I thought about it over and over yet never once did i test that there was gear oil in the transmission....

I recently replaced my broken trans with a shiny low milage 2005 neon nv-t350. I never had to open the gearbox, it was a direct bolt in replacement for me due to the hydraulic clutch bellhousing. I was Sooo certain there would have been no reason for the transmission to have been drained of its gear oil.. Until my engine started overheating. I fumbled with the coolant level and even oil level for an afternoon or two. All in all it got about 40 miles before i realized the horrible mistake I'd made.

I got the 2 quarts of 20 dollar a quart motherf$%cking gear oil and it still seems to shift fine so I am quite happy about that...

Well here is the question. What exactly in the transmission would most suffer from what I've put it through? Thanks all!

Originally posted by klaymonster
... Well here is the question. What exactly in the transmission would most suffer from what I've put it through? Thanks all!

Premature bearing failure. Of course there are a host of other things that saw extra wear, but that is what would suffer the worst from not having oil for 40 miles. Unless you were driving a road course for those 40 miles, I wouldn't worry about the synchro's.

I really wouldn't worry about it too much. I did an axle on a buddy's car (about 180k(?)on it, I think) and when I pulled the drain bolt, no fluid came out. I told him about it and he just laughed and said he was going to put some fluid in; but never did. Ran it this way for another YEAR until he blew up the car. So I'm thinking you got some room for error.

Originally posted by klaymonster
.. Until my engine started overheating. I fumbled with the coolant level and even oil level for an afternoon or two. All in all it got about 40 miles before i realized the horrible mistake I'd made.

But wait, are blaming the no tranny oil on the overheating engine?

Originally posted by klaymonster
I got the 2 quarts of 20 dollar a quart motherf$%cking gear oil

Hate to tell you, but you overspent by ~$15 a quart.

Thanks for the input guys. i see you addressed the overheating in my other post "Damaged and Overheating Engine or Gauge Malfunction?"

I appreciate your time and i'll be sure to reply when i get this figured out.

Just an AIR BUBBLE in the coolant!!! No overheating anymore and the gearbox is shifting fine. Today must be my day... I'm going out for a lottery ticket.

Not to add insult to injury, but didnt you notice the gaping holes in the side of the tranny when you put it in? Those holes would be for the axles, which, if you've ever made the mistake of popping an axle out before draining the fluid, will bleed like fucking arteries. Just saying, out trannies wont hold 2 quarts of fluid with no axles in. You always have to fill them up again.

Originally posted by klaymonster
I recently replaced my broken trans with a shiny low milage 2005 neon nv-t350.


I was Sooo certain there would have been no reason for the transmission to have been drained of its gear oil..

let me try to understand this.... how was the oil supposed to be in the trans when you installed it?

Originally posted by klaymonster
I thought about it over and over yet never once did i test that there was gear oil in the transmission.... I recently replaced my broken trans with a shiny low milage 2005 neon nv-t350. I never had to open the gearbox, it was a direct bolt in replacement for me due to the hydraulic clutch bellhousing. I was Sooo certain there would have been no reason for the transmission to have been drained of its gear oil.. Until my engine started overheating. I fumbled with the coolant level and even oil level for an afternoon or two. All in all it got about 40 miles before i realized the horrible mistake I'd made. I got the 2 quarts of 20 dollar a quart motherf$%cking gear oil and it still seems to shift fine so I am quite happy about that... Well here is the question. What exactly in the transmission would most suffer from what I've put it through? Thanks all!

If no one has told you to replace your clutch yet. Id highly recommend it. Im in the process of doing mine... was driving in NEUTRAL when i heard the loud BANG of my clutch plate snapping... probable cause, no oil in the tranny. Sure enough when i drained it.. i got less then about 1cup of fluid from the tranny... removed the inspection plate.. clutch or most of it was sitting in the corners, resembling a birds nest.

I put so much pressure on my tranny running without oil due to leaks and never checking it the day i got the car... its been about a 600 dollar mistake....

just as an fyi... i drove the car from the previous owner 116k miles on it never checked.. its now sitting at 123k miles.. blown tranny, murdered clutch, bent flywheel.

I also dont have the overheating problem one bit, since its getting the proper friction. :-D