How hard is it to rebuild an automatic transmission?
 

Has anyone done it your self for the first time and been successful? Do they have a video to follow? Any help is great, my truck is dead with a slipping trans.

I'm a pretty good shade tree mechanic, and I don't go near transmissions. The main reason is that you just don't go into them enough to get comfortable with what goes on inside. I know I am probably a wuss for being that way, but I am.

[QUOTE=onetrackmind]Has anyone done it your self for the first time and been successful? Do they have a video to follow? Any help is great, my truck is dead with a slipping trans.[/QUO........DON"T even think of it!

I've done it, and sucessfully did a heavy duty high performance rebuild of a 700-R4 / 4L60 transmission with all the best parts. But I did a lot of research and reading ... To the point where I knew what every single hydraulic circuit's function was ... And I purchased about $800 in Kent-Moore and other tools. Not all $800 in tools is absolutely necessary, but some make otherwise difficult tasks much more manageable. BTW, If you notice my Board Name, I no longer have an automatic equipped car ... If anyone wants to purchase the tools, let me know ... If not, I'll probably auction them soon.

Now, if your truck is an older one with a TH 350 OR TH 400 trans, that is a comparatively easy job, from what I have heard.

Not a hard job but time consuming and as mentioned above...expensive becauseof the tools needed. and chances are you'll only use the tools once or twice in your lifetime.

Pm sent, where's pete.

I've thought about doing it to my other car, but after researching it I can honestly say i'd rather leave it to a very good mechanic. Its more complicated than rebuilding an engine, but if your gonna do it, have someone who knows transmissions like the back of their hand to assist you.

Did my first transmission rebuild ever on my 4l60e in my '95 last year. The best thing I did was get the ASG manual for the thing before I broke into it. It also helped that I was able to fabricate a couple of very simple tools to compress the various spring assemblies. Can you weld? Cut through some pipe?

It was a succesful rebuild with hi performance parts and a HD Transgo kit and all together I probably had about 60-80 hours into it. Do it

:lurk:

Talk to Pete K.

Pete is the man. There's no BS'in on that. Period. Case closed.

:iagree: No BS about pete. Look at my sig for mods and pete's tanny.

strange.....i have done 7 transmissions and used the bare minimum tools "laying around". the most complex toll i used was a pair of snap ring plyers......

All for the same car?:lol: :cheers:

geez...........of course not!......a few vettes of varying years, impala, trans am...etc....all worked great. i completely dismantle every single piece inc the valve body guts, clean separately, lube, and re-install......never had one come back or fail in any regard.....

thats good :thumbs:

[QUOTE=robertt43]Years ago I bought a video from the Eastwood Co. It was called "How to rebuild a turbo 350". It was a decent guide. Nothing to write home about. My first build went behind a 434 pushing 600 ft lbs. Talk about pressure. I was nervous for a month. When it survive a 1.500 60' time, I decided it was in time to stop worrying.

It is not hard at all for me, i just pay some one that knows what the hell they are doing to build it.
:cheers:

I look at it this way:
From my experience, the average tranmission shop tech is about 3 IQ points shy of the average Corvette owner...and if he can do it, you can do it.
I would NOT try it without some good manuals, though.

Larry
code5coupe

Sad but true. I asked the guy that used to build my transmissions how much heat a 3000 stall converter would make. He said: "whats that"
I explained what heat was, he smacked me in the head, then I told him what I high stall converter was. In the business 25 years and had no clue.

Depending on the model of transmission you are working on they can be a pain. That said, it is not rocket science. Pull them apart in a logical order and build them back that way. You can use a good manual that Jegs sells for reference if you need but they are not as bad as people think. Just be sure to check all the clearance, especially the clutch packs as they will not last or work if the tolerances are not right. My advice, have at it!