Paul H22

So I get back from the 11/20 AutoX and the car drove fine for a while but then 3 days later it began to make a clicking sound on the passenger side like a cv axle going out. I didn't think much of it since I had just drove nearly 1000 miles to Dallas and back and then San Antonio and back in addition to the abuse of the AutoX. Well, it must be it's time.

The sound then got louder and more constant over the the course of the day. A bit too rapidly for a cv axle. The next day I jack the front end up on stands and let the wheels spin freely in gear. The sound seemed to be comming more from the transmission and not the axles. After a while of the wheels spinning freely while lifted in he driveway, the transmission seized. Seized on Thanksgiving. Great. It could have been worse I suppose. I'm glad it didn't happen while I was on the road in some foreign city.

At that point it would not roll in neutral. I didn't want to mess with a tow truck and would rather just pull it with a tow strap again to the miata speed shop close by.

So the next day I disconnect the axles and we pull it to the shop. I come by monday afternoon after work to see the damage.

The final drive broke and ripped a section of teeth off. The counter shaft was damaged. The case was cracked and scratched up pretty good. Fluid leaked out the bottom, but not all the fluid.

He said it looked like there were some 5k stand still clutch dumps, although I don't recall doing any. Maybe it was just it's time to go after so many years of racing.

So the plan is to go back to my stock final drive from transmission 1 or 3, which isn't such a bad thing. The 4.85 FD was a bit too high strung. It was a perk of the transmission but the main selling point was the LSD and new syncros. So now I can run 15's which of course cost less for tires and wheels. Also I won't have to worry about gas milage as much. Later down the road I could go 4.74 if things ever get serious.

John, the owner of the place, said we could try to have the case welded and fixed up but it would be a better idea to just get a new transmission housing.

I had just been talking to someone the night before about his old transmission for sale, I decided to get it. It's a M2Y4 5th gen tranny that won't shift into 2nd, but it has new syncros. The case would in good condition, which is all that mattered.

I couldn't use my old case, as it had some hairline fractures some pluged up cracks too.

So, 300 shipped and it should be here monday, shipped to the shop. He'll take the best syncros and countershaft from my 3 transmissions and mix them all up and install the quaife and such in the new housing. Luckily transmission 3, the one being shipped, has newly honda installed snycros from last year, so they should be slightly better what I was previously using.

I'm guessing the car will be ready later next week. After spending so much money on transmission work, I should really just learn how to fix them myself... Add that to my to do list.

Cliffnotes: Tranny go boom.

thepreludedude

that sucks. hope you get it going soon. how much is all that labor going to set you back?

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Paul H22

Don't know yet. Too much, I'm sure.

thepreludedude

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71dsp

IIRC, that's one reason why the ProDrive FD was made with more robust teeth. The FD I bought has significantly beefier teeth than the stock FD. After doing some calcs on your 4.85 FD, I figured the there had to be many more teeth on both the FD gear ring and the countershaft, which makes the teeth a bit more weaker. You sure you didn't do any clutch drops?

As for your transmission woes, are you swapping internals? If so, the end play on the mainshaft will need to be measured and shimmed accordingly. You're moving the LSD too, right? The preload on the LSD bearings will need to be measured and adjusted to spec (via shims). Keep that stuff in mind. If you just swap internals without paying attention to this, you'll have another grenaded transmission on your hands. It's not hard, but I'm not sure how you'd measure the mainshaft endplay without Honda's tool.

Also, does this mean you won't be doing the timing belt work this month or next? I could use the money! Too bad you're not local. I could do the work. I've already done this type of work before.

nikolai911

That sounds like a very good idea. For the price of the first tranmission overhaul, you could have bought all the tools youd ever need to do tranny work on your car.

71dsp

That's why I spent $400 to $500 on tools just to do the transmission. At least I can rebuild a transmission now with all the tools I have without having to pay some one to do it. I almost have enough to do a complete engine build, but I'm missing some measuring tools. Those have to wait since I just bought a TIG welder.

