Part of my Scrambler rebuild included spending $1100 to have my tranny and t-case rebuilt. The shop completed the work and then installed the tranny and t-case for me upon completion. Several months later, yesterday, I was ready for the maiden drive after completing the exhaust. I drove approximately 1 mile before the tranny began having issues shifting into 2nd and making noise (T-150 3-speed). I returned home and parked it, 2.5-3 mile total trip. My plan was to finish a few more things then return it to the tranny shop for examination. While under the jeep completing another task I noticed the paint on the tranny was scaled and peeling like it had been hot. I pulled the drain plug only to find the tranny and t-case neither had fluid in them. Question 1: am I wrong in assuming that after a rebuild and installation and $1100 bill that the gear boxes should have been filled with fluid? Question 2: How much damage do you think I did to the tranny and t-case? I called the tranny shop and told them about it and they are leaning towards it being my fault for not checking the fluids. I feel that they should have filled them after installing them or at least put tags on them stating they didn't have oil in them. They have agreed to inspect them and "work with me" on repairs. What are your opinions on the entire situation? What are your thoughts about filling the gearboxes and attempting to drive it? Thanks,
Opinions Please! Tranny/Tcase without fluid
- Thread starter McCree
- Start date
- City
- Cave Creek
- State
- AZ
Definitely the shop's responsibility. No way they can say it leaked out, 1) it shouldn't have if they rebuilt it correctly and 2) you would have noticed a pile of gear oil on the floor for sure.
- City
- Columbia
- State
- MO
Dana 300 might be ok but I wouldn't be so sure about the trans. Heat is the enemy of transmissions and it sounds like it got pretty hot to peel the paint.
First go over your itemized invoice for the rebuild (I hope you got one) and see if you got charged for new fluid. Secondly, I'd have it towed to the shop and be present when they take the transmission apart so you can see there is no evidence of fluid ever being in there. Third, you have to accept a small part of the blame for not checking the fluid in a newly rebuilt trans and t-case and therefore will probably have to pay some of the cost to fix. Yes, they should have filled it but you should have checked it.
First go over your itemized invoice for the rebuild (I hope you got one) and see if you got charged for new fluid. Secondly, I'd have it towed to the shop and be present when they take the transmission apart so you can see there is no evidence of fluid ever being in there. Third, you have to accept a small part of the blame for not checking the fluid in a newly rebuilt trans and t-case and therefore will probably have to pay some of the cost to fix. Yes, they should have filled it but you should have checked it.
- City
- Cave Creek
- State
- AZ
I can see checking it if he did the install, but it sounds like they did the install.
If you went to a shop for trans/TC work, and they rebuilt them and reinstalled them, can you honestly tell me you'd be silly to assume there was oil in them?
How about a radiator? A shop does radiator work - puts in a new radiator or whatever. You'd pretty much assume they'd put coolant in it, right?
Maybe we chalk it up to difference of opinion, PF
If you went to a shop for trans/TC work, and they rebuilt them and reinstalled them, can you honestly tell me you'd be silly to assume there was oil in them?
How about a radiator? A shop does radiator work - puts in a new radiator or whatever. You'd pretty much assume they'd put coolant in it, right?
Maybe we chalk it up to difference of opinion, PF
- City
- Columbia
- State
- MO
There are a lot of horror stories of people going to Jiffy Lube for an oil change only to drive away with no oil in the engine and boom, blown engine. We take our fire tucks for service at the city shop and always check all the fluids, including the water tank when we pick it up. Pretty embarrassing to show up at a fire and have no water in your fire truck. It's happened. You know what happens when you assume. I'm not saying they didn't screw up but a small portion of the blame is on you to check their work.
- City
- Cave Creek
- State
- AZ
Don't tell me this, now I'll have to start checking my oil before I leave the lot after I get a lube job O_O
Craner8
CJ-8 Member
- City
- Orlando
- State
- FL
I agree with John N. Can't imagine rebuilding both, installing them without fluids, test driving them to determine if work was done properly, and expecting owner to dbl check for ANY and ALL fluids. Check receipt to see if you were charged for fluids. I paid several thousand to have a tranny rebuilt at a reputable shop ( newer Suburban) flew in and picked up and drove 350 miles home without checking it. They test drove it while I was there. If you paid by credit card, may be able to dispute it. Maybe get two opinions from two other shops before going back, to determine cause and effect.
