Anyone on the board ever rebuilt a transmission?
 

Wondering if anyone has ever attempted this? I know it is fairly complex to do. I like doing things just for the learning experience some times. Is this something a normal guy can complete? Or is there just way too much involved with attempting this?

If you were wondering why I am asking I have a guy with a Mini Cooper S that apparently the transmission is going out on it. I was considering giving it a go.

I know absolutely nothing about auto mechanics.

The one thing I do know is that if I am having mechanical issues, I am not going to let someone "give it a go" as a learning experience.

Shit, if it ain't yours, give it a go.

I would be buying the car. I would be giving it a go on my own vehicle.

I suppose experimenting on someone else's car is better than doing so on your own vehicle, but I'd recommend not.

Okay, thats different.

Oh. I'd recommend taking the car to a mechanic to verify:

1) That something is indeed wrong with the tranny.

2) If something is wrong with the tranny, get an estimate on how much it would be to fix the tranny.

The mere words "rebuild a transmission" strike terror into the core of my heart.

el jefe does it every day.


i work on cars and fix just about anything and everything.

but **** rebuilding a transmission.

I'd never do it.

Too many parts.

Indeed I have. My father and I rebuilt the transmission in my 96 Mustang GT when I was 18, just a few years back as kind of a father son project. He is very mechanically inclined and has worked on cars all his life. But we found a guide that showed exactly what each and every part was. I am fairly mechanically inclined myself, but it was still fairly difficult going about it the first time. I actually had a blast doing it though.

What exactly is wrong with the Mini's transmission? Is it an auto or manual?

Need to know ^this information first.
Manual’s are very simple beasts. I’m not a mechanic and I’ve been all through a T-10, SM420 and now a Ford Top Loader manual transmissions.
I won’t screw with an automatic though, take that to someone that knows what they’re doing.

Yep. Was going to be my advice as well. Automatics are a bitch. Though I could see a Mini, even if it is a manual, also being a bitch.

I can't believe that not a single person has posted a picture of a mini tranny yet. Slackers.

I thinking the same thing...:D

Mini tranny. ROFL

yep.

Also, the cheapest way to handle this is to pull the tranny yourself and exchange it with a rebuilt done by somebody who does that shit all the time. Half the cost is averted. But, you will find pulling a tranny on a FWD means a whole lot different thing than just pulling a tranny.

There are over 2k parts in some transmissions. Yes I have rebuilt transmissions with my dad guiding me. Even with a chiltons guide I wouldn't do it myself. We usually get 1-2 transmissions a week from repair shops who have tried to build the transmissions themselves. I will say this, if you have the time, money, resources and ability you could do anything.

We had a guy this week who brought in an E40D transmission. He took it out of the van himself, he stripped it down, and he bought all the parts. He didn't skimp on anything, he bought good parts and bought everything he needed. He rebuilt it himself, he drove it and it quit shifting. He had installed 2 small pieces incorrectly, the amount of metal material inside of the transmission was extensive. It had embedded into the clutches, the band, into the drum, it covered the bottom of the solenoids. He essentially grenaded his transmission. Also you can't return those parts, they won't warranty them being that they failed from improper installation, and yes they can prove that.

I would start to do it, bang my knuckles on stuff, get really pissed, go drink some beer, get it towed to a shop to be fixed, hope I hadn't ****ed anything up worse than it was.

It is an automatic transmission. The rebuild kit looks like it costs about $250. Looks like most of you are saying don't even try it. Has anyone actually done an automatic and succeeded?

Posted that before seeing El Jefe's post.

Yes, I have built quite a few and succeeded on many. I wouldn't touch it with a stick. I have also pulled transmissions out of Mini's before, PITA. What year is it, I can give you an idea time wise what you would be looking at.

It is a 2005 mini cooper s.

Mitchell OnDemand 5 calls for 15.3 hours to remove and reinstall the transmission, including R&I of motor. We have found ways to bypass the R&I of the motor, but it's tricky.

Multiply shop hours X 4. Prepared to rebuild it twice, using a friend's auto shop, ATSG manual, and be prepared to make/borrow tools, on top of your own stuff. Don't forget the $4000 Auto scanner. Good luck.

This, there are people that do that stuff.

I have stood there and watched a few times while the tranny guy was rebuilding one for me.

I have replaced parts in a four speed a few times, but **** that also.

Go get yourself a "known good" tranny, used or rebuilt and R and R it.

What exactly is this? Pulling the motor?

That could inspire a guy to invent new cuss words

I rebuilt a GM THM350 many years ago and it worked fine.

No way would I attempt something like that now, especially on a modern transmission.

Indeed.

Our hired man tried a mid 80's Chevy 350 transmission, it was pretty simple. Had a lot of similar results to El Jefe's buddy, but he was able to salvage it after a torque converter and a valve kit.

I'm not good for it but you may be. I wouldn't go anywhere near it without a manual and whatever computers the mini needs.

Those front drive cars really have their tranny jammed up in there. The clutch went out on my son's Prizm and I thought about changing it myself but changed my mind after reading the procedure in the shop manual. It pretty much involved pulling the motor.

The Mini Cooper s has the same transmission as the Ford Focus SVT (Gertag 6 speed). If you want to save some money, you could call around to junkards and see if they have any Cooper S or Focus SVT transmissions and just replace the whole thing as opposed to cracking it open and possibly ****ing everything up.

Awesome suggestion. Thank you very much.

It appears that is a manual transmission. I am looking for the automatic. Unless I am missing something.

What's the transmission doing that makes your buddy think it's going out?

It is a guy off of Craigslist actually. He said he just bought the damn thing and here is his quote online "took it to the shop and the computer said that the 4 gear does not kick in and it need a new transmission". Could possibly end up being something else but that just isn't my luck.

Said he just bought it for his daughter and hasn't even licensed it yet. Said his daughter is all pissed off but he just doesn't want to pay to fix it. He is asking around $5000 for it and from what I saw people are asking around 12000 to 13000 for this model this year. He has a little higher mileage though then the ones I could find.

I'm sorry meng... I thought all the Cooper S were manual. Obviously wont work then.

No biggie. Just thought maybe there was something else that might work with it.

I would still look at junkyards for a Cooper S auto tranny vs cracking it open.

I have been looking for some and they are wanting like $3500 for the transmission. I would still be getting a fairly good deal at around $8500. But that still doesn't include my time pulling the tranny and putting it back in. Plus any tools I might need to buy to get it done. Sounds like I might need to get a cherry picker to pull the engine but I can find a used one for a couple hundred on craigslist.

I believe the Aisin transmissions are supposed to be pretty good, so if it has failed it is probably through neglect or abuse, which would be a big red flag for me for the whole car (though I personally wouldn't buy an auto Mini).

However, it does look like they are kind of picky on the type of ATF used so you might get lucky and just need a fluid change and/or a reflash of the controller.

Yes, you have to use the ESSO EZL 799 Mini fluid.

I changed out the chain on my grandaughters bike the other day. Surely it can't be any harder than that.