On 06/01/20, I started calling for estimates for a flywheel replacement on my 1986 Chevy 4x4 Suburban. I called 3 transmission shops and 2 of them, quoted me for $350 plus the part. Both of these shops were too honest to tell me that they had a lot of work ahead and they wouldn't be able to service my truck, after a week.
Day Transmissions told me over the phone, the service would take them 2-3 days to replace the flywheel. Since my truck needed the service right away, because the flywheel was making a lot of noises and the truck was already vibrating, I opted to service my truck with them, because on the nearness, even though, they were the highest estimate at $432, part excluding.
On 06/02/20, I drove my truck slowly, since I didn't want it to break down on the way and use a tow truck, I even had to turn on my hazard lights for cars to pass me.
Once I got to Day Transmissions, Sal, the owner, told me that they had a lot of work and they would take a week to repair my truck. I was very disappointed since a day before, he had told me it would 2-3 days for work. A tactical move to lure me into his shop?
Again, since my truck needed the service badly, I had no choice but to leave my truck with them and hope for the best, even though, they were the highest estimate at $432, part excluding.
Once inside the office, Sal asked me if I wanted to use the same transmission oil within. It was an off question, since replacing the flywheel wouldn't involve any transmission oil change, therefore, I answered yes, that I wanted to use the same oil.
I told Sal that I had bought the flywheel at Advance Auto Parts, since it was on the way to the shop.
On 06/05/20, I received a call from Sal, stating that the flywheel I had taken to them, it was too small. Since my truck was already being serviced and me without a vehicle to go and pick up flywheel for exchange, I told Sal to go ahead and buy the correct part.
On 06/09/20, I received a call from Sal around noon, stating that my truck was ready for pick up. He also told me over the phone, that he went ahead and perform an oil flush on the transmission, because it was too dirty and that he wasn't going to use the same oil and that he wasn't going to charge me for it. I went to pick it up that same day, around 3 PM.
Sal charged me $499 parts & labor and gave me 6 months warranty, with the exception that I need to replace the starter as soon as possible, because the teeth of such, were slightly damaged due to the broken flywheel.
I paid the $499 without test driving it. I started my truck and the loud noises and vibrations were gone. On my way home, I noticed that the transmission was having difficulty changing gears. I thought to myself right away, the oil flush was the cause.
It is my understanding that the flywheel is outside of both the engine and transmission, therefore, no need to change the oil within the transmission.
The transmission oil change should be done only if the transmission is acting up, however, this wasn't the case, my transmission was working smoothly. I never had any problems with my transmission until now with the flywheel. This truck has been with the family for 23+ years and never had any transmission problems.
When I took the flywheel back to Advance Auto Parts for credit, I asked the CSR about the need to flush the oil within the transmission when replacing a flywheel and he told me that most likely, the transmission shop only tilted forward the transmission, instead of bringing it down completely, thus spilling the oil.
I can understand that they would only tilt forward the transmission in order to avoid bring it down completely, however, why not just add the needed oil spilled, maybe a quart or so, not the complete flush of oil. I only needed a flywheel replacement!
On the following day, 06/10/20, I called Sal in the morning and explained the situation with the gears changing difficulties, I mentioned the oil flush was the cause and right away told me that he wasn't going to put the same dirty oil back into my transmission because, it was filthy dirty.
I told him that I was going to use it like that for a couple of days, hopefully, it would settle down and work like in the past, without any gear difficulty and Sal said to bring it down for inspection, whenever I had a chance, but stated that when he test drove it (before I picked it up), it worked fine.
On 06/12/20, I took my truck to Sal for inspection because on mornings acts even worse. It takes longer for the gears to change. After mentioning this to him, he had the audacity to call it "Morning Sickness" which is normal, according to him.
Sal and I test drove it on the freeway and according to him, once again, it was fine, even though, on the freeway, my truck wouldn't go speed limit because the transmission would not change gears.
According to Sal, my engine is the cause, my truck is too old, he said. I told him that before he did work on m read more
