Blew my tranny

[Wh33lhop]

lollerskates. I think a selector fork broke, I eventually got it to shift into reverse but now it's stuck there.

How hard would it be to drop the tranny without a hoist, then crack it open and replace the selector forks and input shaft bearing (might as well while I'm in there)? Seems like the tranny's fine besides those two things. I don't want to get another one if it's just going to have input shaft chatter out the wazoo and possibly have the same problem a bit down the road.

My first concern would be getting to the upper tranny bolts and the clutch slave nuts with the engine still on the mounts. But I've never cracked a tranny open before, and this is my only car, soo... thoughts?

[Danny]

You're fucked.

[jeffw]

dude thats not gonna be fun

[Wh33lhop]

That's kind of what I figured. Has anyone done anything like this?

[DJB]

Yes, I have.

Selector forks are expensive new -- $120-$150 each. You'll want to buy good ones from someone that has taken a transmission apart. Or take apart a used transmission just for the forks.

How are you planning to split the case? Do you have a floor-standing press? Or will you be modifying an input sleeve to work with a puller?

[White325is]

I sell you another 260 trans with all new seals for you to install for a good price. :)

[Wh33lhop]

Honestly, I haven't a clue, I haven't really thought anything through yet. I've got a mechanic friend who could help me split it open, but I would pretty much just be diving in headstrong and learning as I went, just as I did with the motor swap.

[Wh33lhop]

I sell you another 260 trans with all new seals for you to install for a good price. :)

PM'd

[rThor432]

I've done this before and I would not recommend going down that road. The "while you are in there" expense is huge for the resale value of the transmission. Buying used is your best bet. Good luck.

[Wh33lhop]

I've done this before and I would not recommend going down that road. The "while you are in there" expense is huge for the resale value of the transmission. Buying used is your best bet. Good luck.

Point taken. I'll be looking for a used tranny in good condition. Hopefully I can find one with very little "getrag rattle," but I'm not holding my breath. Might do the clutch while I'm in there, mine wasn't slipping or anything but I think it was beginning to run out of life.

[rThor432]

^^This is a good opportunity to upgrade to a 240mm clutch/flywheel setup if you havent already :). It's funny, I've never had the Getrag rattle on any of my last 5 E30's. My last 260 actually ate the 2nd and 4th gear synchros around 280k and still had no rattle. Actually, that gearbox didnt rattle much even with the 10.5 lb flywheel. Now, the ZF on the other hand...

[Wh33lhop]

My clutch/FW has served me pretty well, I'd just get an OEM sachs one... why upgrade? I've only got an M50, it seems to rip pretty hard compared to the M20 but the clutch has held it pretty well.

I fucking hope I get a tranny with little to no rattle, I'm sick of that shit, the rattle was literally twice as loud as the damn engine most of the time.

[lateracer]

I'm prepping my track car for an enduro race (lemons) and pulled trans to change my clutch and also tack weld the reference sensor in place on the flywheel (design flaw fix). Did some cheap fixes while I was in the 'hood that are really worthwhile.

Don't know what condition your rear main, input/output trans shaft and selector rod seals are in, but they all have a reputation for commonly leaking on older engines and you're already in there. These seals are all pretty cheap.

Speaking of design flaws, getting to the upper bolts & nuts sucks donkey balls. With the drive shaft disconnected, some wobble extensions, torx sockets and a friend it's manageable though.

Getting my housing to separate from the engine took a pry bar as well, but once it came off a little, the rest was easy. May as well rebuild your shifter too. Not only is it cheap, but you'll have a front and center view of the bitch clip and doing a rebuild with the shifter in the car is significantly more difficult.

[Wh33lhop]

I'm prepping my track car for an enduro race (lemons) and pulled trans to change my clutch and also tack weld the reference sensor in place on the flywheel (design flaw fix). Did some cheap fixes while I was in the 'hood that are really worthwhile.

Don't know what condition your rear main, input/output trans shaft and selector rod seals are in, but they all have a reputation for commonly leaking on older engines and you're already in there. These seals are all pretty cheap.

Speaking of design flaws, getting to the upper bolts & nuts sucks donkey balls. With the drive shaft disconnected, some wobble extensions, torx sockets and a friend it's manageable though.

Getting my housing to separate from the engine took a pry bar as well, but once it came off a little, the rest was easy. May as well rebuild your shifter too. Not only is it cheap, but you'll have a front and center view of the bitch clip and doing a rebuild with the shifter in the car is significantly more difficult.

The upper bolts weren't that bad actually, it was kind of a bitch but I just dropped the subframe and pulled the IM then went at it with a box ended wrench. I was expecting that to be harder. Honestly I think the hardest thing for me to do has been to get it all the damn way off since the firewall's in the way now.

I did the swap awhile ago and tried to get the RMS out but couldn't. Since I have the chance now, I'll do the RMS (since I've got a new one sitting here somewhere), and I was thinking of doing the tranny seals, since I'll have synthetic in there anyway. I will probably be scrapping the old tranny, or at least tearing it apart for a rebuild after I get the new one in there.

I have delrin shift tower bushings and a new selector rod joint on there already, the shifter's pretty good since I went for the bushings when I did the motor swap (but it does sit too damn far forward).

[lateracer]

Dropping the subframe and pulling the IM, huh? Interesting approach.

I also have the habit of diving into projects with more confidence than know how. Since you're most of the way through a job I just finished and way past done with a job I'd like to do one day (M50 swap), how do you think the two compare?

Obviously the motor swap is harder, but how much harder? On a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being "So complicated I pissed my pants and almost towed the car to pay a professional finish" I would give my clutch job with seals a 5.