#$%^!! G50 tranny - ear broke off while removing the release shaft

don911 · don911's Garage

I removed my transmission this morning. The bentleys said to use a slide hammer to remove the release shaft. When I removed the tranny from the motor, I found that the ear for the release shaft broke off. F#$%!!

It looks like the housing is one unit. Has this happened before?? I tried a search and came up with nothing.
How screwed am I? Are there any options?? Is my transmission a paper weight?

Thanks, Don

Wayne 962 · Wayne 962's Garage

Hi Don. I think that these can be rewelded - although they should be done by someone who has done this before...

-Wayne

KTL · 11-08-2003, 02:19 PM

I have heard of these ears breaking as well. You're right that the bell housing is part of the main trans. case. So replacing the housing is an expensive option. You could get a decent replacement (used) G50 for what it'd cost you to replace the case!!!

Like Wayne said, having it welded by an experienced aluminum/alloy welder would be what I would do to fix it.

island911 · 11-08-2003, 02:31 PM

Deeeeeeeep breath. . .

its no biggie to weld this stuff.
(though that does suck)

masraum · 11-08-2003, 02:41 PM

The ear is part of the housing. I had the same thing happen to mine, but the reason was probably a misadjusted clutch pedal when I bought the car and mine broke off as I was driving. I have heard of one other person on the Rennlist having the same problem that I did (actually the mechanic was on the Rennlist). For mine and the other guy the ear was gone, I assume that you still have yours, I don't know, that may help. My mechanic had mine welded as did the other instance, everything that I could find said that the welded section should be as strong or stronger when finished.

As far as I know the other instance held, mine however had a tiny vibration fron day one, and after a month broke again. My mechanic thinks the hole hadn't been drilled properly. Another local shop that does 911 racecar work said that the G50 tranny has some bores honed while the case is assembled and empty and said that getting them to match correctly if I only replaced part of the case would be difficult. I don't know if that's true or not, but I decided to just buy a tranny from a dismantler (sounds better than "junk yard"). I paid $1500 for a tranny with fewer miles than mine that shifted better than my original (have receipts from way back with complaints of stiff shifting). Fortunately the mechanic that did the original transmission work didn't charge me for the R&R of the new tranny. He figured since it didn't hold the first time...

Good luck, I think the welding may be a good option, but make sure you check around and get it done by someone who seems to have the skill.

don911 · don911's Garage

I've counted to 10 a few times so am calmer now. I'll see if I can track down a good welder.
Should have just had JW swap engines for me.

Thanks for the advice.
btw, here's a pix

Britwrench · 11-08-2003, 04:15 PM

We've welded these before, but we strip the trans first. If you have the old piece it helps. The usual symptom of this is very stiff clutch pedal operation, we now recommend to our G50 owning customers that if the pedal feels unusually stiff, they should stop driving the car. We TIG weld a repair piece and then machine the bore to use the latest bearings.

Mike Feinstein · Mike Feinstein's Garage

Don,

What a drag! It's that feeling you get when you decide to tighten the bolt just a smidge more and....snap! Ok, maybe it's even worse. Hopefully it will weld up better than new without too much hassle. You've paid your dues now...so your engine is sure to arrive safe and sound and the rest of the swap will be trouble-free (or so it says on this fortune cookie).

Best of luck and keep us posted.

don911 · don911's Garage

Strip the transmission?! Sounds like an expensive repair.

Britwrench · 11-08-2003, 06:00 PM

The problem is with all the innards, the trans gets a bit difficult to move about when machining. It may be possible to do it without stripping.

H20911 · 09:05 PM

You can weld that.

I am reminded of a story.......We were telling my Brother- in - law (doctor) about a friend that was seeing doctor and the doctor he was seeing said "I have never seen a case this bad".

My brother- in- law said, "Then He needs to find a doctor who has".

Simple......but true.

Just find a good welder/trans guy that has done it before. check rebuild houses they sometimes have to get repairs done. they may have a guy that does it on the side.

I would think that you could tig it (the orginal parts back) or weld over a brass rod (alum does not stick to brass) that is slightly undersized then ream it back out to size again.

good luck

alfizzo · 11-09-2003, 06:10 AM

alfizzo · 11-09-2003, 06:17 AM

don

the same thing happen to me. i rewelded the orginal broken pieces but it wasnt strong enough. so i had some t6160 pipe withthe same diameter as the ear the broke off. all i did was cut a small piece the same width as the ear . then over lap it to the broken ear. mark where it verlaps with some nail polish. then cut it in half where you marked it. cut it a tad bigger so you can file it down to get a perfect fit. then have ti welded. i will post a pic of mine fixed. i might have more 6061 pipe

don911 · don911's Garage

The more I hear about the welds not being strong enough, the less I like the sound of that option. I'll call Britwrench's place in the morning and see if they can estimate the cost of welding and machining.
Sounds like a decent G50 is $1500-$2000. Unless welding and machining is fairly inexpensive, I'll just try to find a decent G50.

alfizzo · 11-09-2003, 11:32 AM

the welding cost me 55 dollars. i just took a pic of the weld i will up load it soon

alfizzo · 11-09-2003, 12:02 PM

don911 · don911's Garage

Thanks for the weld picture. Why wasn't the weld of the original piece strong enough?

alfizzo · 11-09-2003, 04:50 PM

it broke in to many parts. plus its just the cast aluminum. 6061 is way stronger and welds better.

Leland Pate · 11-09-2003, 04:57 PM

...So... I guess the rod bolts aren't the ONLY thing made of pasta.

Tough luck though.

don911 · don911's Garage

How are you going to clean up the hole? Are you going to size the hole for the updated release shaft?

Leland, You must have been talking with Glenn. I should have come to breakfast. Maybe this wouldn't have happened.
How was the trip back? I grew up in Great Falls. How long have you been there?