Tranny problem resolved

[SupraSabre]

I have had several issues with my 89 Supra since putting a JDM engine and transmission in back in December/January. In March, my son was driving it and it melted a hole in the large airflow tube between the AFM and the throttle body. He took it to a "Toyota Specialist" in Temecula and they determined it was the fuel pump. They wanted $700 to replace it. I wasn't sure, but I knew I could replaced it for much cheaper.

Around the end of June/ early July (it took me that long to look at it) I discovered it was the melted intake tube and the fuel pump was fine. When my son picked the car up from that shop, it wouldn't shift! So I just had him have AAA tow it home. You take the car in for one problem and misteriously another problem pops up! I just love shops like that! :nono:

So, now that I had the idle issue resolved, I had to work on the transmission not shifting. I checked and then replaced a speed sensor (#2) and also the speedometer wasn't working. I found that the 90 degree short speedo cable had broken. I managed to get that short cable piece (Toyota wanted $100) from this forum. ::w00t::

This Saturday I was able to get back to working on the Supra again. I replaced the cable piece and then proceeded to drain out 1/2 gallon of transmission fluid that the shop appearantly dumped in the tranny. I drove it out on the street and the shifting was just fine! :bigthumb:

I find it increadable that a shop would sabotage someone's car just because you won't pay them for doing work that wasn't necessary. At least I was able to figure out what all the issues were and resolved them! :biglaugh:

I can now drive the car around for a while and start working on some of the other issues.

 

[suprarx7nut]

Wow, what tools.

Good detective work on your part.

 

[bigaaron]

My Dad bought a 94 LS400 recently, with only 45k miles on it, and the only problem was a small front main seal leak and a smaller power steering leak. He always says he "didn't want to bother me because I'm busy at the shop", AFTER he takes the car to some cheezy local repair shop. So $2500 later, they have replaced almost the entire power steering system with "factory parts", most of which didn't even need to be replaced, and they didn't even touch the front main seal, which was far more important. I tell him they probably throw a big party with his money after every job they do for him. They can see him coming a mile away, and they just start thinking up bs to charge him for before they even look at the car. I bet the ps system still has leaks too.

 

[suprabad]

My Dad bought a 94 LS400 recently, with only 45k miles on it, and the only problem was a small front main seal leak and a smaller power steering leak. He always says he "didn't want to bother me because I'm busy at the shop", AFTER he takes the car to some cheezy local repair shop. So $2500 later, they have replaced almost the entire power steering system with "factory parts", most of which didn't even need to be replaced, and they didn't even touch the front main seal, which was far more important. I tell him they probably throw a big party with his money after every job they do for him. They can see him coming a mile away, and they just start thinking up bs to charge him for before they even look at the car. I bet the ps system still has leaks too.

That completely sucks! It's too bad there are unscrupulous "mechanics" out there taking advantage of the vulnerable.

I also think it's really shitty that all the honest mechanics (don't laugh, there are many) generally have to fix both the cars, and their customers because some asshole poisoned the water (so to speak).

I wouldn't like it if someone treated my Dad like that!:2ar15:

 

[tlo86]

the ls400 is known to have shitty power steering, the pump goes bad, the hoses leak i sold my ls400 because i was paying more to repair it than to build my mkiii lol. and expect higher prices with the ls400 because... its an ls400. but i dont doubt that it needed to be replaced, although i agree they prolly went overboard on it. and charged too much ... (then again have you seen the 1uz's timing belt? i do not want to change that thing )

stories like yours is why i opted to do all of the work myself suprasabre!

 

[BlackDynamite]

Listen....you guys wanna know about shade tree....I live in Southern alabama....Every mechanic in this town does stuff like that, even if you're friends with the person doing it for you.....it's sad....thats why i do stuff myself....But i do like the fabrication company here called BlueTorch...want some engine mounts that will fit a 427 in your supra?.....I think it's been done....a few times....lots of funny cars around here....like...funny as in why is that v8 sound coming out of a 1988's integra....Seriously....lol

 

[SupraSabre]

stories like yours is why i opted to do all of the work myself suprasabre!

Yep, you're so right! I've done a lot of my own work in the past too, but I just didn't have the time to mess with this. Needless to say, I lost anytime I had for my warranty on both the engine (6 mos) and the tranny (3 mos)! But it is running now, and I'm driving it around town on short trips until I can get a few small issues fixed. :icon_bigg