SC400 Transmission Whine in 1st Gear (A340e)
08-01-14, 08:33 AM
#1
SC400 Transmission Whine in 1st Gear (A340e)
I just got back from the transmission shop and had them test drive my newly acquired car. I was concerned about a 1st gear whine. Other than the whine, the transmission shifts fine. Car has 155K miles on her.
The gentlemen drove it (and I trust these guys, BTW) and said the planetary gear is causing the noise. He indicated it could go at any time and when it does, it will grenade the transmission. He showed me a planetary gear they pulled out of a camry transmission they were working on. The pins that hold the 3 small planetary gears were loose. Once these pins work them selves loose the gears obviously can no longer stay in their aligned position. When they go, since the transmission has such tight tolerances, it makes a really big mess of the hard parts in there.
A new planetary is $500-600. To rebuild the transmission with new planetary and torque converter, seals, gaskets, clutches, etc - will run me about $2400.
So, apparently I'm living on borrowed time for the moment. I have a couple of choices here. I can continue to drive the car - maybe I'll get lucky and I'll never have any trouble out of it, or I can just get the transmission rebuilt and not worry about it anymore.
Anybody with a high mileage car experiencing a whine in the 1st gear and if so, how long have you been living with it.
BTW, the guys at the transmission shop did not pressure me in any way. They simply explained the situation to me and its up to me to decide. I'm sure if the planetary goes kaboom, the cost to rebuild would be much higher due to damaging more hard parts in the transmission.
They offer a 12 month warranty on all their work….
The gentlemen drove it (and I trust these guys, BTW) and said the planetary gear is causing the noise. He indicated it could go at any time and when it does, it will grenade the transmission. He showed me a planetary gear they pulled out of a camry transmission they were working on. The pins that hold the 3 small planetary gears were loose. Once these pins work them selves loose the gears obviously can no longer stay in their aligned position. When they go, since the transmission has such tight tolerances, it makes a really big mess of the hard parts in there.
A new planetary is $500-600. To rebuild the transmission with new planetary and torque converter, seals, gaskets, clutches, etc - will run me about $2400.
So, apparently I'm living on borrowed time for the moment. I have a couple of choices here. I can continue to drive the car - maybe I'll get lucky and I'll never have any trouble out of it, or I can just get the transmission rebuilt and not worry about it anymore.
Anybody with a high mileage car experiencing a whine in the 1st gear and if so, how long have you been living with it.
BTW, the guys at the transmission shop did not pressure me in any way. They simply explained the situation to me and its up to me to decide. I'm sure if the planetary goes kaboom, the cost to rebuild would be much higher due to damaging more hard parts in the transmission.
They offer a 12 month warranty on all their work….
08-01-14, 08:38 AM
#2
Time for a manual swap to a W58 if you like that sort of thing. I'm DYING for my transmission to act up ;-)
Its about the same price, wakes up the 400's performance big time and makes the car quite unique and much more valuable to some.
I would NEVER EVER replace an auto tranny in a 400.
Its about the same price, wakes up the 400's performance big time and makes the car quite unique and much more valuable to some.
I would NEVER EVER replace an auto tranny in a 400.
08-01-14, 08:45 AM
#3
Time for a manual swap to a W58 if you like that sort of thing. I'm DYING for my transmission to act up ;-)
Its about the same price, wakes up the 400's performance big time and makes the car quite unique and much more valuable to some.
I would NEVER EVER replace an auto tranny in a 400.
Its about the same price, wakes up the 400's performance big time and makes the car quite unique and much more valuable to some.
I would NEVER EVER replace an auto tranny in a 400.
I just sold my BMW because I was tired of shifting a manual. I don't want to go the manual route for the foreseeable future. At this point in my life, a slush box is just right for me...
08-01-14, 09:09 AM
#6
Gazy on this board or the classifieds here or the 3 Facebook Sc groups. That tranny is easy to find because so many people pull out fine autos for manuals. If I didn't just buy a 5 speed, I'd be pulling my perfect tranny out.
Ill text Gazy for you now..
Ill text Gazy for you now..
08-01-14, 09:21 AM
#7
PaCowboy had a low mileage A/T for $150 or something, but I think he sold it. They're definitely out there for a whole lot less than the rebuild cost.
I get a little bit of whine on deceleration, but I'm not sure if it's the tranny in 1st gear at that point or if it's coming from the brakes... It has a hydraulic wooshing sound more than a high pitch whine.
I get a little bit of whine on deceleration, but I'm not sure if it's the tranny in 1st gear at that point or if it's coming from the brakes... It has a hydraulic wooshing sound more than a high pitch whine.
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