head gskts- Manual or Auto Trans

jvo

Registered User
In reference to the post - It finally happened - Rick, are you serious? You have been a member here for quite a while. You guys obviously know a lot about these cars. Does it really make a difference to the head gaskets on the engine, whether the car has an auto or manual trans? I don't see the connection, but I would REALLY like to know about it if there is one. My '89 is a daily driver, beater. When I have a serious problem, I will probably part out the car, as it has had a couple dings in the past, as well as hail damage to the roof, hood, and trunk lid. But, it does have 315,000 kms on it. I got it 4 years ago, and it had 200,000 on it then. I "assume" the head gaskets have been done on it sometime in the past, but have no idea when or at what mileage. I'm a 3 pedal guy, and have great disdain for a new vehicle with a $1000.00 price or more for an automatic transmission, or more, when the vehicle is new, then several years later, you get to pay another 2 to 4 thousand dollars to have it rebuilt. I am 50 years old, and have rebuilt a couple Austin Mini manuals in my life, and paid to have 1 Saginaw four-speed rebuilt (going into my 1930 Model A Ford, behind a flathead V-8 in near future), and can't remember ever having to rebuild any other manual transmissions. I did have to take my son's 1987 Olds Cutlass Calais apart to put a new clutch in, because he kept driving with his foot resting on the clutch pedal, and it burn out the throwout bearing and clutch fingers, from abuse. I have purchased 4 new cars in my life (one of them a 1994 Super Coupe, got rid of it, not because of dislike of the car, but dislike of the $600.00 payment) and I have regretted it 4 times. So, all my other vehicles in my life, have had previous owners. I have paid to rebuild many an automatic transmission in my life, though. Also noted in my 50 years on this plant, there are lots and lots of shops specializing in rebuilding automatic transmissions, and they are usually all busy. I don't ever recall anyone specializing in rebuilding manual transmissions, at least not for mass public transportation, just racing perhaps. To me, this says there's no market for them, possibly because they just last too long. My friends argue with me about this, and tell me if I ever need to rebuild "one of these new 5 speeds", it also costs a fortune, but I don't know of anyone personally, that has needed to do so. One of my friends had the manual go in his 1993 Chevy truck, and was told no replacement could be found used, and it would cost him several thousand to replace. I promptly found him one on the net at findyourpart.com and he bought it for a few hundred bucks, and was very happy. I love my SC 5 speed so much, that I bought another one, and built an aluminum adapter to mate behind the Ford flathead V-8 in my '27 T roadster. I love the solid feel, and the short throw of the shifter, and the ratios of the 5 gears. Anyway, if there really is a connection between the auto and manual trans, and blowing head gaskets, I'd really like to know. John V.O.
 
jvo said:
In reference to the post - It finally happened - Rick, are you serious? You have been a member here for quite a while. You guys obviously know a lot about these cars. Does it really make a difference to the head gaskets on the engine, whether the car has an auto or manual trans? I don't see the connection, but I would REALLY like to know about it if there is one. My '89 is a daily driver, beater. When I have a serious problem, I will probably part out the car, as it has had a couple dings in the past, as well as hail damage to the roof, hood, and trunk lid. But, it does have 315,000 kms on it. I got it 4 years ago, and it had 200,000 on it then. I "assume" the head gaskets have been done on it sometime in the past, but have no idea when or at what mileage. I'm a 3 pedal guy, and have great disdain for a new vehicle with a $1000.00 price or more for an automatic transmission, or more, when the vehicle is new, then several years later, you get to pay another 2 to 4 thousand dollars to have it rebuilt. I am 50 years old, and have rebuilt a couple Austin Mini manuals in my life, and paid to have 1 Saginaw four-speed rebuilt (going into my 1930 Model A Ford, behind a flathead V-8 in near future), and can't remember ever having to rebuild any other manual transmissions. I did have to take my son's 1987 Olds Cutlass Calais apart to put a new clutch in, because he kept driving with his foot resting on the clutch pedal, and it burn out the throwout bearing and clutch fingers, from abuse. I have purchased 4 new cars in my life (one of them a 1994 Super Coupe, got rid of it, not because of dislike of the car, but dislike of the $600.00 payment) and I have regretted it 4 times. So, all my other vehicles in my life, have had previous owners. I have paid to rebuild many an automatic transmission in my life, though. Also noted in my 50 years on this plant, there are lots and lots of shops specializing in rebuilding automatic transmissions, and they are usually all busy. I don't ever recall anyone specializing in rebuilding manual transmissions, at least not for mass public transportation, just racing perhaps. To me, this says there's no market for them, possibly because they just last too long. My friends argue with me about this, and tell me if I ever need to rebuild "one of these new 5 speeds", it also costs a fortune, but I don't know of anyone personally, that has needed to do so. One of my friends had the manual go in his 1993 Chevy truck, and was told no replacement could be found used, and it would cost him several thousand to replace. I promptly found him one on the net at findyourpart.com and he bought it for a few hundred bucks, and was very happy. I love my SC 5 speed so much, that I bought another one, and built an aluminum adapter to mate behind the Ford flathead V-8 in my '27 T roadster. I love the solid feel, and the short throw of the shifter, and the ratios of the 5 gears. Anyway, if there really is a connection between the auto and manual trans, and blowing head gaskets, I'd really like to know. John V.O.

I have heard that that blow on standards more often because you downshift and therefor cause the engine to rev higher
 
jvo said:
In reference to the post - It finally happened - .....I'm a 3 pedal guy ..........I am 50 years old, and can't remember ever having to rebuild any other manual transmissions. I have paid to rebuild many an automatic transmission in my life, though. I don't ever recall anyone specializing in rebuilding manual transmissionsTo me, this says there's no market for them, possibly because they just last too long..........I love my SC 5 speed so much, that I bought another one, I love the solid feel, and the short throw of the shifter, and the ratios of the 5 gears. John V.O.
John - I read about a lot of syncros goin out on manual trannys ...... isn't THAT part of the trans? You don't have that happen with an Automatic. Also, if you are in bumper-to-bumper traffic a few hours a day and your left leg swells up fom so frequent clutching, you would LOVE your automatic, no?? ;)
 
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