What did I do with my Bronco yesterday?

[mikefamig]

I got stuck and had to tow it home.

The transmission has been shifting a little funny after sitting for many years and I wasn't too worried about it and put it low on my priority list of things to fix. It would occasionally start off in third gear after coming to a halt and it was recommended to me that I put it in reverse and accelerate and sure enough that fixed it until the next cold start.

Well yesterday I was bout 15 miles from home and the tranny quit altogether sitting in gear at a red light. When I tried to drive away it just slipped. I was able to crawl to the curb and get a tow home.

So now it sits waiting for an appointment at the transmission shop. This is one that I am going to hand off to the shop being that it is heavy to remove, I am working alone, I have limited knowledge of auto transmissions and I don't have a lift for the job. I do have a parking lift but it was custom made short to fit in a small garage space and it only lifts short wheelbases.

Oh well time to put the Bronco on the back burner and do some yard work

 

[Tiha]

Always a bummer when that happens.

Doing transmissions at home can be a rabbit hole inside a rabbit hole. So much information out there, while reading it is easy to believe you need every fix and every update. But you really don't. On a stock bronco the trans will usually last plenty long enough with proper service and cooling.

 

[mikefamig]

Always a bummer when that happens.

Doing transmissions at home can be a rabbit hole inside a rabbit hole. So much information out there, while reading it is easy to believe you need every fix and every update. But you really don't. On a stock bronco the trans will usually last plenty long enough with proper service and cooling.

When I was younger and more ambitious I would want to learn it but now i want it fixed.

 

[paul rondelli]

Eventually we are all going to go down this road.

Any price quotes and your feedback is truly appreciated.

 

[mikefamig]

Eventually we are all going to go down this road.

Any price quotes and your feedback is truly appreciated.

Paul:

Will do but keep in mind that I am in Connecticut and in a suburb where everything cost more. Right now I'm waiting for a call-back from a reputable transmission shop. They are willing to keep it indoors but need to get a car out before they can get mine in.

I'm hoping that it is something that can be repaired without removing the tranny or a complete rebuild, wish me luck.

 

[mikefamig]

Paul:

Will do but keep in mind that I am in Connecticut and in a suburb where everything cost more. Right now I'm waiting for a call-back from a reputable transmission shop. They are willing to keep it indoors but need to get a car out before they can get mine in.

I'm hoping that it is something that can be repaired without removing the tranny or a complete rebuild, wish me luck.

Update on the transmission

I have been warned that this is going to cost over $2000 and I have little choice in it. I already spent over $200 in two tows from broken down on the road to home and later from home to a transmission shop.

The transmission will be rebuilt, not swapped for one off the shelf which I like because I keep the original. It turns out that the radiator tank had leaked coolant into othe transmission fluid and raised all kinds of ****. Lots of metal filings and mud in the fluid. Complete rebuild, torque converter, radiator and radiator lines.

I am told it will be done one day this week, they are waiting on a torque converter to re-install the rebuilt unit.

 

[johnnyreb]

When I was younger and more ambitious I would want to learn it but now i want it fixed.

Your lucky it happened where you could get help. My starter went out . When I was about 20 miles back in the sticks. Just so happens I knew the country and walked through the woods and get help. The tow service REFUSED to go pick up my car. So I gave them a CHOICE. Either you go and get it or I will hold you responsible for all damages and contact the state and have your towing liscense revoked. They went and got it. Said he didn,t want to get his truck dirty. I told him I didn,t care what he wanted. I didn,t want to walk about 5 miles in the woods back either.

 

[mikefamig]

28

Eventually we are all going to go down this road.

Any price quotes and your feedback is truly appreciated.

Paul

I got the Bronco back from the shop last Saturday. It cost me an embarrassing $2800 for a rebuilt transmission, new radiator, torque converter and cooling lines. They tell me that the radiator had failed and leaked coolant into the transmission. The tranny was full of mud and metal filings.

On the way home from picking it up I stopped at a restaurant for breakfast and all was fine at that point but when I got home (about a 5 mile drive) there was both coolant and transmission fluid leaking under the radiator. Monday morning they trailered it back to the shop and replaced the radiator under warranty and now I'm waiting for the call to pick it up.

 

[johnnyreb]

28

Paul

I got the Bronco back from the shop last Saturday. It cost me an embarrassing $2800 for a rebuilt transmission, new radiator, torque converter and cooling lines. They tell me that the radiator had failed and leaked coolant into the transmission. The tranny was full of mud and metal filings.

On the way home from picking it up I stopped at a restaurant for breakfast and all was fine at that point but when I got home (about a 5 mile drive) there was both coolant and transmission fluid leaking under the radiator. Monday morning they trailered it back to the shop and replaced the radiator under warranty and now I'm waiting for the call to pick it up.

So that tells you. After they done the repairs. They never tried it out and check their own work themselves. That wasn,t good. Good luck.

 

[mikefamig]

So that tells you. After they done the repairs. They never tried it out and check their own work themselves. That wasn,t good. Good luck.

No I disagree.

It was dry when I picked it up and it was dry after a 5 - 10 mile drive to the restaurant. They didn't send it out leaking. They did what I hoped they would do, they took it right back in and paid for the tow and repair.

I suspect that the tank on the radiator leaked, they are plastic parts crimped to the core and prone to failure. My brand new 2015 F-150 had that happen in it's first year and the radiator was replaced under warranty.

