Years ago.....when I was in my early teens. I got ahold of a non running car that no one wanted.
I knew nothing about it. I had no one to teach me anything about it. When I blew up the engine by running it low on oil. The people who knew what was happening just laughed as they watched. After the fact. They told me what I did. I’ve built several engines since. Not one of them has blown up. I still remember them laughing and the correction after the fact.
The deal is. I don’t know how to do this. It’s my first time. If I blow this transmission to the moon. If it ends up in outer space....or in the trash can. That just is what it is.
I’ll figure out my stupidity or my lessons. Then go get another one and do it again.
So......yes I spent an hour checking clearances.
Because I want the experience. Now I know off the top of my head what each one should run and what they are all called. What they all do and how each washer fits into the equation. This whole inner workings of this this are a complicated process. There are things I don’t know. I know the governor controls shift points. I don’t know how yet. They say a ten year old girl could do this. I want to meet one. Is it simple.....yeah. But is it simple to modify it. Not really.
Is the reverse band flaking.....a little bit. I’ve already decided to replace it......I did scratch it to see how brittle it was. It wasn’t bad. Both drums have no hot spots on them and lots of friction left....the question is.....what shape is that friction material in?
Standing the trans on the output shaft. It reads .040
Not standing it on there....it reads .050
The Manual doesn’t say to stand it up on the output shaft. So I didn’t take that reading into account. However....to satisfy both people without getting mad at me. I did both. Both readings are within the factory spec so I knew it was ok.
Your one of the only ones even giving advice.....it’s valued. Even if it’s beating me up a little. I don’t care. It’s welcomed. Learning is a messy process when your dealing with older worn out stuff and you don’t have a good base on what it was like new and have never seen one before.
I have seen some of the experts say to stand it on its end. Since I don’t know....and I don’t know why.....they do this and others don’t. What do I have....realistically? Think about it. I really don’t know.
I think that way because I’m in the medical field and in that environment. You cannot be wrong. You have to know.....and you have to be sure. Which is why I know by the time this goes back together it will work well.....all these measurements to me are like a set of 50 medical lab value measurements telling me what’s wrong with someone and why. Then how to fix them
If I toss the idea around about using parts that are older. It’s because I don’t know how much life is left in them. Hell....I can’t exactly measure a reverse band. I see that it’s super thick....intact and has 99% of its surface area. I see a perfect drum with no hot spots. So how can I possibly know if it’s good or bad. It’s been in there 45 years and still looks almost like it was just put in there.
So how could I know. It might be a total waste of money buying a new one. Since I budget this and I’ve blown this years already....I can’t exactly go back. The experts would know whether to replace it or run it.....I don’t and I do t exactly have a way to know except look on here where several are saying that the reverse band never wears out. So they don’t replace it.
I probably annoy the experts. However.....I’m very good at what I do because I ask the questions that are advanced and basic so I have complete understanding.
I have to replace the parts based on ignorance. Based on lack of experience. I don’t think too much....I’m not over complicating this. I’m getting information to make sure the patient survives..... it it’s just a transmission and can be replaced. It’s not a human so there is room for mistakes......but I still think this way. I can’t turn it off just because I’m not at the hospital.
If the experts want to watch me blow this thing up. I’m fine with that. Of course I don’t want that. I’ve looked at every post I can find about them talking and even arguing about this stuff. I have to sort through all the info of them talking about it.
Many times they talk to people like those people know and have the same expertise they do. When my friend wi5out kids asked why my 7 year daughter was asking so many questions about how to play the simple game of battleship. I simply told him that she’s 7 and knows nothing. She’s not in her thirties. She really just doesn’t know and he forgot that someone could not know something so simple. I’m like that with transmissions. Hell....I’m not even a novice.
So....after my stupid rant.
What makes me think that’s a low gearset is the stepped sun shell. There is only one that looks like that. Of course I would confirm that before buying it. I would even ask him to measure it some. He has the front planet turned the wrong way so I can’t see it. That particular planet from that side looks like the one in the older style . The other sun shell with the front and rear sun are the same. That’s the one I have.
What I don’t know is about that stepped sun shell yet. I don’t know the spec and as I have seen several people sell them as bolt in high performance parts....I’ve seen where lots of people run them. They don’t talk about them as far as matching parts. They talk of 5 drum clutches and beveled pumps....they talk about machining pistons and adding clutches to 4 drum....they talk about the 999. They don’t go into do these things work individually. There is a lack of detail in the information. They do all kinds of mods at once. For me....I think 4 clutches are fine. You also have to remember. It didn’t make sense that I even had 4 clutches a few weeks ago. Now I know they do and why. Bigger cars needed them and Chrysler could not afford to redesign the transmission. Which is also why they put lower gears in there. To keep the highway rpm down but give the bigger 70s cars good take off. They could not afford to make an overdrive transmission so they went cheap and did this.
I now know an overdrive 518 won’t fit without going through hell. I also know now that I can’t convert this to a lock up clutch.
If I put this transmission together right now. With all the same parts. It’s going to run fine. It came out running with no apparent defects. Which means if I just add a few parts to tighten it up and keep close track of the adjustments it should work just fine. There are always variables The would show otherwise so I can’t say that 100%that it will work. I’m not going to get a seal backwards and I’m going to air check the clutch packs in the stack and in the transmission.
But if I can modify it and be accurate. I’m ahead a lot.
Changing a differential will ruin my highway rpm, gas mileage, and make the car a lot less friendly. Changing a transmission gear could give my .20 lower gear....giving me take off for my mild build 318 would be great. If I can add that with 0 problems while I’m already inside the transmission.....why would I not do it?
Do I think putting in that lower gear will work without modifying it.,..I think it will. I won’t run it until I’m 100% sure. I think this because places like A&A are seeking it without discussing modifications.
They are only seeking the sun shell and front planet with a thrust washer and snap ring
