If it's not one thing it's another..

[BlackNBlue95]

Well My trans went again, I just rebuilt it 6K miles ago and now it's doing some strange stuff... Such as I'm on the Highway going about 60 somthing and it's seems to be shifting back and forth between 4th and 3rd I think and then it started doing the same thing at low speed like it couldn't hold a gear. then it was also slipping in first the last time I drove it I had it set in manual first and was going about 18mph at 4grand (momentarily) I do hear some noise coming from the front of the trans and I suspect it to be the pump. Last time i had torn it down I did not rebuild the pump(it only had 40K miles on it). That time it had burned up the 3-4 clutch pack. so I replaced all the firction and steels and seals and gaskets and installed a shift kit. That rebuild was sucessful with the exception of a hard shift from park to drive when cold. other then that it was golden. So now I'm wondering what I should look for i don't see anything visually wrong in the pump. I plan of rebuilding the pump with a 13 vane rotor setup and replacing the all the friction and steels. in addition this time I will be also replacing all the electronics as well. Anyhow any suggestions on a converter I installed a TCI saturday night special last time and I'm not too impressed i was thinking like a 2000 stall speed who's converter should I buy and what stall do you guys recommend? also I heard the vigilante covnerters were the way to go. But arn't they like 700 or 900$?
Thanks much..
-Rick

 

[69MyWay]

Bad news. Nothing like having to do a job two or three times to get it right.

Sounds like you know what you are doing, but is there any chance you did not perform a full flush on the trans cooler causing some contaminated fluid to work right into the rebuilt unit and clogging up the works?

 

[-=Jeff=-]

I emailed the link to vettn94,

I think his knowledge will be very helpful here

 

[78SilvAnniv]

Welcome BlackNBlue95

We're a bunch of friendly and helpful corvette enthusiasts...come back often and tell us how you're making out with the tranny.
Heidi

 

[BlackNBlue95]

I did flush the cooler last time before re-installing the trans. Anyhow so far all i have gotten done this weekend is pull the trans out pull the pump and take it apart nothing looked to be damaged though atleast nothing obvious. I orderd my rebuild kit btw I recomment www.bulkparts.com for trans parts their prices are nice and shipping is not too bad. along with the Red eagle racing kit I also ordered just about all the electronics for it I'm going to replace everything this time I also order a new sprag. but I still need to pick out a torq converter. I am currently running a 2.59 gear which is LAME! any how I will be upgradeing to a 3.07 hopefully for now maybe next summer I'll get to do the 3.73 I have been dreaming of. but it's a start. What I wish I could figure out is what caused this failure. hopefully me rebuilding the pump with the 13 vane rotor will solve that part. I'm wondering too it something in the torq converter let go. anyhow we'll see what happens when I get my parts and get it back together. I'm thinking it will be a few weeks or so until it's back together. because I work all week and have night school I don't have the available time. anyway thats where I'm at today I just figured I'd respond the question about the cooler flushing. I flushed the trans before it went about 2 weeks before that is then I flushed to cooler before installing the trans after I rebuilt it the first time. and I flushed it again after I started having this problem.. atleast i didn't have to have it towed either time.. anyhow thats enough for this post.. oh wait one thing if anyone knows where I can get a good price on a new or used Hypertech Programmer let me know.
Thanks,
Rick

 

[BlackNBlue95]

Update

Trans is apart on the bench.. I found the 3-4 clutch pack was toast.. I think I can account for the delayed 2-3 shift there was too much of a gap between the snapring and the clutch pack I think when I assembled it last time I did not have one of the apply pistons seated all the way and there was not clearance to put the 9 friction/steel combo in so I had to go with only 8 that time.. so when it seated the gap between the snap ring was increased so it took longer to engage but when it did it shifted firmly.. I wish I had some picks but my mom stole the camera for her trip to MN. Also as for the pump it looked normal inside I suspect the torq converter is having internal problems but I'm not shure so I am going to replace that as soon as I pick one out which I'm looking at precision industries vigilante conveter probably a 2200-2400 would be good for my setup. Anyway I'll let you know how things are going as soon as I make some more progress.

