Beefing-Up My A518 Transmission (Updated As It Occurs)
08-03-2010, 12:13 PM
#61
1st Generation Admin
Thread Starter
I'm guessing by what I get from your posts that you cut down the pressure plate in the rear clutch on the side that touches the bellville washer? To quote dire straits "oh, that ain't workin". If you have access to a surface grinder you can take half of what you need off the top (the flat side) of the pressure plate. The other half gets taken off the top of the reaction plate (that's what I call the top thick plate in the clutches, don't know the offishul name) by lathe or grinder.
- While I can mill the face of the pressure plate, it'll get thin on the outer tabs that engage the drum. That alone won't provide enough room.
- Milling the face of the reaction plate won't help in this application. I need to move the entire clutch/steel pack deeper into the drum. Not make things wider to fit the pack.
08-03-2010, 01:22 PM
#62
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While I can mill the face of the pressure plate, it'll get thin on the outer tabs that engage the drum. That alone won't provide enough room.
- Milling the face of the reaction plate won't help in this application. I need to move the entire clutch/steel pack deeper into the drum. Not make things wider to fit the pack.
- Milling the face of the reaction plate won't help in this application. I need to move the entire clutch/steel pack deeper into the drum. Not make things wider to fit the pack.
Thinner Steels ??
08-03-2010, 02:17 PM
#63
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I went back and looked at the pic of the rear clutch discs and the front annulus gear, you would need to take it all off of the top plate or rear plate in the rear clutch. A$A might sell a stepped plate to get another disc in there. The stockers are powdered metal, don't know if they would be strong enough to be thinned down that much. If you're running a fairly thick snap ring in the rear clutch pack for correct clearance you can take a little less off the plate and run the thinnest snap ring.
08-03-2010, 02:53 PM
#66
1st Generation Admin
Thread Starter
Both are the thinest commonly available.
@ txs. I'm done messing with it. If I slip the thing, I'll check with A$A and get one of the custom pressure plates. I'm led to believe i can put over 1000hp-ft/lbs through the 4 disk setup with no problem.
It'd be a LOT simpler if one could find a rear annulus with about 1/4" more spline length.
@ txs. I'm done messing with it. If I slip the thing, I'll check with A$A and get one of the custom pressure plates. I'm led to believe i can put over 1000hp-ft/lbs through the 4 disk setup with no problem.
It'd be a LOT simpler if one could find a rear annulus with about 1/4" more spline length.
08-22-2010, 09:20 PM
#67
1st Generation Admin
Thread Starter
Well after four months of dragging my behind using a number of different reasons (coming up with the funds for the upgrades being one), I've finally gotten the heap back on the road.
- As far as the transmission goes, being that the majority of the beefing-up was with updating the gear-sets, there's not really anything to report. I didn't make any changes in the valve-body. With that, the truck drives as it should. No leaks, weird sounds, etc.
- Tightening the torque converter has however effected getting the truck moving as it takes a little more throttle to get on top of the turbos (smoky). Thomas with M&H Performance has been kind enough to grind me a custom pin that appears to help with low boost smoke. Thrifty application of the throttle cleans up no boost conditions.The engine rpms are now 1750 @ 55mph in overdrive. A full throttle blast has the EGTs and boost up a little indicating more load on the engine.
At this point, I've not done any boosted launches as frankly, I'm chicken. Thursday night's "Run What Ya Brung" will be here soon enough.
- As far as the transmission goes, being that the majority of the beefing-up was with updating the gear-sets, there's not really anything to report. I didn't make any changes in the valve-body. With that, the truck drives as it should. No leaks, weird sounds, etc.
- Tightening the torque converter has however effected getting the truck moving as it takes a little more throttle to get on top of the turbos (smoky). Thomas with M&H Performance has been kind enough to grind me a custom pin that appears to help with low boost smoke. Thrifty application of the throttle cleans up no boost conditions.The engine rpms are now 1750 @ 55mph in overdrive. A full throttle blast has the EGTs and boost up a little indicating more load on the engine.
At this point, I've not done any boosted launches as frankly, I'm chicken.
Thursday night's "Run What Ya Brung" will be here soon enough.
08-26-2010, 11:12 PM
#73
1st Generation Admin
Thread Starter
Excellent
The modified SunCoast torque converter has an apparent BIG impact compared to what it was before. It appears to be good for almost two tenths of a second in the eighth changing nothing else. Still gotta dial in the trans shift points. All else of the trans seems to work correctly.
FWIW: Gotta "fly-by" vid .. . .
From a best of 8.27 to 8.12, I'm pleased.
