Hello all

I took in my 2003 Sedan fro the 90,000 mile service (or some of it anyway) and the dealer asked if there is anything else I had going on. I mentioned that the transmission "jumps" every now and again, which is every few months, only after I have had the car on the interstate doing around 80mph, and then when I get off at the exit taking off from the light sometimes it jumps in the area of 2nd and 4th. I looked through the forums on this and found something similar, but not quite exact. I never really used the tiptronic too often.

Regardless they looked inside and told me that I need a new transmission. If one of you guys hopped in the car and drove it, everything would feel normal. I have no trust issues with Infiniti of Tampa (they told me sometimes the tranny just "goes"), but would definitely like to do a little research before I even considered a rebuilt tranny let alone a new one. It is one area of the car I am admittedly weak on understanding the issues. I can deal with a single slip every now and again, but would not like to be driving between Tampa and South Florida and have that dreaded bang sound and then nothing on Alligator Alley.

My old man sent me a link to a Lucas Oil product:

http://www.lucasoil.com/products/dis...tid=2&loc=show

But I am weary of a quick fix that may not help over the next 10-20k miles, anyone ever messed with it? Or is that for a 1984 Malibu that blows blue smoke.

Thanks for taking a read - any insight is appreciated.

Mike

 

i wouldn't try to do a quick fix.. looks like your tranny is starting to go, but if it's ever few months, i would leave it alone..

I figure it does it more during the hot months huh?
I see that you are from TAMPA.. where the road must be scorching.. tranny slip when it gets hot.. 80mph on a 100 degree weather could easily cause it..

When is the last time you changed your fluid.. the cooling characteristics of it might be gone.. so you might wanna do a tranny flush and a coolant flush.

 

I'll have to search back through my paperwork, but I want to say that the service manager at Infiniti of Tampa told me that it never has to be changed unless it is exceptionally dirty (and again if you have been towing, driving hard etc. - basically giving himself outs). I think I asked him that at my 60,000 mile service when they try to schedule it but I am not sure if they did it because the fluid looked good.

I have also been reading some posts on better not to flush it at this point, but rather add/change a small part of it.

I am really confused on which way to go, and may just roll with it until it gets worse (if it gets worse). Seems like I may be over reacting.

Mike

 

It is your $4,000 decision. I would do a pan drop and clean, replace integrated metal filter plus flush clean the in rad heat excahnger, and replace ATF.
The amount of metal on pan magnet and in filter will tell you how many weeks are left.

At least then you have done all you can to prolong life and defer the expense.

Smart technicans and owners change ATF every 30k or 2 years to prolong the serious expense.

Replacing AT is our most profitable job so we have zero incentive to suggest methods to prolong the AT life................unless you are a relative or friend and want to help you at our expense [loss of profit].

 

Thanks Q45, good advice. Two more things I'll ask - you say "replace" ATF. From some previous posts I am going to take that as different from "flush." So I should drain and refill rather than have the dealer or whoever flush new fluid through until it looks acceptable?

And from your experience - have people been successful buying a rebuilt
tranny for the G35 AT (or any other Infinitis I guess) as opposed to brand new? I hear transmission horror stories alot from going the not-new route.

Might be time to buy a new car.

Thanks again - Mike

 

Whether you need or want a chemical solvent to wash away the varnish and clean the metal that new ATF WON'T is up to you.

But remember new ATF won't clean much more than old temperature degraded ATF..............any more than draining just two quarts of oil and refilling engine will.

Best to start with 95% clean oil or ATF.


The Term FLUSH is used to denote a chemical solvent added to old ATF [circulated for 15 minutes] to clean up and loosen varnish before the 95% exchange.

The correct exchange machine will use the AT internal pump to force out the old and push in the new..................external passive no pump.

 

FWIW, I have found rebuilt trannys for my 2003 Coupe that will run $2250-3000 including install and tax. I'm guessing that dealerships will want to put a whole new one in and it will cost in the neighborhood of $6-8K or some ridiculous garbage like that.

I have 123,000 on my car. I've started driving it a lot less, but know I will have problems eventually and figured I better start planning for what it will cost.

