Let's guess what's wrong with my trans.

[DirtyComanche]

Not the one in my MJ; I already know it is a peice of $#!&.

 

But, the th-200 in my cutlass seems to have died. It was slipping a bit, I checked the fluid, seemed low, topped it up. Then it was slipping bad... Now I have no foreward gears, but I have reverse. It went from being fine when I parked it last week to dying in a matter of miles on monday when I needed to drive it.

 

Ideas?

 

 

So, the DD is dead again. Ohwell. I can walk.

[87manche]

drive in reverse? :D

Anyway, sounds like the TC is good since you've got reverse. Not having all of the forward gears would make me think it's a mechanical thing related to the linkage, or the valve body is shot, or the forward clutch packs are toast.

Take your pick.

Didn't you just replace that trans not too long ago?

[DirtyComanche]

Yeah. But it came out of a god-knows-what.

 

 

Doubt it's the linkage, it's in gear, just slipping like a mother. It was still creeping foreward barely when I gave up on it. Oh, reverse seemed to be going too, like it felt weak. So, clutch packs or valve body, either way I think it's time I pushed this thing off a cliff.

 

 

Or get another pink'n'pull special.

[DirtyComanche]

Ah, got the call from the professional. One of the welds holding the dip stick tube in place failed, causing a slow leak. Until it really failed, and I lost a fair amount of fluid at some point on monday... Assumably that was after I filled it. I also had a ford dipstick (only god knows why) so what it read as being within the reasonable range was a bit out. Tranny is hosed.

 

 

 

Grr.

 

 

 

So, I think I'm going to get a new beater.

[Pete M]

I recommend an MJ. :D

Jeep on!

--Pete

[DirtyComanche]

I was actually thinking about picking up and XJ and using it as a parts donor at some point. Not much chance of getting a decent MJ. Hell, maybe I should fix the one I've got.

 

Or maybe a full-size ford as a parts donor. Hmm.

[mjeff87]

just reinforces my hatred of auto trannies...they run on voodoo. My DD POS has an auto that I've been babying along these last several thousand miles (knocks on wood) that has issues from time to time. I'm ashamed to admit I have no clue on what's possesing it, or how on earth to fix it. If it does finally die, I plan on converting it to a 5 speed with some help from the junkyard. To me that's infinately easier than wrenching on the mystery box behind the engine :shock:

Jeff

[87manche]

is that your escort Jeff?

If it slips when cold I would't worry about that. Mine would slip in the winter and be fine when it warmed up.

Ran like that for 50K miles.

[feerocknok]

Dirty, what's up with the Comanche in your Avitar? Getting anywhere with it?

[DirtyComanche]

Uh, well, I'm getting somewhere. Actually, I've just got to finish modifying my forking crossmember (I think I should just spend the $20 on a hole expander), lay down about 40" more weld (I'm mostly done, it won't take me long, I just have to make sure the crossmemeber fits) and then I will have a reinforced unibody with a retarded long arm setup. Well, I have throw the other track bar, coil springs, and control arms on there, but that won't take long (better knock on some wood).

 

 

Then, fix the front brakes. Which should be easy, other than I'm missing the brackets for the stainless lines. Then fix the back brakes, which won't take long.

 

 

Then get a temp permit and drive it out of the garage and get the front regeared. Then it's pretty much good to go.

 

 

Somewhat recent pic. Lots of mess.

 

Image Not Found

[feerocknok]

Wow. What's the 40" of weld for? I've got a lot of little questions about it. Gonna do a post in the projects section when you finish?

[mjeff87]

is that your escort Jeff?

If it slips when cold I would't worry about that. Mine would slip in the winter and be fine when it warmed up.

Ran like that for 50K miles.

 

Yup. Problem isn't so much slipping (it's done that only a couple of times, but a quick shift into reverse then back to drive fixes that), but the AOD. The TC locks up waaaayy too soon, then lugs the engine to the point the whole drivetrain begins to vibrate massively. Think deathwobble, but happening to an engine :cry: I have to constantly either change the pedal position or manually downshift to unlock it until it's going fast enough. Any idea how the lockup is controlled on it? I'd like to splice in a manual switch to control it if it's easy enough (?)

 

Jeff

[87manche]

you know I never really had to tear into my Escort. The damend thing just kept running. I would have kept itfor a DD but it had an extensive list of repairs that it needed. all those OH winters had taken it's toll on the body too, motor likely would have fallen out before it quit running.

[pingpong]

I like the flat black look :D

 

 

I hope you are talking about boxing the x-member up, and adding some reinforcement around where the LA's mount to the frame. I boxed my second x-member using 1/4 flat stock you can buy at LOwes. Not the cheapest route, but the easiest to get steel.

 

 

 

Patrick

[DirtyComanche]

Wow. What's the 40" of weld for? I've got a lot of little questions about it. Gonna do a post in the projects section when you finish?

 

Might. I'm a little lazy. Anyways, the 40" of weld is to finish the unibody plating. That pic was before I had done any. It's a combination of angle, plate, and box, all .250 wall.

 

 

Pat, it's flat black bedliner! :D It needs to be touched up a bit, but that's easy with this stuff.

 

And I've got a rusty's x-member for the LAs to mount to, it's 3/8 plate, I think. The only modifying it needs (for now) is the holes to be enlarged so I can use my massive hardware to hold it to the unibody plating. Other than they have it drilled with oval holes, and you can't center a hole saw worth $#!& over them... Lots of swearing, but I'll make it work.

 

I'm gonna build a new x-member at some point because the design of rusty's is completely retarded.

 

 

Oh, I buy all of my steel from a machine shop. As long as I go in there in the morning they don't charge me cutting fees, and they give me scrap for free all the time. They gave me a 1'x4' peice of 14 gauge to practice welding on, free!

[DirtyComanche]

Oh, I found a J20, 4wd, 1981...

 

 

I just might.

[87manche]

j20=badass

do it.

I want a j-truck for a tow rig so bad.

[feerocknok]

Wow! I just realized I forgot J trucks existed. The guy up the street has his J-20 on 35s. It's beautiful.

Like a Napa machine shop, or what? I want free stuff!

 

Me and my buddies always go to the exhaust shop and dumpster dive. We get bends that are brand new, just not what they wanted for that particular thing, and use em on everything. A bizzilion exhausts done and counting.

[DirtyComanche]

More of your oldschool bigassed machine shop. They do welding on railway equipment, tractors, trailers, and make bridge sections and other huge crap. To them I'm jsut a little guy, but that doesn't mean they treat me badly.