RdNkBrt Posted August 25, 2007 Share Posted August 25, 2007 I'm looking into buying this REALLY nice looking 87 wagon, but the lady knows NOTHING about it.... it's been sitting in the same spot for as long as i can remember...... She told me that it was stuck in 4th gear but i *broke into it* and dittled with it a little and its actually stuck in neutral..... she said "it needs a new tranny", but im not sure if that is the case.... anyone have any ideas of what it could be? any help would be great. Its a d/r, and clutch in or out i can't slam on it hard enough to get it into gear..... If i do need to put in a new tranny, what should i offer for the car? It has one dent, a/c, good paint and an ok interior... engine is REALLY nice looking.... she wants $500.... i'm thinking of showing up with $250 cash. that usually works on soobie owners who know nothing..... thanks for any info! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
86BRATMAN Posted August 25, 2007 Share Posted August 25, 2007 I just bought an 89 XT, had a small wiring issue and pretty gecent shape body and livible interior for $350 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
86ruguy Posted August 25, 2007 Share Posted August 25, 2007 If the car wont go into gear with or without the clutch while running, see if you can "run it thru the gears" with the engine off. If you can feel it go thru the gears it is prob a cable or clutch fork issue not tranny. I had an issue like that on a car that had a new clutch but when I had it apart I neglected to check the fork. Just my .02 worth. Still 5 bills is workable to at least 3 bills. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daeron Posted August 25, 2007 Share Posted August 25, 2007 I saw your subject line and thought, "if it's stuck in neutral than any input is in vain, because the gearbox isnt in gear.." Input, get it? arr arr... anyhow, I would guess its likely a repairable problem, just from the odds.. but her price definitely seems a little steep. $500 for a car that has been sitting in her yard, that "needs a transmission?" A car thats twenty years old? How old is this lady???? How many miles on the clock for the car? Also, I got the impression that you couldn't force it into any gear with the engine OFF, but apparently the last poster thought you meant with the engine running.... Who is right? If you cant get it in gear even with the engine off, then the clutch cable has nothing to do with anything... BUT you may have a linkage issue. Anyone with a good check for this??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nipper Posted August 25, 2007 Share Posted August 25, 2007 Get under the car and try the linkage dirtectly. Can be a problem with the shifter. Can you push the car? nipper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RdNkBrt Posted August 25, 2007 Author Share Posted August 25, 2007 I do not have akey as i broke into the car in the 1st place.... (yeah yeah yeah, i know.... it's just sitting in this abandoned lot type thing).....ANYWAYS, with the engine OFF i can not force it into any gear. it is one a hill so i dont want to try and push it... but i did let the ebrake off and pushed it back and forth a little which is why i know its in neutral and not in gear. how much would a new tranny run me if i do end up needing a new one and how hard is it to put in? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nipper Posted August 25, 2007 Share Posted August 25, 2007 I do not have akey as i broke into the car in the 1st place.... (yeah yeah yeah, i know.... it's just sitting in this abandoned lot type thing).....ANYWAYS, with the engine OFF i can not force it into any gear. it is one a hill so i dont want to try and push it... but i did let the ebrake off and pushed it back and forth a little which is why i know its in neutral and not in gear. how much would a new tranny run me if i do end up needing a new one and how hard is it to put in? not true. You can actually roll a car more then you would think with it stuck in gear. A few inches is possible, if you stop and think about gear ratios, all the play in the drivetrain, and how healthy the engine is. You still need to compress air in the engine in order to stop the car from rolling. nipper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RdNkBrt Posted August 25, 2007 Author Share Posted August 25, 2007 fair enough.... however, I'm 90% sure its in neutral.. there's jsut way too much movement around all the other gears, but it still wont go into any of them.... would it matter diagnostically speaking if it were stuck in neutral or 4th??? let's stick with neutral though.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nipper Posted August 25, 2007 Share Posted August 25, 2007 fair enough.... however, I'm 90% sure its in neutral.. there's jsut way too much movement around all the other gears, but it still wont go into any of them.... would it matter diagnostically speaking if it were stuck in neutral or 4th??? let's stick with neutral though.... Its going to neutral, 1st or reverse. Does the shifter feel like its moving anything, or does it just feel stuck (you cant move it into any gear). Forget about the transmission for now. nipper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
