Need Help Putting 98 Convertible Completely Back To Stock Options

[TangledHeart]

Hey All
I have a 98 Convertible 5 speed, Black on Black
I am trying to just clean it up a bit by replacing parts and trying to return it back to complete OEM parts. I know this isn't the forum for selling, (cuz I already checked that out) but I thougt maybe I could get some direction. You have nooooooooooooooo hard it is to find even a single 6 gen car in a wrecking yard! It took me threeeeee months to find a air filter box so I could pass smog. The guys that owned it before me, did Mickey Mouse shizz throughout the car... Sad They couldn't figure out how to get the left rear window to work correctly, so they just frikken put a bolt in the track to hold it up.
Any way... Thanks in advance P
Oh, maybe someone can help me, my tranny started getting weird. It was whining in 5th. Now, as of today, it started making kinda 'clicking' noise. It seems like maybe it's tranny related, because as soon as I disengage the clutch, it isn't there. or if it is, it is very faint. When I first noticed it, it gave me the feeling of how it feels when you get a flat, and when it's airing down, you hear the sound of the road??? I dunno if that makes any sense, but I actually stopped and checked my tire.
ANY help of ANY kind would be greatly appreciated! I love my car and am limited on funds, but I figure I can do a little at a time... Peace ya'll

[TangledHeart]

Ok, so it's May and I'm STILL having problems!
Every shop I went to seemed to have found another supposed problem. It was realllllly frustrating. Since my cousin has worked on Toyotas for over 30 years and has even built Toyota race cars, I had him take a look and give me a complete list of what needed to be done so I was equipped with the correct information and could finally just get it done.
I ended up taking it to a shop I had work done before, because I trusted them to do what needed to be done and not keep changing the story as to what needed work. I had the clutch replaced and the transmission replaced with a fresh salvage. They were supposed to have put in a Oil Pump, and lot of other things that never got done. The guy that worked on it was a flake. The owner of the shops son, one who had worked on my other cars before, pimped his buddy out to do the work. I didn't realize at that time of how things were. It was and still is a nightmare. All the work was done half arse and incomplete! WHAT A BIG MISTAKE! Sighhhhhhhhhhh
There has been 3 guys since, that have worked on it. I have put out a vast fortune and and getting so worn out. I still have massive leaks, the transmission pops out of gear in 5th won't go back in unless I rev up the RPMS, and then it slips back out once they drop.
I almost have to redline it just to get it into 5th. I drive mostly freeway, so it's a big problem.
The last shop replaced the front wheel bearing and hub, but is saying it needs an axle seal and the rack and pinion leaks. They are trying to convince me it needs to be rebuilt and I call BS! This is the second transmission, and BOTH transmissions have had the same exact issues. The reason for the replacement to begin with was I was told fifth gear was gone and the trans needed to be rebuilt of replaced, due to the identical symptoms.
Now, after going through this nightmare, I question if that was even the case. I have done hours and hours of research, and I see nothing that leads me to think its the 5th gear, or any other gear for that matter. It drives amazing and can knock the chonies off just about anyone I decided was annoying.. Hey, I might be a girl, but I WILL put someone in their place if they get too cocky.
That being said, I NEED HELP trying to figure out the REAL issues with the tranny, and would reallllllly appreciate any advice and experienced input. I appreciate opinions, but I am to the point where mechanics playing the guessing game is just not acceptable! I'm in So Cal, Glendora area, if anyone is near here and maybe can suggest an HONEST and KNOWLEDGEABLE transmission tech, I would be thrilled! I respect that a good mechanic earns a good wage and have never tried to work them or expected them to work or peanuts, so I don't understand why it is that I can't find one that can actually be straight up with me. I don't claim to know it all, but I will offer every bit of information I have on MY CAR, in order to help diagnose it, and that seems to get their egos flared. If I had the physical ability to do it myself, I would have already done it.... Oh ya, my ABS light is on..ANY ideas?
I would just like to get this figured out and fix the real issue instead of going round and round. Selling my car is NOT an option, but one more thing that keeps coming up with these guys.
Peace y'all
~ LQQKING forward to some educated input~ ASK me ANYthing and I will tell you straight up if I am able.


This post has been edited by TangledHeart: May 23, 2014 - 5:43 AM