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  #1  
Old 05-18-2009, 01:19 AM
Gravija Gravija is offline
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Transmission Problems

Hi,

My 93 SVX recently died on the highway with transmission troubles (my parents drive it while I am at school, so I haven't seen it in person yet). They went to a mechanic and he quoted about $2500-3000 to fix the transmission.

My parents are unwilling to spend that much money on the car, since it has given them problems in the past and the fix is probably more than the car is worth. Are there any alternative suggestions besides trying to sell the car?
(no manual swap, i suggested it to my parents but none of them can drive stick)

The AC also died too, don't know what that is a cause of or when it happened, and i doubt it is related. Suggestions on that fix are welcome, but I haven't actually inspected the car.

Also, would anybody be interested in the car for parts/fix her up? Its located in the bay area, and it has HID lights.

Thanks
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  #2  
Old 05-18-2009, 02:08 AM
1986nate 1986nate is offline
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Re: Transmission Problems

What do you mean exactly when you say it "died" on the highway...
The price quoted is probably the price to do a rebuild and that sounds about right.
Depending on the condition of the interior and exterior and mileage, you may be able to get as much as $1000 for it by selling it. Depends greatly on miles and condition though. Being that it is a '93, it is an anniversary addition and is a little more desireable.
Otherwise you can always swap in an auto trans and rear differential from another Suby as long as it is from a '91-'98. You will just simply need to R&R the transmissions, then you will need to take the LSD out of the SVX rear differential and swap it into the rear differential from the donor vehicle and then put that rear diff into the SVX.

Last edited by 1986nate; 05-18-2009 at 02:11 AM.
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  #3  
Old 05-18-2009, 05:53 AM
Blacky Blacky is offline
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Re: Transmission Problems

This is exaxtly why so many end up in the bone yard or stripped for parts. It's a shame.
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  #4  
Old 05-18-2009, 07:52 AM
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longassname longassname is offline
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Re: Transmission Problems

Yes, this is exactly why so many SVXii end up parted out....and here's why another svx should never end up being salvaged because its transmission blew again.

Gravija, there's an 80% chance I can both fix your transmission and make your car fast and dependable for only $999. Once your parents are aware of what's really going on with the transmission and what can be done they may be willing to do this--you will also have to figure freight and installation costs. The nice thing with this route is the performance of the car is drastically improved along with the repair. Feel free to have them call me. My name is Mike and my number is 305-546-9359

Here's a link to the page on my website with the information on the transmission: http://www.ecutune.com/4eat.htm

Here's a copy and paste of the same explanation I've given a couple others recently:
Quote:
I'm now offering partial rebuilds for $999 (assuming it isn't literally in pieces and doesn't have hard parts damage). Having rebuilt dozens of these things now I have found that they almost always fail in the same few places most of which are caused by a failing high clutch.

The SVX version of the 4eat has the strongest clutch pack arrangement of the OE 4eat transmissions (phase 1 transmissions) but the high clutch still isn't quite strong enough to hold well with the heavy svx. It slips at light cruise while the rpms are low. This is a clutch pack capacity/fluid pressure problem. When the high clutch slips while you are cruising around at speed it wears quickly and creates a lot of heat. The reverse clutch frictions spline into the outside of the high clutch drum. Since the reverse clutch frictions are riding on the high clutch drum they catch a lot of the heat from a failing high clutch. On the earlier models which have smaller reverse clutch frictions they are not able to disperse the heat quickly enough and fail along with the high clutch. The brake band operates on the reverse clutch drum and also becomes a victim of the heat from a failing high clutch. About 80% of SVX transmission failures are these high clutch with accompanying brake band and on the early production units reverse clutch failures.

Almost all of the remaining 20% of failures are a crumbled thrust bearing on the nose of the rear support caused by overheating of the bearing which hardens it until it crumbles. This can be prevented by installing a good aftermarket atf cooler and not using the oe atf cooler at all (the cooler in the radiator is a huge restriction and it should not be used). In addition, when I build a transmission (or a valve body)I modify the valve body to increase the lubrication flow to prevent this. A failed bearing causes a lot of hard parts damage. I can not do a partial rebuild on one of these transmissions and prefer not to rebuild them at all. A transmission that has failed in this way will have bearing rollers in the pan. If someone sends me one as a core they do not get their core charge back.

Since the rest of the clutch packs are always in relatively good condition I can do partial rebuilds of SVX transmissions that don't have the failed bearing at a very affordable price. I replace only the bad parts in these transmissions--upgrading the high clutch with better frictions and more frictions to increase its torque holding capacity so it doesn't slip anymore and modifying the valve body to increase the clutch apply pressure to further increase its torque holding capacity. With these partial rebuilds you end up with a transmission that shifts very fast and no longer has the weeknesses which take out almost all SVX transmissions.

There's no longer any reason for SVX owners to live in fear of an inevitable transmission failure that will cost more than their car is worth to repair. If you use a good aftermarket cooler and completely bypass the cooler in the radiator you won't get hard parts damage and when your high clutch and brake band do start showing symptoms if you send it to me to be rebuilt/upgraded you can get it back much better than ever for an affordable price.
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  #5  
Old 05-19-2009, 05:54 PM
NiftySVX NiftySVX is offline
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Re: Transmission Problems

Yeah go with LAN's repair. 5-speed in the SVX is so 2005. A built 4eat will outrun a 5 speed any day.
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