1995 GMC transmission went south yesterday

[Jeepwm69]

Originally Posted by D.B

Have your converter gone through. It will need flushed out or better yet opened up and cleaned. What trash and debris that was in your transmission is now in your converter. Also, thoroughly clean your transmission lines and transmission coolers. Auto Parts stores sell aerosol cleaners just for this purpose that can be attached to the lines and fittings. I would use several cans, you can never be too clean.

Yep, I rebuild a lot of ATV engines. I learned early one that even if the bottom end is good, if you don't tear it all the way down and clean EVERYTHING out, the grit/dirt from the bottom end will ruin a new top end in short order. Gotta flush out the oil coolers too!

The $1250 price is about a 90 min drive from me. That shop/salvage yard was recommended to me by some drag racers who work at a local oil change shop.

I found another shop that is 20 miles from me, and called it. The guy is 82, and has run the shop since the early 70's. He said that transmission came out in the early 90's when I mentioned it as being 95 only. Said they were from 93-95 IIRC. Very sharp mentally, and the interesting thing is, his name is Jack, and his shop was "Jack's muffler and transmissions". When I was a kid we'd pass his shop and I'd tell my grandfather (also named Jack) "Hey, look! It's your shop!" My grandfather owned a Pontiac, Buick, GMC dealership from the late 40's to the late 80's, and would say "I know that guy, and he does great work" Never in a million years did I think the same guy would still be running that shop.

Jack quoted me $1950 plus tax, but said it would be 3-4 weeks, because he fell and broke a bone in his leg, and has minor surgery on it before he can go back to work. He has a "young big ol fella" to pull the transmissions and put them back in, but he does the actual work.

Dad (who is 86) says "Someone that old might miss something" and I said "but he's done so many he can probably do them in his sleep now".

So for now, I'm leaning towards taking it to Jack. My grandfather was pilot, and always had a very high standard when it came to mechanical work of any kind. I think if he was impressed with this guy that I'd be hard pressed to find a better place to have it done.