What the f*ck is that?! (Transaxle ques)

[enkeivette]

So I noticed yesterday that my Neon transmission sounded cooler than normal. (Like a straight cut gear box) Came to find out that it was low on fluid, strange seeing as how I drained the old stuff and filled it up with RedLine about 6 months ago. Filled up with synthetic and all is good (spins quietly and drives nicely).

So I went to find the leak today... I found it but I have no idea what I'm looking at. Look at the red arrow, this little pin (about the size of a head phone jack) is sticking out of the bottom of the trans near the drain plug. This is where the fluid is leaking from. Looking closely at the pic, it looks like the outside of the trans was damaged and it allowed this pin to drop down from inside. Otherwise the pin is what caused the damage and is now lodged in the trans. But the pin doesn't feel lodged in there. I can push it up, and it will come back down when I let go. So strange. Any ideas? Should I push that thing back in or yank it out before I seal it up?!

Ignore the blue arrows, I thought that was a crack, but it's too straight of a line. Must just be a seam.

http://i34.tinypic.com/2h5s4qp.jpg

[Vettezuki]

JMO, but that looks like that doens't belong there at all. The proximity and interference with "OIL DRAIN" seems very odd. But it's hard to imagine that kind of penetration happening under normal conditions, or without being far more destructive. I would expect cast aluminum (that's what it is right) to crack like a mofo with a sharp impact if that's what it was. In short I don't know, but it looks out of place as hell.

[enkeivette]

I concur, if you'll excuse me I have a date with the vice grips.

[Vettezuki]

Of course it might be coming out from the inside. .. :sm_up_there:

[enkeivette]

Hope not! :sm_laughing:

http://i36.tinypic.com/24oyrua.jpg

[94cobra69ss396]

It looks like a dowel pin that came from inside. If you look at the first picture you posted you can see the area around the edge of the hole is gone like the pin came from the inside out. Shoot Throttle Crazy a PM and see if he knows. If he doesn't one of his trans guys might.

[enkeivette]

Thanks, I will.

I think someone went through this engine/ trans once before and did a lousy job of it.

When I did the timing belt, there was white out on the cam gears (for alignment) and I think the idler pulley was over torqued which caused it to fail, which caused the belt to fail, which caused all of my valves to smack the pistons.

[Throttle Crazy]

Hey guys, I am by no means a Neon trans. expert but if I had to take an educated guess, I would say that is a band retaining pin that is pressed into the case. I know some guys at Dodge, so I will give them a shout to see if I can get more info. I don't no whether it is pressed from the inside or outside. I would guess inside because there is no o-ring or retainer to hold it in from the outside. It does not matter because the case is scrap! If it is a band pin and you push it back in and jb weld it, when the band applies it will force the pin right back out.

[enkeivette]

It does matter because the car still drives! And it's my DD, so I'll drive it into the ground until I'm forced to fix it. How important is a band retaining pin? Are the bands held together with multiple pins? Or is it now only a matter of time till it grenades?

[enkeivette]

Here's a pic of the rebuild kit, you can see a bunch of those little pins. Not sure if that helps.

http://www.accessoriesgiant.com/accessory/images/prodimage/images/omix/1880613.jpg

[Vettezuki]

It does matter because the car still drives! And it's my DD, so I'll drive it into the ground until I'm forced to fix it. How important is a band retaining pin? Are the bands held together with multiple pins? Or is it now only a matter of time till it grenades?

My guess is that it's only a matter of time til it grenades. For one thing, why the heck would that pin come out in the first place. Looks like a time bomb to me. .

[enkeivette]

Oh well, I've got one more tow left for 2008. Need to get my ass outside and fix the Vette.

[BRUTAL64]

Oh well, I've got one more tow left for 2008. Need to get my ass outside and fix the Vette.

Yea, if you DO get the Vette streetable, the Neon trans will last for years. If you DON"T get the Vette streetable real soon the Neon trans will break. Simple law of life.:rolleyes:

[enkeivette]

Yea, if you DO get the Vette streetable, the Neon trans will last for years. If you DON"T get the Vette streetable real soon the Neon trans will break. Simple law of life.:rolleyes:

Good to know that I'm not the only one with that sort of luck.

[Throttle Crazy]

I take it the trans. is a manual by the rebulid kit. If that is the case, forget what I said because there is no band. Let me know for sure what I am looking at.

[enkeivette]

Yeah I was wondering about that, didn't think that there were bands in a manual but I didn't say anything for risk or sounding like an idiot.

I figured people would assume that it was a manual because of the drain plug and lack of a pan. But I guess if you didn't know that you were looking at the bottom, something I took for granted, it's not so obvious. Anyways, you are looking at a 5 speed manual from a 95 Neon bolted to a 420A engine. Of the two transmissions available, I have the one with the higher final drive and the useless OD ratio.

[enkeivette]

Well the "oil and gas resistant" epoxy is porous and the oil leaked right through it!

So I took it all off with a wire wheel and drilled and tapped the hole today. Installed a short nut covered in silicone adhesive, cross your fingers for me.

[Vettezuki]

Well the "oil and gas resistant" epoxy is porous and the oil leaked right through it!

So I took it all off with a wire wheel and drilled and tapped the hole today. Installed a short nut covered in silicone adhesive, cross your fingers for me.

If that doesn't work; use an NPT tap (National Pipe Tap), and a copper plug like used in pluming with a little teflon tape on the threads. I have my water pump plugged like this and it's been completely fine.

