Ford Windstar Tranny Job

Status
Not open for further replies.
Joined
Feb 16, 2006
Messages
862
Location
Chicago
A friend of mine needs a tranny for his 2000 Windstar. He got quoted $1600 for a R&R of a rebuilt transmission from a "Nationwide Transmission" place locally. I have no experience with these people. Does anyone know if they are reputable? How's the price? Any suggestions?
 
Would they be able to get that through an independent shop like this, or would they have to go to a Ford dealer? Do you know ballpark what those cost?
 
Last edited:
Tranny jobs are just plain expensive!!!!!!! When I had the tranny in my Olds Trofeo rebuilt years ago it was about $1300. My dad got his rebuilt recently in his Delta 88 and it was about $2500.
 
i sell at least one trans a week to shops wholesale. without a VIN i cant give an exact amount. i do know that i can usually get trans and engine assemblies next day.
 
Not all of them are expensive and the Chrysler tansmissions are the cheapest to rebuild.It depends on the miles and is not worth it some times rebuilding the transmission.This transmission is one year only for interchange and Ford transmissions are this way
 
Originally Posted By: wafrederick1
Not all of them are expensive and the Chrysler tansmissions are the cheapest to rebuild.It depends on the miles and is not worth it some times rebuilding the transmission.This transmission is one year only for interchange and Ford transmissions are this way


the ford reman trans have a 3 year 100k mile warranty, not sure where you are getting your info, but you are completely incorrect.
 
I am correct on the Chrysler transmission rebuilds,the prices of rebuilds on them and they are the easiest to rebuild.A 727 torqueflite is less than a thousand.Call a wrecking yard,will look up the interchange in an interchange book called the Hollander and most of them will tell you 2000 only.For example,a 1993 transmission out of a Taurus is 1993 only for interchange and my father looked it up in the Hollander once.The Ford engineers need to come out whom design their electronic transmissions,worst ones to diagnose for problems and I know a transmission shop that "bangs" their heads against the wall when working on one of these.
 
Originally Posted By: bdcardinal
i sell at least one trans a week to shops wholesale. without a VIN i cant give an exact amount. i do know that i can usually get trans and engine assemblies next day.

Cant you ballpark it to within a couple hundred? I'm just wondering if it's possible he's getting a Ford rebuilt unit for $1600 installed?
 
Jasper wants $2044 for a remanufactured unit with a 3/100 warranty.

Certified Transmissions charges $1820 for a remanufactured unit with a 3/50 warranty.

$1600 can be a good deal, but you have to make sure that a complete overhaul is being done.
 
Had a Ford dealer put in a re-manufactured (slightly different from a rebuid) for a Mystique a year ago, $3,500 and had a 75,000 mile 3 year warranty.Had no choice due to where it happened but I would never trust a chain shop, local shop with a good rep is the way to go or a rebuilt. I think I could have gotten a rebuilt installed for $2,500 if the car had been local when the incident occurred. With the dealer, only saving grace is that the warranty is good at any Ford dealer
 
Thanks everyone. What is the diff between a rebuilt and a remanufactured? I never thought about it but assumed they were the same?
 
if you are buying one outright, not any difference really. the issue with having a shop rebuild the trans themselves is they usually only offer a 90 day - 1 year warranty on labor.
 
Then add more to that $1600.00 during the rebuild,for hard parts if there are any broken such as a drum,the final drive,etc.The Ford transaxles in the Windstars,Sables and Tauruses do have lube problems and will burn the transmission up worse.The transmission shop in my area that I know very well sees this a lot with this Ford transaxle.If they see it even worse,they call the customer right up and talk them into replacing it.It is not worth rebuilding it after this is found
 
I have a 1996 windstar, 3.8L.
I faced the transmission issue at around 100K miles....back around 2001'ish.
I did a LOT of reading online......found that folks who save money (up to 1/2 the cost of FORD) were looking for another transmission just over 1 year later....and were unhappy folks.

I paid about $2860 for a genuine FORD remanufactured....installed.
At that time the warranty was 2 years 75K.
The key thing that they do is apply all the updates during the process.
By 2000, they had ironed out many of the problems (lubrication, etc).
Many "rebuild" shops just fix what is wrong....broken.....and don't do the updates.....or replace many wear items.
It is all about price.....

My FORD replacement really hurt the wallet......but I have NO regrets......it has over 100K on it....
Instead of taking it in for a fluid / filter service every 30K, I now do yearly (around 15-20K miles) fluid exchange, filter every other year.....I use Redline D4 fluid, and installed a auxillary transmission fluid cooler...and a Magenefine inline filter.

There are other quality ATF fluids out there.....make SURE that it meets the Mercon V specification.

I have read that Jasper also does the updates......but like OEM, you are going to pay for it.

If one plans to keep the vehicle....I would get the "top shelf" remanufactured unit that you can feel confident in.

Make SURE that you keep that fluid changed AT LEAST every 30K miles (21K for "severe service) with a quality fluid that meets the Mercon V specification.

FORD has also issued a couple of TSBs about the transmission fluid cooler (all have the in-radiator cooler) becoming clogged or partially clogged......restricting fluid flow...causing the new transmission to fail due to heat.....
Also they warn about the crud in the cooler contaminating the new fluid....also leading to failure of the new transmission.

For this reason......I would ask them to follow TSB # 3-14-8 which gives the transmission cooler flushing process instructions.
Also ask them to flow test the cooler to make sure that there is no obstruction.
If flushing does not result in the correct flow.....the in-radiator cooler must be replaced.....which requires that the whole radiator assembly be replaced.

For what it is worth..... I now have over 210K miles on my '96 windstar..... Hoping for "a couple more years".
 
The transmission shop I know very well does the updates on Ford transmissions.They put in the upgraded pistons and every upgraded part in.Only Ford transmisson most transmission shops will never rebuild or fix is the transmission out of the Contours which is a huge POS.Put the ground wire in the wrong spot,melt the drum inside the tramission which is made out of plastic and Ford is picky on the transmission.
 
The NW shop told my friend that he would get a 6 month, unlimited miles warranty. I guess if it works well for 6 months, it's probably OK, eh?
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top