Rip kj

[PunkChachi]

I was making a move from Ms --> Va last week and the transmission burnt up. I didn't have any issues with the transmission leading up to it, before the trip I checked fluids (including the trans) everything was good. Half way through the trip the transmission started to slip going between gears. I plugged in my code reader, P0700, P0732, P0733, P0740 and "Incorrect tone wheel". I started going up a hill and felt the KJ go into "Limp Mode", I knew I didn't have time to get to the next exit, as I was trying to get to the right lane so I could pull over, a puff of smoke. My heart dropped, I knew what had happened, I threw the engine in neutral, flashers on and coasted to the shoulder. She came to a rest just outside Cleveland, Tn on I75 North mile marker 14.6.

Seeing as how my girlfriend and I had packed up all our belongings and I am about to start a Masters program in a new city neither of us had the extra cash on hand to pay the $3000-4000 to get the transmission replaced. I sadly had to sell the KJ as Junk and did not have much room to barter because if I stayed an extra day it would cost another night in the hotel and if I towed it to another location it would cost $XX.XX to tow it. I haggled some and got $200 for it, he said he would have to pay a guy to come tow it and would probably only make $50 in the end.

Do y'all think I got a decent junk price or was I just super screwed?

2004 KJ 3.7L 6cyl 4WD
Re-geard Front/Rear Differentials to 4.10
3'' Skyjacker Lift
Vanderbilt Tires "6,000 miles on them"
K&N Cold Air Intake

 

[JasonJ]

I was making a move from Ms --> Va last week and the transmission burnt up. I didn't have any issues with the transmission leading up to it, before the trip I checked fluids (including the trans) everything was good. Half way through the trip the transmission started to slip going between gears. I plugged in my code reader, P0700, P0732, P0733, P0740 and "Incorrect tone wheel". I started going up a hill and felt the KJ go into "Limp Mode", I knew I didn't have time to get to the next exit, as I was trying to get to the right lane so I could pull over, a puff of smoke. My heart dropped, I knew what had happened, I threw the engine in neutral, flashers on and coasted to the shoulder. She came to a rest just outside Cleveland, Tn on I75 North mile marker 14.6.

Seeing as how my girlfriend and I had packed up all our belongings and I am about to start a Masters program in a new city neither of us had the extra cash on hand to pay the $3000-4000 to get the transmission replaced. I sadly had to sell the KJ as Junk and did not have much room to barter because if I stayed an extra day it would cost another night in the hotel and if I towed it to another location it would cost $XX.XX to tow it. I haggled some and got $200 for it, he said he would have to pay a guy to come tow it and would probably only make $50 in the end.

Do y'all think I got a decent junk price or was I just super screwed?

2004 KJ 3.7L 6cyl 4WD
Re-geard Front/Rear Differentials to 4.10
3'' Skyjacker Lift
Vanderbilt Tires "6,000 miles on them"
K&N Cold Air Intake

The guy you sold it to will sell the tires alone for what he paid you. He'll put the K&N intake on ebay for another $50 or so. Parting it out, he'll get at least $600 for the engine so long as the mileage is reasonable for the age.

I'd not be happy about $200.. that's on the low end of what I'd get if I hauled my 03 KJ to the scrapyard to be crushed and separated out just for the raw materials. I got that for my dads '94 Cavalier wagon...

Screwed? Maybe not necessarily. Low-balled and had to compromise because of an impossible situation? Yeah.. definitely that one.

Outside Cleveland? I'm sure some of our Ohio members would have drive up to meet you on the side of the highway and hauled your ass where ever you wanted within reason. Or paid you cash for the KJ for a much better and more fair amount then hauled it away.

I'm sure Tom needed another KJ project in his yard. He likes '04's, and if yours was black, he'd be double excited.

Sorry to hear things went sideways for you.. I've been there in a nearly similar situation.. stuck on the side of the road with a blown engine.. flames and all. Except no one came to get me for nearly 16 hours.

 

[04Liberty]

Outside Cleveland? I'm sure some of our Ohio members would have drive up to meet you on the side of the highway and hauled your ass where ever you wanted within reason. Or paid you cash for the KJ for a much better and more fair amount then hauled it away.

She came to a rest just outside Cleveland, Tn on I75 North mile marker 14.6.

Tennessee, not Ohio lol...OH would've been one hell of an out of the way trip going from MS to VA LMAO

 

[JasonJ]

Tennessee, not Ohio lol...OH would've been one hell of an out of the way trip going from MS to VA LMAO

Holy crap, did not know there was a Cleveland, TN! That's confusing for us Midwesterners.

 

[Juggar]

3-4 grand for a transmission? There is nothing special about these trans.

My 2000 5.0 Explorer needed a new trans at one point, cost me $1700 and change for a reman + install. Thats it. This was early 2017 and a trans shop did everything.

You should not have scrapped it unless it had very high miles. Whomever bought it made out like a bandit, can easily sell tires and front diff and triple their money.

 

[tommudd]

Would of gave you that and came and got it just for the diffs alone :happy175:

 

[towpro]

but like you said, your wasting money on hotels, towing, food etc. some times you get dealt a bad hand and you just got to deal with it. I would have done the same thing. nothing else you could really have done without costing even more money. if he screwed you his turn will come. Move on.
but I would have been pissed if it was mine. I got $500 into new tires along on it.

 

[profdlp]

but like you said, your wasting money on hotels, towing, food etc. some times you get dealt a bad hand and you just got to deal with it. I would have done the same thing...

Agreed. When there are no good choices you have to just cut your losses.

Really sorry to hear about your bad luck.

 

[JasonJ]

Would of gave you that and came and got it just for the diffs alone :happy175:

See? I was right!

In a bind like that, some of us probably would have PayPal'd you cash that you could have used that day to buy a replacement vehicle.. met up with you the same or next day to meet/shake hands and acquire the title and sign papers.

Worst case in that scenario- assuming you could find and buy a replacement the same or next day is one more day hotel stay + food.

But it's all done now. So move on, learn lessons from it and hope you never find yourself in that spot again. Best of luck.

 

[PunkChachi]

Ya I didn't even think to come on here and ask if anyone would have wanted to buy it. Would have a been a great option but being on the timeline and not being able to stick around in the area kinda killed me. I appreciate the feedback and it's nice to know for the future, thanks guys. You have all helped me a lot over the years keep KJ running. I'll be over on the ZX forums getting my 87 Ninja road ready!

 

[profdlp]

Ya I didn't even think to come on here and ask if anyone would have wanted to buy it. Would have a been a great option but being on the timeline and not being able to stick around in the area kinda killed me...

Time pressure is a killer. There are plenty of things I would have done differently if I had had time to work out other options. A lot of life comes down to having to make decisions "right now" without the luxury of deciding what to do when you feel like it.