 

[mikefamig]

I'm going to reserve judgement until I get it back again and drive it for a while.

 

[johnnyreb]

No I disagree.

It was dry when I picked it up and it was dry after a 5 - 10 mile drive to the restaurant. They didn't send it out leaking. They did what I hoped they would do, they took it right back in and paid for the tow and repair.

I suspect that the tank on the radiator leaked, they are plastic parts crimped to the core and prone to failure. My brand new 2015 F-150 had that happen in it's first year and the radiator was replaced under warranty.

Well that was good about them . I hate this cheap plastic junk they make anymore. I remeber back in 74. A guy at stopped at my friends garage with a radiator leak on a new Chevy. We looked at it and it had a plastic radiator on it. A little pebble had bounced up and put a hole in it. We couldn,t believe it,but it was plastic.

 

[mikefamig]

Follow up on the transmission repair for those interested.

I picked it up yesterday which is abouit a 20 mile ride and drove it about ten miles again today and it seems fine. Everything is dry so far and it shifts nicely. I am told that the seam between the core and the tank leaked coolant and that the lower transmission coolant line had leaked ATF. The radiator was replaced again under warranty. It cost me nothing more, they even paid for the tow.

There was just one time yesterday on my way home that it started off from a standstill in second or third gear instead of low which made my heart sink but it never happened again so I can't prove it to the repair shop and you can't fix what aint broke.

Does anyone know if the shift lever position sensor or anything else can cause it to start out in high gear? I have not gone underneath to look so I don't know if it was replaced.

Mike.

 

[johnnyreb]

Follow up on the transmission repair for those interested.

I picked it up yesterday which is abouit a 20 mile ride and drove it about ten miles again today and it seems fine. Everything is dry so far and it shifts nicely. I am told that the seam between the core and the tank leaked coolant and that the lower transmission coolant line had leaked ATF. The radiator was replaced again under warranty. It cost me nothing more, they even paid for the tow.

There was just one time yesterday on my way home that it started off from a standstill in second or third gear instead of low which made my heart sink but it never happened again so I can't prove it to the repair shop and you can't fix what aint broke.

Does anyone know if the shift lever position sensor or anything else can cause it to start out in high gear? I have not gone underneath to look so I don't know if it was replaced.

Mike.

Well Mike why don,t you crawl under it and check things out?

 

[johnnyreb]

If you have some one else doing the work--because they have a dry-warm place to work in and yo don,t. Its always good to check their work out . Even friend will rip you off.Plud you,ll be rideing in it and your thinking about your own safety and some times you,ll notice something., That might need repaired.

 

[mikefamig]

Well Mike why don,t you crawl under it and check things out?

I will get around to that but I'm in no hurry, I hate crawling underneath these days. The ground is dry underneath the transmission area and it shifts nicely so I'm not in a hurry to see underneath.

I'll be putting a cooling system pressure tester on it today.

 

[mikefamig]

If you have some one else doing the work--because they have a dry-warm place to work in and yo don,t. Its always good to check their work out . Even friend will rip you off.Plud you,ll be rideing in it and your thinking about your own safety and some times you,ll notice something., That might need repaired.

I don't think that they are trying to rip me off but I do think that they are struggling with this radiator. I also think that the reason they are struggling is because it is a cheaply made radiator. If they manage to get it installed with no leaks I think that that's the end of this story. I can't expect them to replace the radiator again because I think that I'd like abetter one.

Also the main mechanic at the shop had his four year old son in surgery this past week and I think that one of the young guys is working (learning) on it.

 

[johnnyreb]

Sorry to hear about his son. That alone would worry him and distract him. Well you are their and can see what is going on. We can,nt. I went through 5--FIVE bad fuel pumps on my Ram. I had AIT TECH. The parts guy tried to tell me they bought all the other companys out and I had to buy air tech. So I told him where to go. Went to another place.Got a CARTER and prooblem fixed. I have heard alot of bad things about aluminium radiators and the junk you get from China is junk. You can find good brass American made ones on the internet. They are higher but they are reliable. It might be something small causing it. Just slow down and take you time looking over

I don't think that they are trying to rip me off but I do think that they are struggling with this radiator. I also think that the reason they are struggling is because it is a cheaply made radiator. If they manage to get it installed with no leaks I think that that's the end of this story. I can't expect them to replace the radiator again because I think that I'd like abetter one.

Also the main mechanic at the shop had his four year old son in surgery this past week and I think that one of the young guys is working (learning) on it.

You might also get the radiator companys name and look it up about complaints--on the internet--just type the name in and add--complaints. You can even see alot of different companys names where do shoddy work.. If its made in China--look out .You,ll have problems. Good luck

 

[mikefamig]

I don't get upset when I see a mechanic or any other craftsman struggle with a job, especially on a 33 year old car and I've done my own share of struggling in my time. Sometimes that's just what it takes to get the job done. They have accepted that it's their problem and they are daling with it and that makes me happy. I'd be more upset if there was a transmission problem, the radiator is not too difficult to replace which would be the worst case.

 

[johnnyreb]

Yes your right. What makes me so mad is getting bad new parts from China or the parts people --that have no mechanic knowledge---try and push their junk on you. When you show them the problem. You might be better off going to a junk yard and getting a good brass radiator for your bronco. Even the pick ups are the same. Just check the year,motor and stuff like that. Just keep a eye out for snakes.haha or a junk yard dog too.hahaha Good luck