Luck ran out!

[toms89]

Well..... took my expy to the track today and my luck finally ran out.

Good news is I will now be able to identify the weakest link in my tranny. Bad news is I have no idea what it is yet. Will contact my "tranny guy" to question him and will have to pull tranny and have it rebuilt hopefully with stronger internals.

I raised my boost to 14psi and tranny objected. Was pulling hard in 1st to about 5,600 rpms felt like it shifted hard and then just popped. RPMs hit the limiter and I lifted of course. Coasted it to the finish line in overdrive to a 15.023 @ 76.71 mph. Woohoo!

On the return road motor sounded good and I still seemed to have 2nd gear. But with the window down I could hear faint whine. Back in the pits tried to locate source of whine but could not. It only does it when the tranny is in gear did not notice any noise in reverse. 2nd gear is working but....... It does not shift into 2nd till rpms are much higher and then it slams it in enough to chirp tires. This at light throttle. Has me baffled but I am not a tranny guy so.... But it appears the bands are working and the planetaries must be good or else I would be missing a gear or two?!

I actually was able to drive it home. Over an hour away and through the mountains very gently!!

Well knew it was going to happen eventually since I exceeding the torque capacity by a bit. The tranny had been working flawlessly up until this point. Working great until she broke. lol.

 

[panda24619]

that sucks. but hey it was bound to happen sooner or later. at least you werent too far away from home. just max speed would be 75ish at 5k. haha

 

[toms89]

that sucks. but hey it was bound to happen sooner or later. at least you werent too far away from home. just max speed would be 75ish at 5k. haha

Over an hour away... 55 miles. But not a whole lot of stop and go so it saved some shifting. I would have used 1st to 3rd if I could not use 2nd. If I felt is was not drivable I would have called AAA. I just upgraded AAA plus for tow up to 100 miles.

Since I am the only one who seems to race expys I am the guinnea pig for finding the weak links.......and I knew this. Mustang is much easier. All the weak links are known.

 

[sgtowing]

Well knew it was going to happen eventually since I exceeding the torque capacity by a bit.

A bit????? Really????????? Wouldn't that be considered a WHOLE BUNCH

 

[panda24619]

i just did AAA plus as well. i love it. used it in the past with my uncles.

 

[Canadian Expy]

That sucks but,
think how mch fun it will be when you've got the new tranny.

 

[AaronLG]

Wish I had too much power.

 

[toms89]

Update!

Spoke with my tranny guy and he told me I broke the 2nd gear sprag. So I will drop it off to him next week. He also mentioned there are many upgrades available due to the lightnings and turbo diesels using the 4r100. Asked him to pull it apart and look it over and give me recommendations and $$ as far as the upgrades. I also should consider stronger torque converter while the tranny is out and before I blow up my stock one.

Plan to get some pics and possibly video of the tranny and carnage.

 

[rburch]

You must do the SD Trans Cooler now! LOL!

With a new TC with a higher stall you would be able to power brake it and drop 4-5 tenths!
Its been proven on stock Lightnings.

 

[toms89]

You must do the SD Trans Cooler now! LOL!

With a new TC with a higher stall you would be able to power brake it and drop 4-5 tenths!
Its been proven on stock Lightnings.

I have an aftermarket cooler on it now. Its not the SD Cooler but it was the largest I could find. The stall is a function of hp, weight and rear gear ratio. I will likely have to get a custom stall because of the expys extra weight over a lightning. I also need to be able to tow with out motor screaming. I would estimate a higher stall converter and 3.73's would drop 2-3 tenths of my e.t.s launching off idle and still be perfectly streetable.

 

[rburch]

I forgot you drive it a lot! lol!

 

[toms89]

Tranny guy has my 4R100 apart. I sheared the splines off of the 2nd gear sprag plus all the clutches in the tranny were down to bare metal. No signs of overheating (I asked) just overpowered it. Although my stock planetaries are ok he recommended I change all 3 planetaries with those from a turbo diesel as they are steel and have more pinion gears. Expy planetaries use aluminum frame?! and 3 pinion gears. He plans to use the stronger racing clutches etc... When all is said and done it should be as a beefed up turbo diesel tranny.

I am also having him go through the transfer case while its out to check for wear. I am getting a 2000-2400 stall converter while I am at it.

 

[sgtowing]

I know this sounds mean but I'm glad to hear about the second gear problem. That means you have one helasious engine in that thing.

Sent from my DROID BIONIC using Tapatalk

 

[06WhippleExpo]

Tell him to add clutches , im not sure on specifics i will ask mytranny guy in morning but i kno he added more clutches and cut and welded something inside ull keep blowing them trust me iv been threw 2 like there made by fisher price till this last guy built it have been beating the piss outta it no problems

 

[BakerEdition]

Tom....any idea yet how $$$$$

 

[toms89]

Tell him to add clutches , im not sure on specifics i will ask mytranny guy in morning but i kno he added more clutches and cut and welded something inside ull keep blowing them trust me iv been threw 2 like there made by fisher price till this last guy built it have been beating the piss outta it no problems

Was told the turbo diesel uses 4 clutch sprag vs 3 in the expy so it will have additional clutch.

 

[toms89]

Tom....any idea yet how $$$$$

Yes....

 

[sgtowing]

Well, how much??????? I wanna know!!!!!

 

[toms89]

Well, how much??????? I wanna know!!!!!

Really don't want to say until it is finished...

 

[BakerEdition]

his wife is asking the same question!!!