This seems simple enough yet…
The backstory;
Two years ago, I took a 42RH from a Dakota to a shop to be rebuilt. Well, the car project got put on hold because of family issues, time, my ineptitude, and whatever else.
I finally recently get the car registered and insured and make an appointment for an alignment shop. Finally after 10 years of messing around, I drive it, and it was glorious. Everybody at the alignment shop was impressed with the car, looking at it, asking questions, etc., I was enjoying every minute of it.
I drove the 3 miles back home and started poking around and found oil all over the crossmember. I pulled the motor out and got a better pan gasket and checked to make sure the windage tray wasn’t interfering anywhere and all that.
When I was installing the engine, I noticed a trans fluid leak also, so I drained it to pull the pan and noticed the fluid seemed much darker than I would expect for 7 miles. The bottom of the pan and the filter were full of friction material.
It has a manual valve body from John Cope, so there is no throttle pressure cable and the transmission seemed to shift OK. I wasn’t perceiving any slippage, yet apparently there must have been.
Even with no mileage, it’s been two years, I expect the shop isn’t going to warrantee it, but I try to call them anyway and they are out of business. I asked for recommendations on the local Mopar club forum on Facebook and got a couple responses. One of the guys can’t be found.
I called the other guy and told him I had a 42RH from a Dakota in a 68 Dart. Instantly he tells me that can’t be done. I asked him why and he said it’s a computer control transmission. I said no, it’s a 42RH, it’s hydraulically controlled the later 42RE is the computer control model.
He then says the overdrive is electrically controlled so there isn’t a way to control that. I said this is done all the time, the overdrive just needs 12 Volts engage/disengage and a simple switch can handle that. He then says besides, the Driveshaft is too long. I said that has already been handled by simply getting a shorter drive shaft, I have driven this car… You know what, never mind, it really doesn’t sound like you’re the person that can help me.
So, now to the question;
What specialized tools are required to do a rebuild myself.
I figure if I have to explain it to a transmission guy, that I can probably handle the task. I know I’ve previously seen tutorials, I just don’t remember where, so I guess its back to Google. And I guess its one more summer of not driving it, though I’ve gotten a teaser.
Thanks in advance for any info you might share,
Rod