I'm a strong believer in learning how to fix your cars, but there are some people that have absolutely no interest in that, then there are others that just can't seem to turn a wrench no matter how much you help!

Paul H22

IIRC, that's one reason why the ProDrive FD was made with more robust teeth.
Interesting. I think next time I may go with ProDrive.

You sure you didn't do any clutch drops?
Not 5k ones.

As for your transmission woes, are you swapping internals?
Everything is being transfered to this new housing.

If so, the end play on the mainshaft will need to be measured and shimmed accordingly.
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You're moving the LSD too, right? The preload on the LSD bearings will need to be measured and adjusted to spec (via shims). Keep that stuff in mind. If you just swap internals without paying attention to this, you'll have another grenaded transmission on your hands. It's not hard, but I'm not sure how you'd measure the mainshaft endplay without Honda's tool.
John has a good amount of experience with transmissions. He did the LSD install on Drew's transmission too. I hope he knows what he's doing.

Also, does this mean you won't be doing the timing belt work this month or next?
The timing belt work is still going to happen this month or next. Just need to pick up more overtime to balance all this. My sears.com training ended yesterday and now they are offering unlimited overtime, so I'm sure I'll be up there soon one of these Saturdays.

For the price of the first tranmission overhaul, you could have bought all the tools youd ever need to do tranny work on your car.
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That's why I spent $400 to $500 on tools just to do the transmission. At least I can rebuild a transmission now with all the tools I have without having to pay some one to do it.
This is very true. I definately want to learn how to do this type of work myself in the future.

71dsp

Take a Helm's manual to him. That will be a huge help, I'm sure.

Good. I was thinking that if you didn't, you'd have a grenaded engine on your hands too.

You have a lot of bad habits to break before you even think about doing transmission work.

Paul H22

Take a Helm's manual to him. That will be a huge help, I'm sure.
Cool. I'll take my manaul to him.

Good. I was thinking that if you didn't, you'd have a grenaded engine on your hands too.
Haha, my engine is indestructible. It's the transmission that sucks!

You have a lot of bad habits to break before you even think about doing transmission work.
Fair enough.

alvanderp

I gave him mine when he did the Diff install, I think it was helpful.

Billy - the mechanic Paul is using is quite thorough and very good at what he does. Same mechanic I use, he did all of your above listed shim measurement when he installed my diff, in fact held my car an extra day at no charge to ensure he got the right shims from Honda.

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71dsp

The diff shims don't require a special tool. He'll need a special tool in order to measure the end play on the mainshaft, as the transmission needs to be assembled with the mainshaft, and the tool is bolted to the mainshaft to pull on it to measure end play. I figure that someone who has access to a lathe and mill could make a tool, but I don't know how long that would take. After looking at Honda's tool, I could probably make one, but Honda's fits so perfectly!

If he's as thorough as you say, he shouldn't have a problem with it, but I wrestled with it for awhile trying to figure out a way to fab something up. I have limited machine fab tools here, though. I just ended up coughing up the $120 for the Honda tool. Worked like a charm. I'm glad I did it. I ended up having to move up quite a few shim sizes, as my end play was WAY out of spec after I changed the synchro hubs.

Again, the tool isn't a big deal if you have a mill and/or a lathe. I could have made my own tool if I had those tools. I had a lathe, but what I needed to do required a mill. One of these days....$2k for a semi-decent mill, but I just dropped a lot of money on a TIG welder. I'm hoping for a mill around summer or so. I never did get an air compressor, though.

71dsp

After thinking about it some, you could make a tool easily with some 11 gauge steel and a welder. It would be crude, but it would get the job done. I'd imagine he has a welder, so that shouldn't be a problem.

mtbprelude

I'm glad to see the current/former Preluders are keeping JCAutoSpecialist (www.jcautospec.com) in business.

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2007 FP... 6fth; 2008: just tryin not to be DFL