Hi all, try to describe this as quickly as possible.

2002 TJ Exec Wag, 135000km ...on its second trans, with 40,000km on it.

Trans started playing up (but not all the time) a couple of weeks ago, selecting gear (D or R), but taking a couple of seconds to start moving. And occasionally was difficult to put in drive or change from D to N.

Then after a short trip on a dirt/corrugated road and stopping normally. When I restarted the car would select but not engage any gear. Finally did engage after a small amount of revs, and then everything was fine.

Was good for a couple of days, and now hell has broken loose... was driving and it started slipping between all gears.... would not change down from 4th, except when the limp mode finally engaged and locked it in 3rd with the 'N' display flashing. Can't remember with certainty, but blink rate was 1 per sec.

Managed to get the car home... would only move slowly away from the lights (with revs and a little shudder/grabbing), as it was in limp mode.

Checked Trans fluid.....seemed ok, still pink/red but when blotted on paper looked like some carbon in it.

From peoples own experience :-

1. Is it possible for the problem to only be electrical, or is the trans stuffed?

2. I live in Townsville, does anyone know which mechs re good and honest up here?

3. How much (range) should I be looking at to replace the trans?

4. How much (range) would I be looking at to convert to a manual? (am sick of auto b/s)

Are there any members in Townsville that have an error code reader......
Any help would be greatly appreciated..... I just don't want to go to mechanics blind.

Sounds a bit like the dreaded wave spring breaking and smashing up the oil pump. Possibly the oil pump is kinda-sorta pushing some fluid around still but getting worse?

Check your heater for leakage, sounds more like the ECU is getting wet

$50 on Mal's diagnosis. :)

Having a little bit of trouble getting to the ECU, seen the diagram but some of those panels are being painful.

but some more notes :-

disconnected battery, to get out of limp mode.
Tried car again, starts gripping first at about 1600rpm and reverse at about 1500rpm.
Went around the block and locked it into limp mode again...

Also, when car was working, car always seemed to idle quite low at 650rpm when D/R engaged or when sitting at lights.
If that changes anyone ideas.

Wouldn't surprise me if me if the ECU has failed due to water damage, as when it rains heavy, car fills up like a fish bowl.
Had 2in once in foot-wells. (this problem didn't arise until 6mths after buying the car, when we weren't garaging the car.... dodgy 2nd hand dealer)

Water damage for sure, not wave spring - that's why I'd never touch a flood damaged car. lol

Pull the dash apart enough to find the ECU and source of the water leak, then seal and clean electrical connections in that area, especially the plugs on the ECU, and try again.

To find the leak, I'd start by removing the plastic mesh under the wiper blades. Underneath it is a tub shaped air inlet, it's supposed to let air in while keeping water out. The water is then supposed to drain out either end of the under mesh space, and exit behind the bottom of the mudguards. Check it all for rust/accumulated debris. Also some grommets on the firewall to check, and where the hinges join the bodywork.

If you can't find the leak, play a hose gently on the bodywork, starting low (firewall grommets possibly) and working your way to the horizontal line above the windscreen. Use a torch inside the car to look for water entry. (Really needs 2 people to do this)

Flood damaged, WTF, read agian Max

2" while a PITA is not an issue, the ECU is a good 6" off the floor

Peel back the carpet on pass side, remove the triangluar plate, have a look at the ECU, plug towards rear of car

While limp mode does not sound like a trans issue what does concern me is the delay into gear, I am thinking perhaps towards the planetary gear nut coming loose, just a side thought really

Water issue is generally the leaf guards warped and also the little cover over the fan entry leaking

Just an update ..... I pretty sure I'm getting completely screwed.....

Townsville Automatics have charged me $700 for a for a 'strip and quote', after finding the fluid was like 'black tar', (at dip stick it looked ok, but if the pump failed, I guess it wasn't moving around)......

They have told me that the gearbox has "completely shit itself", due to the wave spring failure.
This wasn't totally unexpected, from reading on the forums it was the answer that many people were throwing up.

Whats blown my mind, is the quote on the repair...
They say my gearbox can not be rebuilt ????
And that they will have to put in a rebuilt replacement unit at a minimum cost of $3400.

Whats got me F$%Ked is the fact that, the last time I got the box replaced with a secondhand unit it cost me less than $1500.
Also, I was still able to drive it to the workshop in limp-mode.

