05-04-2018, 09:31 AM
What a day, what a day ...
My off-brand Mityvac came in around 4 so I figured I'd get busy. I was really curious as to what I'd find in the trans so I was eager to get started. The evacuator worked good once I stopped trying to go through the dipstick tube and just put it directly in the trans. Was a caught off guard when like a quart of trans fluid came out when I popped the dipstick out. I had managed to siphon about a pint or 2 out so this definitely might be overfilled. That made shit messy for the rest of the job because it got everywhere.
![[Image: 31945750_10156396702306810_8186272082095...e=5B9C3D6D]](https://scontent.fric1-2.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/31945750_10156396702306810_8186272082095505408_n.jpg?_nc_cat=0&_nc_eui2=v1%3AAeHM4stZkG-sgtpsJAv1gUD3bXUnZ8snpn9yRZKTqvlR1oXIhIRXtyTOGjzPSiyRT4q7YrrjcdsQ8Us7wha9v1WHpvNURlx-NKddyMEfv1fcxQ&oh=7f4847fc01f65c3ff9593053ac02b26c&oe=5B9C3D6D)
Unhooked the shifter bracket, selector lever and front trans cooler fitting. It was a huge pain in the ass with the header I just installed in the way of EVERYTHING but I prevailed. Got the pan off without any incident using my floor jack to lower it slowly. Got the valvebody most of the way off but couldn't get it to disengage since I left it in park so I just let it dangle. What I saw next was a big surprise ... nothing. Nothing was broken, bent or missing. It seems bottoming out the adjuster is exactly what it took to get the band at least close to snugged up. I called the trans builder and I started rambling because I was pretty worried I was gonna put this thing back together and nothing was going to be fixed. That the band was broke at the top or something. He decided it was a great idea to yell and scream at me to shut up and explain to me how the adjuster was supposed to work and wouldn't listen to the fact I couldn't "snug up" an adjuster that was bottomed the fuck out. He was trying to explain it didn't matter if there was only 3-4 threads left in the adjuster, snug is snug. It seemed to click a bit when I spelled out that there was exactly ZERO fucking threads showing for the third time.
![[Image: 31948325_10156396707466810_8504898860924...e=5B8D84B3]](https://scontent.fric1-2.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/31948325_10156396707466810_8504898860924010496_o.jpg?_nc_cat=0&_nc_eui2=v1%3AAeEmZBwJVtV1vq_3p9jTtJfjLth_hLwM-z_ngRm57I3bX-ClmqVYJ2u8xhQc3oYgJwmXmFKrE5G3nsh42lUyGHDo8XRafjVJLlZkSv8Oq-XAzQ&oh=399d67b52596c283653ca9ee0e803efd&oe=5B8D84B3)
I get it must be frustrating for him trying to fix a mistake from across the country but fuck it, I'm done with him. I'm done with shops in general. I'll buy a MaxJax for the new place and drop this transmission myself before I reach out for help again. The dude provide 0 useful input and hasn't even bothered to apologize yet. I paid him $1700 for a transmission that's worth $150 in it's stock used form. Counting $500 for news bands, clutches and seals that's over a grand just to put the fucking thing together right... I don't think it'll come to needing to be taken out but shittier things have happened. Anyways all that there was left to do was back it off so the band wasn't full engaged all the time and reassemble everything.
Not gonna lie it got ugly getting it back together but I did everything but put the fluid back in it. Hopefully I can test drive it this evening when I get back from DC. The gf is pissed too because apparently "I'm in a bad mood and I need to finish this" is code for please interrupt 5 or 6 times in 2 hours and call me while I'm under car covered in transmission fluid to ask if we have cardboard at the house...
I'm one more major issue away from parting this thing out and taking a vacation to Bora Bora with the money ... seriously. I know a lot more about the inner workings of this trans though so I consider it an overall good day of wrenching. I just need this thing to run a little longer than a week or 2 before it hits me with bullshit again.
My off-brand Mityvac came in around 4 so I figured I'd get busy. I was really curious as to what I'd find in the trans so I was eager to get started. The evacuator worked good once I stopped trying to go through the dipstick tube and just put it directly in the trans. Was a caught off guard when like a quart of trans fluid came out when I popped the dipstick out. I had managed to siphon about a pint or 2 out so this definitely might be overfilled. That made shit messy for the rest of the job because it got everywhere.
Unhooked the shifter bracket, selector lever and front trans cooler fitting. It was a huge pain in the ass with the header I just installed in the way of EVERYTHING but I prevailed. Got the pan off without any incident using my floor jack to lower it slowly. Got the valvebody most of the way off but couldn't get it to disengage since I left it in park so I just let it dangle. What I saw next was a big surprise ... nothing. Nothing was broken, bent or missing. It seems bottoming out the adjuster is exactly what it took to get the band at least close to snugged up. I called the trans builder and I started rambling because I was pretty worried I was gonna put this thing back together and nothing was going to be fixed. That the band was broke at the top or something. He decided it was a great idea to yell and scream at me to shut up and explain to me how the adjuster was supposed to work and wouldn't listen to the fact I couldn't "snug up" an adjuster that was bottomed the fuck out. He was trying to explain it didn't matter if there was only 3-4 threads left in the adjuster, snug is snug. It seemed to click a bit when I spelled out that there was exactly ZERO fucking threads showing for the third time.
I get it must be frustrating for him trying to fix a mistake from across the country but fuck it, I'm done with him. I'm done with shops in general. I'll buy a MaxJax for the new place and drop this transmission myself before I reach out for help again. The dude provide 0 useful input and hasn't even bothered to apologize yet. I paid him $1700 for a transmission that's worth $150 in it's stock used form. Counting $500 for news bands, clutches and seals that's over a grand just to put the fucking thing together right... I don't think it'll come to needing to be taken out but shittier things have happened. Anyways all that there was left to do was back it off so the band wasn't full engaged all the time and reassemble everything.
Not gonna lie it got ugly getting it back together but I did everything but put the fluid back in it. Hopefully I can test drive it this evening when I get back from DC. The gf is pissed too because apparently "I'm in a bad mood and I need to finish this" is code for please interrupt 5 or 6 times in 2 hours and call me while I'm under car covered in transmission fluid to ask if we have cardboard at the house...
I'm one more major issue away from parting this thing out and taking a vacation to Bora Bora with the money ... seriously. I know a lot more about the inner workings of this trans though so I consider it an overall good day of wrenching. I just need this thing to run a little longer than a week or 2 before it hits me with bullshit again.