Well, I finally made up my mine and bought some tranny parts and rebuild kit. I took it apart and noticed the band was severly worn (into the rivets) and flaking (pitting)and many of the clutches in the 3-4 pack were either missing their linings (the 2 frictions in the back) or very worn. Varnish covered the steels (overheating?)
Would this cause a 'laggy' 1-2 shift?

I also noticed that my seperator plate looks bashed to hell from the accumulators. Is this normal? And the checkball in the case pretty much dead center, slightly to drivers side (recess looks like a squash) looks like it was freakin' out (occillating up and down) and kinds displaced some metal in the case and pounded a dimple in the plate. What caused this? All the other frictions (especially in the 1st drum) look like brand new (still have grooves in them)

The list of parts/mods I will do is as follows:
Red eagle frictions, kolene steels
Red eagle extra wide powerband
Corvette servo kit
.500 boost valve
13 vane pump retrofit kit
Put spacers in both accumulators (to stop travel), remove checkball from aux valvebody and put extra stiff spring in there too, block the line bias valve, replace torringtons/bushings, drill 1/2 apply hole and 2/3 apply to .110, drill tv balance hole to .055, drill 3/4 release to .078.

I noticed the band wore the drum slightly (I guess the rivets are softer cause they didn't really scratch it) and took it to work and threw it on the lathe just to flatten it. Question... How rough should I leave this surface? Its at 180 grit with a non-directional finish (d/a) like I usually do brake rotors. (Am I nit-picking or does it have to be a mirror finish or like a piston needs some 'surface' to break into?)

Does this combo sound good? Will it hold or should I have went with the 'blue plates'?
Do you have any more advise on quick&easy mods to improve life/strength? I know with these mods it will SLAM into every gear (including reverse and drive) but i'm not driving a caddy. What rules of endplay, pack clearances would be best? I didn't get my rebuild book yet, but did some online researchin' which led me to some excellent deals (like a $9.41 Corvette servo kit with servo and housing/seals!!!)

Thanks for any advise! I'm tired of hearing about performance built tranny's I throw in my car and tear the hell out of in less than a year. If I do it myself at least I could only blame myself if it fails. I believe these parts will help and is alot more than any performance tranny has in it. Hell they probably use the cheapest garbage parts they could get... It would still last past their warranty, and thats all they care about. I'm not generalizing but I could think of two major brands I witnessed hit the sh?tter in less than a year, and they cost! Good thing is now I have some cores laying around (desirable 88, 89 cores) that I could guinnea pig with. I am a machinist and have proper measuring tools, if my book comes I will know what to measure!

One other important question. What kind of cleaning fluid can I use to rinse my housing/parts off in. I'm inside so highly flammable stinky fluids are out. But water causes rust. I need something that small amounts might stay in there but not cause a prob. Cheap sounds good too since I have alot of parts to wash!



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'88 Camaro RS 2.8L
'88 Formula 350 (Too many mods to list...)

 

WOW! I was just on e-bay and this guy has 'trade' secrets that cannot be revealed!!! Under penalty of death!!! on his 700r4

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/aw-cg...863622&r=0&t=0

I guess asking him for help is out!

I also found this site which is by far the most helpful yet!
http://www.transonline.com/totalTechDatabase/index.html

[This message has been edited by JoelOl75 (edited March 05, 2001).]

[This message has been edited by JoelOl75 (edited March 05, 2001).]