[enkeivette]

That's a good idea. But if this doesn't work, I'll probably just find a welder that is willing to light the inside of my oily transmission on fire, and get it welded up.

[Vettezuki]

That's a good idea. But if this doesn't work, I'll probably just find a welder that is willing to light the inside of my oily transmission on fire, and get it welded up.

If it comes to that let me know. I know a very good welder close to where you live.

[enkeivette]

Are you talking about yourself? :D

[Vettezuki]

Are you talking about yourself? :D

Nope. An actual welder. I can set it on fire for you if you like though. ;)

[enkeivette]

Can you weld aluminum?

[enkeivette]

I wonder if it was an alignment dowel? Not that I can think of any way that an alignment dowel would somehow come loose and then find it's way into the case.

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_3LwCV7sddII/RvbIRTPD57I/AAAAAAAAAIo/B8EffOBM-P0/s640/Reary%20for%20assembly%20005.jpg

[Vettezuki]

Can you weld aluminum?

Probably not that thick. My brother took back his MIG too.

[enkeivette]

Ha!

So I drilled and tapped the hole, gobbed silicone on the bolt, fit it and let it dry for 72 hours. Turned the car on, drip drip drip. In disbelief I held my hand over the bolt and it was dry... The trans must be leaking from somewhere else also. Need to get on my back tomorrow and look for more shrapnel I guess. :huh:

[enkeivette]

Leave it to me to buy a daily driver that is less reliable than my project car. Where's your Dodge loving brother now? This car has only 80K miles on it by the way. Regularly maintained with good synthetic fluids.


Come to think of it, other than blowing the HG from too much boost, and swapping out the motor or trans (not that I had any need to) the Vette has always been in good running condition. (Mechanically)

[Vettezuki]

All my cars; dd, project, 4x4, etc. are reliable. Maybe it's you. :nutkick:

[enkeivette]

All my cars; dd, project, 4x4, etc. are reliable. Maybe it's you. :nutkick:

My 30 year old GM product IS reliable. Maybe it's Dodge.

[enkeivette]

It must just have been residual splooge on the bellhousing. Cleaned it off today and it's like an old man wearing depends, leak free. :D

[enkeivette]

Dun dun dun dun dadaladun dun dun dun dun da da da, dun dun dun dadaladun POP Goes my trannie!

In the last few days the whining has been getting worse, and 2nd gear sounds like rocks in the trans. Today on the freeway it jumped out of 5th. The again and again, had to hold it in there. Getting off it wouldn't go into first or second, had to shove it in third to line up the synchros.

Pulled out of the driveway to go home, sounded like rocks, took off down the street... bearing failure! Now waiting for the tow truck to tow me back to p-town. Thank God I have the Premium AAA membership. Won't have to pay for the 30 mile tow. Anyways, just waitin for the tow truck driver now.

[Leedom]

Suck, I guess you are just going to have to drve the vette until you get the neon fixed. Darn. Let me know if you need an extra set of hands to fix anything.

[enkeivette]

Suck, I guess you are just going to have to drve the vette until you get the neon fixed. Darn. Let me know if you need an extra set of hands to fix anything.

Haha, thanks dude! I should be fine, if I can do a T56 by myself this itty bitty 4 banger tranny should be a piece of cake... I'll just have to turn myself sideways.

[SeanPlunk]

Haha, thanks dude! I should be fine, if I can do a T56 by myself this itty bitty 4 banger tranny should be a piece of cake... I'll just have to turn myself sideways.

Let me know when you do it, I wouldn't mind learning how.

[SeanPlunk]

Sorry about your tranny by the way :suicide:

[enkeivette]

Let me know when you do it, I wouldn't mind learning how.

For sheezy sleezy.

It will probably go something like this:

Unbolt these, unplug that, remove that, set aside that, can't reach that bolt or that bolt, at which point I will mutter "slow fu*king piece of sh*t g*ddamn front wheel drive import wanna be." Then I'll get to them, bang my knuckles in the process. Then try to pull it out (that's what she said) and it won't budge and I'll remember that this car has a gay mod clutch and I forgot to unbolt the flywheel or pull the fork first, then I'll figure it out, pull it out, set it on the driveway, feel victorious, call it a day and watch some South Park. The End. Oh yeah, then reverse the process. The End.

Just to warn you.

[BRUTAL64]

Dun dun dun dun dadaladun dun dun dun dun da da da, dun dun dun dadaladun POP Goes my trannie!

In the last few days the whining has been getting worse, and 2nd gear sounds like rocks in the trans. Today on the freeway it jumped out of 5th. The again and again, had to hold it in there. Getting off it wouldn't go into first or second, had to shove it in third to line up the synchros.

Pulled out of the driveway to go home, sounded like rocks, took off down the street... bearing failure! Now waiting for the tow truck to tow me back to p-town. Thank God I have the Premium AAA membership. Won't have to pay for the 30 mile tow. Anyways, just waitin for the tow truck driver now.

Sorry to hear about the trans. It's been the week to use AAA. I used them Sunday at 1 am. Is the Vette driveable?:crutches:

[enkeivette]

Sorry to hear about the trans. It's been the week to use AAA. I used them Sunday at 1 am. Is the Vette driveable?:crutches:

Yes! The Vette is the only reliable vehicle that I've ever owned. Must have to do with the fact that I built it, and that it's not a Dodge.

Unfortunately there are no door locks, handles or a hood. I was thinking about taking the stereo out so that nothing can be stolen from inside. And I have t-top locks so those aren't going anywhere.