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Transmission seal f'd. Help!

Discussion in '1st Gen. Tacomas (1995-2004)' started by thesherv, Jul 27, 2012.

  1. Jul 27, 2012 at 7:50 PM
    #1
    thesherv

    thesherv [OP] Well-Known Member

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    Kill Devil Hills, NC
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    6 inch suspension lift, 3 inch body lift (coming off soon), TJM bumper with winch, 35" Toyo A/T, Safari snorkel
    I went mudding the other day, got stuck and messed up my truck pretty bad. (http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/1st-gen-tacomas/230957-i-got-stuck-mud-yesterday-broke-my-taco.html) I took it to the dealer and they replaced the front seal for the crankshaft, fixed a pulley and replaced the belts since they had oil all over them.

    I picked it up and drove a little and it started leaking trans fluid took it back and they said it was from the dipstick and just a slow leak. I picked it up again and drove it some more and it was leaking like crazy. I just took it back and now they said it was the seal between the transmission and the torque converter. They gave me a quick estimate at about $1200 but he said there was a noise somewhere and could be a pump or something. He said that alone could be like $900. I'm afraid they're gonna take it apart and tell me I need a new torque converter or transmission or something.

    I'm pretty new to Tacomas and working on vehicles in general. To replace that seal or even a new torque converter how much work would that be for me to do? I'm just afraid they're gonna open it up and find more stuff and it comes out to $3000 or something. Anyone have any advice?
     
  2. Jul 28, 2012 at 5:18 PM
    #2
    x2468

    x2468 Well-Known Member

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    That's pretty random. Were you aggressively shifting from reverse to drive? Did you check the transmission dipstick? was the fluid milky? It doesn't look like you were over the transmission breather level but i could be wrong.
     
  3. Jul 28, 2012 at 5:19 PM
    #3
    x2468

    x2468 Well-Known Member

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    Also, get a picture of the leak point. You sure it's not just the pan leaking from the gasket?
     
  4. Jul 28, 2012 at 5:33 PM
    #4
    thesherv

    thesherv [OP] Well-Known Member

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    6 inch suspension lift, 3 inch body lift (coming off soon), TJM bumper with winch, 35" Toyo A/T, Safari snorkel
    Yea I was probably too aggressive with it trying to get out. I pulled the dipstick and it want milky and neither was the rest of the fluid leaking out the bottom.
    Toyota just called and said the front pump is bad and the transmission is making a weird noise and seems like its about to go. He said I'd be throwing money away if I did the front pump and not the trans. $3300 was what he said it would cost.
     
  5. Jul 28, 2012 at 6:09 PM
    #5
    fireturk41

    fireturk41 I like to break shit!

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    kinda a drive but call this guy about your trans. (252) 522-1121 its Bobby Brinkleys transmission service in Kinston NC he does one hell of a job and is an auto genious, if you take your truck to him and end up breaking down ill tow you the rest of the way. itd just have to be a saturday or sunday, plus his price is fair,

    if your pump is bad go ahead and do a full rebuild, no telling what may have caused it to fail
     
  6. Jul 28, 2012 at 6:29 PM
    #6
    thesherv

    thesherv [OP] Well-Known Member

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    6 inch suspension lift, 3 inch body lift (coming off soon), TJM bumper with winch, 35" Toyo A/T, Safari snorkel
    Thanks for the recommendation/offer. unfortunately the truck is up in DE. I was at my parents house when it happened. I'm trying to figure out how/if to bring it down here. If like to be able to have it here but at the same time it's at a dealer that we use alot and trust.
     
  7. Jul 28, 2012 at 6:31 PM
    #7
    thesherv

    thesherv [OP] Well-Known Member

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    6 inch suspension lift, 3 inch body lift (coming off soon), TJM bumper with winch, 35" Toyo A/T, Safari snorkel
    You're saying craigslist as in get rid of it right? Thats definitely going through my head right now. Just depends how much is be able to get for it...
     
  8. Jul 28, 2012 at 6:32 PM
    #8
    fireturk41

    fireturk41 I like to break shit!

