thugmiss4life Posted November 6, 2007 Report Share Posted November 6, 2007 Just got word from the shop that my 2002 STS with 76k miles on it needs the following work: Left front wheel bearing (and maybe right side too) Each side is 490.00 Edge mount is broken (I think she said edge) 460.00 Transmission flush 250.00 I know nothing about cars, but is this too much?? By the way....I'm a newbie. Hey y'll!!! Glad I found this board, because I know nothing about my car. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ranger Posted November 6, 2007 Report Share Posted November 6, 2007 DO NOT let anyone flush your trans. Insist on dropping the pan and changing the fluid. Here is what our old Guru ( A GM powertrain engineer) had to say about it. "Never, ever flush a transmission. There is no "safe" way to flush a transmission unless you own the flush machine and control it yourself. Flushing a transmission has several pitfalls... The most obvious is that the last vehicle hooked up to that flushing machine probably was on it's last leg and was generating tons of debris. Most owners, when the transmission starts to act up, rush to get a "flush" in the fervent hope that it will cure the problem. So... flush machines, by definition, see the worst of the worst. If the lines aren't cleaned, hooked up improperly, oil is reused or recycled, etc....then you are screwed as your transmission gets the dose of debris from the last transmission . No matter how good the intentions of the shop, one simple mistake and your transmission gets the debris. Flushing is supposed to negate the need for removing the pan, cleaning the debris and replacing the filter... BS. There is considerable debris coating the inside of the transmission pan with miles as anyone who has done this can attest. That is part of the maintenance, removing the pan, cleaning the screens and replacing the filter and cleaning the pan. All that debris in the pan is laying around in areas where there is little oil flow by definition... it tends to settle in the areas where the oil is quiet and just lies there not hurting anything.... until the "flush" stirs it up and circulates it thru the transmission. What a concept... Reverse flush????? What logic makes anyone think that it is a good idea to reverse the oil flow path in a reverse flush and flush sediment and debris into areas that are normally protected by filters, etc...???? Stupid idea. Period. No other way to describe it. "Transmission flush" machines are money makers for the shops and dealerships because they are quick and easy and they can actually charge more money for it under the guise of it being "better" for the transmission... when it is really a detriment.... suckers are born every day... Read the factory service manuals and point out the place where a transmission "flush" is recommended. So what if all the oil cannot be removed. A "flush" doesn't remove it all either. If you really really want to replace as much oil as possible in the transmission, drain the pan, service it by removing/cleaning/changing the filter and reassemble. Refill the transmission with fresh fluid. Disconnect one of the cooler lines at the radiator, put it into a bucket and start the engine. Let the transmission oil pump purge the old oil into the bucket so that nothing is subjected to abnormal oil flow. Start pouring oil into the transmission to keep it full while the idling engine/transmission oil pump purges the fluid thru the system. Easy and quick and gets ALL the fluid out... and eliminates any risk of hooking up to a "flush machine". I know this is about 4.1/4.5/4.9 engines but be aware that on the Northstar engines/4T80E transmissions there is a hidden drain plug for the transmission side cover that requires that the bottom pan be removed to drain the side cover oil storage area. The idea of flushing a 4T80E is even more ludicrous than a 4T60 transmission for this reason. The 4T60 and 4T80 transmissions are similar in that both store oil in the side cover...but they do it differently. The 4T60 transmission with the 4.x engines stores oil in the side cover only when HOT. There is a bimetal thermostatic valve that closes causing side cover oil to be trapped behind a weir or dam. So, change the oil in a 4T60 transmission when it is cold to get the most oil out... The 4T80 transmission is a dry sump unit that ALWAYS stores it's oil in the side cover. There is a scavenge pump that scavenges the oil from the bottom pan to the side cover all the time. That is why there is a hidden drain plug underneath the bottom pan to drain the side cover when the pan is off for service. FORGET THE IDEA OF FLUSHING YOUR TRANSMISSIONS. Normal transmission maintenance is a good idea. Drop the bottom pan, change the filter and clean everything up and refill the transmission with fresh fluid. Do the cooler line/bucket purge if you are really fastidious about changing all the fluid... but... DO NOT hook your transmission up to a flush machine. Really now, would you get a blood transfusion from an unknown source that is reusing needles... about the same thing if you think about it. A flush will do absolutely nothing more than a good drain and refill will accomplish... and potentially a lot of harm. Do not take the risk. Just because some have had good experiences (or the lack of a bad experience) with a flush does NOT mean that they will always go good." Not sure what to tell you about the bearings. That price sounds a little high, but that is because I do my own maintenance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Nunnally Posted November 7, 2007 Report Share Posted November 7, 2007 Welcome! What were the symptoms you took the car to the Dealer for? Bruce 2023 Cadillac CT4-V Blackwing Follow me on: Twitter Instagram Youtube Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
00deville Posted April 8, 2009 Report Share Posted April 8, 2009 Just got word from the shop that my 2002 STS with 76k miles on it needs the following work: Left front wheel bearing (and maybe right side too) Each side is 490.00 Edge mount is broken (I think she said edge) 460.00 Transmission flush 250.00 I know nothing about cars, but is this too much?? By the way....I'm a newbie. Hey y'll!!! Glad I found this board, because I know nothing about my car. I have to agree with Ranger that you do not want to flush the tranny out. It is better to get a full service with a new filter and new fluid. I usually get that done at a transmission shop locally for under $80.00. Most transmission service shops will do just as good of a job and relatively quick. They also will check your transmission while they are servicing it. Much better than a flush, which I think are a ripoff. As for the wheel bearings, I just had them done on my SLS and they ran $400.00 ea at the dealership. My vehicle only has 83,000 mi on it. Luckily I had an extended warrany on it so I only paid $50.00. Anyway, from what I hear they usually would like to replace them in pairs and the cost is about what you'll pay anywhere. The amazing thing is you don't think there is much wrong with the front end until they replace them. Good luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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