After 5 months, 5 rebuilds, and 2 transmissions, I'm going to call it quits on the Tranny from Heck and try to unload this poor little car. It's is in the shop right now getting one final rebuild on the god awful automatic (haven't paid a penny... the guy likes me, and is sticking to his warranty and stuff). I can't afford / don't have the technical expertise to do a manual swap; that and I can't drive a stick.
The story in a (great big) nutshell, for those who haven't seen it:
In April: Transmission overheats after a 200-or-so mile drive. Brought to shop for rebuild.
1) Rebuild 1 - external transmission cooler installed and radiator bypassed. The coast piston was replaced, it had a hairline crack going all the way around.
Overheated on the way home. Speedometer gear broke.
2) Rebuild 2 - overheated on the way home.
3) Transmission cooler replaced with an even bigger one. Rebuild not done, was pulled off the road fast enough that no damage was done to the guts
4) Overheated again, Speedometer gear broke.
5) Rebuild 3 - Was told "ECU not sending proper lockup signal. Replace the ECU." Drove home nice and slow, replaced ECU.
6) Overheated again
7) Transmission replaced with an outside remanufactured one
New transmission overheated. Shop says "It's got to be something electrical causing the transmission not to stay in lockup."9) Rebuild 4 - "We found a wire" - was told by the shop that a broken wire was located and repaired - transmission stays in lockup, and did so for their 50 mile test drive. Problem solved?
10) Overheated again. Speedometer gear broke (Why the hell does this keep happening?) Can confirm transmission was in lockup when this occurred. They still say it's something electrical.
11) Rebuild 5 - Happening right now. The shop is convinced the problem is electrical and that it's a lockup issue, but the thing is staying in lockup (I swear!) Will be driving home nice and slow and then, I guess, getting rid of the car.
I'm out of ideas, guys. I know they're doing the work, I saw the transmission they put on that blew after mine. If anyone's got some advice, I'm all ears. Otherwise, it'll take all my strength not to light the (expletive deleted) car on fire instead of selling it.
Otherwise, anyone near Fort Lauderdale want a 93 MX-3 with a 1.6 and a "Newly Rebuilt Transmission?"
I'm open to any thoughts, comments, suggestions, rants, and people just telling me to shut up about the tranny and sell the car already. Anything.
