BC's Transmission Overhaul (updated as it occurs)
Thread Starter
1st Generation Admin
Joined: Jan 2005
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From: Buies Creek, NC
Dana,
I'm embarrassed to say that the ISSPRO trans temp gauge that I bought back when I first started messing with my heap, is STILL sitting on the hide-a-bed over there.
That temperature sensor I installed in the pan with this work, that was the first daylight it's seen since being made.
I've got to hollow-out a spot to install the gauge so as to leave no excuse to run the wires. I've been considering mounting it down next to the headlight switch.
In the last number of years, it's not pulled anything. So no real temperature related loads.
Before that, it would occasionally pull my Dad's boat, my family and that required for a weeks stay on-board at Kerr Lake a couple of hours up the road. (26' Aluminum hull, outboard Chrysler Lonestar cabin cruiser).
I filled the mess with Amsoil ATF. >Ouch!<
Thanks for the kind words y'all.
I'm embarrassed to say that the ISSPRO trans temp gauge that I bought back when I first started messing with my heap, is STILL sitting on the hide-a-bed over there.
That temperature sensor I installed in the pan with this work, that was the first daylight it's seen since being made.
I've got to hollow-out a spot to install the gauge so as to leave no excuse to run the wires. I've been considering mounting it down next to the headlight switch.
In the last number of years, it's not pulled anything. So no real temperature related loads.
Before that, it would occasionally pull my Dad's boat, my family and that required for a weeks stay on-board at Kerr Lake a couple of hours up the road. (26' Aluminum hull, outboard Chrysler Lonestar cabin cruiser).
I filled the mess with Amsoil ATF. >Ouch!<
Thanks for the kind words y'all.
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Joined: Jul 2005
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Thanks for being generous enough to share all of this! I really enjoyed following along, especially considering I'll be doing this in the "too near" future.
Would love to see that list of tools and aftermarket parts you used.
Would love to see that list of tools and aftermarket parts you used.
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Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 666
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From: Central Mi
David,
I'll be down in SC in a couple of weeks.
What say I drop off my 93 and you could rebuild my tranny ???
I'll even take a few days away from Myrtle Beach to help
.....
Seriously, Great write up - If I had half the tools you used, I'd try it myself.
I'll be down in SC in a couple of weeks.
What say I drop off my 93 and you could rebuild my tranny ???
I'll even take a few days away from Myrtle Beach to help
.....Seriously, Great write up - If I had half the tools you used, I'd try it myself.
Thread Starter
1st Generation Admin
Joined: Jan 2005
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From: Buies Creek, NC
Here's a little update . .. . .
The week after I buttoned-up the transmission, I was off for vacation. (We're in a severe drought here. It rained the latter part of my week off. What's up with that?
)
I had the chance to find some straight methanol locally. So I mixed up a 50/50 blend.
Headed down to the 1/8th mile track, and my best was a 9.6.
Ultimately, that number was a fluke.
My times were down to 9.8 on average. Some as high as 10.0x. The only thing I could think of that had changed that may account for such was the W/M. I screwed around with it for a week or so. blah, blah, blah . .. . .
The other night at the track, talking with some buddies there, one fella was talking about shifting gears and such and TV cable . . . . . . "Ding!"
When I put the trans back in, I didn't want to risk messing it up right off so I had set the TV cable to the factory stock setting. I had also configured the TransGo kit so as to run the more stock shift points.
All along I had a notion the mess was shifting early. To compound the confusion, I have no tachometer.
So last Thursday at the track, After hearing the mention of the TV cable, I tightened mine up a bit, thus raising the shift points (among other aspects), and gave it a go.
The pass before was about 10.xx. With roughly advancing the TV, the mess went straight to a 9.6. (Ding! Ding! Ding!)
It was about 82*F if I remember correctly.
Today, the wife and I went down to the Fayetteville Motorsports Dragway and made a couple or fourteen passes. It's a 1/4 mile track. It was a sticky 88*F or so.
