I am weighing my options on what to do with my transmission. So far since a rebuilt unit was put in (shipped from out of state) the bearings have gone out, and one of the gears have busted teeth off. I am really starting to cuss this transmission up and down trying to figure out why it keeps breaking.

AAMCO said when they replaced the broken gear and said that you would be able to hear the noise of them starting to wear together during 1st gear. But it would go away after time. Instead it has gotten louder, and as it has gotten louder a similar noise but a little bit softer has gotten louder. The smiliar noise only stops when the truck in is neutral and the clutch is depressed. The only gear it doesn't happen in is 1st. This leads me to believe that this other noise is the gear they replaced spinning. That would explain why you can't hear the other noise too in 1st, and why they have both gotten louder together.

My questions are, A.)Is my logic right? B.)What I am looking at to do it myself C.)Should I just take it back to AAMCO and raise hell ? This issue has been going on for about a month and I am still driving it because its my only means of transport really to and from work. I really don't want to be driving to or from and just break down, so I need to do something soon. Any opinions ideas? <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />

Go raise hell then stay away from them

go find a auto tranny and swap it in or continue having tranny problems every six months.

I must say, up-front, that I have little experience with manual/auto trans building and/or differentials. What times I have done it were under guidance & instruction from other techs while I worked in dealer shops...

BUT, I have always heard that when a new gear is installed to mesh with older gears, there can be some noise/roughness...I'm guessing due to the difference between new/old gear wear patterns, seems logical. I'm sure the noises you are having are a bit more considerable than that though...yuck.

From what I have read here in the past couple of months though, I am going to hold onto my Conquest 5-speeds for the purpose of repairing my Mighty Max trans WHEN it goes out (still pretty good so far).

These guys do seem to know their stuff...mostly from been-there, done-that experience (that alone accounts for a LOT). I'd be comfortable with their advice. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Good Luck! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/kewl.gif" alt="" />

I gotta agree, the auto trans is one tough bastard. Neutral drops, excessively long power jacking, and driving around with a messed up IAC and 0 problems. But, you dropped money into having AAMCO fix that trans so I would be pounding on thier door none stop until they fixed the problem. Then NEVER go back there.

Good luck man. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/cheers.gif" alt="" />

AAMCO might be able to rebuild a Turbo 350 automatic But I question most of there shops abilities.

I have been in these boxes as well as other ones a few times over the years.
It is risky replacing one half of a failed gearset.
There is always damage to the mating gear. If the tooth form on the non replaced gear visually is fine then it should be magnafluxed to insure that it is not cracked at the base of it's teeth. Did they do that, I didn't think so.
If you reuse a gear from a damaged set I stone all imperfections in the teeth. Material from the broken gear can get transferred to the other one. It needs to be removed. Did they do that, nope, otherwise they would not say it will be noisy for awhile.
The broken bits will many times pass through some other gears, they also must be checked for nicks. If they show a nick they must get stoned smooth also.
That noise is the non replaced gear chewing up the new one.
Bearings, were they ALL replaced? An aftermarket bearing kit is about $140. Little flecks of metal can get in any bearing as well as the needle bearings under each gearset. Being Scottish I made that mistake. I replace them all now.
It takes a few hours to save a gearset, it is easy to cut corners but that can rear its ugly head as yours has.

Since time is an issue you may want to look for a used box, drop the bottom cover at the minimum and look in it.
You can check the syncros with a look and see the gearteeth but can learn little if a bearing is noisy.
These are not a difficult gearbox to work on, there is some presswork to get it fully apart and together.

Hopfully this info will be useful when you go back to "discuss the issue" with the shop.

Well..there ya go! OldColt explained it very well, makes perfect sense. Thanks from me for that info as well! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Yeah, an example...ex-wife had an 87 Maxima with 5-speed. Not much of a car, well worn & kinda "kiddie hacked". She calls, says it won't come out of 2nd gear. I go get it, tow it home, remove trans and take the trans to a 20+year Nissan tech I worked with. He pulls it apart to check for needed parts to rebuild...and UGH! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/scared.gif" alt="" />

A roller bearing had come apart in it. Needless to say, it junked most ALL gears on BOTH shafts in some way or form, as well as the differential drive & driven gears (as in complete teeth missing)...and the entire case! One of the rollers had dropped down where the shift forks slide & jammed their movement. The transaxle is 100% garbage, totally trashed. And hard to find, especially in decent shape. I'd not use any part of it in anything, no matter what.

The car has been sitting here ever since,...about 4 years now. What there is left of the trans is in the trunk. She gave me title for the work I had done. <sigh> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif" alt="" />

Just an example of what CAN happen. Good Luck!

EDITED to add: Trans shops just worry me deeply, always have, so many horror stories. I am fortunate enough to have a trans guy who trained in Detroit some 40 or so years ago, and has spent his life doing it. He now is quite old & in somewhat failing health, but has trained his son along the way, who has now built several for me...all of which were flawless. He has his OWN shop at his home back in the woods, not even close to being a business front, and stays covered up with work. Getting to know a trans tech at a dealer shop can be good, if they work from home on the side.

Thanks for the information, it will help greatly when I talk to the shop again monday. I called them friday and I asked what they wanted to do, and he was really pissed it seemed and told me he had to call his distributor and get back to me monday. If he says he is going to charge me I don't know how I am going to go about telling him no way in hell, but I can't afford another Tranny rebuild. 1st Gear is now officially gone, so I have been driving around starting off in 2nd gear. And it doesn't suprise me now that 1st is officially dead the noise in the other gears is much softer now. All I do know is after this transmission gets fixed (what ever way it ends up being fixed), I will be saving up for some time to get another vehicle. I want to get another Gen I or Gen II possibly, but we will see. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/scared.gif" alt="" />

You might need to discuss this with your District Attorney.

I'd invest in a daily driver.