transmissions

do you guys break down a trasmission before taking it to the yard usually or not? just wondering if the end justifies the means.

I've broken down a few. I went through three transmissions for my '84 Chevette before I found a decent one. I broke all the bad ones down before I scrapped them. It was a learning experience for me because I like to see how things work but it helped out my bottom line as well. I got dirty aluminum prices for the cases though because it had iron plugs, pressed in bearings, etc. still in it that I couldn't remove. If you have the necessary tools to get it all out, I'd recommend doing it. If its an old transmission, the case is going to be cast iron, not aluminum but it still may have some brass pieces inside.

I think for the price its not worth the break down. I just give them whole.

I break them down. My yard treats me really good because I have been a customer for 20 years and they let the odd bolt or bearing that i can get out slide past them... I do however try to split the case with a sledge hammer to get the bearings out if I can..... I probably do 5-10 automatics a year, so I am pretty good at them now....

Originally Posted by Kris Kringle

A Cast Iron Automatic in a Chevette Since When?

No, no mdg, I meant older transmissions like Powerglides and things like that. Transmissions from the 50s and 60s. All the transmissions from my Chevette had aluminum cases. My Chevette only had 56 hp. Can you imagine a cast iron transmission in it? Ha! It couldn't get out of its own way as is. When I had the automatic in it when I first bought, it wouldn't spin the tires on a GRAVEL road. It would once I had the 5-speed in it, but it still wouldn't on asphalt.

I'm breaking down a C4 tranny right know tried to sell it but only got one call and he wanted one with the transfer case so its going to the scrapper monday.

Aluminum manual transmissions, I break down. Automatics, torque converters and all 4x4 transfer cases go to the core buyer.

Originally Posted by c4f5

Automatics, torque converters and all 4x4 transfer cases go to the core buyer.

Core buyer you say? I'd never thought of that...do they pay better than scrap? I might have to look into this.

I'm getting $15 minimum, on up to a couple hundred for automatics, depending on what it is. My buyer buys the tq's separately, as well as the t-cases. If I remember right, the converters are 5-25 each, dependind & t-cases are 10 or 15 flat.

Even if the case is cracked on the higher end tranny's, he'll still give the $15 minimum...he gets the scrap value for the case, and still gets all the good hard parts. Compared to the time it takes to break one down, it's worth it to me to turn them into him whole. The down side....I'm in Colorado, he's in Illinois, so it's not worth the trip til I have several thousand dollars worth of cores saved.

Just looked at a recent price list. The HIGH END transmissions are 300 & the high end tq's are 30