1/8th ~ 9.67 @ 68.69 and 1/4 ~ 15.38 @ 86.12
(My reaction time there was slow as I caught the boost going up to 15 lbs and with backing off a bit, looked back to see a green light. DOH!)
I tried a few different TV settings and after three passes each, averaged the times. The TV setting giving me the above time proved the best. Whew! That means I don't have to go back into the valve-body and change TV springs (each spring change amounts to 200RPM). As such, the new TV setting is not radically different from the OEM setting.
I've got a tach and steering column mount on the way from PDR. We'll see.
BTW, the track there is especially sticky. I thought I might try a 2-wheel launch.
I won't do that again!
I did a nice little burn-out. (LOL!! The wife said the fellas on the starting line learned first hand NOT to stand next to a side-piped diesel.)
I pulled up to the line and thoughtlessly built ten pounds boost.
The third yellow came on and I hit it.
BAM!!
Before the truck moved, I believe I saw one of the rear tires jump 12" off the track out the corner of my eye! I sorta impressed myself with how fast I got off of it.
I coasted on down the track thinking "Aw Geez!" But thankfully no damage was done other than my and the fellas standing theres nerves.
I don't know how you 2-wheelers do it.
The week after I buttoned-up the transmission, I was off for vacation. (We're in a severe drought here. It rained the latter part of my week off. What's up with that?
)I had the chance to find some straight methanol locally. So I mixed up a 50/50 blend.
Headed down to the 1/8th mile track, and my best was a 9.6.
Ultimately, that number was a fluke.
My times were down to 9.8 on average. Some as high as 10.0x. The only thing I could think of that had changed that may account for such was the W/M. I screwed around with it for a week or so. blah, blah, blah . .. . .
The other night at the track, talking with some buddies there, one fella was talking about shifting gears and such and TV cable . . . . . . "Ding!"
When I put the trans back in, I didn't want to risk messing it up right off so I had set the TV cable to the factory stock setting. I had also configured the TransGo kit so as to run the more stock shift points.
All along I had a notion the mess was shifting early. To compound the confusion, I have no tachometer.
So last Thursday at the track, After hearing the mention of the TV cable, I tightened mine up a bit, thus raising the shift points (among other aspects), and gave it a go.
The pass before was about 10.xx. With roughly advancing the TV, the mess went straight to a 9.6. (Ding! Ding! Ding!
)It was about 82*F if I remember correctly.
Today, the wife and I went down to the Fayetteville Motorsports Dragway and made a couple or fourteen passes. It's a 1/4 mile track. It was a sticky 88*F or so.
1/8th ~ 9.67 @ 68.69 and 1/4 ~ 15.38 @ 86.12
(My reaction time there was slow as I caught the boost going up to 15 lbs and with backing off a bit, looked back to see a green light. DOH!)
I tried a few different TV settings and after three passes each, averaged the times. The TV setting giving me the above time proved the best. Whew! That means I don't have to go back into the valve-body and change TV springs (each spring change amounts to 200RPM). As such, the new TV setting is not radically different from the OEM setting.
I've got a tach and steering column mount on the way from PDR. We'll see.
BTW, the track there is especially sticky. I thought I might try a 2-wheel launch.
I won't do that again!
I did a nice little burn-out. (LOL!! The wife said the fellas on the starting line learned first hand NOT to stand next to a side-piped diesel.
)I pulled up to the line and thoughtlessly built ten pounds boost.
The third yellow came on and I hit it.
BAM!!
Before the truck moved, I believe I saw one of the rear tires jump 12" off the track out the corner of my eye! I sorta impressed myself with how fast I got off of it.
I coasted on down the track thinking "Aw Geez!" But thankfully no damage was done other than my and the fellas standing theres nerves.
I don't know how you 2-wheelers do it.
Thread Starter
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Joined: Jan 2005
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From: Buies Creek, NC
Y'all please forgive me for being so long in posting that list of tools I used.
So starting from the beginning sorta . . .
After removing the oil pan and valve-body, the two servos need to come out. There's some large internal Snap-Rings that hold them in place.