 

[BlackNBlue95]

thik I'm done for the weekend

I think I'm done for the weekend messing with my trans. I now know why people don't want to mess with trans's well one because there initimidated and second they can be a pain in the ass.. Anyhow I found a few problems with it.. I pretty shure i found the cause of why I had that harsh shift from park-drive and not a nice hard 1-2 upshift I had assembled the 1-2 accumulator upside down. not very smart the my only reasoning why i might have done that is because last time I was in a rush to build it and I want working on it after I worked 10 hours and had a 4 hour class at night.. not very smart this time I am letting it sit all week and only messing with it on the weekends.. also i did not replace the 3-4 accumulator spring with the one in the shift kit I placed 2 springs in the 1-2 accumulator upsidedown with the piston in backwards LoL I think the speedometer sensor that little pickup coil on the tail shaft could have been my likely cause of the hunting back and forth from 1-2 and 3-4 because it was leaking trans fluid through it's plastic case into the plug.. pretty weird.. anyhow as someone told me "Don't mess with it, if you don't know what your doing" That ****ed me off... I have a clue, but I don't know everything. but how the hell do you learn if you don't do it yourself. sorry just a little disgruntled about that senario.. well i need to go find something other then CORVETTE to do this weekend.. before I'm back at work on monday tearing heads off a 90' Astro van.

 

[69MyWay]

That is exactly how I learn how to do things on my own, is by making mistakes, then trying not to repeat them.

 

[vettn94]

From your posts it sounds like you know a thing or two about your trans, probably more than I do.
Want my advice though? Cut your losses and take it to Chuck @ Performance Trans in Naperville, I think it's actually called Finish Line Performance now:
http://www.flp2win.com/

I had the 700R4 in my 92 Camaro rebuilt 2 times buy a guy who had 15-20 years of rebuilding experience and he could not get working right.
I took it to Chuck and he not only straightened it out the first time but I have yet to drive or ride in an automatic car that shifts better than that trans did after Chuck was through with it.
He is a great guy to do business with, does great quality work and builds his own custom shift kits.
His prices are very reasonable.
You won't regret it.
If you want check out his shop, I also think he will be at Vettefest @ McCormick place this fall. He was there last year.

 

[BlackNBlue95]

Thanks for the suggestion

Thanks for the suggestion I am familiar with finish line preformance I read his article in I think it was something like chicago motorsports newspaper or something I forget.. but I want to be as good as him someday so I need to have the headaches and talk and read and work on it.. to figure it out.. I'm the only one at my shop who has the Gonads to mess with this stuff we send out trans jobs out to a local trans shop.. but I will get it working right.. Thanks again for the suggestion maybe if I get into some big trouble I can call him for advice..
- Rick

 

[BlackNBlue95]

update

Well here is an update, not much has changed since last time I wrote.. due to working full time and school full time I havn't had much time to mess with my baby. Actually in addition I messed up one of the lip seals in my kit. practice makes perfect and those lip seals are a pain sometimes.. kinda the same with the snap rings which I masterd already.. but anyhow tomarrow I should have my kevlar 2/4 racing band in.. i can't wait to see what happens when my rebuild is done.. that band is a little wider then stock and is made of kevlar so I should have a nice hard 1-2 upshift... Also my 3.07 gear set I purchased from Wookiebear should be here on friday according to UPS. that will be a nice upgrade from the 2.59 still the cheapest way for me to get a gear for now.. hopefully sometime next summer I can get the 3.73's put into my 2.59 case and sell the setup I just purchased. Kinda sucks this season is almost over I want to drive my car and by the time i get it back together and the money to buy my 800$ torq converter it will be snowing.... blah blah blah.. I'm over tired and just need to ramble on for a while.. :z :eek ;stupid

 

[vettn94]

BlackNBlue, if you're looking to buy a Vigilante I may have a deal for you.
since your email is not posted drop me one and I will fill you in on the details.

 

[BlackNBlue95]

3.07's in

I just got my 3.07 diff today.. looking forward to that this weekend.. and I also as I may have mentioned got some of my parts for the trans.. so I can start working on putting that together.. this weekend as well..

 

[BlackNBlue95]

Started working on the trans again, I may let the 3.07 install go till next weekend.. I want to take the diff to work one day and clean the RTV off of it and clean the housing up a bit before I install it.. Just too much stuff going on around my house to concentrate on the trans.. anyhow I'll post how far I get today later on..

 

[BlackNBlue95]

I got some work done on the trans.. started putting the input drum all together with the 3-4 clutch pack and all that stuff.. so now my trans is 1/2 way assembled.. I'm still debating on replacing the pump.. my too choices are install my 13 vane pump or replace the whole pump case and all.. it was making alot of noise up infront of the trans I don't think it was the torq conveter but who knows... I also installed one of the bushings that had spun but didn't really do any damage to the component just wore the out portion of the bushings out. I can't wait to get it back together.. but I still have alot of work to do on it.. and not much time.. I definitly need to get some heaters in my garage.. too cold.. anyway I will probably leave the vette alone till next weekend.. since I havn't had any time to finish my english paper.. and I won't have time to work on it after sunday because of work.. anyway thats about it for now.. it's a burbon night..

