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93 Buick Century front wheel transmission


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blt
User

Mar 21, 2011, 8:09 AM

Post #1 of 13 (2961 views)
  post locked   93 Buick Century front wheel transmission  

My girlfriend just had her transmission rebuilt. Don't know if hers was rebuilt or if the shop threw in another rebuild.
It shifts smoothly from 1st to overdrive.

From park to reverse, and from reverse to drive it has a very (hard clunk). This should be a much smoother transition.

Is this a simple issue where they can open a cover on the case and adjust valve bodies? Or is this a problem which involves pulling the transmission out to fix it?

Just what is the problem?

Thank you


Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Tom Greenleaf profile image

Mar 22, 2011, 10:20 PM

Post #2 of 13 (2948 views)
  post locked   Re: 93 Buick Century front wheel transmission  

May be motor/trans mounts and not trans at all,

T



blt
User

Mar 23, 2011, 9:31 AM

Post #3 of 13 (2941 views)
  post locked   Re: 93 Buick Century front wheel transmission  

Thanks Tom,

Since I posted this, a few of my friends suggested mounts as a posibility. The mechanic is changing the mounts today or thurs and hopefully that is the problem.

Only thing is that the old trans did not clunk before the rebuild.
When I started it to move the car, it didn't have the hard shift problem. It did after driving the car after it was up to operating temps.

We'll see...


(This post was edited by blt on Mar 23, 2011, 9:37 AM)


Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Hammer Time profile image

Mar 23, 2011, 9:55 AM

Post #4 of 13 (2935 views)
  post locked   Re: 93 Buick Century front wheel transmission  

I hope he actually verified that they were bad before just replacing them.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.



blt
User

Mar 23, 2011, 11:00 AM

Post #5 of 13 (2929 views)
  post locked   Re: 93 Buick Century front wheel transmission  

Hammer time,

I don't know that the mounts were shot. And they should have checked if they were bad when doing the rebuild before passing the car back as "fixed". I'm the middleman in all this as her brother(who doesn't live here) is the person paying for and talking to their mechanic. The mechanic is replacing the mounts and not charging her for this job. If that's the case, then I'll know if the mounts were the problem when I test drive it for her.

This is why I have worked on my own cars all my life, but not transmissions. I don't trust (many) car mechanics and think women especially can get taken advantage of on repairs as they are pretty much clueless about cars. She's handicapped and has enough problems to deal with.

Thanks for the reply


Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Tom Greenleaf profile image

Mar 23, 2011, 11:59 AM

Post #6 of 13 (2925 views)
  post locked   Re: 93 Buick Century front wheel transmission  

You should or speak for myself only replace one that may be bad. Symptoms from initial post suggests that's the trouble to me and just the trauma of doing the trans may have stressed one out or just age.

With a helper and carefully you can brake stand the car and watch the engine and see if one is too lose putting it in forward then reverse and watch. If timid about that let the pros handle it.

Note on mechanics: 99% are honest and there's no joy in being wrong or a problem that comes from work done. A bad reputation will quickly kill your biz so trust them. It's expensive to have the tools and place to do this stuff which is why it ends up costing for things.....

T



blt
User

Mar 23, 2011, 2:05 PM

Post #7 of 13 (2914 views)
  post locked   Re: 93 Buick Century front wheel transmission  

Tom,

There's more to this story, which included a leaking power steering problem, and transmission fluid drips after the car was repaired. The car went back to the garage for the second time and was quote fixed. I looked under the car and several large shop towels were stuffed between the transmission and plastic underbody guard. No woman would be looking under the car, and this looked like a diaper to catch any drips, a half assed fix in my book.

So this is the third time back and the owner was told about the towels and pictures I took. May be why he's doing the transmission mounts at no charge. I call it sloppy work by one of his mechanics at best! Around here no one seems to have a shortage of business and I haven't seen a single garage in this area go out of business, but this is Long Island NY.

I hope this time all will be fixed.

Thanks for your reply


Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Tom Greenleaf profile image

Mar 23, 2011, 2:28 PM

Post #8 of 13 (2909 views)
  post locked   Re: 93 Buick Century front wheel transmission  

Arrgh! PS - could be a separate thing from the job but do keep it properly filled till found and fixed or that will be expensive. Trans? Is it really the drip? It certainly shouldn't after an overhaul and they should fix that.

Sloppy work? Maybe but sometimes stuff just happens too to give them the benefit of the doubt for now. Keep fluids properly filled till taken care of as said or it will just be more troubles.

Did you mean THEY left a diaper under things? That's NOT called for or right at all if THEY did that!

T



blt
User

Mar 23, 2011, 3:23 PM

Post #9 of 13 (2901 views)
  post locked   Re: 93 Buick Century front wheel transmission  

Tom,

Yes, THEY meaning the mechanic put the shop towels there, and I looked under the car and took the picture!
You can bet I'll be watching for any drips and checking fluid levels when she gets her car back.


Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Tom Greenleaf profile image

Mar 23, 2011, 3:34 PM

Post #10 of 13 (2897 views)
  post locked   Re: 93 Buick Century front wheel transmission  

The only excuse I can think of for a towel or diaper as you said being there would be to keep things clean while you worked and they forgot to remove it - otherwise I smell a fish! Good luck getting it right,

T



bsumbullu
Novice

Aug 1, 2011, 8:35 AM

Post #11 of 13 (2704 views)
  post locked   Re: 93 Buick Century front wheel transmission  

Hello, i also have a 93 buick century custom 3.3.
2 days ago a friend was driving the car and he told me when he started the car after parking for a while, it didn't shift gears.
I tried to shift the gears couple times but when i move the lever it doesn't shift to neither reverse, nor drive. Nothing except a slight RPM changing sound and the automatic door locks.
What do you think may be the problem? Could it be something simple like a selenoid or activator, or do you think it's the transmission itself?

I think i need to mention that i had an amateur friend replace the transmission fluid and filter couple months ago and i too started hearing a louder clunk when i shifted to reverse or drive. I think we may have used more fluid than we neded to.


Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Hammer Time profile image

Aug 1, 2011, 12:29 PM

Post #12 of 13 (2694 views)
  post locked   Re: 93 Buick Century front wheel transmission  

This is an old thread. If you have a question, please start a new question of your own.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.



bsumbullu
Novice

Aug 1, 2011, 1:41 PM

Post #13 of 13 (2685 views)
  post locked   Re: 93 Buick Century front wheel transmission  

my bet. started a new one. thanks






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