- After removing the band linkage and associated levers,
- Take a large socket that fits the cover so as to push it down while leaving room to remove the Snap-Ring.
- Use a large C-clamp to compress it.
You'll need a basic pick to remove a number of the internal Snap-Rings throughout the rebuild.
Further, there's a few C-Clips on the servos, for example that will have to come off to install the spacers associated with the TransGo kit TFOD/A518. You'll need the typical reversible style (for inner / outer style C-Clips).
To pull the main oil pump, the FSM wants you to use two dent pullers with the appropriate adapters. I put the appropriate sized bolt in the cover and used a large open-end wrench pressed against the bell-housing. The bolt acts as the fulcrum and pulls on the cover. Go back and forth with the two bolts so as to pull the cover uniformly.
The front clutch-pack has nine or so little springs that preload the pack and the assemble requires compressing to remove it's internal Snap-Ring. I used some 3" reach Vice-Grips pliers. Four or five small C-Clamps would work as well.
You'll need a "Sacrificial" tapered type feeler-gauge that the blades can be bent so as to properly check the clutch-pack slack. Don't bend them too sharply as the may break. BE SURE to read and follow the correct procedure when making these measurements.
So starting from the beginning sorta . . .
After removing the oil pan and valve-body, the two servos need to come out. There's some large internal Snap-Rings that hold them in place.
- After removing the band linkage and associated levers,
- Take a large socket that fits the cover so as to push it down while leaving room to remove the Snap-Ring.
- Use a large C-clamp to compress it.
You'll need a basic pick to remove a number of the internal Snap-Rings throughout the rebuild.
Further, there's a few C-Clips on the servos, for example that will have to come off to install the spacers associated with the TransGo kit TFOD/A518. You'll need the typical reversible style (for inner / outer style C-Clips).
To pull the main oil pump, the FSM wants you to use two dent pullers with the appropriate adapters. I put the appropriate sized bolt in the cover and used a large open-end wrench pressed against the bell-housing. The bolt acts as the fulcrum and pulls on the cover. Go back and forth with the two bolts so as to pull the cover uniformly.
The front clutch-pack has nine or so little springs that preload the pack and the assemble requires compressing to remove it's internal Snap-Ring. I used some 3" reach Vice-Grips pliers. Four or five small C-Clamps would work as well.
You'll need a "Sacrificial" tapered type feeler-gauge that the blades can be bent so as to properly check the clutch-pack slack. Don't bend them too sharply as the may break. BE SURE to read and follow the correct procedure when making these measurements.
Thread Starter
1st Generation Admin
Joined: Jan 2005
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From: Buies Creek, NC
Moving on to the overdrive section . . . . .
You'll need that pick to work the internal and external Snap-Rings.
OK, READ AND UNDERSTAND THE FOLLOWING!!
There's a spring in the OD section will take your blame head off if you're not careful. The OEM spring presents with 800 pounds force on one of the clutch-packs.
Thankfully there are a couple of ways to work with it pending whether your shop has a press.
If you have a shop press, you can get a cage that rests on the assembly such that with the press, you can safely compress the spring so as to remove the two Snap-Rings.
Lacking a shop press, you can go the route I took and get a similar tool that bolts to the OD housing and compresses the spring by way of a bolt.
When you go to putting the OD section back together, there's two sets of splines that you'll have to keep VERY much in alignment when compressing the spring for reassembly. If you have a shop press, get the pair of tools illustrated here. The spring compression cage, and alignment tool.
Else, you might find a local trans shop who has an old intermediate shaft that you can have and cut to the right length that will allow it to fit into the alternate spring compressor like I used.
Prior to reattaching the OD section to the main case, you'll need to determine the correct size spacer to set-up the correct OD piston stroke range. The FSM has you use a fancy bar resting across the flange of the OD section to hold your micrometer. That tool is .500" thick. Adjust your readings to reflect your tool.
A final adjustment made to the rebuilt trans is to establish and set as needed the end-play to the moving parts. It's done at the oil pump end of things. You'll need the typical magnetic mount type of micrometer stand.
