My Monte has 115000 miles on it. The transmission has been "slipping" when you take off from a stop for about a year now.

Based on this, I have been trying to figure out the best course of action. I would like to have the 3800 engine, and since I have to pull out the engine and transmission to swap the tranny (I've heard its easier that way) I was considering replacing the engine at the same time. The problem with that is that my engine runs like a top. Like it's still new.

When I was looking at engines it seemed like they all had a ton of miles on them and were still priced pretty high. Same with transmissions.

I have found a transmission that is really reasonably priced, but it has 150,000 miles. The guy says that it "shifts nice with no issues".

My question is...

How many miles is too many? After all, my car's transmission is going bad at 115,000 miles, so 150,000 seems scary.

I know that it probably depends on how the transmission has been treated. I have my suspicions that my car was previously owned by a younger person, so I question whether the transmission was abused.

Just curious what you guys' thoughts were.

 

I think I would shy away from a 150K tranny unless proven to have had a rebuild. That's just asking for it. It may shift fine for another 150k, but may only for 500 miles and you are back to where you started.

 

Exactly what I was thinking. Thanks for the input.

Our transmissions seem to be pretty sketchy to begin with in the 6th gens.

 

Well im gonna be rolling 149k tonight. The only issue i notice is the torque converter doesn't always work the best when taking off from a stop. Sometimes the engine revs up then everything locks up and you take off. Like jerry said i wouldn't pick up a 150k mile tranny either. Doing an engine swap, i'd say this is the best time for it as like you said the engine/tranny will be out anyway.

 

Over 183,000.

I picked up a used transmission for $500, had 70k on it. I didn't mind it.

I would look around.

 

That's a pretty good deal. The one with 150,000 miles is only $200, but it scares me.

 

I'd say 150k is a lot on a used tranny $200 sounds cheap but I don't think I'd waste my time on it.

 

That's the way I'm leaning too.

 

Too many miles depends on the specific engine and trans and how it was serviced and used. Well maintained, could go a LONG time.
- My '94 Grand Am, original engine/trans, no rebuilds (just head gaskets at one point) has 220,000 miles. Changed the trans fluid/filter twice, no issues to date from the drive train.
- Wife's Impala has over 150.000. When we bought it, trans was shot. I sourced a salvage one WITH 1 year parts/labor warranty and 70K on it for $700, shop installed for $500.

Now, I have noticed on both my Monte and the Impala (same model trans), once in a while from a dead stop, they both have a tiny "shift" issue. Not sure what or why. I'm thinking this year at 62K, I'm going to pan drop and do a fluid/filter change on the Monte's trans (the Impala got that when the salvage trans was installed).

 

Good info. The tranny that I found is from an Impala. I tend to think that an Impala may not have been abused like a Monte might have been. Maybe it's just the whole four-door stereotype.

I'm just not sure what to do. I had pretty much given up on swapping in a 3800 and decided just to keep the 3400 and fix the transmission. I can always do a 3800 swap down the road at some point.

Sounds like we have a similar issue with our transmissions. Mine will be fine 90% of the time and then when I come to a stop and go to take off, it will sit there for a minute while I'm pressing the gas and then it's like the tranny catches and it thumps and kicks hard and then takes off. It's annoying.