What to do - GQ Auto not working - looking for internet advice

Hey Guys,

Looking for some internet advice here :-D

my 1989 GQ TB42 wagon just blew the automatic transmission. Works fine in 1 and 2 but has no drive in 3 (and won't go into 4 obviously).

I have a quote from Wholesale Automatics for a rebuild at $3500 + hard parts. From what I was able to determine, I would still be up for at least another $1k on top of that for the bearings, clutches and bands. I did ask and I was told the $3500 did not include any parts and yes, I specifically asked if the clutches and bands were included and was told no. So the rebuild will be at least $4500, plus freight from rural NSW to Melbourne. (complete HD upgrade to HD torque converter and Nomad valve body was $4500 + hard parts).

I use the GQ as my work vehicle, don't have the funds to go purchase another vehicle as I 'volunteer' as a wildlife nurse which has no pay. And I mean no pay. Not looking for handouts, just advice here :-D

Is it worth the rebuild cost, lets say $5k. If I but another GQ for $5k it will only have the same issues I have been fixing over the past 2 years with mine (new exhaust, steel front bar, new front bearings, headers, all new plugs, leads and most hoses under the bonnet). The body has no rust, only has 2 small dents that I did (silly me) and other than a small carby issue is running fine at 260,000km. Oh, and the transmission issue...

Conversly it a wrecker transmisison worth the risk? I can swap it over mechanically easy enough (the time to do it is another matter) but is it worth the risk? My son is an apprentice mechanic and will come help me if I get stuck (or pretend to so he will come visit...)

or do I just say F-it and get a manual gearbox and swap over all the parts. Downside here is the Mrs can't/won't drive a manual (not that she ever drives my truck but in an emergency..).

I have another vehilce that I can use short term so I am not rushing to get it done this week, but it's an MX5 (my 'race' car weekend/buzzbox) and I do a lot of dirt and rural driving (I support wildlife carers with a veterinary nursing practice and 'work' as an emergency surgical nurse for a wildlife hospital) that the MX5 is not really suitable for (coilovers, track bias set up).

What would you do? And yes I have though about burning it :-D

Cheers

Greg

Get a quote for a second hand one from a wreckers and compare the price to a new one. I suspect you'd probably be able to buy 2 or 3 second hand for the price of a new one.

'Worth the risk' is relative. If it let's go on you are you going to be stuck in the middle of outback aus or 20 minutes from home? If it were me and it was just a daily driver around home and the price was right, I'd try my luck at a second hand one.

Went and spoke to a mechanic that I trust today, ended up at a local specialist gearbox/transmission that he trusts.

Booked in next Wednesday for bench test and quote.

0-TJ-0 - it's a daily drive in remote areas, I sleep in my hammock (or the roof top tent) 3 to 4 nights a fortnight when out on remote clinic and surgery work so it has to work and I can't afford to be stuck somewhere....just trying to save what cash I have in the bank as nothing that I do is a paying gig...no-one loves our wildlife so no-one want to pay for the veterinary work required.

Thanks for you advice though, I do appreciate you input.

I update when I am back, heading out for 1 day of training, 1 day of management board meetings and 4 days of surgery/clinic work back next Tuesday...going to be interesting in the MX5 as it's now raining and bitterly cold here at the moment..


Cheers

If you did buy another GQ with a working auto you could recoup some of the funds by parting out the wreck.

Hard call Greg,

My GQ auto symptoms were the same 1st, 2nd and nothing after. Tossed up between getting a second hand box or rebuilding mine without knowing what the issue was exactly and if we could fix it ourselves or not, I decided on the rebuild as although getting a second hand box was the cheaper option there was no guarantee it will last 1 month let alone years so could of been doing it all again sooner rather than later.

My other main reason 2 rebuild was my old man is an ex diesel mechanic and he was pretty confident in doing the rebuild so only had 2 buy the kit from Wholesale and other bits and pieces and save a shit load on labor costs.

Not an easy job but we got there in the end :)

Check out my rebuild thread

http://www.nissanpatrol.com.au/forum...t=auto+rebuild

Shame you weren't a tad closer not that 2hrs is that far away, would say drop over and make me an offer, not long after rebuilding the gearbox I snapped the spark plug off in the head and the GQ has sat ever since :(

Ah yeah fair enough. You'd definitely be better off with something reliable and trustworthy then. Unfortunately that normally means more $$.

My son is an 3rd year apprentice mechanic and offered to come help with the rebuild if I wanted to do it myself, and to be honest I would love to do it myself but I have no time at the moment. Paying someone else also means if it goes tits up in a few months they get to fix it instead of me as well.

Anyone know a good engine rebuilder in the Southern Highlands? That is next on my list as well. Also looking at the Holley Sniper EFI system as the carb is playing up....

Hey All, sorry for the delays between updates.

It has been hectic here, TAFE exams, practical assessments and many long days of surgery work to be done....

But, the Patrol is in the workshop getting a full rebuild. I have it with a local shop recommended by a mechanic I trust (Trent Anderson Automotive in Moss Vale) so it went off to Highlands Transmissions & Mechanical where it was stripped down and assessed. I forgot my phone in the car the day I went in, but the box had been apart before/ Probably in 2003 judging by the texta on the side of the case. There were extra steels in the clutch packs, but no extra clutches??? Also, the clutch pack that had the issue was worn out, seriously worn out. There were no 'grooves' left in the friction plates at all. Some of the internals are straw coloured which means heat (annealing??). But overall rebuildable.

So it is getting rebuilt, HD gear where available and the TC is getting HD clutch packs so I can use a TC lockup kit on it.

Total time is 3 weeks, and the cost is $4500 drop off and pick up....

Oh, and they are putting in a bypass cooler instead of the one in the radiator as was discussed (at my instigation) about particles in the old one contaminating the new/rebuilt box.

I will give you guys an update in 2 or so weeks when I get the patrol back..

Greg

Still waiting for my patrol to come back, spoke to shop and the gearbox should be going in on Friday.....should be.

I am away from today till Sunday night, so hopefully, I can pick it up Monday morning on the way to work. The poor MX-5 is suffering from the dirt roads I travel on....it now needs work with the all the grit removing paint and the rough have done something to the suspension that now clunks. sigh. Not set up for this work....should be on the flat race tracks...

Oh well, off to work anyway, back Sunday night

Greg