 

[69MyWay]

Now is the time to replace the pump if you have the slightest doubt. Nothing like pulling it out for a second or third time.

Get you a little space heater or two, and try to stay warm.

 

[BlackNBlue95]

yea thats what I am thinking.. it's another 220 bucks for the pump... but I guess it's better then taking the chance and finding out that the pump is still junk after I put in the new 13 vane rotor.. I mean nothing looked damaged.. but say I put it back together then the pump has problems I'll probably end up burning up my new friction materials.. which would cost me more money in the long run.. I've already changed all the electronics in it.. and I replaced both sprags anyway so why not... thanks for making my decision final.. I'll buy the pump.. I'll keeo you all updated but I probably won't get back to the trans till next week..
-Rick

 

[BlackNBlue95]

Well I was going to buy a new pump but I talked it over with my trans supplier who has 30+ years experiance building trans's and he told me that if nothing is damaged in the pump that that's not my noise he thinks that it was in the converter from what I was explaining.. so now I need to buy a bushing removal/installer tool for my trans to replace the bushings and we'll see from there once I get it back together. I'm still waiting to get some cash together to buy my vigilante converter. Since my boss re-structured my pay, kinda been tight. Thank god I am still living at home (hey I'm 21 btw). If anyone knows of a good dealer in IL that is looking for an intermediate skilled tech let me know.
-Rick

 

[BlackNBlue95]

Orderd my pump

Well I didn't get to work on installing the gear or finishing the trans this weekend.. but I did order a new pump 13 vane setup too through www.bulkpart.com (they changed there web address from www.bulkparts.com) I also orderd the TransGo Shift kit too I didn't buy the manual valve body setup.. I don't think I really want that since I plan on driving this car on the street alot.. so by next weekend I should finish my trans rebuild.. then I will need to wait a few weeks for some cash to buy my viglante converter.. so next weekend I plan on pulling the diff and putting the 3.07 in it and getting the trans ready to put back in once I get my new converter. btw I just want to mention my opinion of TCI is there is better performance kits and converters out there so I would stay away from them along with B&M thats my opinion though.. also I want to start getting my new trans cooler installed soon and then in addition the the Hayden cooler I want to install a gauge pod with trans temp and vacum. Hopefully I will get enough cash and time to finish all my mods for this year.. here is my tentative list:

Trans Parts:
Trans rebuild with ALTO red eagle frictions and Kolene Steels(Installed)
New sprags(Installed)
New electronics; Solenoids, Pressure Manifold, Speed Sensor, ect. (Installed)
Kevlar Isonnax racing band which is wider then stock(Bought)
Transgo Shift kit(Orderd)
13 Vane complete pump(Orderd)

Non-Trans Stuff
3.07 Diff (Bought)
Exhaust (Not shure on what I want to do yet looking at starting with a flowmaster kit)
Modify PCM with LT1 Edit(Mainly for the speedo)
Dual Gauge Pod maybe 3 Gauge Pod if I can find a Pillar style that covers the whole pillar. I would like the vaccum, trans temp (this is the most important to me) and maybe a air/fuel which is not the highest on my list.

So thats the run down of my goals for this year next year I would like to put a small spoiler on the back and cover up a small sratch I put at the bottom of the pass door.. then i think my NFS cravings will be taken care of for a while..

-Rick

 

[BlackNBlue95]

I got the 3.07 case cleaned up today and ready to install.. I started working on taking the old 2.59 out last night.. still waiting for my 13 vane pump to get here and some cash to buy the vigilante. I started waxing the vet tonight aswell since right before the trans went I washed it then got a little rain on it and I hate those damm water spots.. so since it wasnt really dirty I put a coat of wax on it.. trying to get it detailed do when I get to drive it again it looks nice.. I hate seeing all the damm small chips and inperfections in the paint.. anyway I'm done griping all work and no play makes me something something.. anyway I'll keep ya posted as I have so far on how things are going.. hopefully I will have the trans reassembled this weekend and the diff swap done and will just have to wait for the money to buy my vigilante. and pray to got that everything works out with this trans job.. :J