Hey i'm looking at getting a s4 with a dead engine but maybe good transmission. is there anyway to test the transmission to see if it is good without taking it apart?

 

don't take the trans apart if you don't have to. do you know the reputation of the guy you're buying it from, does he have an alibi that says the transmission is ok? if so, put another engine that works in front of it to test it. offer to pay half now, and the other half once you have seen that it does work - but think-would you take that offer (1/2 pay and a handshake) from someone if you were selling a trans not in a running/driving car?