My Fullsize is dead.

[Magic069]

On Friday afternoon, I was driving my 1993 Chevy Fullsize home from work when I heard a huge pop! My gears went really lose almost like they weren't in, and a constant griding started. I took the truck out of 5th gear, and the grinding stop, but a lose winding was still there. I was wondering if I should stop or try to continue. I decided to see what would happen if I continued. Put it back in 5th gear, slightly pressed the gas to find out it still drove alright, with a new noise of course. I drove the mile I had left to get home, and when I got there looked under the truck. It was like a bomb went off underneath my truck, transmission fluid everywhere, and still pouring out from the transmission. I parked it until I could get it towed on Sunday, to have it ready for the shop on Monday. The mechcanic knows my truck, has been working on it since it hit 75,000 miles way back when. (It has 225,000 now.) He looked it over for two days, and finally came to the conclusion I needed to just replace the tranny. The only sure way to go, something in the oringal transmission caused the case to basicly split into two. Thus the huge pop I heard. I could pay 200 for him to look for that, and fix just that, but whos to say something else isn't just waiting to go up inside that transmission. Its 1400.00 dollars for one with a 90 warrenty, and 1700.00 for one with a year warrenty.

Its a very sad thing. I am faced with a descion weather its worth doing it or not. For the first time in 10 years, I towed my full size back home from the shop. Its only been on a tow truck 4 times in its whole 10 years, and the forth time was leaving the shop, unfixed. For now it will sit there until I reach some type of descion.

I have come up with five options so far:
1) Fix it, and keep on trucking.
2) Try to sell it as is.
3) Tear it apart piece by piece, selling the parts to make more off of it.
4) Use it as a trade in on something else in the future.
5) Or keep it around and work on it when I have the chance, maybe restoring it as I go, and even make it better, so it will be a true classic in the next 10 years.

Sorry, if this seems crazy, but I am a little attached to this vechile. Trust me in ten years you can seriously rack up some memories in a car/truck. Beleive or not, I am not the only one worried about its fate, a lot of my friends are two. Since I was one of the first ones to have a vechile in High school, they too have a few memories in it. Everyone liked the fact I kept it when I got my new Xtreme.

K, just had to get that off my chest.

 

[LoudMusic]

That really sucks dude. I've heard bad transmission problems on older Chevys but nothing about newer ones.

 

[GilesGuthrie]

Is that the Suburban? If so, it was about due for that to happen. My father's, which is an auto, blew its transmission at about 220,000 miles as well.

I would say that it was worth it. The rest of the car should still be in pretty good condition, so you've got plenty miles left. Dad's is way south of 300,000.

 

[Duke]

In America we say "north" to mean "above", Giles.

Magic, I wouldn't buy a rebuilt trans. I'd look for a 5 speed from the junkyard, with 50-75,000 miles on it. It's a Chevy truck, which means there is probably a huge range of years and models that are a perfect bolt-in. replace the clutch while it's out of the truck, and go for it. That should be half the cost or less of buying a commercially rebuilt trans.

www.copartfinder.com

Junyard parts rule. Good luck!

 

[1X83Z]

Originally posted by GilesGuthrie
Is that the Suburban? If so, it was about due for that to happen. My father's, which is an auto, blew its transmission at about 220,000 miles as well.

Your father - who lives in the UK - has a Chevrolet Suburban, which was never officially imported?

Magic - tough call. If you tried to sell it or trade it for something else, how much do you think you'd get?

 

[DGB454]

I love it. over 200,000 miles on one and another testamonial of over 300,00 miles on another one.
American junk? NOT.

Anyway, I would also look for a replacement transmission from a boneyard and keep on truckin till it hits at least 500,000 mi.

 

[Duke]

Heh, my '67 Pontiac 326 went to 195,000 before we ever had the valve covers off. All the pistons were still in spec when we did the rebuild caused by an oil pump failure.

It's now got about 270,000. Two cheapie rebuilds on the original ATX.

 

[Magic069]

Originally posted by GilesGuthrie
Is that the Suburban? If so, it was about due for that to happen. My father's, which is an auto, blew its transmission at about 220,000 miles as well.

