FrankR
Web Wheeler
Reged: 02/01/04
Posts: 10225
Loc: Columbia, SC
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My "treasure" arrived today - supposedly a 44K mile unit in warehouse storage for 2 years.  It appears to have many more miles, but who knows - it does look pretty rough with the shift cable cut, no dipstick, (surface (rusty) torque converter and the rear mount quite aged in appearance:
There's also about 1/16" side play in the output shaft so unless I'm mistaken, it probably needs some work. Here's the oil pump and input shaft:
The fluid that came out didn't smell burnt, but sure looks like it - viscosity seemed ok, but it had a small amount of water in it and looked like this as compared side-by-side with fresh fluid:
When I rolled it over to remove the pan, the remaining fluid poured out of the rear seal, so I know that needs to be replaced. The pan looked like this:
Here's the filter screen:
This mess was inside the filter box:
Here's the inside:
Before he or I saw this, Wyleone suggested installing it and see how it worked before going to the trouble to rebuild it. I thought that was a good idea until I saw the condition, but I'm not familiar enough with automatic transmissions to know if this one might need major surgery. My choices are:
1) replace the seals and install it - see what happens.
2) rebuild it before installation
3) swap the parts that make it a lockup unit into my present transmission which seems to be in great shape.
Any suggestions?
Thanks,
Frank
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'89 G-Raider Supercharged 3.0L, MegaSquirt 2, lockup A/T, 2.5" exhaust, 155k, Cibie H4s/Oscar SCs, Hella Micro DE fogs, Cobra CB, Superwinch hubs, LSD rear/Aussie Locker front, Bilsteins, 165A alt., Lifeline AGM, Rust-Oleum
Edited by FrankR (10/31/05 02:31 PM)
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grass13
Roll Me Over
Reged: 04/22/04
Posts: 2684
Loc: Butte, MT.
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frank, did they store that thing under water   . hate to see you get your hopes up on something and then get let down... its kinda like getting a broken toy on christmas morning  . fwiw, i could go both ways on putting it in. ive had luck with junkyard parts, such as engines and trannys, that looked like theyd been rode hard and put away wet... but they still worked like a charm with minimal work, if any. but then again, ive had bad luck too... take all the time to do the install and get bigger problems out of it then what you were trying to fix. its 6's, but im gonna call my shot of what your going to do... something tells me knowing you a little bit, that you will rebuild that thing and it will be clean enough to perform a heart transplant on before you put it in  .
edit: doesnt wyleon rebuild trannys? and has he seen what kind of condition its in?
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98' grand larado 5.2 locked loaded and lifted. frankenmonty, still alive and well. had her sold, couldnt do it.
Edited by grass13 (10/31/05 04:19 PM)
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lordtrunks
Roll Me Over
Reged: 05/22/01
Posts: 3759
Loc: Apache Jct, Arizona,USA
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Well if this tranny place is like any of the tranny rebuilders out here they just stick them outside on racks so they get hit by all sorts of weather. Heck man rebuild it.
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Grandpa's Cadillac
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FrankR
Web Wheeler
Reged: 02/01/04
Posts: 10225
Loc: Columbia, SC
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I guess for $99 I shouldn't complain - and I sorta expected to have to rebuild it. I figured unless I could see one come straight out of a truck that was working fine, my odds to avoid a rebuild weren't good anyway - so might as well buy a cheap one.
No, Wyleone hasn't seen it. His suggestion was a good idea if it had looked a little better. The crap on the inside is from me making a stupid mistake and after draining it I rolled it over to remove the pan - which caused the contamination in the picture of the valve body.... should have left it right side up to remove the pan, but from all the crud in the pan it looks like it needs a good going through anyway.
What concerns me most is the side play in the output shaft.... it's at least .030" and whatever is behind the seal is moving side-to-side with the shaft. I found a spec for axial play, but not for side play and that looks like bearing or bushing wear (or worse) to me. I've never opened one up and don't know what it is, but I guess I'm going to find out soon enough because I don't trust it like that.
I'll wait 'til someone can give me a read on the output shaft play to make a decision, but it's looking like rebuild time. I'd hate to swap it and then it didn't work. 'Course with my A/T rebuild experience it might not work anyway. 
