A Fabricobbler's Guide to the Turbo Buick Galaxy- Cutlass Rehash
- Thread starter 81cutlass
- Start date
FTI is stepping up and said whoevers fault it is, it doesn't matter and I can ship what I got back to them on their cost and they will ship me a 27 spline correct unit, good service on their end.
My problem is that I pulled the trans out of the car Thursday and couldn't get the converter off the trans. It's stuck on.
Pulled the trans totally Friday and tired pulling on it at a better angle not underneath the car. Nope, still stuck.
Today I cut a piece of square tube and put some studs into the converter and tried pulling. Nada. Didn't move at all. Starting to bend the square tube, it's a piece from an old piece of exercise equipment so it's pretty spindly but if I put something robust in there I'm afraid I'm going to break stuff in the trans.
The converter typically sits 1 1/8" from the flywheel pads to the bellhousing face. It was at 3/4" when it was in the car and I was able to get it to move 1/4" so it's all 1/2" now.
I'm stuck. My two options are slide hammer to the converter and see if it shocks it hard enough break whatever is bound up in the splines or take a cut off wheel on a grinder and cut the converter in half.
The converter still spins easily. I'm almost certain the 27 spline input shaft has welded or doubled up the spline on the 30 spline converter turbine.
I don't really have a great idea of what to do here. I could pull really hard on the converter but I'm at risk of breaking the case or a part in the trans.
Pulling the pump to case bolts is not an option, there is a snap ring holding the OD clutch pack in and I need to pull everything off in order to pull the input shaft so there's not a way to pull the converter with and number of trans parts assembled.
Either way, best case I am certain the input shaft is cooked and I'll need to pull the pump apart to inspect if any debris was generated.
My problem is that I pulled the trans out of the car Thursday and couldn't get the converter off the trans. It's stuck on.
Pulled the trans totally Friday and tired pulling on it at a better angle not underneath the car. Nope, still stuck.
Today I cut a piece of square tube and put some studs into the converter and tried pulling. Nada. Didn't move at all. Starting to bend the square tube, it's a piece from an old piece of exercise equipment so it's pretty spindly but if I put something robust in there I'm afraid I'm going to break stuff in the trans.
The converter typically sits 1 1/8" from the flywheel pads to the bellhousing face. It was at 3/4" when it was in the car and I was able to get it to move 1/4" so it's all 1/2" now.
I'm stuck. My two options are slide hammer to the converter and see if it shocks it hard enough break whatever is bound up in the splines or take a cut off wheel on a grinder and cut the converter in half.
The converter still spins easily. I'm almost certain the 27 spline input shaft has welded or doubled up the spline on the 30 spline converter turbine.
I don't really have a great idea of what to do here. I could pull really hard on the converter but I'm at risk of breaking the case or a part in the trans.
Pulling the pump to case bolts is not an option, there is a snap ring holding the OD clutch pack in and I need to pull everything off in order to pull the input shaft so there's not a way to pull the converter with and number of trans parts assembled.
Either way, best case I am certain the input shaft is cooked and I'll need to pull the pump apart to inspect if any debris was generated.
I'd consult with someone (trans guy).
Very good to hear that they are willing to help you out with this.
Very good to hear that they are willing to help you out with this.
Finally success.
The last recommended action from the converter supplier was to air hammer the converter and try to spin it off. Saturday I tried it to no avail.
I got approval to cut the converter. I made an arm to position my grinder and cut the weld. It was a bit of a fuss but I got it off.
My suspicion was confirmed, the input shaft had friction welded itself to the mating bore pilot on the converter lockup clutch hub/turbine. I used a bearing splitter and tightened down on it and was able to pop it off.
The input shaft to turbine spline should engage and there should never be rotation between these 2 diameters but as the splines were mismatched it just spun free.
I will for sure need a new input shaft and I'll have to pull the pump and OD drum out to check for any damage. And check the filter and magnet in the trans pan.
The last recommended action from the converter supplier was to air hammer the converter and try to spin it off. Saturday I tried it to no avail.
I got approval to cut the converter. I made an arm to position my grinder and cut the weld. It was a bit of a fuss but I got it off.
My suspicion was confirmed, the input shaft had friction welded itself to the mating bore pilot on the converter lockup clutch hub/turbine. I used a bearing splitter and tightened down on it and was able to pop it off.
The input shaft to turbine spline should engage and there should never be rotation between these 2 diameters but as the splines were mismatched it just spun free.
I will for sure need a new input shaft and I'll have to pull the pump and OD drum out to check for any damage. And check the filter and magnet in the trans pan.
Been a bit slow here-
Weather finally turned and we've had a long term project to replace the soffit on our house since we bought it, so I've been cracking at that the few weekends I've been available so it's been limited time during the week to make progress.
FTI did get me a converter free of charge, lots of time and effort messing around but they shipped me the right part in a reasonable time and covered shipping so no complaints. I'm out time, a lockup solenoid, a filter, some fluid, some wear on a grinder blade, but minimal dollars assuming there isn't anything nasty inside the trans itself.
