Nearly three weeks ago I was getting things ready to go back in service. I had parked the van down the other end of the driveway next to the garage, and I was backing it up to go somewhere. Put it in Reverse and it didn't want to go, almost like all 4 tires had sunk down into soft ground and it didn't want to get out of the divots. Except it was on flat gravel, no divots. I kept giving it more gas and it finally started back up the very slight uphill grade. But it was way too many RPMs than it should have been. I got it back up a little bit, then put it in Drive, and didn't feel the normal "kick" when going in gear. Same thing moving forward, way too many RPMs to get it moving.
I went back and forth a few feet several times, let it warm up good, then got it out on the road, went and got fuel, couple of other places, drove it around a bit. Transmission acting all weird. It's been acting a little odd for months, but foe the last couple of weeks, and now here at home, after being parked for a while it took more gas and RPMs to get the van to move. After that it was fine. But on that drive around town, it was shifting weird, hard, early, late. I've known for a year there was a torque converter problem (shudder at 1800-2100 RPMs, classic indicator of the converter).
But no point in swapping out a torque converter on a transmission with nearly 600,000 miles on it, so I ordered a new Silvestar.
My mechanic, they can't get a Sprinter in the building. They can barely get an SUV in there. So it's gotta be done outside. Four days to get the transmission delivered, and then it turned off cold, low 40s and 30s. They ended up shirting the van and using one of those jet engine propane heaters like they use on NFL sidelines. Got the transmission replaced, but it's leaking at the electrical adapter socket plug. That's a pretty common leak point on well-used transmissions, but not new ones. Could have been anything, a little piece of trash on the o-ring, faulty socket, who knows. Silverstar sent out a new socket adapter plug, and my mechanic replaced it. But it took another four days to get the part.
Then, THEN, one of the motor mounts is broken (which certainly explains the vibration when in Reverse). Ordered motor mounts. Three days to get them in. The mechanics can't get them to line up. That's apparently a pretty common problem. Depends on how you position the mounts. But they got sent the wrong parts, anyway. Ordered the correct parts. Then it turned cold again, too cold to work on it. Another week goes by, and they finally get the motor mounts installed.
Next up, replace the windshield, because there's a big crack across it, and I've got a leak at the top center because, believe it or don't, there's a lot of rust around the windshield frame. But have to wait until it stops raining and gets up to at least 40 degrees, because the glass shop can't get me in the building, either.
They put a lot, a lot of work on that windshield. Several hours yesterday and several more today. The problem was more about how the other 8 or so windshields were replaced more than the rust. Somebody along the line actually used Expoxy up in there. Some used knives instead of wires to remove cracked windshields. It was a real mess. They did a lot of grinding, painting, priming, restoration. Two days. But, $277.
.
And the transmission and motor mounts, just had to pay half and then I can pay the rest of it when I get it. It's a small town and everybody knows everybody.
(but that's also why I never even considered complaining about the wait time).
So, transmission, motor mounts, windshield. Three weeks. Because it's still cold, he doesn't want me to drive it for another 24 hours, so give all that time to cure. So I'll be back in service next week. Yay.