- Joined
- February 8, 2003
- Messages
- 9,814
- Reaction score
- 98
- City, State
- Sacramento, CA 95827
- Year, Model & Trim Level
- 1992 XLT
To begin... this is not a diary. This is not how I would rebuild an A4LD transmission. But in the interests of those willing to accept something less, and with many requests that I do such a thread I am doing it. BUT....I am locking it.... because I do not want comments.... yet. I will open it once I am done.
I am rebuilding another A4LD at the moment, and plan on making it a state of the art as i can... that is what I promised the nice fellow from whom it is being built. But as i go along I can offer a parallel thread on how to cut some corners and do a "good enough" thread for those asking. So that is what this thread is about.I admit my unease.
"Good enough" this transmission may be a little easier because I have a really NICE transmission on the bench... a 1994, and it is by all appearances low mileage.... or recently rebuilt... then in a wreck.
This is gonna make one awesome transmission for an A4ld when it is done, but for now, this thread will select various features to discuss.
BEGINNING:
Every transmission should be degreased and washed before you start. Why ? because it will make working on it much nicer..... and set a tone of cleanliness you should follow. Me ? I prefer to do a really good job and pressure wash and paint the case.It just serves for me to tell me to stay clean and when I am done the transmission is something I can be proud of. Here is the case, all cleaned, sandblasted (It gets washed several times as a precaution after blasting) and painted.
the drums inside need the glaze taken off. Sandpaper is good, a sandblaster... hmmmm ... trying this followed up by 150 grit carbide.....
(PIC)
The "frost" replaced a shiny glaze
Check out the frictions.... These could be re-used..... if the pattern is still deep, you can reuse the frictions in a good enough rebuild. Steels too. Scuff the steels slightly with carbide paper.
(pic)
inside the case is the rear race and a "wave" washer. The wave washer takes a beating from a poor designed bushing in the rear drum. This is gonna be a tough call. I prefer to always replace these washers and races.... but in good enough.... well unless it is really bad... we will accept it.
DO get the Sonnax End caps. DO DO DO. Even in a good enough this is essential.
(PIC)
Check the condition of the rear sprag (one way clutch fingers) These ride the race and in my rebuilds always get replaced with the race. Absent obvious galling or scoring, in a good enough you can re-use them.
(I should note a "good enough rebuild" does not contemplate a blown trannie rebuild. If you have metal in the trannie floating around, you may not do a "good enough" rebuild. Period. It will not last to see the dawn. Ok ok ... it won't last, I promise. Dawn, maybe.)
Rear planetary. Clean it up and absent scoring on the teeth, should be ok.
(Note bushing and bearings WILL BE REPLACED... anything less isn't good enough)
Input shell. Unless you have big gouges in it, you can reuse it. In my rebuilds this is also a replace item. The small dents give room for it to hammer and soon become BIG dents.... I like zero movement. But, we are talking good enough, right ?
(Finished for now... will add pictures and continue the rebuild forward as I go along in this rebuild - at the end I will post locations and prices for purchased items)
I am rebuilding another A4LD at the moment, and plan on making it a state of the art as i can... that is what I promised the nice fellow from whom it is being built. But as i go along I can offer a parallel thread on how to cut some corners and do a "good enough" thread for those asking. So that is what this thread is about.I admit my unease.
"Good enough" this transmission may be a little easier because I have a really NICE transmission on the bench... a 1994, and it is by all appearances low mileage.... or recently rebuilt... then in a wreck.
This is gonna make one awesome transmission for an A4ld when it is done, but for now, this thread will select various features to discuss.
BEGINNING:
Every transmission should be degreased and washed before you start. Why ? because it will make working on it much nicer..... and set a tone of cleanliness you should follow. Me ? I prefer to do a really good job and pressure wash and paint the case.It just serves for me to tell me to stay clean and when I am done the transmission is something I can be proud of. Here is the case, all cleaned, sandblasted (It gets washed several times as a precaution after blasting) and painted.
the drums inside need the glaze taken off. Sandpaper is good, a sandblaster... hmmmm ... trying this followed up by 150 grit carbide.....
(PIC)
The "frost" replaced a shiny glaze
Check out the frictions.... These could be re-used..... if the pattern is still deep, you can reuse the frictions in a good enough rebuild. Steels too. Scuff the steels slightly with carbide paper.
(pic)
inside the case is the rear race and a "wave" washer. The wave washer takes a beating from a poor designed bushing in the rear drum. This is gonna be a tough call. I prefer to always replace these washers and races.... but in good enough.... well unless it is really bad... we will accept it.
DO get the Sonnax End caps. DO DO DO. Even in a good enough this is essential.
(PIC)
Check the condition of the rear sprag (one way clutch fingers) These ride the race and in my rebuilds always get replaced with the race. Absent obvious galling or scoring, in a good enough you can re-use them.
(I should note a "good enough rebuild" does not contemplate a blown trannie rebuild. If you have metal in the trannie floating around, you may not do a "good enough" rebuild. Period. It will not last to see the dawn. Ok ok ... it won't last, I promise. Dawn, maybe.)
Rear planetary. Clean it up and absent scoring on the teeth, should be ok.
(Note bushing and bearings WILL BE REPLACED... anything less isn't good enough)
Input shell. Unless you have big gouges in it, you can reuse it. In my rebuilds this is also a replace item. The small dents give room for it to hammer and soon become BIG dents.... I like zero movement. But, we are talking good enough, right ?
(Finished for now... will add pictures and continue the rebuild forward as I go along in this rebuild - at the end I will post locations and prices for purchased items)
