Replaced transmission
 

I thought I might post something different than the usual whiny, liberal BS that FH posts here, so here goes...

I have a 1989 chevy 1500 truck that is my "yard truck". You know, it takes off trash, goes to Lowes, the gardening center, that sort of thing. It has 165k miles on it. I bought it from my FIL, who bought it new.

My son needed some transportation while his truck was down, so he borrowed it. Sure enough, the transmission died while he had it. I checked around, and shops wanted about $2800 to put in a rebuilt 700R4 transmission. That would double the value of the truck! I had it towed back to my house.

So while I have a shop with a 4 post lift, it's tied up with my '70 Torino on it. So I jacked it up on 6 ton jackstands with 4 ton jackstands for backup, and with a floorjack proceeded to pull the tranny. Laying on my back on a creeper and on cardboard, on concrete. No fun.

Found a place that would take my core tranny and $700, and give me a freshly rebuilt 700R4. Borrowed a friends truck, and made it happen. Done.

Got it back home and enlisted a friend's help to re-install. (Time to blow harry's mind. He's a Marine. A Marine sniper. Was deployed in the Mid-East. And he's BLACK!! The Horror.) :) LOL

What a Pain In The Ass. Not only did it take about 6 hours total to re-install it due to GM's poor design, but we also had another issue. In trying to get the tranny dipstick tube positioned to lift the tranny back into place (a PITA that took many tries) I suddenly had a trickle of fluid coming down the block. It was coolant. GM used (for about 10 years) a quick disconnect fitting on the left rear of the intake manifold for feeding the heater core. A hard line plugged into it, then it changed to a heater hose to connect to the heater core fitting sticking out of the firewall. It was done to save time on the assembly line, and they used cheap pot metal to make the fitting. Mine was corroded and ugly, but not leaking. The dipstick tube hit it and snapped it off flush with the manifold.

Today I used a tool that was specially designed to help remove this specific issue in GM's engines. Yes, at least two manufacturers make a tool specially designed to get the part out of the manifold that typically breaks of in these 350 GM engines. Only it didn't work. It is kind of like an EZ Out, but it ended up just stripping out the pot metal and leaving a ring in the threads. A hacksaw blade, small flat bladed screwdriver, hammer and some patience got the rest out. Chased the threads with a tap, then black RTV and a 3/4 hose nipple with new heater hose and clamps completed the repair.. Screw the quick disconnect.

So the old girl is back on the road. Now if I could only get the rear view mirror to stay glued onto the windshield for more than a year or so at a time.

Replaced transmission
 

Messing with stuff like that seems to be never ending. 2800. Bucks is outlandish. 700 sounds right. I wonder if the $2800.00 was from one of those Union shops where people make a “ living wage� as Harry calls it?

And yes, when you see how products were designed and built, you can understand why they bout went broke.

Replaced transmission
 

On Sat, 23 Jun 2018 15:13:33 -0700 (PDT), Its Me
wrote:

I thought I might post something different than the usual whiny, liberal BS that FH posts here, so here goes...

I have a 1989 chevy 1500 truck that is my "yard truck". You know, it takes off trash, goes to Lowes, the gardening center, that sort of thing. It has 165k miles on it. I bought it from my FIL, who bought it new.

My son needed some transportation while his truck was down, so he borrowed it. Sure enough, the transmission died while he had it. I checked around, and shops wanted about $2800 to put in a rebuilt 700R4 transmission. That would double the value of the truck! I had it towed back to my house.

So while I have a shop with a 4 post lift, it's tied up with my '70 Torino on it. So I jacked it up on 6 ton jackstands with 4 ton jackstands for backup, and with a floorjack proceeded to pull the tranny. Laying on my back on a creeper and on cardboard, on concrete. No fun.

Found a place that would take my core tranny and $700, and give me a freshly rebuilt 700R4. Borrowed a friends truck, and made it happen. Done.

