Any auto trans experts out there?

[Hammerhead-i Eaglethrust]

Anyone have some knowledge about automatic transmissions? If so I could use your help. Pm me your phone number, and I'll give you a call.

[Nisxsz]

It'd be helpful if you told us what the problem is... just my opinion.

[1800DialKyle]

You can call my friend, David. He just took an auto trans class and can help you out. (703)855-0341. If he or I cant help you our teacher will be able to.

[Hammerhead-i Eaglethrust]

Here is where I posted on NICO, and not a single person replied.




I'll try to list every bit of info I have here:
History: I have a 95 Nissan Maxima GLE with 190k that recently had a motorswap done. I had a friend of mine install the motor, and he had not ever removed an automatic trans, but he has worked with manual transmissions on many cars. When we bought the car it had blown headgaskets, and possible bad bearings in the motor so the decision was made to purchase another motor, the new one having 90k on it, or so the source claims. It ran and drove perfectly with no transmission issues whatsoever. Please note: I have no experience with auto transmissions, nor did I have any hand in taking this car apart and putting it back together, so I'm in the dark.

As of right now, the new motor runs like a dream, the transmission shifts perfectly, all fluids appear to be good, no metal shavings appearing yet in the transmission. It's been driven maybe 50 miles at best since the swap.

Here's the problem: when you drive it it sounds like a truck with knobby tires going down the road. Like a roaring or scraping sound, whenever the car moves, coming from the frontend, totally dependent on speed of the car, not on whether or not it is running, and not whether it is in gear or not. Pretty much vibrates the entire car.

My findings: I've put the car on jackstands, cranked it and put it in drive. Took brake calipers loose, no change. Noise appeared to be coming from the wheel bearings, so I swapped out the hubs with hub assemblies from a junkyard car. No change, to ensure the new ones weren't bad, I took the old ones to an actual mechanic who told me they were good. I noticed the passenger side axle was beginning to squirt grease everywhere, so I replaced it too. No change. Drivers side axle appears to not be in all the way, I can slide my finger in between the axel and the transmission. Splines appear to be in far enough, only smooth surface showing from outside, but still doesn't look right. I removed it and reinstalled it, no change, so I removed it again, took off the c clip and shoved it back in, still had gap.

Noise appears to be coming from between the 2 axles on the transmission where they meet. Which I'm assuming is the differential portion of the transmission. When axles removed, no fluid comes gushing out of the hole. Seems to me like it would. Transmission fluid was introduced to the tranny through the dipstick hole. I did not see another place to add fluid, but wonder if its circulating properly.

I'm looking for answers that don't include 'your tranny's screwed', but I'm not hopeful at this point. Thanks in advance for reading this god-aweful long post and for your help.
james



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[Nisxsz]

I don't see why the tranny oil wouldn't circulate. I don't think there is an oil pump for the tranny. It circulates by the mechanism right?

From what you said, it seems like it could be the mid axel/diff. I have no idea.

Sorry, can't help ya.

[Eric-RPS13-]

I know a master builder at aamco that likes beer/food, small amount of cash, and working on cars after hours.
I'll ask him what his schedule is like and let you know if he's got time to help.

[justjuiceit]

Just to let you know, I am no fwd auto tranny expert, but this may help. My dad's old fwd auto toyota camry had a drain and fill hole just for the differential that was seperate from the transmission. If it has a seperate assemble, I would drain to check for shaving and fill it up completely with the proper fluid. (for my dad's camry it was atf!)

One way to see if the tranny oil pump is working is to disconnect one of the rubber transmission lines going to the radiator while running. Note that is messy and you need to shut off the engine or reconnect right away.

However, I do not think that seems to be the problem. It sounds like the ring/pinion gear is not meshing properly due to improper backlash, but it could just be low on fluid.

[Hammerhead-i Eaglethrust]

Just to let you know, I am no fwd auto tranny expert, but this may help. My dad's old fwd auto toyota camry had a drain and fill hole just for the differential that was seperate from the transmission. If it has a seperate assemble, I would drain to check for shaving and fill it up completely with the proper fluid. (for my dad's camry it was atf!)

One way to see if the tranny oil pump is working is to disconnect one of the rubber transmission lines going to the radiator while running. Note that is messy and you need to shut off the engine or reconnect right away.

However, I do not think that seems to be the problem. It sounds like the ring/pinion gear is not meshing properly due to improper backlash, but it could just be low on fluid.

What you said about the ring/pinion gear seems to make sense. Like I said in the NICO thread, the left axle appears to be refusing to go in properly. I did end up putting another quart of tranny fluid in today because it showed low on the dipstick, after a week ago I put 2 quarts in and it showed full, so I wonder how long it takes to cycle in all the tranny fluid it needs...


I know a master builder at aamco that likes beer/food, small amount of cash, and working on cars after hours.
I'll ask him what his schedule is like and let you know if he's got time to help.

please, if you would that would be great. Thanks.

[Eric-RPS13-]

doh! guy's on vacation starting today (well last night after work or ya you know what I mean), I'll ask as soon as he gets back

[Hammerhead-i Eaglethrust]

I dropped it off at Asia Auto in gainesville today. Hopefully next week they can figure out what's wrong with it. Thanks to all who offered help... I think I repped everyone...