the verdict is in...

[Amber00Dak]

some might remember my post with my transmission issues. well i took it to the shop to have them diagnose it and they confirmed my thoughts....tranny is dying. so i got a repair estimate of about $5k. seems high but it includes the complete rebuild using OE or better parts, replacing rear shaft u-joints, balancing drive shaft, and a 3 year warranty. i personally think its worth the price for what theyre gonna be doing.

the down side is that: A) i dont have $5k to spend on it. B) i bought the Cruiser off eBay and the seller specifically stated in the auction "The Transmission Shifts beautifully", obviously not. ive only had it in my posession 2 weeks so it doesnt take much to figure out that the tranny was in bad shape before i even got ahold of it. the seller has been really cool with everything so far and i emailed them about what the shop said. not sure where it will go from here, but im hoping i wont be footing the bill. i havent looked into it, but it does seem like a situation that would fall under the "fraud" category. not too sure. wish me luck

 

[CSA]

The best approach is probably to try to unwind the transaction.

However, lots of folks have had good luck bringing supposedly dead or dying 62 trannys back to life with a good fluid change and filter clean. Just because a shop tells you your tranny is dying does not make it so.

Also, I would be skeptical of most tranny shops when it comes to a 62 tranny. If the tranny is really dying, I would be inclined to replace it with a Rodney rebuild from Australia. Do a search for "Rodney" on the Yahoo 3FE board, and you will have hours of reading.

 

[cruiser88]

4 speed

 

[landcruiserjunky]

4 speed and swap in those round lights....

 

[hks3sgte]

For that money, an H55F swap would be WORTH it!

The 3F-E does not show its full potential with the A440

The manual box will most definately yield better driveability and a little increase in MPG...

 

[D'Animal]

For that money, an H55F swap would be WORTH it!

The 3F-E does not show its full potential with the A440

The manual box will most definately yield better driveability and a little increase in MPG...

We have already been down that road in the other thread Amber started.

https://forum.ih8mud.com/showthread.php?t=177986

 

[NocalFJ60]

How long after you took ownership of the 62 did you notice transmission issues? I would try and get your money back from him and return the 62. I doubt he will pay anything for the transmission rebuild. Keep talking to the seller.

 

[Amber00Dak]

ive had it for about 2 weeks, noticed it didnt shift smoothly right when i got it. cant easily return it though. i bought it off eBay and it was shipped to me. shipping from Cali. to Hawaii was $1k so i dont want to ship it back and spend another $1k.

im going to try everything on my part to get him to pay for the repairs. from what i rear, it would fall into the misrepresentation category in eBays fraud section. on the auction page, one of the questions was specifically about the operating condition of the trans. his response was it was flawless.

for the price i was quoted, that also includes the u-joints and getting the drive shaft balanced as well as the labor. i really agree with the trans shop and the need for a rebuild. 1st slips, 2-3 flares and then slips, and when it down shifts from overdrive it goes into neutral-RPMs go flying and then its shifts into the lower gear. with 225+ miles on the tranny, i doubt there anything i can do to it that wont just be a bandaid. its honestly getting worse by the day and the trans shop said i could get maybe a month more before it just got stuck in neutral....unless the u-joint broke first. the good side- i was lucky and came across a Corolla in good shape for $300. so i got a reliable DD until all this passes.

the idea of the 5 speed is nice, but if its going to be paid for by the seller or eBay, im pretty sure it would need to be replaced with what it came with to make it legit.

 

[Cruiserdrew]

That's too bad. Good luck getting the seller to pay. I'd say it's extremely unlikely, so you need to think about your next steps.

$5k is a lot. How much is a Rodney rebuild??? I would try and do that if you plan to spend the money. Having a complete and good tranny on hand would be nice, because then a remove and replace would be very straight forward, and something you could do yourself.

 

[philos1]

get a used unit from cruiserparts or maybe from a seller here on mud if you can't get the transaction handled otherwise. Or go the 5 speed route..

good luck either way.

 

[Devils Paw 80]

Where in Hawaii are you? Best scenario is the seller helps you out with some costs. If it were me, I'd be checking the local junk yard and the coconut telegraph for a 4 spd from a 60.

 

[D'Animal]

ive had it for about 2 weeks, noticed it didnt shift smoothly right when i got it. cant easily return it though. i bought it off eBay and it was shipped to me. shipping from Cali. to Hawaii was $1k so i dont want to ship it back and spend another $1k.

im going to try everything on my part to get him to pay for the repairs. from what i rear, it would fall into the misrepresentation category in eBays fraud section. on the auction page, one of the questions was specifically about the operating condition of the trans. his response was it was flawless.

I would continue this.

For the price i was quoted, that also includes the u-joints and getting the drive shaft balanced as well as the labor.

A drive shaft built from scratch will cost you less than $300.00.

 

[Tofudebeest]

5 speed. Don't look back. $3000 tops.

 

[D'Animal]

Which Island are you on?

 

[Amber00Dak]

Im on Oahu

as far as junkyards go, im pretty sure there isnt anything i can use. there arent really much junkyards here that have anything more than really old Hondas and the rest are American cars. a running version is rare here, to find one with parts in good shape and useable would be extremely unlikely. unless i could get ahold of it immidiately after it was brought to the yard, it definately be taken by employees or friends of them. for those who have never been to the islands, Toyotas are pretty popular here in Hawaii

the driveshaft balancing and u-joints im going to pay for. they arent transmission parts so i dont think it would be right to try and have that added to the mix when it isnt something that was discussed before the auction end, that would be wear and tear.

im going to do everything i can to get either the seller or eBay to foot the repair bill. like i said, i came across a Corolla that i can use as a DD so i can let the Cruiser sit until this is over.

the 4/5 speed option sounds nice in the aspect of getting the most from the motor. but keeping the auto also appeals to me because that would keep it in stock form. im also pretty sure that there might be some suspicion about things if i tell the seller/eBay that it needs a new tranny and i go ahead and put in something completely different. getting the model from Rodney would be nice, but the shop that will do it here gives a 3 year warranty on their work. warranty would be something id have a hard time with if i bought a unit from Rodney. and as far as getting a used unit goes, im not even going to consider it right now. i want to get the truck fixed with who i believe is responsible footing the bill, so i want to get it completely rebuilt and done right.

thanks for the thoughts and ideas guys