Its not a Suburban, its just the pick up. Old style Silverado. (A Suburban with no top, and no third seat.)
I agree, 220,000 miles is nothing to be ashamed of.

Originally posted by neon_duke
Magic, I wouldn't buy a rebuilt trans. I'd look for a 5 speed from the junkyard, with 50-75,000 miles on it. It's a Chevy truck, which means there is probably a huge range of years and models that are a perfect bolt-in. replace the clutch while it's out of the truck, and go for it. That should be half the cost or less of buying a commercially rebuilt trans.

I would say that would fall underneath the rebuild slowly option. Restore it. Trust me, this is very high on my list of thoughts.

Originally posted by M5Power
Magic - tough call. If you tried to sell it or trade it for something else, how much do you think you'd get?

Well everyone told me a running truck was/is always worth 2000. Right now, its not running. So not enough to make me happy I am sure. If I did the parts thing, I could make a pretty good amount of money. Everything on the truck, except the tranny is good, right down to the interior.

Originally posted by DGB454
I love it. over 200,000 miles on one and another testamonial of over 300,00 miles on another one.
American junk?

Usually I found that commerical that Chevy was running for awhile to be true, "You put tires, gas, and oil in it, it will go." Never had problems with it until right about 200,000 miles.

I will keep you guys posted on my descion, but I think I am not hiding the fact that I wanna keep it.

 

[GilesGuthrie]

Originally posted by Magic069
Usually I found that commerical that Chevy was running for awhile to be true, "You put tires, gas, and oil in it, it will go." Never had problems with it until right about 200,000 miles.

That's true. I think that with a car, once it gets to 200,000, all bets are off. But with regular oil/filter changes, those big engines will go forever.

Originally posted by M5Power
Your father - who lives in the UK - has a Chevrolet Suburban, which was never officially imported?

Yep. He bought it from Liberty Chevrolet in PA, drove it across America and back (ish: 4,000 miles), to get around the "new car" import tax, then shipped it over on one of the ferries that carts Jags across to you guys. Costs £300 ($500?)

This is the second car he's imported. The first one was a 1988 4.0 Jeep Cherokee, one of the generation before the current godawful-looking one. We had one, kept it fro two years, then sold it some three years before they were officially available.

Before that, he had an original 5.7L Cherokee Chief - one of the two door ones with the electric rear window (did everyone smash them, or was it just us?). With those and the 5th Audi Quattro to be sold to a private UK individual, left-hookers have always been a feature of our family!

 

[1X83Z]

Originally posted by GilesGuthrie

Yep. He bought it from Liberty Chevrolet in PA, drove it across America and back (ish: 4,000 miles), to get around the "new car" import tax, then shipped it over on one of the ferries that carts Jags across to you guys. Costs £300 ($500?)

This is the second car he's imported. The first one was a 1988 4.0 Jeep Cherokee, one of the generation before the current godawful-looking one. We had one, kept it fro two years, then sold it some three years before they were officially available.

Before that, he had an original 5.7L Cherokee Chief - one of the two door ones with the electric rear window (did everyone smash them, or was it just us?). With those and the 5th Audi Quattro to be sold to a private UK individual, left-hookers have always been a feature of our family!

Why?! What does your father drive now? Buick Rendezvous? Or is he still with that Suburban?

 

[miata13B]

Well Magic, I am sorry to hear the misfortune. I remember when my old Blazer bit the dust. A lot of fond memories in it too. In all honesty if it is a manual already, I would search for a good used one like Neon said, and repair it yourself. There are about two or three special tools needed to do it, including a hydralic lift adaptor (hand carted hydrolic lift). Personally speaking I would not sell it. It will take too long. As my business perspective, especially with my new job, I would gladly say trade it in and get a new truck. Unfortunately though with my new job, we don't offer full sized trucks yet. but in 2004 models, I think we have 1 in our line up.

 

[GilesGuthrie]

Originally posted by M5Power
Why?! What does your father drive now? Buick Rendezvous? Or is he still with that Suburban?

No, he's still got the Suburban. And an old Rover that he picked up for a Grand.