I've been lurking here for a few weeks, normally post over on LS2.com.

I broke the transmission in my Camaro a year ago, and I'm just now getting around to replacing it. I removed the old one.

The fluid was really dark (not red at all), and there was lots of metal in the transmission pan.

I'm getting a used transmission from a local junkyard ($200). The torque converter is filled with the nasty fluid too, so I'm going to replace that too. Should I do anythign about the fluid in the transmission cooler? Should I try to blow it out wiht air or something?

I figure when I get the new/used tranny, I'm gonna service it with new filter and fluids, and put my speedo gears from the old one on it. Then I think I should be ready to go. Anything else I should do to it before I start it up with the new/old tranny?

Also, I bought a transmission mount (Energy Suspension) like most people on here recommended. But my crossmember has 2 pieces. Should I replace the top piece of the crossmember (and those bushing, or just use the old stuff again. Are those bushings supposed to be glued onto the middle metal piece too, or is it bad when they fall off? And if I do want to replace it, will a regular AutoZone/Discount carry that? Here is a pic to show what I'm talking about.



The piece I'm referring to is the bushings (in red), and the metal piece that they are kinda stuck too.

Thanks for any help.

 

That's the hydraulic mount - ditch it. Get a standard crossmember from a later model camaro ('89+) or before that (pre '87).

What year is your car? My '88 had that. I got one off an automatic '90 (I have a 5 spd) and it went in fine.

yes, clean out as much of that crap fluid as you can!

 

Um, that's not the hydraulic mount...
I had a 1987 Camaro with the 2.8L and a 5-speed and it had that same cross-member. That is a a two-piece cross-member that uses a standard rectangular (not hydraulic) tranny mount. Those bushings are just that, rubber bushings, just gives the tranny a little more dampening than a standard solid cross-member. My 1989 Camaro RS with the 2.8L and a 5-speed had the hydraulic mount. It was a one-piece cross-member with out bushings. The cross-member had a big hole in the center that the cylindrical hydraulic mount sat in. The drawing that BigOgre made shows a standard rectangular transmission mount.

Anyhow, I don't know if you can get replacement bushings. You'll just have to check around with parts stores and ask the dealer too. Taking the cross-member or a picture along might help. You could also use a standard one-piece cross-member and you would be fine. As far as I know, most automatic transmission cars came with the one-piece mount. I've seen the two-piece that you have drawn on a manual car (my 87). And as far as I know, the hydraulic was only used on the manual V6 cars from 88-89. Someone correct me if I am wrong.

 

Unless there's a third I'm not aware of, the 2 piece IS the hydraulic transmission mount. Like $300+ from GM. Those 'rubber bushings' are hydraulic filled, evidently for extra damping for the '88-'89 V6 T5's The standard one piece stamped steel x member uses a rubber (or in your case, poly) mount with 2 bolts to the tranny, and one to the crossmember.

 

One other thing - if you decide to ditch your current xmember, the standard one will bolt further back - but the bolts holes should already be there (mine were)

 

Um, the second picture (the round thing) in this post is the $300 hydraulic mount:
https://www.thirdgen.org/techbb2/sho...hreadid=193049

The style of cross-member that BigOgre has is like the one in Dale's first picture here:
https://www.thirdgen.org/techbb2/sho...hreadid=128834

Note that in the first picture that Dale has posted, the two rubber bushings are underneath the second piece of the cross-member. Now look closely at the last picture that Dale posted at the very bottom of that thread, note that he moved two of the bushings to on top of the second piece and there is only one under it on each side. I wouldn't think bushings that thin would be filled with fluid...

Edit:
Another picture of the hydraulic mount:
https://www.thirdgen.org/techbb2/sho...ydraulic+mount

 

Wow, so there are 3? My '88 came with the same setup that Big Ogre is talking about - and when I split the rubber bushings, oil came out of them. I always figured that was the hydraulic mount everyone spoke of - I've never seen that mount that you posted the threads to...

I had Big Ogre's same x member. Pulled it out, got an auto tranny x member from a '90, with an auto tranny mount, and mounted it in the bolts holes that are behind the stock ones. Worked well so far!

 

Really? Huh. Well, that's interesting. Yeah, all that I have ever seen refered to as the hydraulic mount was that cylinder mount in the other posts. The cross-member it mounts to is not flat, it curves up in the middle toward the tranny (if I remember correctly), and has a big hole in the middle that the hydraulic mount is nestled in.

I guess if those bushings are getting weak, cracked up, or leaking, then a cross-member change would be a good idea (if the bushings are expensive).

Yeah, the plain auto cross-member does work just fine on a manual car. That is what I did with my 89 when the hydraulic mount died. Although in it's case, if I remember correctly, the auto cross-member bolted up right where the cylindrical hydraulic mount cross-member bolted up.

 

Thanks for the help. When I go to the salvage yard to pick up my transmission, I'll see if I can get a '90-'92 cross member. V6, V8, manual, or auto... It doesn't matter right? Is the cross member the same for the hydraulic mount as it is for the rubber mount? ie, all 1 piece cross members are identitcal, just the tranny mounts themselves were different.

I called AutoZone, and they said they didn't have they the bushings or second part of the cross member.

If all else fails, I'll just use the old ones again I guess. They haven't cracked or anything yet.

Also went by a tranny shop and got some Transmission cooler flush. $15 for the can. Comes wiht a little nozzle your supposed to be able to screw on to the end of your cooler lines. Did I get ripped, $15 seems sorta expensive, but I'd rather spend $15 than do this all over again with the tranny.

 

If you pick up another cross-member, you'll want a single piece cross-member from an 82-92 F-body (probably an automatic since they are the ones that usually came with a single-piece cross-member). I got mine out of a 1983 Firebird with the 2.5L 4-cyl and a 3-speed auto.

"Is the cross member the same for the hydraulic mount as it is for the rubber mount?"

No, the hydraulic mount cross-member, is a single piece cross-member with a big hole in the middle for the mount. The mount sits down inside of the hole and the cross-member is kind of curved up towards the transmission.

The rubber-mount cross-member is a single or two piece design with the main piece being flat in the middle and it hangs down away from the transmission slightly (like the one you have). In the case of the two piece design, the second piece is on those bushings, but the main piece still curves away from the tranny slightly.

If your current cross-member is in good shape, the bushings are firm and not cracked badly, then I don't think it would hurt to continue using it. The '87 Camaro I had had over 240,000 miles on that cross-member when I sold it in January, and it still worked great. No clunking and no broken bushings.