The FSM misses it altogether, but let me save you a Saturday of cussing ~ The overdrive section must be correctly adjusted and installed to the main case when measuring the final assembly end-play.
Otherwise, CLEAN, CLEAN, CLEAN . . . .
- Get some "Lint-Free" towels for wiping parts. DO NOT use standard towels as the lint WILL botch the spool-valves, etc in the valve-body for example.
- The Factory Service Manual (FSM) was my main guide in doing this project. The folks at PATC and SunCoast both favored the FSM over any other guide. Get one.
- Go ahead a buy a case of cheap aerosol brake cleaner for washing parts and the valve-body.
- Get some small plastic trash bags for keeping the rebuilt sub-assemblies clean while working elsewhere.
- Use large plastic trash bags to cover the main-case while not working there.
- A source of compressed air is nice to help dry newly cleaned parts as well as checking the various hydraulic circuits of the main case prior to reinstalling the valve-body.
- A three gallon or so pail for holding some cheap ATF fluid for dunking parts and assemblies.
- I got some old large cookie sheet pans to use as a working tray for the different stages. It keeps the fluid from running all over your shop bench.
- A good quality genuine transmission jack really will help here folks. See if you can borrow one if need be.
- My pressure washer was a close friend throughout the process, lacking such, get a butt-load of quarter for the local car-wash before starting. If you don't come away nasty, wet, and gritty, you didn't get it all. Do it again!
I hope I've not missed anything.
If y'all have anything to add, post it!
You'll need that pick to work the internal and external Snap-Rings.
OK, READ AND UNDERSTAND THE FOLLOWING!!
There's a spring in the OD section will take your blame head off if you're not careful. The OEM spring presents with 800 pounds force on one of the clutch-packs.
Thankfully there are a couple of ways to work with it pending whether your shop has a press.
If you have a shop press, you can get a cage that rests on the assembly such that with the press, you can safely compress the spring so as to remove the two Snap-Rings.
Lacking a shop press, you can go the route I took and get a similar tool that bolts to the OD housing and compresses the spring by way of a bolt.
When you go to putting the OD section back together, there's two sets of splines that you'll have to keep VERY much in alignment when compressing the spring for reassembly. If you have a shop press, get the pair of tools illustrated here. The spring compression cage, and alignment tool.
Else, you might find a local trans shop who has an old intermediate shaft that you can have and cut to the right length that will allow it to fit into the alternate spring compressor like I used.
Prior to reattaching the OD section to the main case, you'll need to determine the correct size spacer to set-up the correct OD piston stroke range. The FSM has you use a fancy bar resting across the flange of the OD section to hold your micrometer. That tool is .500" thick. Adjust your readings to reflect your tool.
A final adjustment made to the rebuilt trans is to establish and set as needed the end-play to the moving parts. It's done at the oil pump end of things. You'll need the typical magnetic mount type of micrometer stand.
The FSM misses it altogether, but let me save you a Saturday of cussing ~ The overdrive section must be correctly adjusted and installed to the main case when measuring the final assembly end-play.
Otherwise, CLEAN, CLEAN, CLEAN . . . .
- Get some "Lint-Free" towels for wiping parts. DO NOT use standard towels as the lint WILL botch the spool-valves, etc in the valve-body for example.
- The Factory Service Manual (FSM) was my main guide in doing this project. The folks at PATC and SunCoast both favored the FSM over any other guide. Get one.
- Go ahead a buy a case of cheap aerosol brake cleaner for washing parts and the valve-body.
- Get some small plastic trash bags for keeping the rebuilt sub-assemblies clean while working elsewhere.
- Use large plastic trash bags to cover the main-case while not working there.
- A source of compressed air is nice to help dry newly cleaned parts as well as checking the various hydraulic circuits of the main case prior to reinstalling the valve-body.
- A three gallon or so pail for holding some cheap ATF fluid for dunking parts and assemblies.
- I got some old large cookie sheet pans to use as a working tray for the different stages. It keeps the fluid from running all over your shop bench.
