Need Transmission

Hello, had a few Rivi's, a 63, 65, and present 98 Dark Blue loaded. Im the second owner after my purchasing from my Daughters Math Teacher who was once married to one of my bosses!  Never saw the car until listed on Craigslist for $3500. Has 138,000 and just broke the T65 trans. Is this common? Maintenance records are many and owner always had service @ Becker Buick here in Washington State.  Kind of sad to know replacement could run up to $3000.  Is this transmission failure common? I was not hot rodding it but had the big studded snows on and went into passing gear, then silence. Love this cars great ride and economy! What, motor trend 'car of the' year 3 times?

I wonder if some of the people who race or trial their cars at Spokane County Raceway would have a recommendation? What you'd want is someone to pick up a 4T65E out of a junkyard (there are a LOT of those transmissions available) and overhaul it then put it in your car. Or overhaul yours. Locally there is a guy who builds transmissions for dirt track racers and others who will do that job for about 2 something. Would not surprise me to find someone similar to that out your way.

I currently have 197K on the original transmission in my 98. It shifts perfectly. I have changed the fluid (lately with Dex6) every 20,000 miles. I do not beat on the car, just drive it normally. Hoping it will last for a long time.

Interesting that the SCR recommendation is so valid! I too raced there and a Mr. Ray does still race and do transmissions! I'll give him a call! I like the fact that if I spend the $s it will still have it's original … And buying a used spare is interesting and would save down time, but I use this car only for emergencies and when it broke I was on my way to view a 95 for the same rr cost! However, mine is considerably nicer and a better color. I never burn the tires and it appears perhaps the original owners husband DID! He drove it often on gravel roads and perhaps drove like the Bandit! I am a former racer but this car so comfortable, I hardly exceeded the limit!!! I'm too old for burning rubber but with studded tires, it was slipping them when it hit passing gear! Perhaps, I did break it!

Yeah, that transmission doesn't like spinning tires.

LARRY70GS wrote:

I currently have 197K on the original transmission in my 98.  It shifts perfectly.  I have changed the fluid (lately with Dex6) every 20,000 miles.  I do not beat on the car, just drive it normally.  Hoping it will last for a long time.

Dex6 is a better lube, in my experience, and I'd presume your transmission will spin for a very, very long time provided it's sound when you switch.  

I have about 380,000 miles on mine, it was completely rebuilt once, and removed a second time for maintenance (valve body, TC clutch solenoid, TC replacement).  

I found that for my car (which is about 100% highway service) a 40-50K mile interval is 100% fine for Dex6.  

What is *not* fine is any additive, and also not fine is to switch back to Dex3 from Dex6.  The shop that rebuilt my transmission in the first place ended up pulling it because they had hired a tech who thought he could do that (switched it back to Dex3 with LubriGard additive) and did -- to reward his cleverness the TC literally grenaded about 20K miles later. So - Word to the newly wise (Not to Larry, he's Oldly Wise):  Definitely switch to Dex6 but once you switch to Dex6 do not ever switch back.

Hope your chat with Mr. Ray goes well. What he can do is install Raybestos clutches (Blue Plate Specials if you want them and he can get them, I think GM 24202333; Raybestos Reds -Stage 1- if not or the Blues are too salty for you), and the Transgo and Sonnax perfomance/durability kits. Once rebuilt like that at 98,000 miles, my transmission ran and ran and ran until Boy Genius switched it back to Dex3 after almost 200K miles (yes it ran longer rebuilt than it did new).

Albertj