Message from discussion UPDATE 5 on the Dodge pickup whining noise

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From: Jon Elson <jmel...@artsci.wustl.edu>
Newsgroups: rec.crafts.metalworking,alt.autos.dodge.trucks
Subject: Re: UPDATE 5 on the Dodge pickup whining noise
Date: Tue, 03 Oct 2006 15:38:08 -0500
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Ignoramus16919 wrote:

>Just spoke to a friend of my wife who is a car mechanic who makes
>money by fixing cars. 
>
>He mentioned that it could well be a tranny problem. 
>
>He advised me that once shit starts on Chryslers, that it only gets
>worse, and advised me to not do any repairs and to get rid of this
>truck as soon as possible.
>
>I am inclined to do just that.
>
>i
>  
>
We just got rid of a 1998 Ram 3500B stretch extended van, that may or
may not have a similar drive train as your truck.  (5.9 L engine, auto
trans).  The transmission croaked at something like 89000 Miles, and they
rebuilt it for ONLY $3100!  We did get a "lifetime" warranty on the
rebuild, so if it ever blew AGAIN, we'd be covered.

Having had major transmission problems on our last THREE American-brand
cars in a ROW, I've pretty well sworn them off.  Meanwhile, I'm still
driving my 1989 Toyota Corolla station wagon with manual transaxle.
Maintenance on that one has run about $100/year, on average.  Some
years it requires ZERO maintenance whatsoever.  170,000 miles on the
original wter pump, alternator, the A/C refrigerant has NEVER been
even topped-up, etc.

It ought to be possible to isolate grinding noises to the transmission or
rear axle.  Any way you can jack the rear wheels off the ground?
If it is the transmission, you are in deep DOO-DOO, and he's definitely
right, if you can in good conscience dump the thing, do so.

If it is the axle, then I really don't see how some grinding in there is 
going
to take the transmission with it.

Jon