When I had my mechanic rebuild the differentials on the cj7 and cj8 I got them back without oil. He told me to fill with oil. When he put the automatic trans in the work truck, he put the fluid in, I drove off. When he installed a rebuilt engine in the work truck, I didn't check for oil, he put the oil in and I had to change at 500 mi. If you take the trans on it's own, you better check for oil. If you drive the truck there, the mechanic had better have oil in it. How does he expect you to get it home to put the oil in. It's part on service you paid for and it's the mechanics insurance (piece of mind) that the first fill of oil is quality oil. It's protecting his own A*S.
Correction on that he didn't drive it home. But everything else stands on it's merits.
If it's a good shop they will realize the mistake and correct it. Mistakes happen.
Correction on that he didn't drive it home. But everything else stands on it's merits.
If it's a good shop they will realize the mistake and correct it. Mistakes happen.
Last edited:
First off, I should state that I am a diesel mechanic at a Ford dealership in New Jersey. I have also worked at a major aftermarket chain (PepBoys) and I can tell you that whenever any fluid-filled component is removed from the vehicle we ALWAYS bill out new fluid on the repair order - it is standard practice to replace fluids whenever you open a fluid system, and this includes trans and transfer case work. The ONLY time we reuse fluid is in the event of a new vehicle warranty claim - being vehicles with under 36k/3 years on them (this would NOT apply to your CJ).
The argument 'you should have checked it' is total BS. You took it to a shop, paid them good money (four figures worth), and had them perform a simple task. The fact that they failed to add fluid is entirely on them - part of what you paid them for was VERIFYING the repair was completed successfully and the components performed as expected. The fact that you noticed a problem after 1 mile of driving indicates that the tech who rebuilt your trans/TC did not test drive the vehicle (You can confirm this by comparing the mileage on your receipt to the mileage from when you picked it up: it should have a bare minimum of 5 miles more on it to account for a too-shoort-to-be-of-use test drive - and a true minimum of 10-15 miles added by the shop to give the tranny and TC time to fully warm up and shift through all gears.
If they didn't add fluid they are responsible for replacing ALL damaged components inside the trans and TC. I would recommend having it towed back, tell them it feels funny and have them drive it - do NOT tell them what you found when you drop it off. Ask them what they find, and when they say it was low on fluid or whatever, demand they disassemble both components again and replace any components that were damaged from lack of lubrication (this will likely include all friction materials in the trans, all bearings in both units, and whatever bushings/etc are in each unit. If they refuse, call your bank and reverse payment on your card for the work performed.
The argument 'you should have checked it' is total BS. You took it to a shop, paid them good money (four figures worth), and had them perform a simple task. The fact that they failed to add fluid is entirely on them - part of what you paid them for was VERIFYING the repair was completed successfully and the components performed as expected. The fact that you noticed a problem after 1 mile of driving indicates that the tech who rebuilt your trans/TC did not test drive the vehicle (You can confirm this by comparing the mileage on your receipt to the mileage from when you picked it up: it should have a bare minimum of 5 miles more on it to account for a too-shoort-to-be-of-use test drive - and a true minimum of 10-15 miles added by the shop to give the tranny and TC time to fully warm up and shift through all gears.
If they didn't add fluid they are responsible for replacing ALL damaged components inside the trans and TC. I would recommend having it towed back, tell them it feels funny and have them drive it - do NOT tell them what you found when you drop it off. Ask them what they find, and when they say it was low on fluid or whatever, demand they disassemble both components again and replace any components that were damaged from lack of lubrication (this will likely include all friction materials in the trans, all bearings in both units, and whatever bushings/etc are in each unit. If they refuse, call your bank and reverse payment on your card for the work performed.