Auto Gurus help Needed, Recommend specialist shop in vic(long)

Yesterday on my way to a tech day, i had a massive problem with my auto. Ok heres the story;

I had been driving the zed for about 20 mins from my house to ryanlok15's place and as i got off the freeway i got a little lost trying to find his place, so i did a U-turn and headed back to the freeway exit i got off. I decided to turn into a nearby street and pull over to check my directions and as i pulled into the street and slowed down, my auto made this loud Clunk sound and the car jolted forward really violently. i was probably only going about 40 - 50kph slowing down into the street.

After the intial jolt, when i put my foot down i had no acceleration at all, at first but then the car seemed to acclerate ok after a few meters, i decided i should do a U-turn and get back on the road i was driving down, so i drove up the nearest driveway and put the car in reverse and then my car wouldnt go in reserve, like my park brake was on. I had lost reverse . I was stunning and confused. I could go forward but not in reverse. I had to push her backwards and do the U-turn driving forwards . I knew this wasnt good at all, but i figured i would get the car to ryans place and hope some1 at the tech day might be able to either fix or diagnose the problem for me. so i drove back up the street and as i reached the intersection to turn onto the main street all of a sudden i hear a loud grinding sound like my axel had fallen off and was grinding along the raod. I immedently pulled over and checked my axel but that was still in place and the sound was coming from the auto.

Another member Sandeep drove past me and saw me broken down, and pulled over and came to help me out. we decided to get the car to ryans, so i followed him. The grinding sound was really bad but it only started grinding if i put my foot on the accerlator slightly, so for a little while i was just crusing forward at about 20 kph, i found if i put my foot down my auto would act normal and the grinding sound would stop, but if i slowed down to under 30 ks the sound would come back.

Anyways i had a few members listen to the sound but there isnt much they could do but suggest taking the zed to an auto transmissions shop and get them to check it out. My auto transmission oil was above the hot marker and the oil was a pinkish colour which im pretty sure is good auto oil, and one member suggested it might be a lose bolt or part inside the auto that could be the cause of the grinding sound.

As i couldnt leave the zed at ryans and after gathering the advice of the guys at the tech day i decided to try and get the zed home and take it to a auto trasmission shop asap. So i got back on the freeway and for a while the auto seemed to be fine, the grinding sound had gone even at low speeds. But as i got on the freeway i could hear the grinding sound coming back but it was a soft sound so i wasnt to worried it was back. But then i had another big Chunk and a voilent jolt while doing 100kph. I could feel the car pulling back when i backed off the accerlator. I was now doing 3.5k rpm at 100kph so i believed i had just lost 4th, i turned my OverDrive off which smoothed the car out a little but i was still doing 3.5k- 4k rpm at 100kph. I drove the car home like this for about 15 mins as i wasnt too far from home. When i got home i tried to go in reverse but now thats gone too. I had my father fiddle with the auto shifter going through the gears, and now I can drive forward while in Nautal.

What do u guys think? This happened out of the blue and i had driven the zed earlier that week to rosebud and back with no problems. This is the first time this has happened and i dont thrash my car so im really puzzelled this has happened.

Also can anyone recommend a good auto specialist shop in vic for me. Im in the Western suburbs area, i was thinking of taking it to Joe in vermont but i dont know if he can fix autos.

 

I had the exact thing happen to me mate while cursing on the freeway, lost 4th and reverse and terrible whining noise. Pulled the box out and it was a mess. Clear case of oil not getting thought the box, this is why most people fit after market oil coolers.
PM me if you need an auto box I've got a good unit sitting here, could probably fit for you as well.

 

pm sent

 

Yarra Valley Automatic Specialists in Lilydale. It is a fair hike, but this guy really knows what he is doing. My auto box was rebuilt by them prior to me purchasing my car. Given that the previous owner of my car was a mechanic in Hoppers Crossing I could never work out why he went all the way out there to get it fixed. But this guy really knows his stuff. Since then I have learnt that this guy has a great reputation, and I know Pete (Wykked) & Jack (zxtt-1) are satisfied customers also.

 

cheers thanx col, should i drive it up or should i get it trucked to his shop???

 

Sorry to hear this, Adam. Sounds like a broken reverse band. Cost of a flatbed to Lilydale would not be significant if a rebuild is needed.