Frank
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'89 G-Raider Supercharged 3.0L, MegaSquirt 2, lockup A/T, 2.5" exhaust, 155k, Cibie H4s/Oscar SCs, Hella Micro DE fogs, Cobra CB, Superwinch hubs, LSD rear/Aussie Locker front, Bilsteins, 165A alt., Lifeline AGM, Rust-Oleum
Edited by FrankR (10/31/05 05:44 PM)
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grass13
Roll Me Over
Reged: 04/22/04
Posts: 2684
Loc: Butte, MT.
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your probably were better off cracking it open... i would think that the chance of that thing remaining right side up during the "storage" are slim to none if not less. as for play on the output shaft (never rebuilt a tranny, and probrably couldnt if i had a gun to my head... dont have anywhere near the patience), can you tell or suspect whats causing the play?
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98' grand larado 5.2 locked loaded and lifted. frankenmonty, still alive and well. had her sold, couldnt do it.
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DougB
Roll Me Over
Reged: 11/08/02
Posts: 4123
Loc: Terre Haute, IN
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So, the race is on then, is it? 
Seriously though, while you're in there, let me know if the shift rod through the valve body is interchangeable with the A44D.
Edited by DougB (10/31/05 11:27 PM)
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wyleone
Body Damage is Cool
Reged: 06/11/04
Posts: 1904
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That my friend is a $100 transmission. First, don't be too concerned with the play in the output shaft. The input shaft of the tranfer case locates the output shaft of the transmission so it will have some excessive play when they are apart. Exactly how much water was in the pan? If you feel it got in the valve body, then there is a problem as the small springs that load the shift valves are not in any way corrosion resitant. If they rust, they are ruined. Is that pieces of aluminum in the pan? The only pic tht concerns me is the water and metal pieces in the pan.
How many miles? 44k mi? Since a build or 44K mi since original?
If it is from original, remember that the seals have better than 10 years of age on them.
To replace the seals in most automatics you will need a piston return spring compressor, various snap ring pliers. The cheap convertable ones will be a major hinderance.
You will need trans assembly lube, and a parts washer that is 99% clean minimum. Feeler gauges, and possibly some special tools that are specific to the a372. (The FSM should outline what you will need.)
If I was in your shoes, I would decide if you really want to do this yourself. I would really consider having someone build it and either give a warranty, or give a good price break for a carry in. Call your local Mitsu dealer and ask them who builds their transmissions for them. It's all in what you want. And knowing how you like to do things, I would not put that one in as is.
BTW Frank, I have a Ford 4R70W that has a burnt up convertor and need a complete overhaul under my bench right now (It's mine) I would not take less than $150 for it "as is". Usually trans shops will buy core transmissions for $100 to use for parts. I wish I would have been paying closer attn to how much you were paying for it before you did. Still anything can be fixed.
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Kevin C
Trail Leader
Reged: 05/20/00
Posts: 6033
Loc: No where in particular
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The upside is ... The seal kit , steels and clutches are cheap. If you dont want to deal with getting a spring compressor to rebuild the piston assemblies you may find a local shop that can do them for a nominal fee.
I used a big u shaped fork I made up out of a scrap of metal and a bridgeport mill as my spring compressor. Yes it was a bit slow but it worked. I'm sure they are other backyard ways.
The tricky part is remembering how it all goes together. A camera , notes and being methodical will help.
As pointed out cleaning is essential. You can improvise and get the job done.
When your own rebuild works out its a great feeling. Then again... a dead unit that has to come out again sucks.
Kevin
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87 Dodge
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wyleone
Body Damage is Cool
Reged: 06/11/04
Posts: 1904
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Quote:
When your own rebuild works out its a great feeling. Then again... a dead unit that has to come out again sucks.
Welcome to my world,.....every day. 
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87Montero
Trail Leader
Reged: 11/19/03
Posts: 5576
Loc: Greenville, SC
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Quote:
Quote:
When your own rebuild works out its a great feeling. Then again... a dead unit that has to come out again sucks.
Welcome to my world,.....every day.
HAHA.. well isn't that the story of my life?!
Glad to see you got it, I have to say Bob's tranny came in MUCH MUCH better shape 
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1999 Mitsu Montero - Fully Loaded
'92 Isuzu Pickup: V6,4x4,5spd,TJM Front Bumper,9k Winch, DOR Rear Bumper, RR Hubs, 3" Calmini Lift, 4.77s, 33" TSLs
2008 Saturn Sky Redline - 3 Pedals and a turbo :)
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