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Towing FWD A/T with blown engine

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motox-010

15+ Year Contributor
387
1
Sep 9, 2007
Spearfish, South_Dakota
I just bought a '91 FWD A/T Talon that supposedly has a blown up engine (guy I bought it from said that the crank broke)
I've searched and read that AWD A/T cars are supposed to be left running when flat towed. But does the same go for FWD A/T?
 
Personally I would just pick up a dolly for a FWD, they are cheap enough to rent (<$50) from Uhaul.
 
I just bought a '91 FWD A/T Talon that supposedly has a blown up engine (guy I bought it from said that the crank broke)
I've searched and read that AWD A/T cars are supposed to be left running when flat towed. But does the same go for FWD A/T?

I may have misunderstood what you typed, but why would you leave a car "running" if you need towed?

I DO know that AWD needs a flat bed because of the viscous coupler will burn up if only one set of wheels are turning unless you pull the transfer case and driveshaft.

FWD does not have the viscous coupler so you can just be lifted from the front and you will be fine.
 
I just bought a '91 FWD A/T Talon that supposedly has a blown up engine (guy I bought it from said that the crank broke)
I've searched and read that AWD A/T cars are supposed to be left running when flat towed. But does the same go for FWD A/T?

You are going to pull it right? Just put it in N and you will be fine.
 
I may have misunderstood what you typed, but why would you leave a car "running" if you need towed?
If you're gonna flat tow an A/T AWD car it needs to be running so the trans fluid is cooled. Since the cooler lines run through the radiator.
 
If you're gonna flat tow an A/T AWD car it needs to be running so the trans fluid is cooled. Since the cooler lines run through the radiator.

I still don't get it, if you're flat towing an AWD A/T car it's the same as if it wasn't moving at all, do I have to leave my AWD A/T DSM on overnight even if I'm not driving it and it isn't going anywhere?
 
Moto If you're getting it towed, as long as none of the wheels on the ground are driving the transmission, you'll be fine. Dolly it away. :)

juan: I think they mean when people are using tow ropes or tow bars.
 
Tow ropes... get away from me with that stuff. I'll push the damn thing. Bars, maybe, if it were raining an assortment of animals.

To the OP - FWD, automatic or manual, just get the front wheels off the ground and you'll be fine to tow it with a dolly or something like that. I'd avoid leaving all of them on the ground like you seem to be leaning toward, even if the engine weren't blown. I've never done anything like that (as you might have imagined) and it makes me nervous considering how one little slip up could cause a lot more than $50 in damage. Uhaul dolly option is sounding pretty good.
 
As for the other people that replied in this thread about towing an AWD car, whether it be auto or manual.....if you get the front wheels on a dolly, just disconnect the driveshaft from the rear diff and support the driveshaft. You are done! Doesn't matter if it's Auto or manual.
 
I have towed several AWD's by dropping the drive shaft. As for an auto, if the front wheels turn with out the engine running you will burn up the transmission. When the engine is not running the pump does not turn therefore the transmission fluid is heated up by the clutches burning up. Of course, the 5spd does not have this problem.
 
Damnit. I don't want to waste my time getting a dolly.
Will the trans lock up if I do tow it without the car running? Cause if not, I don't care about burning up a FWD A/T trans.
 
Damnit. I don't want to waste my time getting a dolly.
Will the trans lock up if I do tow it without the car running? Cause if not, I don't care about burning up a FWD A/T trans.

Yes it will. Read the responses. The engine turns the fluid pump to cool the fluid. If the motor is off, the fluid doesn't get to the cooler, you'll boil your fluid, burn the clutches. Either keep the motor on if you are dragging it with the wheels on the ground, or lift the front wheels off the ground.
 
What I don't get is the fact that

1. Motor is supposdly blown, so why do people continue to say to keep it running.
2. A dolly isn't expensive and you'll have less problems that way.
3. GET AAA and you wouldn't have to worry about this thread...
4. You won't use a dolly to lift the front off the ground.
5. You would rather choose destroying an auto transmission then doing this properly.
 
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