 

thanx doug, it sucks i cant do anything until tomorrow. I think this is going to put my zed off the road for at least 6 months. I am low on funds atm and i expect a rebuild to cost me more then $2k??? I really dont know what to do atm, im going to make some calls tomorrow and see what ppl tell me

 

ey try to call andrew from nissport, he doesnt work there anymore but his did mine really well when he was working there...his no. is 0438386478 and if u need a tow call this guy his name is jack...and i towed my car from my house in glenroy to braeside for only $110 0419877437...what happened to me was i bought the car without 2nd and 4th but then the night i bought the zx i also lost 3rd so try to drive at 60km/h at 6k revs...obviously i drove it at 40km/h but still harsh...anyways andrew knows his stuff, and he worked with joe aswell wen they were both at nissport...and if u need the tow and calll that jack guy, just say ryan with the red 300zx told you to call him...he knows me ive used him a few times for the zx, when the tranny broke and when i had the accident and for my mates car too...cheers

Ryan

 

yeah go and see Tony at Yarra Valley Automatics in Lilydale - he is one of the best in the business and is a customer of ours.. you should see how clean his rebuild room is!!

 

sweet cheers guys for the help. Ill call tony tomorrow and organise with him to get my car up to him. The only problem i have is im not finanacally equiped to get a rebuild done to the zed if it needs one, and so im not sure if i should wait and get the money first and be without the zed for 6 months and then ring tony at Yarra valley. What do you guys think i should do? wait or get it to tony asap???

 

cheers thanx ryan for the contacts ill look into everything possible and hopefully i can sort this all out soon.

 

Agree with Ryan, Andrew did good work on my car when he was at Nissport.
Maybe it would be better to get a second hand autobox for the moment and then rebuild your old one if you want. Is moses doing the manual conversion? His is a '95 so a newer box.
http://www.aus300zx.com/forum/showthread.php?t=267592&highlight=auto . This one has the valve body modified and has been well cared for. Comes with the larger oil cooler too.

 

adam if you have roadside assistance with racv you will be able to get your car towed where you like. if you dont already have total care, ring up now and upgrade to it. once you have worked out where you want to take it, just ring them up and ask for a tow truck and tell them your trans has just stuffed up while driving but you go it home. they will tow it whever you want no problems

apart from that tony from yarravalley auto's has also been recommended the one to see by joe, i spoke to him yesterday about who can install my shift kit and he recommends him ....other than him ive heard good feedback about knox autos.

dont assume anything yet untill you get a complete check over.

if it is heat related this is why i have installed a larger external cooler as well as an aftermarket oil temp gauge for the trans. worth it as its heat that kils these boxes.

 

Thanx sandeep, i dont want to manual my car, i love driving an auto, never liked manuals. Until i can get a detail diagnoses of my current autos condition i dont want to consider a spare auto.

Becuase of the seriousness of this problem i would want to get this done right the first time and not waste money trying to go through a cheaper route. Ill check everyone posted and if anyone else has adivce or workshops they can poiunt me to plz post here.

 

cheers chad, im not a member of the racv and im not insuraned with racv. I think my parents are but im not. Towing isnt bothering me atm, unless its the cost of multiple towing to and from shops. I dont want tow my zed to yarra valley and then they say yup rebuild itll cost $3000 and im like i cant afford that for 6 months. tow it back to my place and then back to yarra valley. Id also like to look into the better oil cooler as well. tony pmed me caz1 B&M product but id prefer to get the auto fixed first. Im just not preapred for this problem right now

 

Adam I think you will find that Moses is doing the Manual conversion .. meaning he might have a left over Auto Box for sale...

 

300zxlosers car is a 5 speed , hes doing a t/t conversion

 

Well that clears that up then :biggrin:

 

well i rang joe my mechanic and tony from yarra valley today they both said they need to look at the car to know for sure whats wrong with the auto. Ive decided to take the car to joe in vermont as he can do the auto and fix a few other mechanical problems i had been meaning to get him to do for a while now. I will be sending the zed to him on the 13th of dec. I appreciate all the contact info and advice guys. It sounds like ive fried my auto which is going to put my zed off road for, i reckon 6 months but i guess thems the brakes and im just going to take it on the chin and save my money for the rebuild. I just cant believe this has happened.

 

yeah exact same

yeah same thing happened to me, went bang kept going as I was in traffic, when I stopped at lights and took off again it sounded like I had dropped my exhaust and wrapped it around my drivge shaft,then when I did stop I found I had no 1st, 4th or reverse. I was lucky only cost me bout $700 all up fitted :biggrin: :biggrin: