So last Saturday, Stitch II had a transmission cooler installed, in preparation for our planned road trip to tow back a piano. Everything was all well and good.

Until last night.

I took my wife out to dinner, and as we got back in the car, I noticed a puddle of red at the front of Stitch II. Thought it might have been left by the last car to park there, so we got in and pulled out.

Tried to get on a busy main road, but the transmission would not engage. Engine revved up to about 5K before I even started moving very slowly. I had to make a lap around the block to get over to a Pep Boys close to the restaurant, by which time I needed to run it up to 7K in L in order to get the car to even move. Redlining is scary, especially when you're not moving!

Opened the hood in the Pep Boys parking lot. Lo and behold ... the feed hose for the tranny cooler was completely off. When I investigated further, it was because the clamp holding it on had sheared.

Got replacement clamps and hooked everything up, but I'm estimating that the tranny wound up running close to dry. It took five quarts of fluid thus far, and I still don't think it's full yet. (guessed on the capacity, didn't find out until this afternoon it takes nearly 7) The good news? The tranny's pretty much back to normal, a little harder on shifts, but better.

The moral of this? Check your clamps if you put on an external tranny cooler!

 

That was not a good idea should have parked it till you fixed it who put the cooler on.

 

Parking it wasn't an option because by the time the revs were at that level, the car was on a busy road where the average knucklehead runs about 50mph in a 35 zone. As far as who put it on, it was a Continental Transmission branch on the south side of Buffalo, but I doubt it was their fault, it looked like a freak defective clamp.

 

Tranny cooler + HHR = FAIL

 

Then it is their fault for using a bad part. They should pay to have it towed in and repaired.

 

If they installed it, their parts should be warranted too. They need to cover the repair, and IMO at least partially cover any damage done internally to the transmission (It is a good possibility that there was some since it was driven... and they may say that was your fault; don't know).

 

Aww man...sorry to hear that...that sucks



Goose

 

The moral of that story is to investigate further when you see puddles under your car. I hope it all turns out okay for you. I agree that you should contact Continental and give them the opportunity to help you out. Hose clamps are not difficult to install properly...and don't typically break after they're on. Best of luck!

 

Ive had clamps break plenty of times. We bought a lot of "Overseas" made ones and they sucked.

 

Have had similar experiences with Pep Boys and will not go near them ever again. NO, they will not stand behind their work. Good luck, and in the future, don't ever drive an auto trans like that again. I am sure you are in for a premature rebuild after that trip.