Just something to do while the tranny is out -- may make it quieter and if you use the carmic bead stuff it only adds an ounce or 2 to the wt. of the car. Or did you have some other question about it?

I thought that was what you were referring to...it is amazing how easy so many things are with the engine and transmission out of the way. I am looking forward to cleaning everything up and getting everything routed the way I want it.

Olivier

might be a good time to put in a new clutch cable too

I sometimes mention my Dynamat in the tunnel. it lowers tranny gear noise big time

Ron, was that on the outside of the tunnel?

I used a ceramic bead spray outside (since my engine is out) for light wt. noise reduction -- may do something inside later on.

It seems like the rubber boot, etc. would allow noise in, and it would then come up thru the vents in the cover....

Man, you guys are tempting me... My tranny's first gear has a hard time going in if I dont touch second before. It's a 50/50 shot without touching second and I've been thinking about a rebuild, but I've never done one. I've rebuilt several motors but never a tranny...the scare they HELL outa me :) John, I sure wish you were in my state...

Matt, I may at least open it up and look to see if I can relate what I see to John's directions.

I will just have to be careful to restrain myself if something is not going as easily as expected and send pictures and ask for advice before I damage anything.

We can go through it togther if you want....I will probably peek inside tomrrow night or this weekend.

Olivier

I had my engine out a couple of months ago, but I'm not planning that again till next summer. That's when I'll probably try to tackle the tranny, but thanks anyways. Heh, funny, we gots the same year and color :) For some reason, I really likes the white with black accents...it's just kewel :D

Right!
I read JW's instructions about 4 times, while looking at the Factory manual and my Bentley. Still don't know (for sure) what he's talkin' about.
When my 915 dies, I'll just send it to him in a box, with my credit card.
:)

while tranny is out, check the bannana arm bushings. If I remember correctly, the bolts that secure the bannana arm to the torsion bar tube attachment points can only be removed with the trans out. If so, when you reinstall them, see if they can be rotated 180....so you dont have to remove tranny when these bushings do need to be replaced.

vol, I did replace those during a recent refreshing of the entire rear suspension. You can get to them with the transmission in, but I was removing the entire control arm. Putting those back in wsa one of those tings I thought would take hours, but it actually went pretty quickly and smoothly. I was actually surprised when the bolt slide in!

I will check them for binding while the trans is out of the way, though.

Olivier

If I can match JW's instructions to what I see inside as a newbie, I will post a lot of pictures to help others try this in the future.

One of my concerns is being able to verify that I have put it back together before putting it all back ni the car to test it...is there a way to run through the gears on a bench to make sure that everything is assembled and aligned correctly.

I am far less initimidated by jobs when I get instant feedback that a particular step or phase went correctly...waiting until I test drive the car is not my favorite way of finding out if I did it right!

I am in the same situation but I feel the bearings that hold the pinion and mainshaft in the transmission case need replacement. New Hampshire Bearing makes metric roller bearings. I have not yet bought them yet but am considering it.

Guys who are intimidated by trannies are guys who have never worked on one. Guys who have worked on trannies consider them to be pretty simple. Not rocket science.

That being said, I fall into the former category.

I may try to tackle this job myself, though I will be very tempted to take the unit to John. Very tempted. But I do know several guys who have rebuilt many many 901 trannies who would look over my shoulder, so I'm sure it would be a fast and easy rebuild for me to do, with their assistance.

Hmmm.. inside the tranny tunnel is the tranny.. between the tranny and tunnel wall is Dynamat.

nothing is soundproof in machinery.. so the dampening removes the higher frequency tin can harmonics..

so the clink clack boatta bing is dampened,
but not the booma booma

Diving in...Help JW!
 

OK, I am taking a look and here is how far I got. Trying to be real careful...and if I can do it under these conditions, I think everyone out there on the fence can also fix their syncros.

No problems removing the front cover, and I finally figured out how to lock the gears to remove the nuts on the input and pinion shafts, but I want to make sure that is necessary before I loosen something that will make me loose a critical setting, etc.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1070692634.jpg

JW, can you expand on your instruction of "the 5th and reverse items are removed"? I want to make sure I am not taking too much apart. Haynes says to lock the gears (done), and remove both nuts on the input and pinion shafts. Should the entire 5th gear shift fork slide out after that? I cannot get the reverse/idler gear free yet, so I assume the nuts must come first and I should not touch the pinch bolt on the 5th selector fork.

I also have some questions for those that have gone before...

What is the best way to remove the locking ring on the input shaft nut? It looks like a one-time use ring with a side dented into a recess in the nut, which I have never seen before. I do not see a good way to get any tool in the and I don't want to stress the parts too much.

Also, what are the sizes of these nuts?, since I will probably need to buy some larger sockets.

Thanks,

Olivier

Anyone?

the nuts are 1 1/16" and 1 7/16". use an impact wrench on them to remove. to get the fork and shift sleeve off as a unit, without loosening the fork bolt, put the trans in neutral, then observe how the flat arm sticking out of the main shift rod engages with the notch in the 5th/rev shaft, if you want 5th or reverse. so rotate the main shift shaft with the flat arm away from the 5th/rev shaft, then with a large prying device, under the flat arm, and against the edge of the case, pry the main shift shaft up, like you're trying to pull it out of the case, until it goes up 3/4" or so. you will notice that one of the pair of shafts that are sticking out of the case will move at the same time. now there's room to pull off the 5th/rev shift sleeve, shaft and fork as a unit. this keeps you from disturbing the fork adjustment on that shaft. the top set of gears come off together with the reverse idler shaft. some minor help with a couple of screwdrivers sometimes is needed. once everything is removed from that end, the shift guide plate on the side is removed, and the nuts that hold the center housing to the differential housing come off, and the center housing is removed to expose the two stacks of gears. a plastic hammer may be required to break the bond of the gasket. don't pound on any protruding ears on the housing, or you may break them off!

Thanks, John, I am off to try it that way. I just bought 27 and 36 mm sockets, though, I never would have guessed they were standard!

I am sure I would have done some damage, at least to the fork alignment, without those tips.

Olivier

Which are the parts that I will definitely want/need to replace?

I see three parts in the PP catalog: syncro rings, syncro hubs, and sliders.

JW mentioned the syncro, syncro teeth, and shift sleeve.

I have also heard the parts brake band and dog teeth mentioned.

Can anyone help me sort out these parts and let me know which ones I should definitely order in advance? I don't mind having to order a more expensive part later only if it appears worn after I inspect it.

Thanks,

Olivier