Stupid dodge tranny...

[Christian Nelson]

Rebuilding a tranny for a friend's dodge. 46rh (basically a 727 with OD) No reverse, tore up his rear drum, and band.

Replaced rear drum, band, and OD piston. assembly.

Everything else looked good, and he wanted low buck, so I put it back together, and I haven't put the OD unit on yet, I am getting SUPER excessive endplay at the input shaft.. I bought all new thrust washers, and put the thickest selective between the input and intermediate shaft, thickest of the selective thrust washers, and new of all the rest. Still WAY too much play..

I doubled up the plastic thrust washer on the backside of the pump, and now it's within spec.

Have any of you run into something like this, on a dodge tranny? 727/904/a500/etc all are the same in this respect..

Is there any reason I shouldn't double up this thrust washer?

I have seen excessive endplay is typical cause for wrecking the reverse drum, which is what happened to it..

Is it possible the new drum I bought is machined shorter than the original? I have seen something called a "case saver" which is essentially an additional rollerbearing thrust washer between the oneway sprag and the back of the case. I am at a loss, I know some of y'all build tranny's, I also know this is a GM forum, so yeah, it's a dodge..

I've taken this thing back apart, and double checked to see if I've missed parts, and I can't see anything I've missed.

If I double up that plastic thrust washer between the pump and the front drum, the endplay is within spec, the gear train is within spec, but without that extra thrust washer, it is way out.

I am measuring by setting the tranny tail down with the intermediate shaft sticking through a hole in my work table, I push up and measure the movement of the input shaft. The other dodge tranny I did was a 727, and it was within spec with the same method of measuring. pump is fully seated and torqued with gasket, etc..

Any thoughts?

Sonnax shim kit is for gear train endplay, and that is fine, within spec.

 

[HotRodPC]

Usually when it way loose like that, it's cuz you forgot something. I'm not familiar with that model so I won't guess. Are you on FB by any chance? There's a group page called Transmission Building 101. You might join that group and ask. It's guys from tons of experience in all brands to the newbie or first time builder attempting to build his own.

 

[Fastereddie]

You have to have the overdrive unit bolted up to check endplay

 

[HotRodPC]

You have to have the overdrive unit bolted up to check endplay

Even for end play on the Input shaft??? This is why I'm not guessing. I'm not familiar with this model, but that would sure be strange to me. Surely there is a center support, snap ring or something that divided the front half from the back half?!?! NO???

 

[Fastereddie]

I'm rebuilding a 46 rh as we speak. Lol

 

[HotRodPC]

I'm rebuilding a 46 rh as we speak. Lol

Well there you go. If the ATSG Transmission Bible says so, then so it is.

Sure glad I didn't make a bigger ass outta myself and said not possible. As said, I'm not familiar with that model. I tell you what though, I won't ever forget it now. And when I see it in the future on other models that might be the same way, I'll sure check to make sure first won't I?

Thanks for helping out. See, we're not only stuck on 1 breed for our expertise as a group.

 

[HotRodPC]

Come in @ChristianNelson . It appears Eddie has most likely answered your question.

 

[Fastereddie]

Hopefully that info helps before he pulls out all his hair. I've built quite a few 700r4/4l60 but this is only my second chrysler trans so im quite intimate with the book.

 

[HotRodPC]

I've only done 4 Chrysler Transmissions and none were Electronic and none were OD. A FWD in a Plymouth Reliant, 404A IIRC, 2 904's and a 727.

 

[Christian Nelson]

I'm rebuilding a 46 rh as we speak. Lol

Well, crap! Why doesn't my ASTG manual say that???

What version manual you got? Gotta source for download? Must've been some sort of update on a later version..

Mine, it says nothing about that, just says to check by moving inputshaft up and down.. BLARG..

Thanks for the help!

I was feeling stupid for not checking it in the begining, and pulling my hair out trying to figure this out!

 

[HotRodPC]

Well, crap! Why doesn't my ASTG manual say that???

What version manual you got? Gotta source for download? Must've been some sort of update on a later version..

Mine, it says nothing about that, just says to check by moving inputshaft up and down.. BLARG..

Thanks for the help!

I was feeling stupid for not checking it in the begining, and pulling my hair out trying to figure this out!

You're not alone. I would have been feeling pretty damn stupid too. It still doesn't make any sense to me. Kinda like the Dr having to have a finger in your ass to check your tonsils for strep throat. That's how much sense it makes to me.

 

[Fastereddie]

One word....Chrysler.

 

[HotRodPC]

And they haven't learned a thing. Even to this day Dodge/Jeep is having transmission problems. You take a new car into the dealer for warranty service on the transmission, I've heard customers being told 3 weeks to a month cuz they are that far backed up.

One Jeep I towed in, had 28,000 miles on it and it was her 5th time for the same transmission problem. She said one time they had it for over 5 weeks. Dodge/Jeep offered her a buy back that time under the lemon law instead of getting her a rental car.

 

[Christian Nelson]

One word....Chrysler.

Seriously, I'd like to know which ASTG manual you are using, I looked over mine again, and it has nothing in there that says what yours does!

I was actually disappointed in my manual, as it looked exactly like the 727/904 one I had, with a bit about the OD section added on at the end..

Cover says it's for the 46RH/A-500/47RH/A518...

 

[Fastereddie]

The book I have that has the large note about checking endplay is a500se/42re
Book. Its dated 1/9/08. I also have one dated 1/1/2000 for the 42rh(a500)
46rh(a518) and 47rh(a618) that does not mention that at all. All it says is check endplay before dissasembly for reference.