Transmission needs replacing after 109000km. F*#k holden servicing!

[Skylarking]

…if they are a register automatic transmission specialist…

Other than the minor issue with the first reco’d trans, it’s so smooth to drive now, like a new again.

Businesses need to be registered with ATSIC and others. Air conditioning mechanics/businesses need to be registered with ArcTick. Mechanics need to be qualified.

A lot of “licensing” is required around automotive workshops but much of that seem to be around business registration, trademarks, trading names, OHS, EPA and ACL requirements. All done so that services can be provided safely and with a level of quality. And workers must be qualified if they are to function unsupervised.

There doesn’t seem to be specific licences around auto transmissions workshops as such and if there is, who provides such? Isn’t it just general mechanics qualifications that are required or isn’t that a requirement? And does such really guarantee quality workmanship or is it just a branding thing that brings in licence fees to some industry body…

For example, airconditioning has strict licensing and an industry code of conduct that many workshops simply don’t seem to follow as closely as they should.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m just curious as to what sits behind your “registered automotive specialist“ statement…

At least you found a business that stood by their repair and fixed the downshift issues via trans replacement so you could be on your way… That’s a good thing... Just doubt that occurred due to any business licensing. I’d think this mob just know how to look after their customers and realised a trans swap was the easiest thing for both parties. I’d say it was good business ethics that resulted in such an outcome

And glad it worked out for you. For those members living in Melbourne knowing the good players in a sea of charlatans can be helpful, so care to name the workshop that stood by their work as such info could help others

 

[Forg]

^ I interpreted what he said as just being sure to go to an auto trans specialist, preferably a non-numpty, as opposed to the gorilla (to whom hammers are tools for everything) in the workshop at the local servo who claims he can do it along with everything else …

*edit*
Oh, and don’t get a recommendation & then screw it up.
I got on well with the knowledgeable mechanic whose workshop was 2 blocks from home a few years back, he recommended a diff place by location/address & without giving me the name of the joint, and when I’d had the diff rebuilt with the TruTrac centre & mentioned to my mate that I had picked it up from the place he said “<explete> why did you go there, he’s a butcher!”.
Turned out there were two diff places among the 6 light-industrial units at that address, I wasn’t aware & went to the wrong one.
Still kinda/sorta waiting for it to blow up ~20yrs later …

 

[Skylarking]

Yeah, guess the word “register(ed?)” threw me… It’s like “dealer service” doesn’t guarantee a quality service (as we all know)… Neither does “specialist”.

Recommendations are the best

 

[Commo64]

I bought my SV6 with 50,000kms on the clock and it’s previous owner was Avis rent a car so I know the fluid wasn’t changed before I did it at 200,000kms.

Most of the automatics in the modern Commodores seem to be quite durable provided you don’t flog the crap out of them or your unlucky enough to get one that wasn’t put together properly in the first place.

Your right... The 6 speeds are fairly durable transmissions but I'm not sure about the 5 speeds, and the 4 speeds are questionable... Specifically the earlier ones...

 

[J_D 2.0]

Your right... The 6 speeds are fairly durable transmissions but I'm not sure about the 5 speeds, and the 4 speeds are questionable... Specifically the earlier ones...

I think they were all pretty good. The problem child is the 5 speed but thats really only because they are rare as rocking horse shite and thus expensive to get a rebuild.

 

[Commo64]

I think they were all pretty good. The problem child is the 5 speed but thats really only because they are rare as rocking horse shite and thus expensive to get a rebuild.

Not exactly... 4 Speeds did have some issues, specifically the earlier ones (My old VN wouldn't shift into different gears but then again, it had like 300,000km)

 

[J_D 2.0]

Not exactly... 4 Speeds did have some issues, specifically the earlier ones (My old VN wouldn't shift into different gears but then again, it had like 300,000km)

Once you get over about 200,000kms odd your probably doing pretty well if you don’t have any problems with an automatic transmission.

I’ve had quite a few automatic Commodores over the years (two VH’s, a VN, a VT, a VS Statesman and my VE SV6).

The SV6 is the only one I’ve ever had any issues with gearbox wise but it is the car that had the most kms on out of all of them. Most of the others were around the 150-200k mark while I had them.

All of them ended up at the wrecking yard between 200-250kms for other reasons, mostly because they were worth SFA by that point in their lives and it was easier to send them off to the wreckers than deal with 50 people tire kicking and offering you 50 bucks for it!

 

[losh1971]

The 4L60e was ok, it just didn't like added HP. It also had its common problems, like valve body issues but those problems weren't overly expensive to have sorted.

 

[losh1971]

I have a saying, "a good 4L60e is built, not bought"....

 

[J_D 2.0]

The 4L60e was ok, it just didn't like added HP. It also had its common problems, like valve body issues but those problems weren't overly expensive to have sorted.

Holden never really had a lot of “overhead“ in the rated power of their transmissions. No doubt GM made them use the cheapest hand me down units they had going.

Thats definitely the case with the 5L40E which was already obsolete when it was being fitted to my SV6 way back in 2009. It was also the “weakest” of the automatic transmissions in the Commodores as it was right on the money for its acceptable power handling with the SV6 engine in front of it.

For those that don’t know the “40” in the part number denotes the rated power handling capability of the transmission, so the 4L60E and 6L50E were superior transmissions to the 5L40E based on their rated power handling capacity.