Madmagna pls tell me you know someone up here.

Dont know anyone else up there but yes sounds like you are being bent over in the royal way here.

The box, to do a complete rebuild generally would cost $3500+ to get done IF they were doing a complete internal job including Planetaty, oil pump etc etc. But if your fluid looked ok and you were able to drive in limp mode then your oil pump is fine as no oil pump = no drive at all. Are you sure the box was at fault and not coolant on the ECU, was this checked as per above.

A used box will generally cost $650 - $950 from a wrecker or less from a back yarder, reco (and I mean a real reco) will cost a lot more

Oh and $700 to remove, strip and quote, WTF is up with that

...

$150 is what it cost me to Remove & Refit the gearbox in my TF.

No different to a TJ really..

I'd look at getting yourself either a GB from the wreckers or a reco unit from a REPUTABLE Auto Shop.

SuFz :ninja:

Ripped the internal panels off myself to check for water/condensation around the ECU but couldn't see anything.
No salting, discolorization .........nothing....

As for the auto trans guy's, I can't say...... they did say something about codes, but weren't specific.
The codes were their justifications for the 'strip & quote'.

I have to say, if it wasn't for the missus work, I'd leave this God awful state....... everyone is selling snake oil.....

(sorry to any honest QLD's ......but weather just doesn't make up for wanker)

Oh, he also said something about the gears all being 'bound'??

Sounds like frog shit to me but without seeing the box which I can't could be the planetary gears are stuffed

150 to r&r a box is too cheap, that is not even 2 hours labour and no fluid charge. Average to r&r would be 4 hours

That sux man. I would get quotes from wreckers to fit a used tans. Should be about $800 with 3 month parts AND labor warranty.
Then tell your mechanic you want that. No $3400 rebuild - what's the car worth? I'd guess about $3000.

I think its time for me to buy a wreck, dismantle it.....put it back together ......and hopefully increase my mechanical knowledge :)

This particular issue maybe be a legitimate big issue, but I am so sick and tired of being taken for a ride on every little thing.
Last time I got taken for a ride (+$1000 on an old camry), it ended up being a split air intake hose behind MAP/MAF sensor....
I'm sure there are good mechanics out there (Madmagna support of the forum is evidence of that), but there are just so many rip off merchants that just see $$$$ when people walk in.

Most wreckers will only offer a parts warranty, this is becuase in order to offer parts AND labour the prices of the parts would need to cover failuers in order for the wrecker to stay in business thus as most will not pay for that you only get parts warranty

Some, me included, if I fit the item, I will cover labour if I am doing the replacement but again will not pay for another shop to do the replacement should it fail. Remember that a used part is just that, a used part. While it is tested prior to sale history is not known and failures may happen now and again

Update,

might have been a little harsh on the guys at Townsville Automatics...
Was there this morning and they showed me all the parts of the gear box, planetary had been severely gouged, the pump gear whilst in place was able to function, but had actually snapped into three pieces, wave spring was in about 20 pieces, it was a mess.
So, m options were....
$2000 for a replacement (secondhand unit).............no not going through this again.......
$3,200 for rebuild and flush of convertor ................whats the point if there could be junk in the converter???
$3,900 for a complete rebuild of box and convertor...........

Oh, Madmagna this includes the 'strip and quote' cost....(he said he just charges that to people that 'dick him around' and don't want the jobs done properly e.g. wrecker jobs ---why go to the trouble of stripping the box if your willing to put unknown replacements in), 12 month, 20,000km warranty on everything....

So, $3,900 it is..........which is near enough to what Madmagna said (3500+) for a complete rebuild......

Oh, am I happy ??? No one is when they have to shell out this sort of money for a repair.
Am I any wiser.... yes, thanks to the forums.

Mitsubishi should be ashamed that they let this gearbox go into so many cars, and not considered it a recall.
(not just magna's/diamontes, Hyundai Sante Fe and some Chyrslers had it as well)

This was the first automatic I have ever bought, at it will be the last. (even though the car giants seem to be wanting to get rid of manuals)
Just too many possible things that can go wrong, and not have any idea what they are. And soooo expensive when they do let go.

When the car gets back, I'll have to work on the other small issues now (water)..... invested too much money.

Cars......love 'em when they are working.... hate paying to repair 'em. :)

Get a tranny cooler installed while you're at it.. or install one yourself (Quite straight forward)

SuFz :ninja: