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Broken Transmission... Need advices

3K views 27 replies 11 participants last post by  vwvannut 
#1 ·
Hi!

I am moving from Vancouver to the Yukon. There is a serious cold wave around here with -47c (craziness)! Very close to my destination (the last 500km), my transmission 'apparently' broke. The auto repair shop could not spend time to investigate and according to them the 'rod' is broken (it was not a mechanic on the phone, that person did not know the name of this part probably). I love this car and I have invested in this pilot of 2005 (new all suspensions, all complete breaking system, new super-duper winter tires). When I bought it, its engine had been replaced with a used one. Now the engine has only 100k on it.

1) Do you think it is possible to repair the transmission or to replace it ?

2) What is an approximate cost for it (that a repair shop could ask me) ?

3) Would there be some issue for the repair shop to find part? (any idea?)

4) Could the engine be damaged?

5) Some people tell me that I should forget about it and think about another second car (but similar second hand car are not cheap).

What do you think?

Thanks
 
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#2 ·
@djsick ...too bad about the trans. Hopefully the repair shop is the right repair shop for the job. Not familiar with any "rods" in the trans nor how it could be determined. It might save some bucks getting a used trans but regardless the labor will be a big part of it. Just curious whether the trans gave indications of imminent failure, codes, improper maintenance etc. Post up the resolution.
 
#4 ·
Search for "strawberry milkshake" on this forum. Be sitting down when you do. :(

You'll almost certainly be needing a new transmission, I'm sorry to say. And a new "rad."
 
#5 ·
Some on this forum have had luck getting their Pilot roadworthy, after a pink milkshake event, without replacing the transmission. The lousy part is that to make this determination the radiator will need to be replaced and the tranny drain & filled at least 3 times. If you drove the Pilot more than a few miles after the pink milkshake the transmission is probably dead.
Sorry this happened to your Pilot.
 
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#6 ·
given you are moving to a very extreme climate area, I don’t think I’d keep this car unless you could be 100% sure it will last. I am sure parts and labor will be more expensive there and you can’t really afford a breakdown. May be time to cut your losses and buy something a little more reliable.

These 03-05 Pilots are known for extremely unreliable transmissions. Even if after a ton of drain and filling it doesn’t slip, I personally think it will still be damaged to some extent and on borrowed time.
 
#7 ·
Thank you all for your replies!

People tells me that I should get rid of it... I bought it 20k ago and I spent so much because I wanted to keep it. Previous owner put a used engine with 80k only, new belt was put and now it has 100k on the used engine (267k total). Myself I put complete new suspensions (all!), complete new brake (all, discs, etc.), A/c recharged and the best winter tire I ever had in my life (Sumitomo - ice edge). I bought a "Engine Block Heater" and a Battery blanket that I had planned to install at my destination. The car is ready for the north or almost.

When I look at second hand car on Kijiji (where everyone post here), similar car to mine are at least 7k or 8k canadian dollars. And who knows what will break soon if I get one of those (people also sell car to avoid big maintenance sometime... or more often). I would prefer to spend 'hopefully' less than for the repair.

I don't know if you can see this but this is result of car available in Whitehorse, which are:
  • Under 180.000km
  • From 2005 and older
  • Suv type
Nothing that look interesting to me... or too expensive what it is... Mmmh.

Kijiji Canada
 
#8 ·
I had an 05 with the transmission fluid leaked big time at a stop light this summer. I had it towed to my house and upon my careful investigation, I found out that the source of leakage was where the transmission cooler and the radiator met. Luckily, the cooler had broken just before it entered the radiator. But initially, I had to be sure that there was no mixing of coolant and tranny fluid that had taken place inside the radiator and/or transmission. First, I carefully examined the radiator--opened the rad cap and looked for mixing (strawberry milkshake color--it would have been very conspicuous). Then I drained the coolant and further determined that no mixing took place. Next, I drained the remaining tranny fluid (less than a quart left). This, too revealed no hint of mixing. I then made a decision (over several days) to get it towed to a local shop to have the radiator replaced. I had the radiator shipped to me online. Radiator cost me $130, 2 gal tranny fluids, 2 gallons coolant. I spent around $600 total ($400 labor). Thanks.
 
#26 ·
I had exactly the same problem. The connection where the transmission cooling line entered the radiator broke. I was about a mile from my home and realized I had lost all power, but the engine seemed to be running fine. I stopped the vehicle. Had it towed to the shop. They put in a new radiator and filled up the transmission with oil. It has worked perfectly since for about 15,000 miles.
 
#9 ·
Thank you Beato1, this was an EXTREMELY Helpful comment... and it gives me hope!

I am thinking to make a summary of your comments and print it and hand it to the mechanic. It might help him as well (we are never too knowledgeable!).

