This really sucks..

[jesse]

Can you tell what that is?

It's used to be my transmission.

I was leaving work, to drive back home (about a two hour drive) and some stupid lady in a suburban decided to come down a oneway, the wrong way, towards me.

Now personally, I don't want to die. So there was a little divider (cement about 3 or 4 inches high). I went up onto that with my car to avoid the lady. I drove off and made it about 200 feet. My tach jumped, my car didn't move. I turn the ignition off and guess what I hear. The sound of transmission fluid pouring onto the road. I open my door and there is red stuff everywhere.

So. I push the car into a parking spot, and say some colorful words for a few minutes. I walked back to the divider to see how that could have done that to my transmission. For pretty much no reason, there was a steel plate bolted with four large bolts to the cement along with a steel rod coming up about four inches. My guess is that there used to be a sign there...bad luck.

Kind of a crappy situation. I eventually got ahold of someone to pick me up, and went back today and picked it up with a flatbed trailor. So now I'm in the process of replacing the transmission, which let me tell you, is a major pain in the ass on this front wheel drive Pontiac Sunfire.

What sucks even more, is the transmission in this car only had 90,000 miles on it. Now I'm putting a transmission in that has 130,000 miles on it. But it's all I can afford, and barely at that.

..I move into my apartment on April 7th, and still don't have internet access. Won't be posting until then.

 

[Richard]

No way, no how you were gonna' JB weld that.

 

[AdamZ]

Hope ya got the lady's plate!

 

[woodstock]

I hope you got her plate too. I would have just come to a stop and let her figure it out - not to mention if she's in an SUV she could have jumped the curb herself. that kinda stuff ticks me off.

 

[Paul Allen]

You do the right thing by avoiding an accident and get stuck paying for the other drivers stupidity. No that sucks! I know when I was as young as Jesse I sure did not have money laying around to spend on a tranny.

 

[tom.]

I hope you got her plate too. I would have just come to a stop and let her figure it out - not to mention if she's in an SUV she could have jumped the curb herself. that kinda stuff ticks me off.

Same here. My rule is always trade enough paint to generate a police report.

 

[wbarnhill]

Sorry to hear that Jesse. And I can understand how it would just be instinct to do what you can to avoid the accident. I probably would've done the same thing. Just make sure that transmission is good to go before you sign off on it. AAMCO put in a transmission on my 93 Mustang that was sluggish, then jumped and sped up, then put one in my 96 Contour that seemed to hiccup every now and then. The Mustang was fixed with one trip back to them. The Contour had to take 3 trips back to them, plus they put a cooler block on and attached it to my radiator, which punctured a hole in the radiator. But enough of my AAMCO horror stories. Good luck.

 

[jjangell]

Just make sure that transmission is good to go before you sign off on it. AAMCO put in a transmission on my 93 Mustang that was sluggish, then jumped and sped up, then put one in my 96 Contour that seemed to hiccup every now and then. The Mustang was fixed with one trip back to them. The Contour had to take 3 trips back to them, plus they put a cooler block on and attached it to my radiator, which punctured a hole in the radiator. But enough of my AAMCO horror stories. Good luck.

As far as the transmission, I bought one from a junkyard and am swapping it myself. So if it doesn't work, it's my own problem.

Didnt' get her plate, actually, I went up the divider going about 2 mph as she blazed by me doing about 45 mph talking on the cell phone. I didn't think it hurt the car until a few hundred feet later.

You do the right thing by avoiding an accident and get stuck paying for the other drivers stupidity. No that sucks! I know when I was as young as Jesse I sure did not have money laying around to spend on a tranny.

Yeah.. I don't really, considering how I'm in the process of moving..buying stuff..putting money down on an apartment..and the last paycheck I received was in Janurary. But what do you do? nothing. just move on

 

[Eamon]

Sorry to hear that Jesse. And I can understand how it would just be instinct to do what you can to avoid the accident. I probably would've done the same thing. Just make sure that transmission is good to go before you sign off on it. AAMCO put in a transmission on my 93 Mustang that was sluggish, then jumped and sped up, then put one in my 96 Contour that seemed to hiccup every now and then. The Mustang was fixed with one trip back to them. The Contour had to take 3 trips back to them, plus they put a cooler block on and attached it to my radiator, which punctured a hole in the radiator. But enough of my AAMCO horror stories. Good luck.

It isn't AAMCO, it is just transmissions.

I used to own an auto shop.

Rebuilt transmission & Carburators have the worst first time sucess rate. A Rebuilt starter or Alt will work 95% of the time on the first shot. Trannys have to go back for a problem (Usually small) 50% of the time.

Junk Yard trannys work about 60% of the time on first install.

Good Luck.

PS I just installed a 1990 Trans Am T350 Lock up in my 1969 Buick. I had to put a toggle switch on the dash for the Overdrive (which is usually operated by the computer), but now I get 20 mpg

 

[terzap]

That sucks! But I'm glad you're OK, even though you poor car isn't.

terry

 

[SCCutler]

Jesse, that is a real bummer. Bad news at a bad time, but atleast you have the skills and the gumption to do something about it. That's great.

PS I just installed a 1990 Trans Am T350 Lock up in my 1969 Buick. I had to put a toggle switch on the dash for the Overdrive (which is usually operated by the computer), but now I get 20 mpg

Eamon, there's yet another reason why I like you!

That Buick's a Skylark, right? You ever get the dent fixed?

And how's the new gig working out?

 

[Eamon]

Jesse, that is a real bummer. Bad news at a bad time, but atleast you have the skills and the gumption to do something about it. That's great.



Eamon, there's yet another reason why I like you!

That Buick's a Skylark, right? You ever get the dent fixed?

And how's the new gig working out?

Hey Spike

I start training for the new job on Monday 3/27. One week in Ohio, One week On the job here in NY & then back to single pilot freedom the second week in April. This job is going to be a lot more flying. I am looking foward to it & I am sure I will love it. Next winter in Canada should be real fun with all the ice

I banged out the dent myself, but I have yet to smooth it out with bondo. I have to wait till the WX warms up. I will have lots of fun with the body, it have quite a few areas that need attention. Then maybe I will paint it black & purple

 

[Bill]

This job is going to be a lot more flying.

Eamon, I must have missed the post, what is your new gig?