Message from discussion UPDATE 5 on the Dodge pickup whining noise

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From: Ignoramus906 <ignoramus...@NOSPAM.906.invalid>
Newsgroups: rec.crafts.metalworking,alt.autos.dodge.trucks
Subject: Re: UPDATE 5 on the Dodge pickup whining noise
Date: Tue, 3 Oct 2006 20:47:27 +0000 (UTC)
Organization: Altopia Corp. - Usenet Access - www.altopia.com
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References: <bnuu5.q93.17.2@news.alt.net> <4522CA30.3020706@artsci.wustl.edu>
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On Tue, 03 Oct 2006 15:38:08 -0500, Jon Elson <jmel...@artsci.wustl.edu> wrote:
>
>
> 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
>

Jon, it is in the axle. The dealer offered a relatively sensible total
price of $1070 (that includes the $114 that they charged me to look at
it), so I decided to just have them do it.

i