I suspect the support required to fire that all up is just as tedious as swapping it back into the vehicle and testing it that way.
32RH Transmission Swap From AX-15
- Thread starter hosejockey61
- Start date
Just a suggestion since the trans is out I would also replace the Shift Selector Seal.
It's cheap and good insurance
It's cheap and good insurance
You had the valve body out already, if I didn't already suggest that to you........mah bad
I cleaned up the bell housing prior to those pictures, but there was no residue near the vent hole when I pulled the TC.
The torque converter looks and feels new. No wear marks or dirt buildup when I pulled the t-case. The input is smooth.
When I tightened up the band on the broken transmission, it still sagged when I pulled the pump. I'll just do it vertically as everything seems to come out and go back together easier that way.
You'll have to drain it completely. Or you'll wish you had, anyway. When you stand it up on its end itll leak like a sieve. I have a rubbermaid tray about 4" deep that I will stand it up in. I only ever put a pump in vertically, much easier that way. If you do everything vertically you don't have to touch the band screw, but drilling/tapping the hole for the new vent I would want to do horizontally.
But avoiding tightening the screw is not worth the effort; just do it. When you go to re-install the pump youll want to stand it vertical and then loosen the screw so the drum has a little play to allow the pump stator shaft to seat in the drum bore. And make sure you have the fiber thrust washer, which will almost certainly be stuck to the back side of the pump when you take it out.
Copy that. Yeah I saw that thrust washer on the other one. That would be easy to miss.
WTF did I do???
At times you're just an easy target brother , just own it as a badge of honor .
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Not sure I want to be thankful for this...
Thankfully I have access and a good relationship with our fire service fleet mechanics. I got to chatting today with one who used to rebuild transmissions prior to moving on to the fire service. I gave him the run down of what I'm doing as far as the swap as well as that I sourced the transmission from the junkyard and the fact that it is remanufactured.
With the limited information I gave him, he is 90% certain it is the pump seal. He said if they sit for a very long time, the weight of the torque converter can press just enough on the seal that it kind of forms that way. When you start it up and run it, it stays oblonged out some which allow the fluid to run right out under pressure. He had that once and just let the engine run for awhile and the seal warmed up and closed back up. He said replacing the seal is the better option to ensure that it doesn't continue to leak. He also mentioned that if the lip of the seal is hard, that you should replace it.
As far as what Blaine was saying about the bushing, this guy confirmed that can certainly be an issue as well, but when it is ovaled out you will get heavy vibrations along with the leak, even sitting on the lift and not moving. To replace the bushing is rather simple as you separate the two halves of the pump body and press the old one out and the new one in. You also need to stake it into the two notches. I read that in the FSM yesterday and it's really straightforward. The main issue with this is that the two halves have to be mated EXACTLY prefect or the pump won't go back in and you can end up damaging it trying. There is a special tool for it or he said you can use a large worm drive clamp in a pinch.
He also agreed that it is best to tighten up the band so the drum doesn't move as much. Two of the other mechanics said that they also put the transmission vertical so the weight of the pump doesn't bring the shaft down. Speaking of the input shaft, it should have minimal play (something like less than 3 thou). If it has more than that, it is a good indicator that the bushing needs replaced.
To check the torque convertor input shaft, you can slide a bushing on and if it doesn't slide all the way on easily, the you'll need a new torque convertor.
Lots of stuff learned and confirmed with the conversation today. Glad to have them around.
With the limited information I gave him, he is 90% certain it is the pump seal. He said if they sit for a very long time, the weight of the torque converter can press just enough on the seal that it kind of forms that way. When you start it up and run it, it stays oblonged out some which allow the fluid to run right out under pressure. He had that once and just let the engine run for awhile and the seal warmed up and closed back up. He said replacing the seal is the better option to ensure that it doesn't continue to leak. He also mentioned that if the lip of the seal is hard, that you should replace it.
As far as what Blaine was saying about the bushing, this guy confirmed that can certainly be an issue as well, but when it is ovaled out you will get heavy vibrations along with the leak, even sitting on the lift and not moving. To replace the bushing is rather simple as you separate the two halves of the pump body and press the old one out and the new one in. You also need to stake it into the two notches. I read that in the FSM yesterday and it's really straightforward. The main issue with this is that the two halves have to be mated EXACTLY prefect or the pump won't go back in and you can end up damaging it trying. There is a special tool for it or he said you can use a large worm drive clamp in a pinch.
He also agreed that it is best to tighten up the band so the drum doesn't move as much. Two of the other mechanics said that they also put the transmission vertical so the weight of the pump doesn't bring the shaft down. Speaking of the input shaft, it should have minimal play (something like less than 3 thou). If it has more than that, it is a good indicator that the bushing needs replaced.
To check the torque convertor input shaft, you can slide a bushing on and if it doesn't slide all the way on easily, the you'll need a new torque convertor.
Lots of stuff learned and confirmed with the conversation today. Glad to have them around.
Guess I need to store my 32RH vertically until I'm ready for it.
-Mac
-Mac
No, just don't store the converter mounted in it. The converter lines up on the flex plate and is supported on that side, the snout bushing in the pump supports the other side. When you store them horizontal, the weight of the converter ovals the seal from not being supported by the flex plate. And yes, I know this is about to go to some contrived bullshit to hold the converter square, but just don't. Needs to be stored flat anyway. Take it out, grease everything up so it won't rust and make it easy.
