Tranny Rebuild Questions
 

1) Although David Geesaman's excellent instructions specifically warned against this dunderheaded mistake, I think I put the 1/2 collar on backwards. It does not quite cover the high part of teeth on 2nd. It's just a slight band showing and the lower part of the teeth are well-engaged. The thought of tearing it down again is ugly. Does it matter much?

2) Although the FSM, and the most recent parts diagram available from Mazda show C-Washers & retaining rings before and after the mainshaft rear bearing, I didn't have any when I took it apart.

Instead I had a thick snap ring in the grove just after the forward thrust washer and one in the groove just before the rear thrust washer.

Since the tranny is a lot newer than the car or the FSM, could that be a part change?

Since the manual calls for them, I have ordered various sizes, but does it matter?

Anybody seen this before on other trannys or should there definitely be C washers?

The response has not been overwhelming, but in any event, excessive beer consumption led to me referring to the syncro sleeve as the collar.

The 1/2 sleeve does not completely engage all of the teeth on 2nd. It engages the low teeth but not the high.

And the c washer question remains.

It would seem that mazda updated with selectable snap rings instead of c-washers.

I don't know if my writeup mentioned this, but I screwed up and I'm currently running my car with the 1-2 clutch sleeve in backwards. NewbernD kindly measured one and according to him it's symmetric. So I wouldn't sweat it if it seems to be solidly engaged.

Dave

Thanks David. Yeah, you did mention it in your write up and explictly warned against making your mistake. Somehow, I blew it.

I checked with Ray Crowe at Malloy last week and he didn't know anything about a parts change. He is under the impression that there should be selectable C-washers.

Can I ask where you heard about the switch to snap rings?

I don't think I actually measured one but that was last year. I snapped a few pics while I had the whole thing apart and noted that everything looked very symmetrical in size, despite one side having a step and the other side having a champfer.

Here's pics: http://dave.newbern.org/gallery/reference

Dave

I don't know if they switch. I've seen selectable snap rings used on other trannys. Perhaps the TurboII or later-model JDM FDs are different in this regard.

In either case, it's the mainshaft endplay that matters. If your rebuild had no evidence of wear or damaged bearings in that area, you can probably re-use them without any worry.

Dave

I made a number of huge errors during the job, the most obvious being not taking pictures and being a little too casual about labeling parts - on the dubious theory that "I'll figure it out later."

So three weeks later I come back to the job, have snap rings but no c-washers and try to figure out how I could have lost them.

If it was not for the tedium of the bearings, the job would not be bad, but damn, pulling bearings & getting them back on has absorbed 80% of the time involved. I had a welder make up the tool for the locknut, which is a must.

The only way I was able to get that center bearing off the mainshaft was going to somebody with the Mazda puller.

And then there was the time I pounded the mainshaft, just a touch, without the spacer between the syncro and 4th. Practically fused it! Take it all apart and do another 4th syncro.

It's been an education. But I'm getting there.

Don't sweat it. I've done some other tranny work and by far the FD was the most challenging so far. I'm sure it could be worse, but certainly it's not an easy box to rebuild.

Dave

I'm starting to think about a tranny rebuild. Can you tell me where David Geesaman write is?

http://www.davidgeesaman.com

It's really good.

Study it.