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cal7.62x39

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So a couple of weeks ago my family took a trip to robbers cave. Got about 30 miles from the house and the transmission in my wife's 2006 Infiniti QX56 (fancy nisan titan/armada suv) started acting up. It started acting like the torque converter was slipping. The wife pulled over within a mile of it happening I got out and there was tranny fluid EVERYWHERE under the suv. Got it towed home and rode on to robbers cave with friends that were going in a different vehicle. When I got home the next morning I got out to look at it, and found that the tranny cooler line in front of the radiator had split and sprayed fluid out everywhere. I ordered the new hose ( a crazy experience all its own, never order from CARID) 3 weeks later finally got one. I installed it the next morning drained the remainder of tranny fluid from the pan drain hole and saw no metal shavings. Filled the 5 quarts back up and gave it a go. I ran it for 10-15 minutes to let the fluid warm and expand, was perfect on the dip stock, then went for a drive. I unfortunately have no reverse or first gear. Park and neutral if you give a little gas sounds like something is just free spinning with a loud whine, reverse does nothing and it doesn't feel like it even shifts into gear, neutral actual putts in a weird low gear where it creeps forward slowly on its own, but gas does nothing. In drive it feels like it takes off In second and shifts to third, but I didn't take it to speed to test forth. Also while I'm creeping neutral gear it is engaging something, because we can't push it In neutral, it's catching a gear or something that's keeping us from pushing backwards.

So here's my delimma. I owe approx 2300 on the note still. I don't know what to expect from a tranny shop, but I expect it to be more than the Infiniti is worth. Do I eat the cost and just have it fixed, try to sell for what's owed or close to it and let someone transplant a junk yard tranny into it then go and buy something different, or ?. I don't know what or where to go. Any mechanics out there think they can diagnose and think it might not be a full rebuild, or the cost of a rebuild/replace? The QX56 was a very clean 1 owner with maintenance records and 140000 miles. 3 years and 3 children it's now over 200K and has a few issues, and certainly isn't as pristine as it once was. If replaced I need a three row V8 in the 10K range. I'm looking at a couple GX 470s, but looking for outside perspective on what you all would do.
 

BReeves

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Don't discount Dodge Caravans. Had two that went over 260,000 with normal repairs and maintenance. Not a V8 but a V6 that doesn't mess around. The 2013 I have now is the best of all the generations I have owned. Find one with right at or just over 100,000 and take it for a test drive. Pretty sure you will be surprised. Also because they have kinda fell out of vogue they can usually be bought right.
 

cal7.62x39

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Don't discount Dodge Caravans. Had two that went over 260,000 with normal repairs and maintenance. Not a V8 but a V6 that doesn't mess around. The 2013 I have now is the best of all the generations I have owned. Find one with right at or just over 100,000 and take it for a test drive. Pretty sure you will be surprised. Also because they have kinda fell out of vogue they can usually be bought right.

I don't think I would mind a grand caravan, even as rental or fleet vehicles they usually were not beat on to bad. I had a pacifica a while back and really enjoyed it. But we tow our camper, boat, and from time to time a trailer, V6 usually won't have the power to haul. Plus the wife has drawn a hard line in the sand of no minivans. The pacifica was ok because it was a "crossover" and didn't have the minivan sliding door.
 

cal7.62x39

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FML! Tranny rebuild or replace is all in the 5,000 dollar range (3 shop estimates so far). WOW. I can't justify it. I'm thinking of paying off the note, see if they will give me a new note, and see if I can get 2000 for the Infiniti as she sits for someone to do a junkyard tranny swap.
 

O4L

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FML! Tranny rebuild or replace is all in the 5,000 dollar range (3 shop estimates so far). WOW. I can't justify it. I'm thinking of paying off the note, see if they will give me a new note, and see if I can get 2000 for the Infiniti as she sits for someone to do a junkyard tranny swap.
Ouch! I hope you find a solution that won't cost you too much.
 

Tanis143

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Might have it towed to a tranny shop and have the trans and cooler flushed. Might have something plugged up and its causing fluid to not circulate properly (and also could have caused the ruptured line). Also could have them do an assessment and see if its trashed.
 

Okie4570

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Google says it holds 11.2qts, and you said "I installed it the next morning drained the remainder of tranny fluid from the pan drain hole and saw no metal shavings. Filled the 5 quarts back up and gave it a go."

Something doesn't sound right with the numbers adding up to 11qts. Maybe I'm misreading what you're saying?
 

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