Syncros blown or pilot bearing draging

[davmacdon]

I recently wasted my clutch, all the clutch pad stuff flung off on a downshift. The clutch pedel went to the floor(clutch materal jammed stuff up) and I had to yank pretty hard to get it to shift.(thought I would limp home)

I replaced clutch, pilot bearing, ground flywheel, UPR firewall cable adjuster and quad.

My problem is that I seems like the second gear syncros are bad or the pilot bearing is draging.

I can put the car in 1st with the clutch in and never have the gears grind. If I shift from 1st to 2nd the gears grind but not all the time. If I downshift from 3rd to 2nd I sometimes get the grind to.

Any other combo of shifting is great. I can start in second and never have it grind going into third.


If the pilot bearing was draging would it be grinding in all gears?

Is the input shaft supposed to come to a complete stop when the clutch pedel is pressed or will it still spin a little?


Any help would be great,
Dave

 

[2002BLGT]

SYNCROS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[davmacdon]

I guess I was trying to pretend that it was something else. I work at a GM dealership and have use of the lifts. I will have to hold my head low and do the repair after hours to avoid all the abuse(usual comments about fords from GM folk).

Pulling the tranny is the easy part.

Are syncros a huge pain in the ass to replace?

 

[jrichker]

See http://www.ttcautomotive.com/English/onlineorder/product.asp to download a FREE service manual for T5 or Tremec 3550
You will need the Adobe Acrobat viewer which is also a free download – http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html

See http://www.hanlonmotorsports.com/ or http://www.ddperformance.com/index2.htm for parts

A T5 rebuild kit with syncros, bearings and other small parts costs about $160. It does not include any gears or shafts.

http://cartapes.com also has a video on how to rebuild your T5 or Tremec. It costs less than $20, and is worth every penny of it.

I did a Tremec 3550 rebuild, and it wasn't that difficult. The video was an immense help, and I would recommend viewing it.

You will also need a magnetic base and dial indicator to measure the endplay ($20-$40). http://www1.mscdirect.com/CGI/NNPDFF?PMPAGE=1290&PARTPG=NNLMK32

The tricky part is that you will need some shims to adjust the endplay in the two shafts: the new bearings will change the clearance. There is no way of telling what it will be until you get to the point that it is time to measure and check the clearances. Halon has the individual shims if you can wait for them. If you can't afford the wait, the auto parts store can sell you some shim stock and you can make your own, or have a machine shop make them for you. The shim stock comes in brass (easy to cut) and steel, in varying thicknesses. That's where the dial indicator & base come in - there is no way to get the clearance right without it.

 

[davmacdon]

Thanks a lot for the info. I think that I will tackle it with the help of one of our GM tranny guys. He has done a few GM t5's in his day and said he would help me do it.

It will make me feel better if some is there to say "he stupid, you put that in backwards" hehe

Again, thanks for the help.

 

[davmacdon]

1st gear syncro welded to output shaft.

Well I tore down my tranny (thanks to jrichker for manual pdf ) and I am thinking great all the gears look nice. Well I get down to the output shaft and all is going well until....I take 1st off and the bearrings fall out of the cage burned to a crisp. Then I notice that the ring that holds the 1st gear syncros in place is welded to the shaft. 1st gear is even blue from heat for about an inch into the gear and the backside of the gear was spacer on metal. Even the output shaft was burned up.

I guess my question is... What transmissions will slide right in place of a stock t5wc?

I have 5 miles on a new clutch and fresh flywheel and dont want to replace all that. Also want to keep stock bellhousing.

 

[jd351]

Another T5 WC. that's it. If you ge Tremec 3550 you will need to replace the bell, and if you go TKO you will need a new clutch plate... Given this is a NS95 platform you would also neeed to do some other mods to make it work. I do not know all of them, but a driveshaft spacer is one, don't know but I believe you need to modify the trans X-member too.

Needles to say, it would be a lot easier to replace with another T5, but the cheapest route would be to by new parts to fix the existing trans. You already have it appart, I would say half the battle is over, finish the fight and live to fight another day!

 

[v8only]

They've discontinued the 3550, however, you should be able to find one in great condition used for a good price. It will slide right in place, just get the bell with it too, and everything will work perfect. grind the tac welds off your trans x member and it becomes adjustable to fit the tremec.

one thing you should consider, especially because you have the help of some nice gm guys is the gforce upgrade. do a search on this, they come HIGHLY recommended and are essentially bullit proof. They are cheap. aprox $950, and they send you all the hardware, which installs into your stock t5 case, those gm guys should be able to help you put it together without a problem. Best of luck!!

 

[jd351]

V8only, those tricks wont work for a SN95. the bellhousing is longer and the output shaft is longer, also crossmember is not like the FOX unit. Must re-drill the crossmember and lengthen, or use spacer, the drive shaft.

I still stand by just rebuilding.

 

[v8only]

V8only, those trick wont work for a SN95. the ball is longer and the onput shaft is longer, also crassmember is not like the FOX unit. Must redrill the crossmember and lengthen, or use spacer, the drive shaft.

I still stand by just rebuilding.

thanks for correcting me on that. the sn95 5.0's are truly a different beast.