This tranny is always breaking - Mechs don't know why
 

I had the known problem with my 4th gen tranny (84000 miles), differential bearings failed. Got in the repair shop (Mr. Transmission). They've replaced bearings, new clutch, rotation of the flywheel.

After ~2 months, it become very difficult shifting, like if I was shifting a truck, plus clutch slipped once in a while. So after trying to tell them there is a problem, they found out the clutch was damage.

1 month later, now, i'm having the same problem!!! Hard to shift, like if there is 2 stages before it gears in. Also, when releasing clutch, especially in first, I can feel a shake, like if clutch is slipping when it's engaged.

So my question is, if the mechs really replace my clutch with a brand new one (not OEM), could something be causing the clutch to fail all the time?

I've had my max for 8 months, and I hardly can drive it cause it's always at the freaging garage 50% of time I had it for this problem. If I bring it back now, it's gonna be the 5th time.

So now I wanna bring it and tell them EXACTLY what to do, since they don't know what they're doing, those Mister transmission that knows nothing about transmissions.

Ask for your money back and go somewhere else.

:sprint:

I think tranny work on the 4th gens in only something the Nissan dealer really has a clue doing. Only OEM or ACT clutches seem to be able to hold the torque of the VQ.

As for the tight shifting, do you have a Pacesetter short-throw shifter?


Dave

No short-throw shifter, just plain OEM.
It seems I'll have to figth with them to get a reimbursment, almost impossible to get...

the max's tranny is very notchy. you are just gonna have to deal with it. mine got much more notchy after being rebuilt even with redline mt-90 oil. and i wouldnt trust anyone but a professional tranny shop with my tranny, especially not the nissan dealer.

explain more what happens with your clutch in 1st, i do not understand. once the clutch is fully engaged, does it feel like it is slipping at all?

i had the same problem with one of my cars it turned out the mechanic put the throw-out bearing in backwards which wouldn`t push the pressure plate in all the way and it was very hard to shift and burned up the clutch..

Don't bring it to nissan dealer? If Mister Transmission can't fix it and neither Nissan, I wonder who can. There's not lots of Transmission shops around here unfortunatelly.

Once the clutch it's engaged, it works good. It's when engaging that a shake is felt, not an engine shake, but the tranny or clutch shake. And when changing from one gear to another, you should be able to change it with 3 fingers ya know. But no, I have to use force to put it in gear. I think I'm up for driving a 18 wheelers, I had good practice!

Some things should be fixed by the dealer. They are specialized or used to working on these issues. I do a lot of work on my car but when I go to the dealer, I tell them what I want them to fix so I don't get ripped.

I really hate the M/T on the maxima.....

dude, i bet you couldnt even find a dealer that would rebuild a tranny, they would just tell you to buy a brand new one for $2500+labor. so, umm, no, nissan sux for trannies. and, word of advice, the dealer will find a way to rip you no matter what you do.

it sounds more like they replaced your master cylinder or did not use parts with the right specs... I think your master cylinder needs adjustment because your clutch is not becoming fully disengaged.

Disclaimer:(Opinion not anyones but mine)

In my opinion ANYTIME you crack open an engine or a transmission you are asking for trouble. Even if the "shop" is supposed to be pros at what they do. Can you imagine how many different configurations of trannys and engines their are? Do you think the grease monkey working on your car getting paid by the hour really give a $hit if you have problems? espically with a place like Mr. Transmission? Yea, they can rebuild an old TH400 or TH350 and it will work fine. But an import? I think not.
Here is where a salvage yard is worth it's weight in gold. I would buy a salvaged transmission and change the fluid, do a visual inspection, and install it. (if you can't do it yourself....cause your the only one who REALLY cares about your car....find a GOOD mechanic) Your chances of having problems drop dramatically. First the tranny was put together at the factory, it's never been messed with by a grease monkey, and if you can find a low milage one you probably won't have anymore problems while you own the car. Why pay some jerk that dosen't know what the He11 he is doing 1200 bux when you can buy a salvage yard tranny for 350 to 400 bux????? I have NEVER had a tranny rebuilt, I have always bought a tranny from a salvage yard and most come with a 30 day gaurentee. (granted they aint payin'labor to change it, but they will give you another one. Did this with my old 280ZX, first one was bad, got another one and it was perfect till I sold the car (with over 300K on it I might add).
Good Luck.....I'd cut my losses and just get another tranny....but it's up to you
2Maximas

Damm, your right. But now I've paid those stupid guys 2k$CAN already, don't feel like paying more for another tranny.

