Very good. Thanks!

 

Keep your tranny if you are into number matching parts.

If not, you can always offset part of the cost by sellig as a core. Just make sure the used one is working well before selling (not that I am commenting on Cobalt's tranny specifically, it's just a general statement).

Good luck and share your progress if you can.

 

Good thoughts, Navaros 911. Here's a quick update:

Cobalt has a good C4 transmission with 80K miles. Only concern is that is more miles than on my transmission and I might wind up back at this same spot quickly, though odds are good his tranny has been driven mildly so could last to 150K miles or more as well.

My mechanic claims this car could be sold to Singer for $40K as is. This car has 62K miles on it, is an '89 C4, the 98th built by the VIN number. Problem is I'd be without a 911, and next one I buy would have its own set of issues.

I'm currently facing on the order of $10K in tranny repairs. I'll likely need an engine rebuild for maybe $25K or so a few years down the road.

My current plan is to find out just what failed in this gear box then assess the best course of action from there. This mechanic will stand by his work and repair the gearbox if something goes wrong soon after he fixes it. He'll stand by his repairs. He cannot warrant any other transmission that is installed, though would stand by his installation.

Thoughts?

 

Please don't sell to singer i will buy it if it comes to that rebuild the engine and install my transaxle. Is it vin 98 or 159. Vin numbers started at 061.

 

$10K of gearbox repair equates to 1 year of lease payment/depreciation on a $60K car people don't bat an eye to but its a big deal on a car that does not really depreciate?

$25K motor rebuild to keep the same car on the road for another 150K miles garners same reaction?

 

Your mechanic is an idiot if he thinks your car is only worth 40k. Just sayin. (Whether to singer or anyone else). This is an easy fix.

 

She's VIN 159. I'll get on with checking the transaxle then decide where to go from there, but no sale to Singer! All agree she's well worth keeping on the road.

 

The $40,000 quick sale to singer is a MYTH! Singer has a stock pile of 964's and backorders extending years, now most of their own clients are sourcing their own car then sending to them when its their turn.

I think you should keep the car, simply buy Cobalts Trans, so what if it has a few more miles..these transmissions last alot longer than 80K, rarely do they break like yours did, just have it inspected and voila, put in the car and live life happy ever after for a while.

 

Vesmir,

I may be about to say something that you don't want to hear... but if you are too worried and overthinking using the car, because something could go wrong and it is not abcheap car to keep running, then perhaps you need to ask yourself the question if this is the right car for you to be *driving*.

What I mean is that it is no fun driving your car, worried about what could go wrong and the cost of it.

Nothing in life is certain and if you are for whatever reason not ready for the risk, be it emotional, financial or otherwise, then the car may be more of a burden than an enjoyment. Just don't sell it to someone who will not care for it properly.

Refurbed boxes are as much a risk as a used box. If you are looking for certainty, then a written down warranty is your friend here, regardless of used or new.

I truly hope you can get to enjoy your car in the near future. New box or used. With no abuse the boxes normally go much further than the engine.

And while we are here, whi says your engine needs doing in the future? Most shops will want you to do your engine because they want the dollars. Often time a reseal does it... perhaps some valve guides. It should be a long way from $25k unless you have a LOT of miles. Take that from someone who has a car on its 2nd rebuild at 100k miles... the first one wasn't necessary at all, and the result was not good, hence the second one.

 

Good thoughts, Navaros911, and good to hear that a reseal may be all that is needed later.

Owning an older car has inherent risk, but it's much like a house in that things go wrong and they just have to get fixed. On this vehicle I did have a moment of doubt when thinking about all of the potential repairs, but it is a blast to drive any time of year, and I live in Colorado with great canyon drives minutes away, so its well worth the cost!

 

This is the chunk that was lodged in the shift shaft bore, preventing the shift rod from moving.

 

There does not seem to be any problem with the gear cluster and housing, per these photos:

 

Looks like that chunk lodged in the shift shaft bore prevented the shift rod from moving. That is the only thing that appears to be amiss. Planning to re-assemble with one adjustment: potential for welding the planetary gear axial shafts to prevent failure down the road.

 

Good news. Where did the chunk come from?

BTW my gearbox suffered a stress break in the selector shaft where it’s circled in the pic. It may pay to get that looked closely at, as cheap insurance.

 

I’ll have that shaft checked.

The mechanic is puzzled about where the piece came from since nothing he’s seen is broken. Right now we’re wondering if some part was left loose from a previous repair, but that’s just conjecture.