A crappy task

[Bonnewagon]

When you think you are ready to put the side cover back on check a few things. This can be the hardest part of the operation. All shifter hubs and paddles MUST be in neutral to go back together easily. Reverse shifter has a spring loaded detent ball under it. Make sure either a shifter arm or a couple of washers are installed under the outside bolt to hold the reverse shifter in tight. Otherwise the spring pulls the arm in just enough so if the arm moves the ball can go BOING! After I found the errant ball and put washers under the bolt I also noticed the two shifter paddles were loose. They had slipped out from their detents in the side cover and would not engage the shifter hubs. All these things must be in place properly or you will cuss up a storm trying to get the paddles to slide into the hubs correctly. When the paddles are in their proper place in the neutral position they will be held tight and not move. Then you can insert them into the hubs and engage the reverse shifter with the idler gear. You will know it is right when the side cover easily fits flush against the main case. It will all go together smoothly only if things are in their proper place. Don't force anything or you may break something and then you will want to hang yourself. Put a couple of bolts in the cover and see if it shifts properly. NOTE: if the reverse shaft in not held tightly with either a shifter arm or washers under the bolt then the reverse shifter will interfere with the other gears inside and you will think it is broken. If all gears shift right then go ahead and put the rest of the bolts in and tighten to specs. Probably best to dry test installing it a few times and make mistakes when it is easy to correct them . I use some Ultra Black on all gaskets so fumbling with this while sealer is getting on everything is a huge pain. Even though I have rebuilt plenty of Saginaws it has been long enough since my last time that I am forgetting stuff I should know.

 

[Streetbu]

Reminds me.of the time I removed the transfer case from my 2004 Silverado. They had a common problem of the rear case wearing thru then leaking oil because of the oil pump clip. So I pull it out, replace the rear case half then try to put it back in. Since they don't sit level, I was having a very hard time trying to use a regular floor jack. Do I could just life it in. Well ended up pinned under truck with the transfer case on my chest for almost 30 mins while I figured out how to not only get unstuck, but rested and also hoped the wife would come out and check on me. LOL I eventually got it, but what a PITA!

 

[Bonnewagon]

All back together and up from the basement. Hand truck, EZPZ. Then found a couple of half full cans of red spray paint and I doused it good. See? I told you I would use that old paint some day! When I put the speedo driven gear housing back on I not only added the AC "O"ring inside the orange stock seal, I also cut a short piece of plastic tubing that fit inside the housing with a slight interference fit. It is just the exact length to positively keep the seal in place and fit inside the speedo cable screw-on fitting. I also put a schmear of Ultra Black on the big "O" ring on the housing- can't hurt. Can you tell I am anal about oil leaks? Now the driven gear can rotate and the grooves in it's shaft can lubricate itself without hemorrhaging. I hope.

 

[Bonnewagon]

Weather holding up OK. Dropped bell housing and removed clutch. Bell housing was super cruddy after 10 years. I hate that part- the cleaning- but I have seen shops put filthy parts back in service like it doesn't matter. Clutch pressure plate and engine flywheel were not bad- no cracking or heat checks- in fact pretty good for 10 years. The disc was due but no rivets scratching yet- caught just in time. But the throw out bearing was shot. Spinning it sounded like there was no lube at all inside. That would have grown to a howl in no time- so again- just in time. So all in all it was good timing to check these parts before real damage could happen.

 

[Bonnewagon]

More rain today. I worked on cleaning up the pressure plate. There was a slight lip around the edge where the disc did not contact. Took that down with a cutting disc then polished the surface with a fibre disc as best I could. Nice and smooth with only a few heat spots remaining. Definitely re-usable.

 

[pagrunt]

Now that is a dying art, reconditioning a pressure plate.

 

[Bonnewagon]

reconditioning a pressure plate.

It's not even the cost. A full kit gives you everything and the plate is relatively cheap. But have you ever gotten stuck with a crummy clutch that vibrates and shudders on engagement? And then had to take it all apart and get another? This one is well balanced and smoothly engages- that is no small thing. So I hated to give it up. I will dress it and the flywheel and use a new disc and throw out bearing. Some clutches I have removed looked like they went though WW3. This one is pristine.

 

[Bonnewagon]

Today I cleaned up the flywheel. Not bad shape for 10 years. I must have learned to drive like an adult somewhere along the way. What I did not like is the wear on the lower clutch rod. It is about 1/4 of the way through. That means the upper rod is probably as bad or worse. This is a perfect time to upgrade to the SpeedDirect spherical rod end linkage that was posted on here some time ago. It is only about twice the cost of those now expensive stock clutch rods. I ordered it today and I will be glad not to suspect my linkage any more. This project is mushrooming!

 

[spidereyes455]

Better to do it right once than to have to do it over. Look at this way ,if it lasted 10 years this time chaces are you'll get more than that next go around.

 

[Bonnewagon]

Yeah I think I have changed out the upper rod 3 times and the lower 4 times since I began playing with these G bodies. The upper was not that long ago and it is starting to wear already. This kit will eliminate that chore as well as my apprehension. By the way Jim, that valley pan was like new on the inside. Thanks again- a 400 lives because of you!