This trans had roughly 10k miles on it as I rebuilt last summer with a transtar overhaul kit with borgwarner frictions and z-pack for 3rd. I took the trans out and cracked it open because I never had a nice 3-1 downshift. It always seemed like it was slipping at first, and then it would slingshot you forward. From a dig, the car always pulled well, it just didn't like the 3-1 downshift at 42 mph.
These are some horrid pics of the input clutch (bottom set), while the raybests z-pack is up top and I'm reusing it because it looks great. All the rest of the frictions with be getting Raybestos performance stage 1 frictions. I also installed another friction in 1st, and ran thinner steels for the input clutch (final clearance is .058). The z-pack has roughly .055 clearance in that set. I was going to install the 2nd frictions when I noticed (after I soaked them), transtar sent me input frictions for 03+ for my 2nd clutch. Need to call them first thing and see about these getting shipped ASAP to me.
Forward HE band is toast, everything else looks pretty good so far. I'm going to inspect the torsen diff tomorrow, but the thrust washers looked good on it.
So what should have been a quick overhaul (open up trans, replace frictions, sprag assembly input/3rd and 1-2 roller, sealing rings, and basic seals), did not go as planned. Then again how often do things go as planned. Bottom case torx bit damage 2 of my craftsman torx t40 (or t50), and of course it strips. So I dremeled a slot in it to put an 1/8 steel bar in to try and twist it out, ended up twisting the steel. Got it out with 1/4 steel, I might have to add that to my toolbox.![]()
BUT THE MAIN REASON was to change my 7/8 2.93 gears from trannyman to the new 7/8 3.29 gears from him
After looking at my input frictions, I'm kind of puzzled on how they became so burned up and even coned like the typical 3rd frictions normally look like. I have a feeling I might have flipped the bottom backing plate with the step up and that made the pack an extra .070 tighter. Unfortunately I don't know as I dumped all the steels out and wasn't paying attenting when I put them aside as far as orientations is concerned.
Here was my original build thread last year
http://www.grandprixforums.net/f21/o...uild-4715.html