Got it back home and enlisted a friend's help to re-install. (Time to blow harry's mind. He's a Marine. A Marine sniper. Was deployed in the Mid-East. And he's BLACK!! The Horror.) :) LOL

What a Pain In The Ass. Not only did it take about 6 hours total to re-install it due to GM's poor design, but we also had another issue. In trying to get the tranny dipstick tube positioned to lift the tranny back into place (a PITA that took many tries) I suddenly had a trickle of fluid coming down the block. It was coolant. GM used (for about 10 years) a quick disconnect fitting on the left rear of the intake manifold for feeding the heater core. A hard line plugged into it, then it changed to a heater hose to connect to the heater core fitting sticking out of the firewall. It was done to save time on the assembly line, and they used cheap pot metal to make the fitting. Mine was corroded and ugly, but not leaking. The dipstick tube hit it and snapped it off flush with the manifold.

Today I used a tool that was specially designed to help remove this specific issue in GM's engines. Yes, at least two manufacturers make a tool specially designed to get the part out of the manifold that typically breaks of in these 350 GM engines. Only it didn't work. It is kind of like an EZ Out, but it ended up just stripping out the pot metal and leaving a ring in the threads. A hacksaw blade, small flat bladed screwdriver, hammer and some patience got the rest out. Chased the threads with a tap, then black RTV and a 3/4 hose nipple with new heater hose and clamps completed the repair. Screw the quick disconnect.

So the old girl is back on the road. Now if I could only get the rear view mirror to stay glued onto the windshield for more than a year or so at a time.

===

Good work!

Sounds a bit like a boat project. I call it doing impossible jobs in
impossible places.

Replaced transmission
 

On Saturday, June 23, 2018 at 8:06:42 PM UTC-4, Wayne.B wrote:
On Sat, 23 Jun 2018 15:13:33 -0700 (PDT), Its Me
wrote:

I thought I might post something different than the usual whiny, liberal BS that FH posts here, so here goes...

I have a 1989 chevy 1500 truck that is my "yard truck". You know, it takes off trash, goes to Lowes, the gardening center, that sort of thing. It has 165k miles on it. I bought it from my FIL, who bought it new.

My son needed some transportation while his truck was down, so he borrowed it. Sure enough, the transmission died while he had it. I checked around, and shops wanted about $2800 to put in a rebuilt 700R4 transmission. That would double the value of the truck! I had it towed back to my house.

So while I have a shop with a 4 post lift, it's tied up with my '70 Torino on it. So I jacked it up on 6 ton jackstands with 4 ton jackstands for backup, and with a floorjack proceeded to pull the tranny. Laying on my back on a creeper and on cardboard, on concrete. No fun.

Found a place that would take my core tranny and $700, and give me a freshly rebuilt 700R4. Borrowed a friends truck, and made it happen. Done.

Got it back home and enlisted a friend's help to re-install. (Time to blow harry's mind. He's a Marine. A Marine sniper. Was deployed in the Mid-East. And he's BLACK!! The Horror.) :) LOL

What a Pain In The Ass. Not only did it take about 6 hours total to re-install it due to GM's poor design, but we also had another issue. In trying to get the tranny dipstick tube positioned to lift the tranny back into place (a PITA that took many tries) I suddenly had a trickle of fluid coming down the block. It was coolant. GM used (for about 10 years) a quick disconnect fitting on the left rear of the intake manifold for feeding the heater core. A hard line plugged into it, then it changed to a heater hose to connect to the heater core fitting sticking out of the firewall. It was done to save time on the assembly line, and they used cheap pot metal to make the fitting. Mine was corroded and ugly, but not leaking. The dipstick tube hit it and snapped it off flush with the manifold.

Today I used a tool that was specially designed to help remove this specific issue in GM's engines. Yes, at least two manufacturers make a tool specially designed to get the part out of the manifold that typically breaks of in these 350 GM engines. Only it didn't work. It is kind of like an EZ Out, but it ended up just stripping out the pot metal and leaving a ring in the threads. A hacksaw blade, small flat bladed screwdriver, hammer and some patience got the rest out. Chased the threads with a tap, then black RTV and a 3/4 hose nipple with new heater hose and clamps completed the repair. Screw the quick disconnect.

So the old girl is back on the road. Now if I could only get the rear view mirror to stay glued onto the windshield for more than a year or so at a time.

===

Good work!

Sounds a bit like a boat project. I call it doing impossible jobs in
impossible places.