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You moved from talking about staking the bushing to pump re-assembly, I assume this is about pump re-assembly. The first time I did it I was super super super worried about this and even more super super super super super super super careful that the thing was mated up perfectly.
Each time I do it I care at least 75% less than the time before, and I've never had one not go back together nice and square. I take my time and iterate around the pump body bolts to ensure it draws together evenly, but I've never had even the tiniest smidge of the halves not being aligned. I'm sure if they aren't aligned it would cause problems because that pump bore is a pretty tight fit (I mean, you have to use a slide hammer to get it out), but in my "vast experience" I think the actual risk is way overblown.
I watched a video on it and didn't think it was a big deal until my mechanic co-worker mentioned it. He said it is a very real deal in many transmissions but didn't specifically call out the 32rh. He just said to pay attention when doing it. The guy in the video I watched didn't seem to know his way around the part very well and still managed success, so I feel good about it.
So I think I may have found the problem.
First off, the bushing that I've been talking about is located in the pump housing. The torque converter fits inside that. I verified that a new bushing slides on the TC with no issues, so I'm not suspecting that being out of round or worn down.
As soon as I got home this morning I went out and checked the turbine shaft play and it is definitely excessive. I went to my broken transmission and there is very little play like my mechanic buddy said there should be.
I took a video of it and showed it to him and he said that's not good
.
What I'm trying to figure out then, is if the bushing limits movement of the TC, then how would play in the turbine shaft be the cause of the leak? Or is the play just a separate issue?
Here is a video showing the excessive post first followed by normal play.
I think I broke the wrong transmission
View: https://youtube.com/shorts/g6rDjSyQa_E?si=oxYIAXHl0YkTAUwS
First off, the bushing that I've been talking about is located in the pump housing. The torque converter fits inside that. I verified that a new bushing slides on the TC with no issues, so I'm not suspecting that being out of round or worn down.
As soon as I got home this morning I went out and checked the turbine shaft play and it is definitely excessive. I went to my broken transmission and there is very little play like my mechanic buddy said there should be.
I took a video of it and showed it to him and he said that's not good
.What I'm trying to figure out then, is if the bushing limits movement of the TC, then how would play in the turbine shaft be the cause of the leak? Or is the play just a separate issue?
Here is a video showing the excessive post first followed by normal play.
I think I broke the wrong transmission
View: https://youtube.com/shorts/g6rDjSyQa_E?si=oxYIAXHl0YkTAUwS
That shaft is the input shaft, it's pressed into the rear drum, and yes, that endplay is too much. I'll look up the spec, but it is much lower than what you have.
The other end of the input shaft rides on a pair of thrust washers..there are actually a number of thrust washers in place that set the clearances. Both planets have 2 of them, and then the two at the end of the input shaft, and then the fiber washer on the back side of the pump. Ultimately it's just a stack of parts, and the input shaft is basically pinned between the end of the output shaft and the back side of the pump. Are you sure your pump thrust washer is in place?
I'll text you, im running out.
The other end of the input shaft rides on a pair of thrust washers..there are actually a number of thrust washers in place that set the clearances. Both planets have 2 of them, and then the two at the end of the input shaft, and then the fiber washer on the back side of the pump. Ultimately it's just a stack of parts, and the input shaft is basically pinned between the end of the output shaft and the back side of the pump. Are you sure your pump thrust washer is in place?
I'll text you, im running out.
Since you're adept at taking the pump in/out, you're one snap ring away from checking all the thrust washers (from memory):
Remove pump:
* fiber washer behind the pump
Grab input shaft and pull out both drums:
* circular thrust washer centered on the tip of the output shaft
* triangular thrust washer that only fits one way in the 3 slots on the planet housing
Remove snap ring to remove first planet:
* tabbed thrust washer under that planet (inside the driving shell, surrounds the sun gear)
Slide driving shell off:
* tabbed thrust washer between the shell and the 2nd planet — it will stick to the back side of the shell
Slide 2nd planet out
* tabbed thrust washer under the 2nd planet — it will probably stick to the back side of the planet
And that's pretty much how you rebuild an automatic transmission. Although usually the problem is not enough clearance because something got misaligned. Too much clearance...I guess it depends on how much extra play you have.
The input shaft endplay spec is 0.022" to 0.091"
Remove pump:
* fiber washer behind the pump
Grab input shaft and pull out both drums:
* circular thrust washer centered on the tip of the output shaft
* triangular thrust washer that only fits one way in the 3 slots on the planet housing
Remove snap ring to remove first planet:
* tabbed thrust washer under that planet (inside the driving shell, surrounds the sun gear)
Slide driving shell off:
* tabbed thrust washer between the shell and the 2nd planet — it will stick to the back side of the shell
Slide 2nd planet out
* tabbed thrust washer under the 2nd planet — it will probably stick to the back side of the planet
And that's pretty much how you rebuild an automatic transmission. Although usually the problem is not enough clearance because something got misaligned. Too much clearance...I guess it depends on how much extra play you have.
The input shaft endplay spec is 0.022" to 0.091"
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