Jim also supplied a replacement input shaft so I played around with that and got he endplay set decently. The input side of the trans is back together. Many thanks!
I also drilled a hole and TIG welded a bung in the pan so I could stop dumping ATF on my face when I pull the trans. First time using the DC side on the TIG that dad and I picked up like 2yrs ago so good that it's coming in handy!
And yes I test fit the input shaft this time before I put it together lol
Weather finally turned and we've had a long term project to replace the soffit on our house since we bought it, so I've been cracking at that the few weekends I've been available so it's been limited time during the week to make progress.
FTI did get me a converter free of charge, lots of time and effort messing around but they shipped me the right part in a reasonable time and covered shipping so no complaints. I'm out time, a lockup solenoid, a filter, some fluid, some wear on a grinder blade, but minimal dollars assuming there isn't anything nasty inside the trans itself.
Jim also supplied a replacement input shaft so I played around with that and got he endplay set decently. The input side of the trans is back together. Many thanks!
I also drilled a hole and TIG welded a bung in the pan so I could stop dumping ATF on my face when I pull the trans. First time using the DC side on the TIG that dad and I picked up like 2yrs ago so good that it's coming in handy!
And yes I test fit the input shaft this time before I put it together lol
The drain plug should be a standard mod, but it isn't. When problems occur and the fluid has to be drained 2 or 3 times in a season let alone, 2 or 3 times in a month, it becomes painfully obvious that a drain needs to be installed. Unless of course, your garage floor needs to be cleaned - ATF is an incredible detergent. Something as simple as swapping a converter turns into a mess without draining 2 or 3 quarts prior to pulling the transmission back. Fluid isn't cheap, but I change mine at least every 2000 miles, the drain plug is a must to keep me from looking like I just participated in the Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2.
Hopefully others are taking note of what FTI has done for you - yes, they screwed up, but most everyone knows of or has been screwed by a vendor. They could've cut losses and ran away from you, but they didn't. It's commendable as far as I'm concerned.
I hope everything works out for you. In for updates.
Hopefully others are taking note of what FTI has done for you - yes, they screwed up, but most everyone knows of or has been screwed by a vendor. They could've cut losses and ran away from you, but they didn't. It's commendable as far as I'm concerned.
I hope everything works out for you. In for updates.
Wrapped up the last of the trans and got it installed Tuesday/Thursday evening
Bled the brakes and noticed it was seeping brake juice out of the passenger's front banjo bolt so I tossed in some new crush washers
Hosed the car off and took it for a bit of a drive and it shifts!
The stock turbo with a 3.73 gear, big cubes of a 4.1 and a good converter makes it drive like an NA big block. No lag and very driveable.
I was at an intersection stopped and lightly rolled into it and it put down 10ft of rubber not really trying. It feels nice that for the first time the engine seems connected to the driveshaft 😂. Ever since I put the turbo setup in the wagon it's always felt slushy and would never shift under boost.
Husek who did the valve body for me talked about how none of the off the shelf shift kits are worth anything and although I have no experience with them, I can say his calibration on this valve body is really good. It drives like stock when you are at low throttle but if you are above 50% the line pressure kicks up and it just goes into gear firmly but not harsh.
Driveshaft and new rear seem good as well!
I need to get a trans cooler installed to be confident but otherwise I'm pretty happy in it. Going to try and get some miles on it and get some reward out of the project.
Bled the brakes and noticed it was seeping brake juice out of the passenger's front banjo bolt so I tossed in some new crush washers
Hosed the car off and took it for a bit of a drive and it shifts!
The stock turbo with a 3.73 gear, big cubes of a 4.1 and a good converter makes it drive like an NA big block. No lag and very driveable.
I was at an intersection stopped and lightly rolled into it and it put down 10ft of rubber not really trying. It feels nice that for the first time the engine seems connected to the driveshaft 😂. Ever since I put the turbo setup in the wagon it's always felt slushy and would never shift under boost.
Husek who did the valve body for me talked about how none of the off the shelf shift kits are worth anything and although I have no experience with them, I can say his calibration on this valve body is really good. It drives like stock when you are at low throttle but if you are above 50% the line pressure kicks up and it just goes into gear firmly but not harsh.
Driveshaft and new rear seem good as well!
I need to get a trans cooler installed to be confident but otherwise I'm pretty happy in it. Going to try and get some miles on it and get some reward out of the project.
I wouldn't mind doing HRPT again, but it's beyond the 'break even' point to make the drive out there-
St. Louis & Champain back in 21 were just inside my loop. I hit up Indy because it was a good 'on the way' stop. KY/TN are just farther away than I want to drive.
If it ever gets deep into IA, WI, or IL again I'll go for sure or makes a loop into Indiana or something. Here's hoping it will kick off in Indy and make it up to Wisconsin in 25 like it was scheduled to in 2020 before they cancelled it-
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