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    if you cover the diesel i can tow it down, stealerships are expensive ask around for reputable trans shops in the area
     
  9. Jul 28, 2012 at 6:48 PM
    #9
    thesherv

    thesherv [OP] Well-Known Member

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    Wow thats a hell of an offer. Where are you located? I'm looking into some transmission shops around here and ill look into the one you recommended too.
     
  10. Jul 28, 2012 at 6:52 PM
    #10
    fireturk41

    fireturk41 I like to break shit!

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    greenville nc, what town in DE?
     
  11. Jul 29, 2012 at 3:54 AM
    #11
    thesherv

    thesherv [OP] Well-Known Member

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    Newark DE
     
  12. Jul 29, 2012 at 3:59 AM
    #12
    Texoma

    Texoma IG: Triple C Chop Shop

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    A bunch a cool stickers, a bada ass MetalMiller Tx Longhorns grill emblem painted Hemi Orange, JBA long tube headers with o2 sims, Diff breather mod, Red LED interior lights, Fancy head unit that plays ipod n movies, Also DIY install factory stuff like, factory cruise control, factory intermittent wipers, OME nitro struts with 886x springs and toy tec top plate, JBA high caster UCA's for better alignmnet and dey beefier too, Old Man Emu Dakar leaf springs in da rear with the gear, U bolt flipper, Ivan Stewart TRD rims with 33" K Bro 2's, some bad ass weather tech floor liners so I don't muck up my interior, an ATO shackle flipper for mo travel in da rear wit the gear, also super shiny Fox 2.0 shocks back there too, all sorts of steal armor for bouncing off of the rocks like demello sliders, AP front skid, trans skid, n transfer skid, demello gas tank skid, and a tough as nails ARB bumper with warn 8k winch, I'm sure there's more

    AAmco transmission on Philadelphia Pike in Claymont,DE did me good a few years ago.
     
  13. Jul 29, 2012 at 6:54 AM
    #13
    Yamaha Dave

    Yamaha Dave Well-Known Member

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    Sad thing is the majority of that cost is the labor to drop the transmission. The actual parts aren't expensive at all.
     
  14. Jul 29, 2012 at 9:27 AM
    #14
    thesherv

    thesherv [OP] Well-Known Member

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    6 inch suspension lift, 3 inch body lift (coming off soon), TJM bumper with winch, 35" Toyo A/T, Safari snorkel
    Thanks I'll check them out. Ever heard anything about Benchmark Transmission right there in Newark? Thats right around the corner from the dealer and they got good reviews on google...
     
  15. Jul 29, 2012 at 9:28 AM
    #15
    thesherv

    thesherv [OP] Well-Known Member

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    Vehicle:
    98 4x4 Regular Cab
    6 inch suspension lift, 3 inch body lift (coming off soon), TJM bumper with winch, 35" Toyo A/T, Safari snorkel
    Yea true. It doesnt take long to jack the price up at $80 or 90/hour.
     
  16. Jul 29, 2012 at 7:56 PM
    #16
    Texoma

    Texoma IG: Triple C Chop Shop

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    A bunch a cool stickers, a bada ass MetalMiller Tx Longhorns grill emblem painted Hemi Orange, JBA long tube headers with o2 sims, Diff breather mod, Red LED interior lights, Fancy head unit that plays ipod n movies, Also DIY install factory stuff like, factory cruise control, factory intermittent wipers, OME nitro struts with 886x springs and toy tec top plate, JBA high caster UCA's for better alignmnet and dey beefier too, Old Man Emu Dakar leaf springs in da rear with the gear, U bolt flipper, Ivan Stewart TRD rims with 33" K Bro 2's, some bad ass weather tech floor liners so I don't muck up my interior, an ATO shackle flipper for mo travel in da rear wit the gear, also super shiny Fox 2.0 shocks back there too, all sorts of steal armor for bouncing off of the rocks like demello sliders, AP front skid, trans skid, n transfer skid, demello gas tank skid, and a tough as nails ARB bumper with warn 8k winch, I'm sure there's more
    Never heard anything bad about it. You may want to revive the Delaware thread in North East Regionla section to get some more info on Trans shops in the area.

    If you've ever torn apart an automatic trans, you'll know why the labor cost is so high. In my opinion, well worth the money to give someone else that headache.
     

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