Jerome
 
#11 ·
If you go beato1's route and everything checks out that there's no strawberry milkshake (mixing of coolant and ATF), here's a good place to order a replacement radiator. Go with a Denso, a Spectra or one with a little heart next to it. Get hoses and a good thermostat while you're at it.

 
#15 ·
If you end up ordering from Rockauto, don't forget to use the Piloteers 5% discount code.

5% Discount Code: 6F3FAEF349C046
Expires: February 12, 2020

 
#19 ·
Ok! I got news...

I got my car towed from Watson Lake, the coldest place in Canada at that time apparently, -47c (close to -50c)... to Whitehorse (5hours drive! 1100cad!, I had all my belonging in the car, I had no choice). No knowing the city (first time in Yukon) I chose the best I could Auto Repair shop on internet and ended up with a very formal and expensive repair shop (similar to Honda dealer), 'Integra Tire and Auto Service'. I wish I knew it was not my plan but I wanted a place with good mechanic and that one had good reviews. They did not want to install any part that would not be from them, which sucks... but at least they will get it down quickly and they seem very efficient. I am trapped because I can not even move my car to another garage so I am committed to repair it there.
Today, they checked the car, and they concluded exactly what you suggested.... it is the classic problem with the radiator... They showed the junction where it broke and I told them about this weakness on the model (they did not know). The transmission fluid was gone completely (now it has been sitting for almost a week so...). They noticed some leaks in the steering system too. I asked for a Spectra Radiator and the right coolant for this weather (I will make sure that use some extreme weather coolant as well and check what thermostat brand they used on Monday). They will put a new battery (750 cold crank) and make an oil change for very cold weather as well. The bill is very high... (and it is hoping the transmission is ok)... 3300cad. Boom Shakalaka ! It is a big difference from the 800cad (600dol) of [Beato1] (of course, his do not includes the oil change, the new battery and the probably expensive Steering system leaking)...

I made a summary of your comments on another document and handed to the mechanic ( your username are not shown). I am sure it will help him!
 
#20 · (Edited)
"They showed the junction where it broke". Hmm, does this mean the leak happened outside the radiator? Mine still had a coolant filled radiator but with less than a quart of tranny fluid left (despite sitting in front of my house for several days). When I saw this (tranny line outside radiator was broken), I slowly deduced that there was hope of no mixing of fluids (coolant and tranny). And I further concluded it by checking the fluids for strawberry color. Did they mentioned damage in the transmission? Thanks.
 
#21 ·
What most probably happened in my case, is that the radiator completely froze up (wrong coolant, plus no engine block heater installed at that time and in addition to the fact that here in the north most of people put a cardboard outside in from of their radiator to avoid the radiation to 1) freeze, 2) get warmer cabin air). I tried to put a cardboard in front but gave up after the duck tape I bought did not want to stick at all, too cold for duck tape too ( I was pressure by time)... I thought that it could wait - at that time I also thought that the cardboard was only for the cabin air, I feel so stupid now). Because the radiator froze up, the engine overheated. That my conclusion... but I am not sure because in reality. What happened is that I did 200km with no issue (engine temperature below normal -usual with that outside temp.), I had the transmission once - slightly before the engine overheated - that acted funny... it unusually lagged to changed gears, it was difficulty weird but seem ok after... then sometime later I noticed a sudden loss of power (big loss! a felt like a complete loss) as soon as it happened (5sec), I looked at the engine temp (overheat), I stopped the quickest I could, put the car in parked (slight upslope) and stopped the engine, opened the hood (smoke), radiator (or other?) fluid burst.
Now that I wrote, I think I had some milkshake fluid as well when it burst! I remember the funny colour. The mechanic who towed the car, confirmed me that they saw a lot of transmission fluid under the car.
The mechanic who deal with my car today, confirmed me that it was like there was no transmission fluid remaining at all.
 
#22 ·
It sounds like there is some hope the coolant and tranny fluids did not mix (hopefully the shop drained both the radiator and tranny to confirm this) which offers a higher level of hope that the tranny survived. Hopefully this is the case. Keep us posted.
 
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#23 ·
Last year my radiator broke at the connection to the trans fluid lines. A few miles after pissing out all the fluid in a quick puff of black smoke, I lost all gears. My mechanic originally planned to have it towed to the trans shop, but after replacing the radiator, he decided to top it off with trans fluid and see what happens. It shifted rough and missed 4th gear for the first thousand miles, but after 10k it seems to be working fine.
 
#24 · (Edited)
I think that's what's referred to as dodging a bullet. Glad it's working out for you. Keep us posted.

I'd keep draining and filling the ATF perhaps every second oil change to remain in the good graces of the gods of good fortune.
 
#28 ·
There are many posts on radiators failing, Ive have about 20k miles in my trans after a complete rad mixing failure. I also went through about 20 or so quarts of valvoline max life before I was confident all the coolant was out of the trans. Maybe the shop has some kind of fluid exchanger that they can somehow to a complete flush with, other wise you need to do many drains and refills.
 
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