:cool:

 

I got the protracter level and checked mine and they are within 1 degree. I just had to bolt it up and go. I have had it out at 80+ mph with no vibration so far. You might get lucky and be right on.

 

Wow, you're making good progress. Everything is looking nice. I look forward to checking it out in Bowling Green. You are going to the cruise-in, right?

 

Need to get a protractor-level thingy. Shim the diff and/or the trans mount as needed to nudge them into the proper alignment. I'll fill you in more once I do it!


Put the transmission as high as possible. You can not get it too high. Push it up until it just clears the tunnel. The HIGHER the transmission the LESS you need to shim UP the rearend.

 

Well, progress has slowed for the time being.

I had to take the bearing retainer off to make the bellhousing adapter. When I removed it, I thought the bolts came out kinda easily. Didn't know the torque spec, so I didnt think too much about it. Some of the RTV was still uncured and there were scrape marks on the back of it. Ok, so someone has had it apart for a look-see recently. No biggie, right?

I went to put it back together tonight. In doing so, I notcied that 1 of the bolts was a little longer than the other 3 and had a 12mm head instead of a 13. That's odd. Then I noticed that the shorter bolts wouldn't thread into 2 of the holes. This isn't good.

Looking closer, those 2 holes in the case are stripped within an inche of their lives. There's like a single thread deep in the holes and nothing more. And I don't mean cross-threaded, I mean those threads are GONE. Just the slightest indication that they were ever there.

So I just sent an email to the guy I bought it from, asking for answers. In his ad, he said it had only 950 miles on it and he would guarantee it would work perfectly. Plus, he owns a performance shop near Nashville (Goodletsville) and I paid with a credit card, so I have that help to fall back on should I need it.

So I guess we'll just wait and see what tomorrow brings.

 

Any machine shop can quickly heli coil it for you. The heli coils will actually make it better then new.

 

Yeah, my first thought was "I can helicoil that, no problem" which was quickly followed by "Why would this trans with only 950 miles be in that condition? How many times has that bearing retainer come off and how hard is it to properly thread a hole?!" Not to mention wondering about what lies within.


[Modified by ddecart, 8:37 AM 4/30/2004]

 

Got an email back from this guy.

"I Broke it down to show to another buyer, that is why it has fresh silicone on it. The reason one hole had some threads stripped was the loctite on the original bolts pulled the threads out with it when taken apart. As for the rest of trans it is perfect and when I installed the retainer it was torqued properly and I had no problems. I just used a longer bolt in one hole. "

Loctite can cause a bolt to strip? :skep:

 

Yeah, I don't buy that. How does that explain different thread pitch bolts used in different holes? I doubt the factory installed them. Besides, he admits to stripped threads but he didn't fix it? That's not cool. I would be fairly concerned about the health of that transmission. What a bummer.

Buba has been snorting Loctite. Thanks how stripped threads happen.

 

:iagree: Never heard of Loctite stripping out threads. Sounds a little fishy to me. Why would you take off the bearing retainer to show someone. What are they going to see. Most of the time you want to see the interanls of the trans.


[Modified by Gordonm, 10:34 AM 4/30/2004]

 

Did you get the number of his crack dealer? :rolleyes: No good mech would jsut use a larger bolt with stripped threads, guy is a scammer. Might want to yank the cover off and get a look see inside.

 

It's not a larger diameter bolt, it's just a longer bolt. Same threads but longer and with a 1mm smaller hex-head.

Gonna pull the cover off and have a look-see. :yesnod:


[Modified by ddecart, 10:55 AM 4/30/2004]

 

Just sent an email back to him:
============
You told me that you had pulled the cover off, not the bearing retainer. There shouldn't be any reason to pull the bearing retainer off to show someone. Plus, you didn't mention anything about the bolts being stripped or about replacing one of them with a longer bolt. Is there anything else that I should know? Were any internal parts changed?

I have never heard of loctite stripping threads completely out of a hole. Two of the threads were stripped and are unusable at this point. There is only one single thread at the bottom of the holes remaining. I can send you a photo of both of them if you like.

At a minimum, I'm looking at having to helicoil two of the holes in order to get the trans into a usable condition. I assume you will be willing to cover the cost of those repairs.

==========

 

What is it with people trying to screw people over or just not delivering what they say lately? I'm still trying to sort out my T56 debacle (the guy sent me a V6 T5) and my wife's car has been in the body shop for 7 weeks for a rear end collision repair. I was originally quoted 4.5-5 weeks!! Today is 7. :mad People are starting to **** me off!!!

 

Ok, helicoiled the two holes. Had to disassemble the trans to do it (pull the rear housing off and pop the top cover off) but I wanted a look-see inside anyhow.

Got the holes laid out on the adapter tonight. Some of them are pretty close together, too. Dropped Norval an IM to see exactly what he had to do with bolts & head sizes for those upper bolts.

Going to be drilling and tapping those tomorrow, so I'll get my first look at the bellhousing with the adapter on it sometime tomorrow.

Stay tuned!!!

 

Ok, Now how did it look inside. Was there wear or did it look fairly new like he said.

 

It looked pretty darn new. No visible signs of wear on the gears at all. I didn't tear into it to check out ant synchros or anything, but on a quick look, it looked pretty decent.

 

The tranny is in!!! :party:

Ok...well, sorta in. All there for a test-fit. The bellhousing is in, the adapter plate is bolted to it, and the trans is bolted to the adapter plate, and the crossmember is held in with C-clamps. Lookin good! :thumbs:

 

have any pics of the adapter plate or the locating pins?

 

Not yet. Camera battery was dead tonight. I'll snap some pics of stuff on the way out of the car. The adapter plate hasn't yet been located relaive to the bellhousing (nor completely attached), so it doesn't have locating pins in it yet. I have to fabricate something to hold my dial indicator so i can set the runout of the plate, then I'll pin it and finish attaching it.