 

The problem with local AT rebuilders is most or any don't have a transmission dyno to test their work.

A dealer remann is rebuilt to brand new specs and tested by JATCO in Tennessee. It has what ever new is needed plus a new torque convertor because the dual clutches are difficult to locally rebuild.

True local guys can change $300 worth of soft parts and charge you $2,000 but will it last 7 years like a dealer supplied reman.

We never use locals as history has proved they won't last and who wants to swap again in 1 year.

Most local remans are sold to people to get the car to the trade in lot.

Finding a low mile junkyard tranny may be a better deal than a local reman.

Careful early G35 trannies had an external tcu, newer units have it integrated within AT housing.

 

People should start PLANNING from the first day they drive a new car!

It you SAVE 12 cents per mile driven on a weekly basis and put it in an interest account you will always have enough to do any repair and mainteance and the balance can be used as a down payment on another car.

 

Thanks for your input - I know this topic probably comes up every now and again with the same comments, so I appreciate the time.

When the dealer tells me "new" tranny - this translates to the dealer supplied reman you mention tested by JATCO in Tennessee - right?

I get weird looks from some of the "service consultants" at the dealer when I start poking around with these kind of questions rather than letting them swoop my car away into the big happy place where it comes out repaired and washed but with a nice $$$ figure.

Granted they are probably used to a larger percentage of their customers that are fine with that, but I just like to know a little more about the details I guess.

Q45 do you get annoyed when customers try and hunt you down to ask the technical questions at the shop? Again, not so much a matter of trust, but more the engineer in me I guess. But unfortunately (or maybe fortunately) not automotive engineer.

 

I don't work in a Shop I consult for groups of shops. I'm 60 and way past killing myself to do physical labor.

I am smart enough to pay the finest technicans money can buy to do the labor.

I avoid speaking to customer in person unless thay have a Master Degree in Engineering because it is impossible for Engineers to communicate with Liberal Arts types.

 

If you have it in writing that the dealer told you the fluid never needs changing, then you have a big stick to hit them over the head. It is TOTALLY untrue and laughable that any hydraulic fluid is everlasting. The service interval is listed in the owners manual to do a fluid exchange every 30K miles. This means hooking it up to the suck/pump machine until the fluid is clear. Usually takes 12 qts to complete and the Type J is not cheap. But $180 for the service x 3 = 90000 miles is alot cheaper than $4000.

If the fluid has truly never been changed in 93K, I would expect it to be really trashed. At this point, do as Q45 says and drop the pan, clean the pickup screen and see how much metal is there. If there is anything other than fine paste, start getting your service records together and get ready for war. If its just really dirty and the screen is partially clogged, a good cleanup and flush will certainly help. But due to past neglect, the unit is not going to be around much longer, so consider selling unless you want to spend 30-35% of the value of the car on a new trans. Good luck

In the future, if you plan to keep a new car a long time (300K miles) like I do, consider installing an inline filter & cooler after the OEM cooler. For about $200, you get 10 micron filtration and a temp drop of 20 degrees or more. That 20 degrees does wonders for the longevity of the internals. About the cheapest insurance anywhere.

 

People must understand that no one: manufacturer or dealer has any interest in your car lasting longer than 100k. The majority of new car buyers sell/trade their car before the warranty expires.

Dealerships breakeven on shop labor [because too much overhead and employees in repair chain] and only profit significantly from parts sales.

Sealed for life is just that, it gets unsealed and repaired when it fails.

 

I'm a Liberal Arts and Sciences graduate and do environmental engineering/consulting and the majority of my colleagues are engineers (civil, environmental, mechanical) and many have masters degrees. Nearly all of my colleagues don't know a turbo from a potato. Seriously The only other guys from my 350 person office that know cars is another liberal arts grad and an EE.

It's been my experience with mechanics that a majority are far from engineers because they haven't a clue on how to trouble shoot a problem. I've been shocked by how many mechanics know jack **** about cars.

 

^^^ wait... I cant put a potato in my car and will will be like a turbo Cool!