86ruguy Posted August 26, 2007 Share Posted August 26, 2007 My Q is, is the SHIFTER realll sloppy. I have in my Garage an 88 GL10 sedan that will barely go into gear because the shifter bushings are shot. Just an Idea. BTW....offer her 2bills and go from there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nipper Posted August 26, 2007 Share Posted August 26, 2007 My Q is, is the SHIFTER realll sloppy. I have in my Garage an 88 GL10 sedan that will barely go into gear because the shifter bushings are shot. Just an Idea. BTW....offer her 2bills and go from there. Thats where i was heading. nipper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RdNkBrt Posted August 26, 2007 Author Share Posted August 26, 2007 it feels stuck i guess... i cant force it into any gear no matter how hard i pull or how much i move it around..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daeron Posted August 26, 2007 Share Posted August 26, 2007 it feels stuck i guess... i cant force it into any gear no matter how hard i pull or how much i move it around..... Yah, but it sounds like the shifter lever itself is moving through a wide range of motion without imapcting the gear that the transmission is in... NOT that the transmission is preventing the shifter lever from moving enough to get into gear... Immobile shifter lever, held in place by trans; or super sloppy shifter lever that you cannot bang into the top left corner hard enough to jam into first? I do not have akey as i broke into the car in the 1st place.... (yeah yeah yeah, i know.... it's just sitting in this abandoned lot type thing) BTW, I think most of us understood that bit; next time try to avoid stating outright that you did an illegal act. *I* don't care, and I doubt many others here do.. but CYA, yanno? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j2coe Posted August 26, 2007 Share Posted August 26, 2007 See if you can get the key from her. number one you can see if it starts. might be another thing to consider in the purchace any way. I have one thats a bit twitchy. have to run the engine a little to mesh the gears sometimes. if there's a pull it your self salvage lot you can get a tranny really cheap, the lot here charged $60 for one a year or so ago last time I checked. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RdNkBrt Posted August 26, 2007 Author Share Posted August 26, 2007 well i know it wont start as there isno battery... as for this "Immobile shifter lever, held in place by trans; or super sloppy shifter lever that you cannot bang into the top left corner hard enough to jam into first?" whats the meaning..... i mean am i going to have to replace the tranny either way or what? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RdNkBrt Posted August 26, 2007 Author Share Posted August 26, 2007 BTW: no CYA for opening a door to a non operable car..... CYA is full full full.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nipper Posted August 26, 2007 Share Posted August 26, 2007 well i know it wont start as there isno battery... as for this"Immobile shifter lever, held in place by trans; or super sloppy shifter lever that you cannot bang into the top left corner hard enough to jam into first?" whats the meaning..... i mean am i going to have to replace the tranny either way or what? Shifter issues are easy, they are just bushings. It is also possible the car is stuck in two gears at the same time, again a shifter issue. You cant tell anything till you get under the car and shift the tranny from there. nipper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RdNkBrt Posted August 26, 2007 Author Share Posted August 26, 2007 ok, so let's get to the meat and potatoes......think i should buy it???? dash has no cracks. seats both have a tear, smells bad, but no big deal. one small dent, paint looks like it could be waxed and look almost new, needs tires, i think its got around 200k.....oh, engine compartment is clean. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nipper Posted August 26, 2007 Share Posted August 26, 2007 Depends upon how much they are asking. I'm going to assume since its a california car it doesnt have a rust issue. Are you prepared to buy a non running the car that may need an engine overhaul? nipper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.