Trooper to get (another) New Tranny

First a little history.

1990 Sep 15, I bought a 1987 Isuzu Trooper, 53,000 miles. '87 Trooper transmission has a flaw: the 5th gear shaft turns in a bearing, the shaft is not properly heat treated and wears in the bearing, it doesn't last long. 1994 Mar 18, W. W. Transmission removed the transmission and sent it to Charlotte rebuild shop. 1994 Sep 20, WWT removed it again and sent it to Charlotte to be re-rebuilt at shop's expense. 1995 Dec 27, during travel to AA MI for The Holidays, the tranny emitted its death growl for the third time. I bought a tranny at Cherry Auto Parts in Toledo OH and Continental Transmission in AA installed it.

Back in Raleigh, I pounded on WWT's door! What the @#$% is going on with these transmissions? WWT explained the shaft problem to me. My solution, and it succeeded for a decade, don't use 5th gear.

Fast forward to 2006. The synchronizers started to fail, 3rd was first to go. Oh, oh. Then 2nd, then 4th. After most of 2006 timing my shift to slide through failed synchs, 4th started popping out of gear under any torque. Worn teeth springing apart. I fashioned a bungie cord to hold the shift lever in 4th. Hey, what the hey! Use 5th! The tranny is failing, so what am I saving 5th for anymore?

Dec 12, I paid a visit to Creech Import Repair and talked to Stan about installing a newer model tranny in my 1987, one without the flaw. Stan said flaw was fixed in 1988, same transmission is used 1988-1991, but body style changed in 1992 and so did transmission. He consulted with mech buddy about the task and concluded he could do it. Go find a tranny. But, while I'm at it, also need the tranny supporting frame cross-member, two driveshafts, and two shifters.

Stan clued me in to web Car Parts search. How great is this? DIY snooping in junk yards without getting greasy? I located two candidates: $500 for tranny and $200 for other parts at Salem Auto Sales and $550 for tranny and $350 for other parts at Johnston County Auto Salvage. Naturally, I chose the yard with a website. Such as it is, I must add.

In spite of Manual/Auto being a checkbox entered on the parts search, when I arrived at SAS Tuesday morning to fetch my tranny, there on the pallet was an Auto. What the hey! Owner Gino and salesman Alex didn't exactly panic but they scurried about to find a manual tranny. First attempt was a vehicle with wide tires extending outside fender wells. NO, thank you! Don't want no stinkin' tranny that's been stressed by this sorta crap. Second attempt was a vehicle collided square front on, both fenders and hood smashed. Engine and tranny had both been extracted. Problem here was the extra parts I needed. Gino, not being a man to refund a credit card charge already in his account, he and his crew rounded up the other necessary parts and loaded them in the Trooper.

Back in Raleigh, I changed into riding kit, loaded my 'dale into the Trooper, and took the whole smash to Stan Creech. Stan is a quiet man but he got quieter than usual. I'm a bit unsure if Stan doubted I'd follow through on my threat to keep this Trooper running for another decade, ~4000 miles/year for 10 years is all I seek. Anyway, he accepted the challenge, I hopped on my 'dale, and rode home.

We'll be away for a week. I'll follow up on this story when I have the Trooper in hand once again.