My new tranny is in, woo hoo-But nearly destroyed.

metalman

Registered User
So I finally got my tranny finished and cranked over this week. It is taking a while to get used to. It is definately different. It felt weird at first, not like I thought it should. So I had the TV cable adjusted at Cottman Transmission. I didn't want to drive it too far in case of poor adjustment, it's the day before Thanksgiving and they'd do it for free. I get it back from them and they test drove it and adjusted it. I could tell- there's about 3/8" of slack in the TV cable. It felt mushier than before. So I called the company who built the tranny and they told be that the zip strip should be right against then head of the cable with NO slack. I also researched online and all are in concurence. So I adjusted it. There was about a 10 tooth difference in the zip strip :eek: I test drove it and the car definatly has some a## behind it now. I ended up driving it about 18 miles before I adjusted it after Cottman nearly destroyed my tranny. I have been looking, smelling, and feeling the fluid after every time I drove it over that past two days and it is still bright red, smells good, and has no textur,e so I think I'm ok. I called Cottman up and sternly and professionally told them what idoits that they are. The mechanic who actually did my adjustments is out of town and no paperwork was recorded on what was done to my car. I wanted to know what the pressure was at and what it was adjusted to. The manager seem to be more of an administrator and not a mechanic. I asked what procedure they used to adjust the TV. He said they have no procedure. He did it on experiece. Can you believe that crap! On something as vital and easily destroyable as clutch packs and bands, he just goes by feel. Maybe it's just me, but I'd rather prefer mathematical presicion and specs, not just feel and experience. There experience is in Camry's and escorts, not race application. I guess I expected a different level of professionalism from a nationally franchised company.
I told him that the shifts were very soft. He said, "the more you pull the cable out the harder the shifts get. I said, "exactly". "This tranny is not for an Aerostar or an economy vehicle!" It's a race built tranny capable of 750hp. (I consider it insurace and for future plans of a better blower :D )
Sorry for the long post, but this ordeal has had me VERY nervous for about a week. It's doing good now. I hit it from a roll on Dam Neck Rd. and got a real solid chirp in second gear!

Who do you guys trust to perform a professional, to the spec., TV adjustment?

I called a 1/2 a dozen tranny and race shops localy and they either don't do it, won't do it, want to perform 1,000 other test with it, or were closed. I just what a someone to put a pressure gauge up to the tranny and make sure it is set to spec.

So how was everyone elses week? :confused: :rolleyes:

Anthony
 
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metalman said:
... he just goes by feel.

The vast majority of auto trans rebuilders I've been around just go by eyeball and feel. I've NEVER seen one get any kind of measuring device out, not even a ruler.

Surprisingly, this works for them almost all the time despite an auto tranny being one of the most precision assemblies on a vehicle. The problem comes in when you need something other than what they do every day, then they're either totally lost, or uninterested in figuring out your concern because it cuts into their money making.
 
metalman said:
So, who do you guys trust to set up a tranny? MAS, Steen, anyone else?

personally i would give rick a call, do you post over on tidewaterracing.com?

he posts on tidewaterracing.com and moddedmustangs.com as Twist2Go, send him a PM he is affordable and you can ask anyone from those sites about his work.
 
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