- A good quality genuine transmission jack really will help here folks. See if you can borrow one if need be.
- My pressure washer was a close friend throughout the process, lacking such, get a butt-load of quarter for the local car-wash before starting. If you don't come away nasty, wet, and gritty, you didn't get it all. Do it again!
I hope I've not missed anything.
If y'all have anything to add, post it!
Registered User
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 2,319
Likes: 1
From: WY
Here's a little update . .. . .
The week after I buttoned-up the transmission, I was off for vacation. (We're in a severe drought here. It rained the latter part of my week off. What's up with that? )
I had the chance to find some straight methanol locally. So I mixed up a 50/50 blend.
Headed down to the 1/8th mile track, and my best was a 9.6.
Ultimately, that number was a fluke.
My times were down to 9.8 on average. Some as high as 10.0x. The only thing I could think of that had changed that may account for such was the W/M. I screwed around with it for a week or so. blah, blah, blah . .. . .
The other night at the track, talking with some buddies there, one fella was talking about shifting gears and such and TV cable . . . . . . "Ding!"
When I put the trans back in, I didn't want to risk messing it up right off so I had set the TV cable to the factory stock setting. I had also configured the TransGo kit so as to run the more stock shift points.
All along I had a notion the mess was shifting early. To compound the confusion, I have no tachometer.
So last Thursday at the track, After hearing the mention of the TV cable, I tightened mine up a bit, thus raising the shift points (among other aspects), and gave it a go.
The pass before was about 10.xx. With roughly advancing the TV, the mess went straight to a 9.6. (Ding! Ding! Ding!)
It was about 82*F if I remember correctly.
Today, the wife and I went down to the Fayetteville Motorsports Dragway and made a couple or fourteen passes. It's a 1/4 mile track. It was a sticky 88*F or so.
1/8th ~ 9.67 @ 68.69 and 1/4 ~ 15.38 @ 86.12
(My reaction time there was slow as I caught the boost going up to 15 lbs and with backing off a bit, looked back to see a green light. DOH!)
I tried a few different TV settings and after three passes each, averaged the times. The TV setting giving me the above time proved the best. Whew! That means I don't have to go back into the valve-body and change TV springs (each spring change amounts to 200RPM). As such, the new TV setting is not radically different from the OEM setting.
I've got a tach and steering column mount on the way from PDR. We'll see.
BTW, the track there is especially sticky. I thought I might try a 2-wheel launch.
I won't do that again!
I did a nice little burn-out. (LOL!! The wife said the fellas on the starting line learned first hand NOT to stand next to a side-piped diesel.)
I pulled up to the line and thoughtlessly built ten pounds boost.
The third yellow came on and I hit it.
BAM!!
Before the truck moved, I believe I saw one of the rear tires jump 12" off the track out the corner of my eye! I sorta impressed myself with how fast I got off of it.
I coasted on down the track thinking "Aw Geez!" But thankfully no damage was done other than my and the fellas standing theres nerves.
I don't know how you 2-wheelers do it.
The week after I buttoned-up the transmission, I was off for vacation. (We're in a severe drought here. It rained the latter part of my week off. What's up with that?
)I had the chance to find some straight methanol locally. So I mixed up a 50/50 blend.
Headed down to the 1/8th mile track, and my best was a 9.6.
Ultimately, that number was a fluke.
My times were down to 9.8 on average. Some as high as 10.0x. The only thing I could think of that had changed that may account for such was the W/M. I screwed around with it for a week or so. blah, blah, blah . .. . .
The other night at the track, talking with some buddies there, one fella was talking about shifting gears and such and TV cable . . . . . . "Ding!"
When I put the trans back in, I didn't want to risk messing it up right off so I had set the TV cable to the factory stock setting. I had also configured the TransGo kit so as to run the more stock shift points.
All along I had a notion the mess was shifting early. To compound the confusion, I have no tachometer.
So last Thursday at the track, After hearing the mention of the TV cable, I tightened mine up a bit, thus raising the shift points (among other aspects), and gave it a go.
