Scimitar
Member
- Joined
- March 29, 2016
- Messages
- 15
- Reaction score
- 0
- City, State
- Gloucester UK
- Year, Model & Trim Level
- Reliant Scimitar 1981
Well today I got to it. I had prepared a valve block last week, but I wasn't too happy with it so decided to just sort the fitted one.
Initially I tried to pump out the oil but only managed a pint before it gave up, so it was back to the factory method of letting it pour out of the sump after loosening the bolts. Quite messy and of course I ended up with oil all over the floor!
After dropping the sump, I checked the solenoid again for activity, but not a murmur although it was pulling current. Unfortunately, the solenoid cannot be changed without stripping the valve block, so that's what I had to do. The block is held in with 25 assorted length bolts so takes a while to remove.
Now the brain surgery...
Once on the bench, three Torx bolts are removed to gain access and the gasket peeled away, thankfully in one piece. That revealed all the valves etc. There are six checkballs, two pucks and some retainers that all fall out at this point if you are not paying attention.
Next the valve body was drilled as per the Transgo instructions. I am not totally sure what difference it makes though! Once done the valve body was solvent cleaned and then the other modifications carried out to various valves. That went fairly well apart from having some parts that were totally different to the manual or supplied instructions. I was unable to remove the TCC lockup valves, but cleaned and exercised them to check. Initally they were stuck. There is a modified spring to install, but as I couldn't get the valve out, it had to stay original. Shame really as that was the area of concern.
Once complete, the new gasket was fitted and the intermediate plate fitted with the three Torx screws. In the manual is says there are only two! I nipped them up and intended to torque them next.
The valve block was offered up and some bolts installed. Then I realised that there are four different sizes so had to take them all out again to assess what went where.
Once done, I nipped up the valve block and checked the manual for the torque setting. Then it dawned on me that I had forgotten to torque up the three Torx bolts, so back out with the valve block AGAIN. FFS!
Next was the reverse/first servo. Mods to that required dismantling by pressing in the vice. A wire clip is removed and an internal spring gets replaced. For some reason, the instructions say not to re-install the clip, so I followed that rather than my instinct.
There was a note on the instructions about not forgetting the return spring. WHAT return spring? I couldn't remember seeing one so checked the workshop manual. That also called for a return spring, so another hunt around followed by stripping the servo from a C3 which revealed no spring IS fitted. So that went back in with new gaskets.
Once everything was re-installed a quick double check of the work and torque settings completed, I installed the sump. For some reason, I was missing four bolts that I had to rob from another box. Once I had done that, I found the four bolts of course! I had drained over a gallon of ATF so I put a similar quantity back in and ran it up to temperature.
Cycling through the gears, I had a loud rattling in all forward gears. Checking the levels showed it was still low, so topped up again. Sadly, no change so up in the air again, to find that the centre silencer was rattling on the lift crossbar.
Once happy with the operation I took it off the lift and cleared up. I was unable to check the TCC lockup as the roads were full of Sunday drivers, even the bypass was running too slowly to do any testing. The general operation felt nice, maybe psychological though. It changed up nicely and changed down correctly. Flooring it kept it in low gear until about 4K RPM so that's all OK. I managed to get to about 40MPH briefly and I think I saw a lockup, but not sure. Further testing to do now.
Initially I tried to pump out the oil but only managed a pint before it gave up, so it was back to the factory method of letting it pour out of the sump after loosening the bolts. Quite messy and of course I ended up with oil all over the floor!
After dropping the sump, I checked the solenoid again for activity, but not a murmur although it was pulling current. Unfortunately, the solenoid cannot be changed without stripping the valve block, so that's what I had to do. The block is held in with 25 assorted length bolts so takes a while to remove.
Now the brain surgery...
Once on the bench, three Torx bolts are removed to gain access and the gasket peeled away, thankfully in one piece. That revealed all the valves etc. There are six checkballs, two pucks and some retainers that all fall out at this point if you are not paying attention.
Next the valve body was drilled as per the Transgo instructions. I am not totally sure what difference it makes though! Once done the valve body was solvent cleaned and then the other modifications carried out to various valves. That went fairly well apart from having some parts that were totally different to the manual or supplied instructions. I was unable to remove the TCC lockup valves, but cleaned and exercised them to check. Initally they were stuck. There is a modified spring to install, but as I couldn't get the valve out, it had to stay original. Shame really as that was the area of concern.
Once complete, the new gasket was fitted and the intermediate plate fitted with the three Torx screws. In the manual is says there are only two! I nipped them up and intended to torque them next.
The valve block was offered up and some bolts installed. Then I realised that there are four different sizes so had to take them all out again to assess what went where.
Once done, I nipped up the valve block and checked the manual for the torque setting. Then it dawned on me that I had forgotten to torque up the three Torx bolts, so back out with the valve block AGAIN. FFS!
Next was the reverse/first servo. Mods to that required dismantling by pressing in the vice. A wire clip is removed and an internal spring gets replaced. For some reason, the instructions say not to re-install the clip, so I followed that rather than my instinct.
There was a note on the instructions about not forgetting the return spring. WHAT return spring? I couldn't remember seeing one so checked the workshop manual. That also called for a return spring, so another hunt around followed by stripping the servo from a C3 which revealed no spring IS fitted. So that went back in with new gaskets.
Once everything was re-installed a quick double check of the work and torque settings completed, I installed the sump. For some reason, I was missing four bolts that I had to rob from another box. Once I had done that, I found the four bolts of course! I had drained over a gallon of ATF so I put a similar quantity back in and ran it up to temperature.
Cycling through the gears, I had a loud rattling in all forward gears. Checking the levels showed it was still low, so topped up again. Sadly, no change so up in the air again, to find that the centre silencer was rattling on the lift crossbar.
Once happy with the operation I took it off the lift and cleared up. I was unable to check the TCC lockup as the roads were full of Sunday drivers, even the bypass was running too slowly to do any testing. The general operation felt nice, maybe psychological though. It changed up nicely and changed down correctly. Flooring it kept it in low gear until about 4K RPM so that's all OK. I managed to get to about 40MPH briefly and I think I saw a lockup, but not sure. Further testing to do now.