I cuss these kinds of "projects", then when I'm done, I feel a sense of accomplishment. It was good taking it out on its shakedown run. :)

Replaced transmission
 

On Saturday, June 23, 2018 at 7:04:24 PM UTC-4, Tim wrote:
Messing with stuff like that seems to be never ending. 2800. Bucks is outlandish. 700 sounds right. I wonder if the $2800.00 was from one of those Union shops where people make a “ living wage� as Harry calls it?

And yes, when you see how products were designed and built, you can understand why they bout went broke.

The design was to minimize time on the assembly line. That union labor adds up, eh?

Replaced transmission
 

Its Me
On Saturday, June 23, 2018 at 7:04:24 PM UTC-4, Tim wrote:
Messing with stuff like that seems to be never ending. 2800. Bucks is outlandish. 700 sounds right. I wonder if the $2800.00 was from one of those Union shops where people make a “ living wage� as Harry calls it?

And yes, when you see how products were designed and built, you can understand why they bout went broke.

The design was to minimize time on the assembly line. That union labor adds up, eh?

———-

Pluse, if you can shave off a nickel per thousand by then sing inferior parts you save millions up front. Then let the consumer worry about it later.

Replaced transmission
 

On Sat, 23 Jun 2018 15:13:33 -0700 (PDT), Its Me
wrote:

I thought I might post something different than the usual whiny, liberal BS that FH posts here, so here goes...

I have a 1989 chevy 1500 truck that is my "yard truck". You know, it takes off trash, goes to Lowes, the gardening center, that sort of thing. It has 165k miles on it. I bought it from my FIL, who bought it new.

My son needed some transportation while his truck was down, so he borrowed it. Sure enough, the transmission died while he had it. I checked around, and shops wanted about $2800 to put in a rebuilt 700R4 transmission. That would double the value of the truck! I had it towed back to my house.

So while I have a shop with a 4 post lift, it's tied up with my '70 Torino on it. So I jacked it up on 6 ton jackstands with 4 ton jackstands for backup, and with a floorjack proceeded to pull the tranny. Laying on my back on a creeper and on cardboard, on concrete. No fun.

Found a place that would take my core tranny and $700, and give me a freshly rebuilt 700R4. Borrowed a friends truck, and made it happen. Done.

Got it back home and enlisted a friend's help to re-install. (Time to blow harry's mind. He's a Marine. A Marine sniper. Was deployed in the Mid-East. And he's BLACK!! The Horror.) :) LOL

What a Pain In The Ass. Not only did it take about 6 hours total to re-install it due to GM's poor design, but we also had another issue. In trying to get the tranny dipstick tube positioned to lift the tranny back into place (a PITA that took many tries) I suddenly had a trickle of fluid coming down the block. It was coolant. GM used (for about 10 years) a quick disconnect fitting on the left rear of the intake manifold for feeding the heater core. A hard line plugged into it, then it changed to a heater hose to connect to the heater core fitting sticking out of the firewall. It was done to save time on the assembly line, and they used cheap pot metal to make the fitting. Mine was corroded and ugly, but not leaking. The dipstick tube hit it and snapped it off flush with the manifold.

Today I used a tool that was specially designed to help remove this specific issue in GM's engines. Yes, at least two manufacturers make a tool specially designed to get the part out of the manifold that typically breaks of in these 350 GM engines. Only it didn't work. It is kind of like an EZ Out, but it ended up just stripping out the pot metal and leaving a ring in the threads. A hacksaw blade, small flat bladed screwdriver, hammer and some patience got the rest out. Chased the threads with a tap, then black RTV and a 3/4 hose nipple with new heater hose and clamps completed the repair. Screw the quick disconnect.

So the old girl is back on the road. Now if I could only get the rear view mirror to stay glued onto the windshield for more than a year or so at a time.

Now you make me feel bad. I wasn't willing to lay under my Prelude and
replace an oil cooler.

Replaced transmission
 

On Sat, 23 Jun 2018 17:38:34 -0700 (PDT), Its Me
wrote:

On Saturday, June 23, 2018 at 7:04:24 PM UTC-4, Tim wrote:
Messing with stuff like that seems to be never ending. 2800. Bucks is outlandish. 700 sounds right. I wonder if the $2800.00 was from one of those Union shops where people make a “ living wage� as Harry calls it?

