A4LD, here we go again

[Tedybear]

Another fun day it seems.

Driving back from Utica home (about 60 miles) we noted blue smoke...figured engine problems. Got back into the area and checked the oil--still good? Went to leave the pizza shop we stopped off at for dinner...no drive? So I put 'er back into park, back into drive--and it went right into gear. Got home with no problems---checked the transmission fluid--not even on the dippystick. Next day added fluid to bring it up, and it "foamed" the fluid...and slipped in first gear.

So I'm thinking "Great, blew a front seal..and toasted the transmission". Limped it over to the family shop--and it drove/shifted flawless!?!?! after putting it from park into drive again. Dropped the pan, just the usual crud build up in the bottom. Filter looked great. Pulled the torque converter? Severe score mark on the 'snout'--

So we purchased a rebuilt converter figuring the old was had to be out of balance (we did have a 'worable' sound for a while) I remembered reading about pilot bushing in the flexplate taking out the front seal and damaging the front bushing. Sure enough? The pilot 'bearing' is egg-shaped.

So here's the plan, considering the transmission we are working with does NOT show signs of internal carnage from being driven low on fluid (very very lucky in that respect).

Have a new pump to bellhousing seal on the way. Due to the severe score on the snout of the torque converter, it's a safe bet the bushing has been damaged.

We have the orginal A4LD still in the garage awaiting a rebuild. It went south due to valve body issues and slippage. I'm planning in pulling the pump/bell housing, cleaning it...and inspecting it. Planning on installing that bellhousing/pump onto the other transmission. That should deal with the bushing damage (as the bushing sits in the bell housing) (yeah..I hope the pump is in good shape)

New spacer for the end of the crankshaft is also on the way (Dealership item...actually only $32 bucks).

So we are going to swap bell housings....use the new torque converter...replace the spacer with the pilot bushing...and hope everything works.

S-

 

[Tedybear]

A4LD Venting

Call it my venting nature:

This ol' girl is still up on blocks after more then a week sense the front seal pooped out.

We found the crank spacer/pilot was torn apart. So we ordered a new one in and installed it, along with a rebuilt TC. Did the filter/fluid drop...nothing bad.

We allowed the old TC to sit in the shop for a couple of days before turning it in--during that time a very heavy score mark showed up on it....Yep, more then a good bet the bushing is roached in the transmission.

Fast Forward to last Sunday. Ordered in a set of dealership C3/A4LD repair tools off eBay. ($10 bucks, can't beat it, and I'm still going to rebuild the scud transmission in the garage corner) But we still had to deal with the bell housing and pump swap.

New seals in....clean bench...Disassembled.. And the flippen IDIOT that 'rebuilt' the crapped scud? (from the transmission we wanted to use as a parts bit to at least get mine back up) Well...it seems this brain trust? Never TIGHTENED the pump bolts?!?!?!? I grabbed the pump and it moved all over the old bell housing. We unscrewed it by hand. This wasn't even finger tight! Each bolt was at least 2 turns from even getting to touch the pump!!!

Needless to say? While that pump didn't get damaged (Hey....I'm shocked as well). The pump bushing? Totally destroyed.

I figured 'no big deal'. I have bushings ordered in from Napa...The dealership rebuild tool kit....

Then I get the email tonight "Sorry, we listed an item that was sold more then a month ago by accident". So there goes the rebuild kit with the pump alignment tools!!

Looks like I'm going to have to brown nose a bit with the local transmission shops and see if any of them can lend a hand with getting that unit back together correctly. I'm used to working on things myself, and hate asking for help from shops--but I've no choice. I can install the new bushing, but have no means to ensure the pump is dead center when it's tightened down.

Vent over---Thanks for reading.

S-