Bill Ball

Speaking of torques...one outside chance for the source of the leak is the TC drain plug. I didn't check that when I got the tranny back. I will in the morning.

blown 87

I always measure them to make sure that the converter gets pulled to the flex plate, not pushed by it.
It is easy to think it is all the way in and it actually not be.

If that is what happened, it will be evident when it is pulled apart.

Speedtoys

Need my Rx8?

Its yours. Dont ask..just say ya need it.

Needs 2 front tyres, but its on my list to do next week anyhow.

PRC928

Hi Bill,
I left you a voicemail last night. I am more than happy to come over today if you like. I will also call the rebuilder tomorrow morning. In my experiaence with him over the last few years he has proven himself to be 100% honorable and I'm sure he will do his best to make it right.

My offer to drive my 86.5 stands for as long as you need it. It is just sitting in my driveway waiting. At least that way you don't have to rush. I can also come down either Friday or Moday after Christmas to help with the R&R.

Give me a call when you get a chance. Larry and I are in the garage putting the clutch master mount on his firewall today (soon to be 5spd)!
Needless to say I am really sorry this happened and I will help however I can.

Talk to you soon,
Paul

Bill Ball

I just went out to start the car up and make sure I had the level correct. Level is fine, but now the TC area is GUSHING a steady stream of fluid. Still making the rub-rub noise too. The car is not drivable. I might as well start the tranny removal process again.

Paul, I left you a message. No need to come down. It's clear to me this thing is toast. Of course, I'd appreciate you ideas on what to do - whether to give the rebuilder another chance or to just swap in another tranny that I have located. Based on the way the tranny has behaved, I would say the primary pump bushing seized. It didn't leak right away (first 10 minutes), just made noise like a bad bearing. Now it leaks like crazy.

Z

Do you know if both the original pump and torque converter were put back in when the rebuild was done, or was one of those items replaced with a different one at that time?

AO

I thought the same at first blush. Sorry to hear of your troubles Bill. If I was nearby, I'd lend a hand.

Personally, at this point, I'd take Stan's offer at not look back.

anonymousagain

Just saw this post Bill - let me know if you need extra hands to drop it again.

Sucks big time!

Tim Murphy

Bill,

I can't remember the exact details but I had the same problem with my car, self inflicted of course.

I had the TC out and when I put it back in I messed up the bushing in the oil pump, which then the galled up bearing material took out the shaft seal so fluid just came pouring out. Of course this all happened after I had everything put back together and went for a test drive.

I had a spare trans so I was going to just swap out the pump. When I took the spare apart I was surprised to find it had a needle bearing and not a bushing in the pump. I talked to Steve Cattaneo at Master Tech Trans (mastertechtrans.com) and he told me the earlier transmissions used the bushing and the later ones used the needle bearing in the oil pump. I thought great, just use the one with the needle bearing right? Wrong, you have to use a torque converter that was designed to run with the needle bearing or the bearing will just chew up the shaft on the torque converter. So I learned something and just had him send me a new pump with the bushing.

Here is my point, I wonder if the guy who did the rebuild miss matched some parts? It sure sounds like the bearing came out of the oil pump and took out the shaft seal in the process. It is an easy fix but the trans has to come out of the car.

Hope this helps.

Bill Ball

All original EXCEPT the B3 piston attached to the pump was replaced as well as the K1 clutch friction discs.

Bill Ball

Hi Tim:

Yes, mine had the needle bearing on the front of the pump. I believe there is still a bushing on the rear area of the pump.

There was some question about the B3 piston that is fastened to the pump as his invoice showed a PN for 88 and PET indicates a different piston was used in 89. Not sure what implications that has. He said the replacement part was correct.

Anyway, after talking it over, the tranny is going back to the rebuilder. I am going to take him that and a replacement that was offered me. The replacement is a low mileage 90 with a bad diff and diff case. Could take the pump, etc from that or just put my diff on the other tranny or just fix mine. Going to wait and see what the teardown shows.

yardpro

bill,
sorry to hear about your trans issues...
we went through a similar problem with w trans. shop with one of our work trucks.. he was good about making it right.....
i hope yours is as well

If you were not across the continent, i would offer to help during m week off after christmas

inactiveuser1

Bill.
Awhile back when you had the vibration problems after the trans mount was changed and think talked about TC or bushing going bad,was that it all along that might of been causing the vibration or did you ever find out what that was from?

odurandina

isn't just way easier to pick up a spare transmission keep it properly stored?

Bill Ball

Nope. I changed the TC cover bearings a year or so ago with no effect, probably because the old ones were as good as new.