Jackaroo Monterey Transmission

Submitted: Monday, Dec 17, 2007 at 20:07

ThreadID: 52634 Views:8220 Replies:4 FollowUps:5

This Thread has been Archived

pjpw

I have a 1997 Jackaroo Monterey 3.2L Automatic. I have had it for only 3 years & recently started to have transmission problems where the transmission is slipping on most gear changes before engaging. I have been told by a Sydney Holden dealer that a fitted reco unit would cost me $5,500.

A local transmission mechanic in my area has told me that he could do it for $1,000 or more less. He says that he will supply & fit a reco unit he has on the shelf at his workshop but that I have to pay the cost of reconditioning my unit so he can then sell it so he can't give me a final figure until he recos mine. Is this the way it works? Sound sus to me.

Either way the cost seem excessive. I have tried to find out on the net how much a fitted exchange or reco unit would cost but have not found anytning useful.

Can anyone shed some light on this for me please?

Peter W.

Back Expand Un-Read 0 Moderator Share

Reply By: MEMBER - Darian (SA) - Monday, Dec 17, 2007 at 20:18

Monday, Dec 17, 2007 at 20:18

Dealers always want more than they say first up - they will regard that $5500 as a nominal starting figure, that can be "built upon with no worries". The other guy and his complicated story sounds "a worry" too - with the age of the Jack in mind, why not do the rounds of the auto dismantlers - there might be a box somewhere just waiting for you at the right price - a lot of them are into fitting parts at reasonable prices too - with a warranty.

AnswerID: 277119

Follow Up By: mike w (WA) - Monday, Dec 17, 2007 at 20:22

Monday, Dec 17, 2007 at 20:22

Good points Darian, as many dismantlers now are importing low km overseas equipment at fair prices.

FollowupID: 541002

Reply By: mike w (WA) - Monday, Dec 17, 2007 at 20:19

Monday, Dec 17, 2007 at 20:19

This by no means answers your question, however it may be worth sifting through the info or asking the same question here:

Holden Jackeroo and Isuzuz forum

Are you sure it is not the oil that requires changing? I would first ask a second or third opinion before committing. In my experience anything jackaroo and isuzu via a holden dealer is a very expensive (and often substandard) exercise

AnswerID: 277122

Reply By: Stephen M (NSW) - Monday, Dec 17, 2007 at 21:45

Monday, Dec 17, 2007 at 21:45

You will also find that a majority of dealers pull the box out then send it to an automatic transmission place anyway. Cheaper for the transmission place to do it then what holden would be charging per hour for the same thing. As mentioned above try the cheaper options first like oil change. When did the tranny have its last service ?? Regards Steve M

AnswerID: 277147

Follow Up By: pjpw - Monday, Dec 17, 2007 at 23:51

Monday, Dec 17, 2007 at 23:51

I have done 50K since I bought it 3 years ago. The dealer I bought it from said it had been fully serviced including the tranmission before he put it on his lot. Guess I should have asked for receipts to check that.

Since I have had it it has been off road only a couple of times and that was only on sand on a river's edge so it has not had a hard life in the time I have owned it.

Peter W

FollowupID: 541075

Reply By: Gerhardp1 - Tuesday, Dec 18, 2007 at 10:42

Tuesday, Dec 18, 2007 at 10:42

The auto trannie is a "sealed for life" unit ex factory, that's why they don't have a dipstick.

But sealed for life is interpreted by dealers as "never needs servicing", and this is what causes problems. Some say it should be serviced every 40,000ks, and I would agree with that. You could try a complete flush and filter change as a first step, as this has been reported on forums to have solved the problem. At other times, it has not helped.

The 4l30e transmission is under maximum stress for its design load when used in the Jack - it's really a "size" too small for the torque of the engine and the weight of the vehicle. It's a real pity they didn't use the T700e instead, for then it would have been truly bulletproof (and would have made V8 swaps routine)

But it's a very simple design as far as autos go, and causes no problems for a trannie mechanic other than to work out how much he can sting you for given that it's in a 4WD.

I would shop around until you are completely exhausted and you should get a better deal. Note that the parts for reconditioning these can be obtained from the USA VERY cheaply compared to local parts prices.

AnswerID: 277223

Follow Up By: pjpw - Tuesday, Dec 18, 2007 at 11:50

Tuesday, Dec 18, 2007 at 11:50

Thanks for that. The tranny guy told that he sources his parts from the USA so that's why I thought he was still pretty steep and the story he gave me just seemed sus as though it was an excuse to get more money out of me.

FollowupID: 541141

Follow Up By: pjpw - Tuesday, Dec 18, 2007 at 11:52

Tuesday, Dec 18, 2007 at 11:52

Forgot to ask.....is it possible to use the T700e tranny in my 4wd or can it not be made to fit the engine?

FollowupID: 541142

Follow Up By: Gerhardp1 - Tuesday, Dec 18, 2007 at 14:39

Tuesday, Dec 18, 2007 at 14:39

I have scoured the web unsuccessfully to find details of changing engine/transmission in the Jack.

When they were racing the Jacks in the Finke and other outback events, there were a couple of Jacks floating about with the V8 fitted, and plenty of rumours about production. Sadly didn't eventuate. I saw one of them at the Melb Motor Show, but can't remember if they were auto or manual - I'd guess manual.

I have the 98 Monterey with 3.5 and TOD transfer case attached to the Auto, making potential swaps even more difficult as there is an extra ECU for the transfer case. So there are 3 ECUs that have to interact - the engine one, the transmission one, and the transfer case one plus the ABS sensors feed into the TOD system, and the Shift on the Fly 4wd has to be accommodated as well.

To replace the transmission with another would require matching of the ratios so the engine ECU would interact with the transmission ECU of the replacement, not to mention the physical attachment of the transfer case.

It probably would be possible to re-engineer an SE manual with a V8/TH700e combo but the expensive bit would still be attaching the transfer case. Whether using a Toyota or Nissan transfer case would be feasible I don't know, but certainly one of those can easily be fitted to a TH700 gearbox.

The other option could be a 2wd conversion......delete transfer case altogether :) can't see the point in doing that.

Here is a potentially useful link for transmission rebuilds Site Link

FollowupID: 541182