And yes, when you see how products were designed and built, you can understand why they bout went broke.

The design was to minimize time on the assembly line. That union labor adds up, eh?

That was the main driver behind the front wheel drive craze. You drop
the whole drive train in at one time and they are modular enough to
span many product lines. They come in on a pallet from god knows where
and they drop them in just about anything.
The problems do arise when you have to work on some of them. When you
look in the Prelude shop manual for the timing belt replacement, It
starts you with "remove engine transaxle assembly" instructions.
The reality is the dealer shop knows a trick where they just loosen
the motor mounts and tilt it up but it is still not your average shade
tree job. Nothing on this Prelude appears to be. Next week I am going
after a $75 broken door handle, wish me luck.
First I have to find the part. ;-)

Replaced transmission
 

On Sat, 23 Jun 2018 22:08:41 -0400, wrote:

On Sat, 23 Jun 2018 17:38:34 -0700 (PDT), Its Me
wrote:

On Saturday, June 23, 2018 at 7:04:24 PM UTC-4, Tim wrote:
Messing with stuff like that seems to be never ending. 2800. Bucks is outlandish. 700 sounds right. I wonder if the $2800.00 was from one of those Union shops where people make a “ living wage” as Harry calls it?

And yes, when you see how products were designed and built, you can understand why they bout went broke.

The design was to minimize time on the assembly line. That union labor adds up, eh?

That was the main driver behind the front wheel drive craze. You drop
the whole drive train in at one time and they are modular enough to
span many product lines. They come in on a pallet from god knows where
and they drop them in just about anything.
The problems do arise when you have to work on some of them. When you
look in the Prelude shop manual for the timing belt replacement, It
starts you with "remove engine transaxle assembly" instructions.
The reality is the dealer shop knows a trick where they just loosen
the motor mounts and tilt it up but it is still not your average shade
tree job. Nothing on this Prelude appears to be. Next week I am going
after a $75 broken door handle, wish me luck.
First I have to find the part. ;-)

===

You might find it easier/cheaper to buy the entire door (with handle)
from a junkyard and then paint it to match.

Replaced transmission
 

On Sat, 23 Jun 2018 22:22:45 -0400, Wayne.B
wrote:

On Sat, 23 Jun 2018 22:08:41 -0400, wrote:

On Sat, 23 Jun 2018 17:38:34 -0700 (PDT), Its Me
wrote:

On Saturday, June 23, 2018 at 7:04:24 PM UTC-4, Tim wrote:
Messing with stuff like that seems to be never ending. 2800. Bucks is outlandish. 700 sounds right. I wonder if the $2800.00 was from one of those Union shops where people make a “ living wage� as Harry calls it?

And yes, when you see how products were designed and built, you can understand why they bout went broke.

The design was to minimize time on the assembly line. That union labor adds up, eh?

That was the main driver behind the front wheel drive craze. You drop
the whole drive train in at one time and they are modular enough to
span many product lines. They come in on a pallet from god knows where
and they drop them in just about anything.
The problems do arise when you have to work on some of them. When you
look in the Prelude shop manual for the timing belt replacement, It
starts you with "remove engine transaxle assembly" instructions.
The reality is the dealer shop knows a trick where they just loosen
the motor mounts and tilt it up but it is still not your average shade
tree job. Nothing on this Prelude appears to be. Next week I am going
after a $75 broken door handle, wish me luck.
First I have to find the part. ;-)

===

You might find it easier/cheaper to buy the entire door (with handle)
from a junkyard and then paint it to match.

That might be true if this was an Accord or Civic but Preludes are
pretty rare and crash parts are even harder to come by. I have been
told parting this thing out would get me more money than selling the
car. I have had the door apart before and swapping the part is not
that tough. They say they have one in stock at the dealer right down
the road from me, in Estero (on their web site). I won't know until
Monday if it is true. It is even supposed to be the right color. ;-)
I think most of the ones they sold are red. It is the only ones I have
ever seen. When I was looking at them on KBB I did see a couple white
ones tho. This particular body was only made for one year (97) but I
think it probably takes a Honda geek to tell them apart. I know the
door handle only fits a 97.