Need Tranny rebuild/ 93 VR4- Experience with Jack's?

[fk86]

update on tranny from Jacks transmissions...I was just informed that they completed the "value rebuild" on my tranny and tested it.... Thank God... They found out the reverse gear pops out under a load. This had happened before also, but I don't know what I would of done if I got it back like that.....installed, then taken out, re-shipping, re-installing, TIME, $$$....so update is still coming

[Audiophobe]

Well so far my tranny has been a nightmare. As I mentioned, there was a small crack in the case around the nipple that caused some leaking. My shop welded it. The case had a helicoiled bolt hole but there were 2 on the top of the case that were stripped that Kormex missed and again, my shop had to fix those. When the install was complete there was whine when in gear and a clicking sound, sort of like something hitting the spokes of a bike wheel. These sound are only when the car is in gear and the clutch is engaged. This shop, Pruven Performance, rebuilds trannys but they didn't want to take on a VR4 tranny because of scarce parts and not having done many. The point is that they know transmissions and this tranny was not right.
I called Frank from Kormex while I was at my shop and went over the problems and told him that I understood that these things happened but I wanted it taken care of. I told him that I wanted him to pick my tranny up which I know has 80k miles on it and I'm pretty sure just needs synchros, rebuild it, send it back, and then I'll send this defective tranny back. I offered another deposit if he was worried that I would rip him off. He agreed.
I just got an email from him that says he'll have to take a look at his tranny first now. I hope that this shops stands up to it's reputation and stands behind their work.
I have to pay for labor twice and tranny lube twice. I accept that.
Personally, I think they should rebuild my tranny and reimburse me for the weld and the helicoil jobs and pay for the reshipping. I'll settle for my tranny rebuild and shipping just to be done with it. Like I said, NIGHTMARE, especially since I'm not posative they will make good on it. I have a bad feeling about this. I may be very wrong. I SHOULD BE WRONG. I hope so.

What I want to post soon is that Kormex rebuilt my tranny, took theirs back, stood behind their work, and that I would highly recommend them because even though it was a problem they stepped up to the plate.

I went with Kormex because they seemed to have a good rep. I'll keep you posted.

[Colt45_GTO]

this is intersting, i'm currently refurbing my 5spd. my 3rd is grinding going into gear so it has to be the synchro. it has the crappy brass synchro's in there and the case is a little beat up, ie filler and drain plugs have been butchered in the past and on draining the oil there was less than a cup full.

tomorrow i have to get the shafts pressed. i'm using used parts off another core that has lost 2 gears but 3rd synchro is fine and made of real metal. so i'll be replacing all the brass synchro's. is there anything to look out for and whats the preload specs?

[venetrex]

Interesting, I just changed my output shaft and realised I will need 2nd gear syncros soon, I can see the wear. It is not grinding though. I think I'll stick with my own policy of rebuild it myself. The output shaft coupler is another story. See other thread.

[tachyon_ftl]

Audio, thanks for the update. I am pretty surprised though that so many things were wrong with the tranny you received from Kormex. So they sent you a rebuilt and then you would have sent yours (assuming that the rebuilt was ok?) I'm an automation engineer (electrical/controls) myself, and I know shit happens... but I also used to tell my guys "Excellence our standard, perfection our goal" (yeah, it never caught on LOL!). I hope that Kormex comes through on this; granted shit happens, but how the vendor handles it is the important part. Good luck- keep us posted.

Paul T

[Audiophobe]

Originally Posted by tachyon_ftl

Audio, thanks for the update. I am pretty surprised though that so many things were wrong with the tranny you received from Kormex. So they sent you a rebuilt and then you would have sent yours (assuming that the rebuilt was ok?) I'm an automation engineer (electrical/controls) myself, and I know shit happens... but I also used to tell my guys "Excellence our standard, perfection our goal" (yeah, it never caught on LOL!). I hope that Kormex comes through on this; granted shit happens, but how the vendor handles it is the important part. Good luck- keep us posted.

Paul T

Yes. I hope they come through too!
I just get the impression that, with the crack and multiple stripped bolt ho;es that this was a tranny that had a hard life. That's why I want my tranny rebuilt instead of having them re-RE-build this one. I am nervous but thereason I picked Kormex is because of their reputaion, so, I have to believe that they will honor this honect mistake.

[JackM]

Originally Posted by Audiophobe

I went with Kormex because they seemed to have a good rep. I'll keep you posted.

And we don't? Every unit assembled here gets hooked up to a machine I built to spin it up at high RPM and beat the piss out of it before we ship the unit back. It's a level of quality control that others don't seem to have. With the test we can listen and feel for bearing, synchro and gear issues. We have NEVER had a 3S tranny fail, ever after it passes our test. We did though have one come back due to shipping damage, but that wasn't our fault or the customers yet we fixed it at no charge anyway, because that's all part of doing business.

I hope it works out for you in the end.

Jack

[Erron Spalsbury]

Guys,

Even though I've never personally purchased anything from Jack, he does do great work. He's local here to us and I have a number of gentlemen racers that have used him with WONDERFUL success. I recommend him to anyone that is looking to have tranny work done. +1 for Jack any day of the week, he is a good guy that stands behind his work.

I've also bought a few things from both Kormex and Supercar. Both companies were professional and had great products. We have a very nice community of supporting vendors. A hard thing to find nowadays, thumbs up to all of you!


Erron S.

[Import Power]

3SX also rebuilds the TCs and Transaxles. We don't have any preset "build" as we have seen too many times LOTS of parts need to be replaced and see it as a diserivce to rebuild without replacing those parts.

Our Transaxle rebuilds are $900 labor plus whatever parts need to be replaced. The customer is contacted after tear down/clean/inspection to go over what parts need to be replaced.

We haven't seen a good VCU in a 5 or 6 spd in probably a year or more. Not a part you can really get easily. We had one new one left a few months back but sold it for a rebuild. More and more often we aren't seeing just worn synchro rings. The gear dogs and the sliders are becoming more and more worn to the point of unusable. And just popping in some rings is, again, a disservice.

Parts start adding up. It can get pretty expensive. But these cars are getting old. 17 yrs and 100K+ miles. Transaxle internals are only going to get even more worn from here forward.

[Audiophobe]

Originally Posted by JackM

And we don't? Every unit assembled here gets hooked up to a machine I built to spin it up at high RPM and beat the piss out of it before we ship the unit back. It's a level of quality control that others don't seem to have. With the test we can listen and feel for bearing, synchro and gear issues. We have NEVER had a 3S tranny fail, ever after it passes our test. We did though have one come back due to shipping damage, but that wasn't our fault or the customers yet we fixed it at no charge anyway, because that's all part of doing business.

I hope it works out for you in the end.

Jack

Woooooooo there partner! I NEVER said you don't have a good rep! I had 2 companies to choose from and I had to pick one. Just because Kormex has a good rep doesn't mean that you don't. Where did that come from?