Situation -
Graduated Uni student, first car with problems, repair or sell. '99 Magna Exec 3.5L V6

Haven't had much money or knowledge during Uni, but now I am doing some DIY work.

Diagnosed problems - Head gasket and Cam seal leaking Oil.
Terrible shudder at 3-4th gear 70-110km/hr told it was torque converter.

Other - top tank of radiator is a brown colour and have been told to replace. (haven't touched that other than keeping full.
Haven't touched brake fliud, car always veers to the left even after wheel alignment and balance.

Pre bought mods - Sports suspension, lowered, sports ryder bar, 17" mags and rear spoiler.

Haven't touched the transmission fluid, change oil, spark plugs, air filter at least each year.

What would the recommended course of action be?

Get a better mechanic

Head gaskets in magnas don't leak oil, seals and rocker cover gaskets do especially when all the breathers are blocked

Shudder, pop a tube of shudder fix in the trans after you have had a proper flush

Also start maintaining the car if you want it to be reliable and not cost you a heap in one go, if you can't afford to service the car you can't afford a car thus need to sell it and take the bus.

Okay thanks man. The mechanic said that there is too much oil leaking just to be from the cam seal as the CV boots and tap cover gaskets were replaced. I'll try some stop oil leak then. There is no coolant leak or oil in coolant.
The shudder has gotten progressively worse over the last 3 years and was diagnosed by a transmission specialist. It actually feels like turbulence down the highway. Occurring nearly daily from monthly/fortnightly occurrences at those speeds.

Torque Conv quote was approx $1500 by another mechanic; incl special silver flush or something. Also Timing belt is 9 years/ 130,000 kms old (accord to sticker).

Edit - does the car have a transm filter and gasket etc that I could replace as well or would it be internal in or above the valve body

If the timing belt is 9 years old why havent you replaced it? Thats almost twice as long as it should be on the car.
Your car will go to the left because of the camber of the road and wheel alignments are sometimes done this way so if you fall asleep at the wheel you dont hit oncoming traffic.

Again your mechanic is not doing his job, forget stop leak, fis the issue. The issue will be there are 3 breathers and they are prob all blocked and there is pressure building up

Your mechanic clearly does not know how a magna motor works, there are no oil galleries at the back of the heads, all the pressurized oil is pushed up galleries in the middle of the v
I see this so often, even had cars brought to me by mechanics who have done heads and still leaked as they did not clean the breathers even when doing the heads that did not need doing

A trans flush will set you back around the $200 mark, shudder fix is around $20

Only saw the sticker there the other day :)

Hence the $80 a week income didn't allow for too much besides fuel and food :(

Thanks Madmagna, I will investigate the shudder fix and the breathers, are major torque converter issues common in this make, would you bother about the trans flush?

Yours has a filter on the transmission, and I would definitely get a flush done when you can afford it. Till then shudder fix will help.
Flushing ensures all old fluid and any build up is removed and your left with fresh fluid. It will make a massive difference.

I have a pit at home with a ramp. You drive the car on the 2 timber ramps supported by concrete pillars and you can stand under the car. I could drain the transmission fluid, clean the plug, change the filter and trans pan gasket. Use a cheaper fluid for a day or so, drain and fill up with recommended fluid, or I've got the money to pay someone now as I have been working for a couple months.

Probably wouldn't want to touch the filter actually.

Get the dealership to do it, when it's done, they pump the fluid through all the clutch packs in the transmission removing built up gunk. Simply draining does not drain it all as there is still fluid in and around the clutch packs.
The filter is on top of the transmission, it's black and will have a big A/T on it.

Thanks boss.

Just changing the auto fluid now, so black!
And for the transmission filter it is external screw on type. I have removed the intake portion before the air filter, however the radiator hose is over the top, would I have to undo this to change the transmission filter +5 years old

Should be hand tight, if not get a filter removing tool. Shouldn't need to remove the rad hose

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=509239429171118&set=p.509239429171118&type=1&theater - - - - - -

The hoses are too stiff to mauve the removal tool

Dude, grab that *** filter and just unscrew it with your hand.

If this fail's get a set of multi grips, large pliers, stillsons to break the seal, then just unscrew it by hand :)

Forgot to add, if you can't undo it with your bare hand, an old trick i have used in the past is to grab a piece of that non slip rubbing matting and slip that over the filter and it normally works:

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tvPSL43FqP8/TgnW7HxkeMI/AAAAAAAAAPw/VQogDLDCiJA/s400/mat.jpg

I had cut a piece off my ex gf's yoga mat once when i got stuck (that's not why she's now my ex, but hey it would be one of the many reasons why no doubt haha)

The thing has probably been there for about 8 years and oil leaked all over it and degenerated the seals. Big brother rocked up + cold chisel, then removal tool = came off :D

The thing has probably been there for about 8 years and oil leaked all over it and degenerated the seals. Big brother rocked up + cold chisel, then removal tool = came off :D

Thats all it needed, a bit of mongrel!!

Having said that, some bloody mechanicas tighten filters up way too tight! In my 18 years of motoring i have hand tightened them (1/2 - 3/4 of a turn after the filter starts to torque) and never had any dramas