Piston Slap: Which Chrysler Gearbox Makes a PT Cruise Once More?

Longtime TTAC Commentator Nate writes:

Hello Sajeev,

An acquaintance bought a PT Cruiser new in 2002 and did some minor customizing, drove the crap out of it for a few years, then the transmission failed. Apparently, they “all do that.” So here’s the deal: I was out scavenging vintage (’77~’85) Mercedes parts and ran across a rolled and totaled 2008 PT Cruiser: can its transmission be used in his 2002 model ?

He seems to think that 2002 is a one-year-only deal. He’s disabled and on a tight budget, says the car is worthless even though it’s pristine, but he’d like to fix it if possible. Unfortunately. rebuilding the current transmission is not in his budget.

Any thoughts or comments would be helpful, but no, I won’t be doing a tranny swap on this cute little car.

Sajeev answers:

Your acquaintance’s PT Cruiser uses the 41TE gearbox found in, like, eleventy-billion different Chrysler products.

Chrysler adopted the 40TE circa 2003, as you found in the junkyard.

Clearly, he needs a used 41TE. Always use parts interchange data, available on websites like car-part.com. Let technology do the heavy lifting: I found a 2002 Dodge Stratus with 26,000 miles donating its gearbox for $650.

For people in this situation but with better physical health, go to any U-Pull-It junkyard during their holiday sale, yank a 41TE from one of the aforementioned eleventy-billion different Chrysler products for $150-ish. But that’s a ton of effort for a questionable part: a false economy, or a treasure trove if a recently rebuilt gearbox rests in a vehicle that deserves its final junkyard parking spot for other reasons.

Unable to know life in your acquaintance’s shoes, I wish him good luck.

[Image: Fiat Chrysler]

Send your queries to sajeev@thetruthaboutcars.com. Spare no details and ask for a speedy resolution if you’re in a hurry…but be realistic, and use your make/model specific forums instead of TTAC for more timely advice.