The pass before was about 10.xx. With roughly advancing the TV, the mess went straight to a 9.6. (Ding! Ding! Ding!
)It was about 82*F if I remember correctly.
Today, the wife and I went down to the Fayetteville Motorsports Dragway and made a couple or fourteen passes. It's a 1/4 mile track. It was a sticky 88*F or so.
1/8th ~ 9.67 @ 68.69 and 1/4 ~ 15.38 @ 86.12
(My reaction time there was slow as I caught the boost going up to 15 lbs and with backing off a bit, looked back to see a green light. DOH!)
I tried a few different TV settings and after three passes each, averaged the times. The TV setting giving me the above time proved the best. Whew! That means I don't have to go back into the valve-body and change TV springs (each spring change amounts to 200RPM). As such, the new TV setting is not radically different from the OEM setting.
I've got a tach and steering column mount on the way from PDR. We'll see.
BTW, the track there is especially sticky. I thought I might try a 2-wheel launch.
I won't do that again!
I did a nice little burn-out. (LOL!! The wife said the fellas on the starting line learned first hand NOT to stand next to a side-piped diesel.
)I pulled up to the line and thoughtlessly built ten pounds boost.
The third yellow came on and I hit it.
BAM!!
Before the truck moved, I believe I saw one of the rear tires jump 12" off the track out the corner of my eye! I sorta impressed myself with how fast I got off of it.
I coasted on down the track thinking "Aw Geez!" But thankfully no damage was done other than my and the fellas standing theres nerves.
I don't know how you 2-wheelers do it.
My Cuda ran a 9.8 1/8 mile (a 7000 feet)
Did you figure out your 2-3 shift? Have you ever tried to shift it manual to see if you get any better time?
Flash.
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From: sulphur louisiana
I would like to thank you, David for a well done write up on your transmission rebuild. Without it I would have never have tried it on my own. After a month of parts ordering and re-reading your thread and the fsm I have very stout 47re in OLD BLUE.
THANKS AGAIN!
TOMMY
THANKS AGAIN!
TOMMY
Thread Starter
1st Generation Admin
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 4,601
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From: Buies Creek, NC
I dunno, perhaps 6000 miles / maybe 200 WOT passes. Mostly 1/8th mile stuff.
Ran the quarter in 13.16sec a couple of weeks ago (8.5 sec 1/8th).
Ran the eighth in 8.29 sec the other night (1.79 sec 60'
).
I had to modify the valve-body a little (raising pressures) since the original build. Adding twins had it slip a bit on 2nd, 3rd, and OD's engagement. Works like a champ these days.
Ran the quarter in 13.16sec a couple of weeks ago (8.5 sec 1/8th).
Ran the eighth in 8.29 sec the other night (1.79 sec 60'
).I had to modify the valve-body a little (raising pressures) since the original build. Adding twins had it slip a bit on 2nd, 3rd, and OD's engagement. Works like a champ these days.
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Joined: Jun 2007
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I just ran across this and am thinking about rebuilding my 47re. What a great write-up and also entertaining. I guess the one question I have is what after market parts did you order and how did you decide on them? I want to build mine to a little over stock. My 96 Ram is stock and will stay that way but tows a 32 ft T.T. a little. I keep reading about lever apply ratios and billet servo and accumulators. Can you help me out here?
Floyd
Floyd
Thread Starter
1st Generation Admin
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 4,601
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From: Buies Creek, NC
>Giggle<
With the exception of a recently broken intermediate shaft, GREAT!
Very minimal friction material in the pan. No metal flakes. Running 450+hp & 825+ ft/lbs through it has been fine . . .. . till it broke. (All factory original '93 vintage hard-parts).
To date, my best times are 8.27 in the eighth and 13.03 in the quarter.
With the exception of a recently broken intermediate shaft, GREAT!
Very minimal friction material in the pan. No metal flakes. Running 450+hp & 825+ ft/lbs through it has been fine . . .. . till it broke. (All factory original '93 vintage hard-parts).
To date, my best times are 8.27 in the eighth and 13.03 in the quarter.