I'd aim for dying happy knowing I put a good used one in and you could always believe the one you rebuilt is 100%.

Best of both

You're a bit low on your prices here chief. You're gonna be looking at at least $500 alone in just parts to rebuild one that may never work, not including specialty tools. Gonna need more than just a craftsman 59 pc. socket set. A lot more. Master rebuild kits don't come with all the parts you are gonna need, and from the sounds of your problems, you've blown a planetary, or cracked the "Sun shell." Which do not come in a rebuild kit because you need an *** **** load of special tools just to remove those parts properly, and maybe even a different tool to install the new part.

If it were me and I was going to do this, I would be pissed as **** at my self for all the work and money into this trans and installing it all back into the car, having it not function at all or be back at square one.

If I were you, I would buy the good trans first (You probably won't find a good one by the time your done ******' with your old one) and have it there on the floor or something while you rebuild yours, then if yours doesn't work??? Well what do ya know, you planned ahead and already have one that knowingly works that hasn't been toy'd with, and ready to go in the car. Just need a filter, ATF, and some elbow grease to get her up in there (again.)

To know you did it right, you pull the engine and trans again, install the one you rebuilt, then test. If it works, leave it in, hang onto the spare for a month, then sell the spare. If it doesn't then you swap it back out and put the good one in and sell the bad one for scrap metal or a core. Yes, you'd spend the time pulling and reinstalling the engine and trans, but you would 1) gain experience of that and 2) know it worked.

werd. If it t'was a RWD tranny, I'd be more supportive.

Lakeville, i hate to go against you here, but i think you are wrong. There'* nothing indicating that he has cracked or broken sun gears. My car displayed the same symptoms as his and there was nothing wrong with any of the gears in the transmission beyond slight tooth wear. Don't you realize that if a gear went there would be MAJOR grinding and metal chunks, not shavings, CHUNKS, in the pan. Also, Justin is very close on his prices, it doesn't cost anywhere near 500 for all the things you will need for a rebuild. A full rebuild kit, WITH the updated 1-2 shift spring, only costs roughly 150 dollars from a reputable transmission shop. And even if he does run into trouble with tools almost any of them can be rented through autozone or some other establishment. So please, have background info first or keep your comments to yourself. Thanks.

As long as this post doesn't turn into a war.....right?

Oh boy from all the posts it looks to be a assload more than its worth. Its an '89 too man.

Here'* me. Call trans shop next am, get rebuild quote. If satisified, get towed and come back next week pick up nice car with new tranny

um your crazy. I have trashed 2 cars for blown trans now, one was even an L67

We already know what you would do, thanks
Keeping this on topic now

"And ask Mom for the money".

Only an 89? Auroradude, that'* his FIRST car. And he got it the HARD way.