And just for the fun of it, i've check for tranny for my car... Cheapest I've found was 3K$CAN. Maxima's are not scrapped often in Canada, I guess it's because most of Max drivers are pro drivers :D

Well there are TONS of them in US I know I could probably find you one for 350 to 400 bux US but even if it were 600 to 800 I'd still call it a deal compaired to what you have been through......
It SUX trying to get something fixed.....Customer NO-service is the rule not the exception! It's really sad, to tell you the truth.
2Maximas

I know. You don't know how ****ed I am of all this. And this is only the short story. I went through court to get the original owner to pay for the repair of this tranny cause he sold it to me with the problem and 15 days later is capout on me. He didn't want to pay for it, so went to court and I won. But now freagme, it's paid but still not fixed. :banghead:

Anyhow, if I see a cheap tranny somewhere, I might just buy it, loose some money, but at least no more headaches.

You also, probably have the Canadian LSD Tranny - hard to find.

BS.

A manual tranny is not a magical piece of hardware. Granted, i would not trust just anyone with it, but it is a very simple mechanical device. Just a bunch of gears and throws. The synchros are probably the most complicated, and even they are not that advanced.

A competant shop can rebuild a tranny and it is better than anything out of a junk yard. Once the tranny is opened up, they can inspect the seals, the condition of the gears, the amount of play etc.

I was on a first name basis with my tranny guy, though he himself did not do the actual rebuild. I stopped by the shop every day, sometimes twice a day to check on the progress. I am confident that they did a good job (but i dont want to jinx it either). I even helped put stuff back on the car. I bought the redline tranny oil that they put in for me. At a tranny shop, they even noticed my cracked CV boots before I had and replaced them for a great price. They also put in my ACT clutch for me without question.

They showed me trannies from other cars, some were broken and could be rebuilt, others were already rebuilt, and others were beyond repair, they KNEW transmissions.

A gear in Japan is the same as a gear in the US, import trannies are no different than US trannies.

I am sorry, but there is no substitute for a competant rebuild, except a brand new tranny of course.

Not all dealers have the ripoff mentality so your reply is not an accurate one. Know what you are going there to have repaired and you won't get ripped off.

i know, i know, dealers just **** me off 95% of the time.

Yea, well, opinions (and they are all not BS) are like belly buttons, everybody’s got one. I'm glad you’re on a first name basis with your transmission shop owner. I for one KNOW that there are no competent shops in my little town, so I have my opinion. I glad you have a budget that allows you to spend money like that, I don't. And I STILL would rather have a low mileage tranny that has NOT been opened up (and I don't mean a VB upgrade I mean a TEAR DOWN/REBUILD) than a rebuilt one. If it such a simple piece of hardware (simple piece of hardware……you have GOT to be joking) I'm sure that if need be you will rebuild your own. Right I had a tranny out of another 280ZX rebuilt buy a MAJOR dealership in Jacksonville FL. (car was TOWED 75 miles to what I thought was a good dealership) after 1500 miles it died a horrible death after MORE aggravation and down-time they discovered that the tech had put some parts in BACKWARDS. So my opinion is formed.....in concrete! You want to deal with rebuilds.... OK, it’s your deal, me I prefer to have a tranny that has not been messed with by untrained (in most cases....NOT ALL…I’ll give you that) techs. If there is a HiPo Nissan tranny shop (something like a Keith Black for GM engines) in the USA somewhere, I would put it on a truck and send it.....but I do not trust local mechanics...I have PLENTY of horror stories, that include dealers and independents. I am an old man (I’m sure compared to most of the people in this group) and have had lots of time to for opinions to form and just like an old man, nobody will convince me otherwise.
2maximas