Well, time to bring some sad news.

 

Had great run up to Coventry where we're staying for the week, car was running beautifully for the first 100 miles...

And then the gearbox gave out... :crying: the gearbox oil was topped up before the journey but it spontaneously decided to pack up. We were coming to a roundabout and it would just grind horribly. Once it grinded and limped into second it wasn't so bad so we made it here thankfully I guess. We also found there was no reverse gear and neutral/park would grind so the gearbox has had it really.

 

I'll make an effort to limp up to Coventry museum as if the gearbox is toast, I might aswell run it until the cogs become perfectly smooth ;)

 

After that, I don't know, I have to think about it. The plan would be to have a manual conversion as two (or more) auto boxes have gone on this car now and manual was the eventual plan. Here's where it hurts, my wallet isn't that big. It's going to have to sit for a while till I can gather enough funds, but im just gutted.

 

Its a project car and it's 26 years old, things are bound to go wrong, I'm just pissed that the car is now immobilised for probably a year since I was unlucky enough to be the victim (through no fault of my own) of such a costly repair.

 

 

Last picture for a while...

...Oh, and if it is truly dead - and funds are tight at the moment - my advice would be to take a punt on another 2nd hand auto 'box. In the long term, that's just good money after bad; but everything is a gamble with 2nd hand parts (including a manual conversion).

 

So I'd advocate going with the least expensive initial outlay right now; and get hold of another auto 'box, that was last known to have been working well. It might last you 500 miles or 5,000 miles (or more); who knows. But short term, at least you'd be mobile once more.

 

Richard:clover:

Sorry to hear that Ali....:sad:

 

But before you condemn the 'box, do as has been suggested and re-fill it with oil. And to continue the questions, you say the dipstick was dry when you checked, before you filled, up, before you left home?

 

How much ATF did you put it? And did you check the level with the engine running and the car in D (as you're supposed to)?

 

These 'boxes take something like 8 litres (including the torque converter); so if it was low with the engine off, it would certainly need more ATF than you thought, had you checked it with the engine running......

 

Refilled it with oil, it took 1 litre to get it back on the dipstick.

 

Before I left it was on the dipstick but hardly, so I trickled some in. When arrived 120 something miles it was completely dry (and took 1 litre to fill up). To be clear I am talking about gearbox oil, not ATF, I haven't touched that, so maybe I should have? Whoops.

...Oh, and if it is truly dead - and funds are tight at the moment - my advice would be to take a punt on another 2nd hand auto 'box. In the long term, that's just good money after bad; but everything is a gamble with 2nd hand parts (including a manual conversion).

 

So I'd advocate going with the least expensive initial outlay right now; and get hold of another auto 'box, that was last known to have been working well. It might last you 500 miles or 5,000 miles (or more); who knows. But short term, at least you'd be mobile once more.

 

Richard:clover:

That's the plan, I just want it working, I don't want it stuck in a shed for another year, I want to be mobile and enjoy the 8/9 months I've spent on it.

Refilled it with oil, it took 1 litre to get it back on the dipstick.

 

Before I left it was on the dipstick but hardly, so I trickled some in. When arrived 120 something miles it was completely dry (and took 1 litre to fill up). To be clear I am talking about gearbox oil, not ATF, I haven't touched that, so maybe I should have? Whoops.

 

Same thing mate (in an auto, that is) - ATF = automatic transmission fluid!

 

Runny red liquid, pretty much the same as power steering fluid. I trust that's what you poured into your tranny, via the dipstick tube. Apologies if I sound patronising Ali, I don't mean to be, I just want to help establish what's wrong with your car...!

Are you saying you didnt use ATF ( automatic transmission fluid) in the gearbox?

Are you saying you didnt use ATF ( automatic transmission fluid) in the gearbox?

 

I think we could have found the issue...!!!!

I hope that's not the case, I know when I was up I said to use dexron iii fluid, (same as power steering fluid) and It was definitely the autobox dip stick saw you check it.

 

I'd imagine it's more that it may have been topped up but probably so low it needed to circulate and fill the whole system so probably still a bit low, from what I saw the box was a bit hesitatent almost slipping when you were moving it on the drive had hoped it was just low fluid.

Alic auto box uses ATF not gearbox oil!

 

If the dipstick is dry u definately have a leak.

 

Take Phoenix up on £80 to swop it & get that auto box off eBay.

 

That's approx £300 with ATF

My cost was double that last year.

See u in Coventry.

WTF? You didn't use ATF??? :shock: :shock: :shock:

Well yes it was red runny liquid, so it probably was at without me knowing what that was... it definitely wasn't engine oil I put in it.

 

Ash you might be right, when I topped it up I didn't do the drive-reverse-park thing to flush it through.

 

I don't know if this is part of the problem or just auto boxes in general, but it didn't seem to catch when putting your foot well, the engine would rev up but it would take a few seconds for the gearbox to catch up to engine speed, which made it feel sluggish.

 

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Edited July 12, 20169 yr by Alic

Have you checked the container to see what you actually filled the autobox with...?

Have you checked the container to see what you actually filled the autobox with...?

It said transmission fluid, but I just PRESUMED it was oil, so that's what I've been calling it throughout this thread.

But there are different types of transmission fluids/oils. You need the dexron 3 as stated earlier.

Well I bought what Ash suggested, the drexon thing so yes probably.

 

Anyway, I'm not dwelling on what went wrong, just focusing on getting another gearbox so it can be roadworthy again.

Edited July 12, 20169 yr by Alic

Take a photo of the container.

Take a photo of the container.

 

Can't, I'm not at the car until Saturday and I threw it away because I emptied it.

Well I bought what Ash suggested, the drexon thing so yes probably.

 

Anyway, I'm not dwelling on what went wrong, just focusing on getting another gearbox so it can be roadworthy again.

 

There's a big difference between dwelling on what went wrong and learning from mistakes. It sounds now like you did put the right stuff in but it will be good to check. Got a receipt or anything if the bottle is gone?

There's a big difference between dwelling on what went wrong and learning from mistakes. It sounds now like you did put the right stuff in but it will be good to check. Got a receipt or anything if the bottle is gone?

No but I know what to put in so I can be confident in the future. And also to make sure to cycle the gears and then refill and top up which I skipped...

 

Anyway, it's getting towed after Coventry down to Nissan (hopefully) and I will source an auto box to drop in.

No but I know what to put in so I can be confident in the future. And also to make sure to cycle the gears and then refill and top up which I skipped...

 

Anyway, it's getting towed after Coventry down to Nissan (hopefully) and I will source an auto box to drop in.

 

Someone's got deeeeeeep pockets if Nissan are doing the work!!

Someone's got deeeeeeep pockets if Nissan are doing the work!!

Unless somebody works at Nissan :whistling:

Just for the record we don't have room to store it, If you can get it home can possibly get someone to collect it once you've sourced a box...

Just for the record we don't have room to store it, If you can get it home can possibly get someone to collect it once you've sourced a box...

Alright, thanks for telling me, if it still moves I could bring it there, otherwise I'll have to tow it again.

Have you tried it today now it's cool and full of fluid?

Have you tried it today now it's cool and full of fluid?

No I'm not back at the car until Saturday.

No I'm not back at the car until Saturday.

 

A Jesus style reserection wouldn't surprise me.