Did I rip this guy off?

[TenSecondSnake]

I sold my T45 to a kid up here in dallas. He was putting it in a 96 GT with a little pro charger blower on it. The killed the tranny that was in the car and needed to replace it.

Here is what happened. I sold him the tranny for 300 bucks. It was taken out of my Cobra by JMS and was in good working order. Did'nt grind - never missed a shift. Only reason I replaced it was because I thought the blower and slicks would definetly kill it.

He put the tranny in, put fluid in it and took off down the road on a test drive. He says it was fine up to 4th gear when it blew up. The shifter slapped him in the leg and it literally tore the center console to pieces as the tranny grenaded. A mechanic he knows for ford said "something must have been loose in there" -

Do you think this is really what happened or is he bullshitting me trying to get his money back? Whats your opinion?

[Blue91]

Hmm, thats hard to say. I know the trans looked good when I saw it. I've never seen a trans blow and do THAT much damage (shifter, console, etc). By buying used parts, the buyer assumes the risk that the parts wont work as well / last as long as new parts. While it sucks, it doesn't mean it's your fault or the trans was bad. It could definitely have been the install, the shifter, the horsepower/tq of the car, or the driver. Obviously, it could have been the trans too. One will never know, now. While I dont think he should expect (nor get) his $300 back, maybe you could offer him $100 as a good faith refund or something. If that isn't good enough for him, then he can do without, b/c that's more than MOST would do in that situation. The stance on most used parts (and even new parts) is 5 minutes or 5 miles, whichever comes first.

[TenSecondSnake]

I don't want to feel as if I'm screwing the dude over. But what could "come loose" in the tranny - all it did was sit under my bench.

Could it be an issue with the guys car? He just ate his tranny before this one?

[Blue91]

Yes, it could be an issue with his car, for sure. Also, could be an issue with his driving.

[AGirlWithACoupe]

Sounds like an issue with his driving. :D

[gt350mustang]

you already sold it cheap enough, let him worry about it.

[Neighbors]

I'm too, ah, 'under the weather' to post a long, drawn-out response, but I think you did nothing wrong KC, and there is absolutely nothing thet could have gone wrong with the tranny under the bench.

Gears are $185 a pop; rebuild kit is $275; I say he got a good deal one a low mileage tranny that was in good working order upon removal; no warranty or rebates...

The shifter is bolted to the tailhousing; the input, which is fourth gear, is on the opposite end of the rotatgin group. I do not see how a fourth gear failure would cause the shifter to 'come loose' and slap him in the leg, unless the tailhousing casting itself broke. I that case, it sounds to me like a very badly out of balance driveshaft, or bad mounts, that cuased a VERY bad harmonic excitation, exacerbated in fourth gear...

Chris

Edit: I think he's bullshitting you; $300 for a T45 is dirt cheap, IMHO, and I think he's taking advantage of your generousity...

[Blue91]

Originally posted by Neighbors
I'm too, ah, 'under the weather' to post a long, drawn-out response, but I think you did nothing wrong KC, and there is absolutely nothing thet could have gone wrong with the tranny under the bench.

Gears are $185 a pop; rebuild kit is $275; I say he got a good deal one a low mileage tranny that was in good working order upon removal; no warranty or rebates...

The shifter is bolted to the tailhousing; the input, which is fourth gear, is on the opposite end of the rotatgin group. I do not see how a fourth gear failure would cause the shifter to 'come loose' and slap him in the leg, unless the tailhousing casting itself broke. I that case, it sounds to me like a very badly out of balance driveshaft, or bad mounts, that cuased a VERY bad harmonic excitation, exacerbated in fourth gear...

Chris

Edit: I think he's bullshitting you; $300 for a T45 is dirt cheap, IMHO, and I think he's taking advantage of your generousity...

I agree.

[illfated]

i agree as well.... its like a garage sale.... all sales are final, no refunds.

[Neighbors]

Let me follow up this morning by saying that if I rebuilt the tranny, I would stand behind the labor, and do another rebuild for free. However, since this was a factory stock piece of equipment, it is as-is.

There are a great number of variables that can cause failure, and to assume you did wrong is errant on his part...

Chris

[TenSecondSnake]

I'm really lost by the whole thing actually. He told me today that when it came apart it "It sheered off the side of the engine block by the starter." - how the hell is that even possible? This car made around 320rwhp. My Cobra NA mande 305rwhp - seem sot me the tranny could take it.

How could something kill a tranny like this. I've only ever heard of them dying this violently on the line during launch.

[FE_rex]

If he is telling the truth sounds more like a 1) clutch flywheel explosion w/o a blow proof housing or 2) he lost his crank at the last journal (not very common at all.)

[Trkpony]

Originally posted by Neighbors
Let me follow up this morning by saying that if I rebuilt the tranny, I would stand behind the labor, and do another rebuild for free. However, since this was a factory stock piece of equipment, it is as-is.

There are a great number of variables that can cause failure, and to assume you did wrong is errant on his part...

Chris

hhhmmmm.........
I'll remember this........:blue:
--
I think I would tell him sorry dude, but those bolts that go through the bellhousing and screw into the block, ya you know all those.....you were supposed to tighten them down good!

I think if he messed up the prev. tranny and now this one in a little "street test drive" I think he has a problem shifting/driving/intalling transmissions.

you might ask him how many T45's he has gone through......

[Rusman]

I agree with everyone else that you should tell him that the trans was in good working order when you took it out. I will mention that, as you know, the Ford T45s are not known for their durability. Many of them can't even stand up to the stock Cobra engine, let alone an engine with a Procharger on it.

Tell him you're sorry and that you can't refund his money. If he takes you to court, you'll definitely win as there's no way to prove the install wasn't screwed up or how he was driving the car at the time of the damage.

[JuicedLX]

All you sold him was a tranny, I don't see any mention of selling him a WARRANTY....

[hillie16]

Who installed it? He has no way to prove it was installed properly, definitely sounds like some mistake or problem on his part....