Tugger5000

After being laid off for several months, I land a job at the end of last year. I think the car knows that I have a job now, because nothing had gone wrong with it until I started working again.

In December, it was a set of broken rear brakes. No big deal, $700 to replace everything except that drums.



A few days ago, I stopped on an incline, so let the clutch out while blipping the gas (like I always do) and the car pulls forward about 6 feet and the front tire(s?) lock up letting out a quick squeal. I kick the clutch in, let it out again and the car drives normally...

Today, I'm in a parking lot and stopped at a stop sign. Slowly let the clutch out while giving a bit of gas, and the car bucks forward, almost like it was choking for gas (kind of like if you're in too low of a gear for the speed your driving) except it was the front wheels locking up again.

I park it so I can get under the car to see anything and the differential is leaking fairly significantly (it hadn't ever leaked before that I noticed).

I book it over to the dealership before all the fluid ran out to have them take a look at it... in the 20 minutes I was waiting to get the car rental, it left a 10" diameter puddle of fluid on the floor.

I put Redline MT in it a few years ago (between 150,000 and 200,000 miles), but don't remember the mileage.

The dealer ship is going to take a look at it, likely change the fluid and see if that does anything for it, but my questions are:

1. Could the problems above be caused by old fluid?

2. Could the problems above be caused by low fluid?

3. If it is not either of the 2 above, what are possible causes? (it was weird to me that the "lock-ups" occurred, but the car was still driveable).

187sks

Low fluid can do that type of thing for sure. It'll cause various mechanical parts in the transaxle to seize. If you caught it early enough when fixed and filled with fluid the transaxle might be fine. With a puddle that large I'm concerned that you might have worn out a bearing and seal and it'll be cheaper to swap in a junkyard trans than fix this one.

Turboron_99

I would say, it is just wear and tear, and more than likely there going to tell you need a transmission. Sounds to me like the pinon gear is probably worn so bad, it binds with the dif!

Tugger5000

Sad part is that I may have to part with the car if it gets to pricey.



Still need to do a timing belt, and the driver's side axle (torn CV boot)... so that only leaves 1200-1500 for the repair of the differential... if it goes higher, I think I am just going to have to get another car... *sniff*

187sks

If you have the time, you can do it all yourself for pretty cheap. Transmission and axle could be done in a day without too much trouble, and the timing belt is maybe a 2 hour job. A reasonably low mileage transmission should be $400 or less at a salvage yard.

Tugger5000

Just a thought here.



Let's assume that there is nothing wrong with the transmission/differential.



If the CV joint was bad enough where it could bind up temporarily, is it possible that it could blow the seal (because of it's age) at the differential (where it meets the engine) because 1 tire is turning and the other is not?

Stocker

The nature of an open differential is that one tire can spin free while the other does not. This is normal.



I wonder, if you were to drain the transmission oil, if a big chunk might come swimming out. If it were intermittently binding the gears from a stop . . . ?

Tugger5000

Good idea... I'll see what they will charge to do that... if it is less than $100, it would be worth knowing... the only thing is that the while the fluid was "dirty" is still felt like it was viable and didn't have any strange odors...



I'm looking at $2000+ to replace with used tranny, clutch (might as well... it is the original), axle (CV joint) and seal replacement. On top of that, still need to do a timing belt $350 (water pump adds more) and replace a front wheel bearing... $380...



I wish I had the time to do it myself, but at this point I think I am better off spending the $$ on a used car...



I'm a little saddened... I didn't see any issues with making it to 300K miles... Still... not too bad for a $10K investment back in 01.



Little champ indeed...

Stocker

I don't know how much you make per hour, but pulling in a garage, jacking up one corner, and pulling one bolt is NOT something I'm going to pay someone else to do.

Tugger5000

I completely agree, but don't have a garage anymore, the only jack I have is the one that came with the car and won't have the time to actually get under the car for at least another week and a half. (New job requires me to be on the road everyday)....



Cost of the repairs is over 3K with everything that needs to be done, I have no complaints about the car, it has served me very, very well.



The car has over a quarter million miles on it, I just think it is time to let it go.