and a solinoid pack. Go figure. Dirty SOBs. I called the first place on it and they came clean saying that a whole new tranny would be better, no kidding but come on, so would a new Jeep but that aint gonna happen for awhile, lol. I have an appointment at #2 dealership AKA Chapman and they have should have everything in stock. Wish me luck...oh and the price tag dropped to only around 1k, much better.

KJ Taz · **Posted:** Tue Nov 18, 2008 12:47 am

Xodius wrote:

I called a second dealership with the error codes and low and behold I do not need a whole new tranny, I just need a new valve body and a solinoid pack. Go figure. Dirty SOBs. I called the first place on it and they came clean saying that a whole new tranny would be better, no kidding but come on, so would a new Jeep but that aint gonna happen for awhile, lol. I have an appointment at #2 dealership AKA Chapman and they have should have everything in stock. Wish me luck...oh and the price tag dropped to only around 1k, much better.

Keep us up todate on what is going on. $1k doesn't sound bad at all. Thats about what it costs to have the tranny in my Jag "serviced"

Xodius · **Posted:** Tue Nov 18, 2008 2:37 pm

KJ Taz wrote:

Xodius wrote:

I called a second dealership with the error codes and low and behold I do not need a whole new tranny, I just need a new valve body and a solinoid pack. Go figure. Dirty SOBs. I called the first place on it and they came clean saying that a whole new tranny would be better, no kidding but come on, so would a new Jeep but that aint gonna happen for awhile, lol. I have an appointment at #2 dealership AKA Chapman and they have should have everything in stock. Wish me luck...oh and the price tag dropped to only around 1k, much better.

Keep us up todate on what is going on. $1k doesn't sound bad at all. Thats about what it costs to have the tranny in my Jag "serviced"

Jeep was running good when I picked it up from United...minus all the excess tranny fluid all over my undercarriage. The drive to Chapman was good too. The writer checked it out and said that as long as the same codes come up it should be a pretty simple fix. He said he will give me a call around 2pm and it should be done around 4. Keeping fingers crossed. I even told him to check out the Part time light that is on and a few other things. 1K I dont think is too bad for the type of work and amount that should be involved.

I am currently working on a letter to send to Jeep, United Jeep and Channel 3 News. *shakes fist* United is mistaken if they think I will just keep quiet on this one.

KJ Taz · **Posted:** Tue Nov 18, 2008 3:17 pm

Good for you man! Keep us in the loop. The offer for help still stands as it always will.

mrkake · **Posted:** Tue Nov 18, 2008 4:00 pm

X2 what Taz said.

Xodius · **Posted:** Tue Nov 18, 2008 8:23 pm

Thank you guys for your offers. It does mean a lot to me.

I just got a call form Chapman and Vince said that "after going through it with a fine tooth comb" the other dealership was wrong. All it needs is a new valve body and a solenoid. He has all the parts and will work on it tonight and it will be ready for pickup by 5pm tomorrow. In the mean time they are going to get me a rental car so I am not Jeep less. I am crossing my fingers that it will be a JK although I know that will not happen but hey, I can hope and dream

Of course they said that I need a ton of other preventative maintenance done but all of it is stuff that I can do at home for a fraction of the price so in the end it should only cost me roughly 1100. A hell of a lot better than the 5k United wanted me to pay.

KJ Taz · **Posted:** Tue Nov 18, 2008 8:46 pm

Good to hear!

Xodius · **Posted:** Wed Nov 19, 2008 4:59 pm

So I have this rental truck...it is a 2007 Dodge Dakota quad cab with the mag V8...it is definitely not a KJ, the shocks are...well...kaka. You hit a bump and you feel like you are on the Minnow for a 2 hour ride, lol. Very bouncy. Otherwise the "small" V8 as Enterprise calls it is pretty fun. It will smoke the rear tires very well and is fun. However...I want my KJ back. It is my baybeee!

The one thing this did make me want to do though is to seriously start looking at dropping a V8 in my KJ again. Perhaps if I just used a Grand Cherokee pc unit...what do you think?

KJ Taz · **Posted:** Wed Nov 19, 2008 5:54 pm

I had the 4.7 with 3:73's in my Grand, I loved that engine. I have always wondered why Dodge never put the 4.7 in Wranglers, Libbys, or better yet the new JK Unlimiteds.

mrkake · **Posted:** Wed Nov 19, 2008 9:31 pm

Glad to hear you will be back on the road again (in the KJ).

You didn't happen to be on the 515 northbound today at about 4pm in the KJ where you? I saw one the same color of yours as I was getting on at Vegas Blvd today (I spent 4 1/2 hours in the City Counsel meeting today! Ughh!).

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