One of those days

[Lattimer]

Got my trans on the workbench since I'm in the middle of swapping the engine. Its a Saginaw 4-speed. Needed new seals on the shifter shafts. So I put the new seals in and reseal the side cover.

I also have a leak from the speedo output, so I go to pull that off so I can replace the o-ring. Wouldn't you know the speedo gear falls inside the tail of the trans!

Tried to fish it out and almost got it, but lost it and now I can't even see the sucker.

Walked away until tomorrow. Really don't want to have to pull the tail off for this.

[Mister-B]

That stinks. Sorry. Have you tried something like this? http://www.harborfreight.com/15-lb-c...ool-95933.html
Posted via Mobile Device

[71K20chevy]

Originally Posted by Mister-B

That stinks. Sorry. Have you tried something like this? http://www.harborfreight.com/15-lb-c...ool-95933.html
Posted via Mobile Device

That wouldn't work; speedo gears are plastic.

[Mister-B]

Originally Posted by 71K20chevy

That wouldn't work; speedo gears are plastic.

Ah, ok. Maybe this then (even though the magnets wouldn't help)
http://www.harborfreight.com/24-inch...ool-94162.html
Posted via Mobile Device

[Lattimer]

Originally Posted by Mister-B

Ah, ok. Maybe this then (even though the magnets wouldn't help)
http://www.harborfreight.com/24-inch...ool-94162.html
Posted via Mobile Device

I have one of those too. I almost had the little sucker with needle nose pliers, but I slipped and now I can't even see the thing in the hole.


Mostly I was just venting. I'll get it out tomorrow one way or another.

[Lattimer]

If it was metal I would have had it out of there in 2 seconds. I have like 6 sizes of retrieving magnets in my toolbox.

Tomorrow I'm going to hold it upside down and shake the ever loving $hit out of it until the gear drops loose where I can get it.

[special-K]

I hate when that happens. But,R & R on the tail housing is no biggy. I got a killer deal on a Muncie M20 because the tail housing had cracked and was welded all the way around. The guy was a friend of a friend I feel I could trust,and he said it was working fine in his pro-street Nova. I grabbed a good tail housing at Carlisle GM for $40 and had it swapped in 1/2 hour. Now I have a trans worth 3x what I paid

[Lattimer]

Originally Posted by special-K

I hate when that happens. But,R & R on the tail housing is no biggy. I got a killer deal on a Muncie M20 because the tail housing had cracked and was welded all the way around. The guy was a friend of a friend I feel I could trust,and he said it was working fine in his pro-street Nova. I grabbed a good tail housing at Carlisle GM for $40 and had it swapped in 1/2 hour. Now I have a trans worth 3x what I paid

Thats awesome. I keep looking for a Muncie, but I really see myself going to a Tremec when the Saginaw dies.

[DT1]

I did the same thing. Get some rest. Go at again later. You'll get it out.

[special-K]

Saginaws are ok. No,they won't take what a Muncie will,but I've seen them all break if romped hard enough. My friend likes the Sags and has had better luck than with Borg Warners. He's in his 60s and has more 4spd cars/trucks than many have had cars. He has a '68 shortbed with ZZ3/Saginaw 4spd/posi now. I admit,I've seen it run hard but he don't "bang" the gears. I've got one,too,for if and when I buy a 3spd truck,for a quick and easy swap.

[Lattimer]

Originally Posted by special-K

Saginaws are ok. No,they won't take what a Muncie will,but I've seen them all break if romped hard enough. My friend likes the Sags and has had better luck than with Borg Warners. He's in his 60s and has more 4spd cars/trucks than many have had cars. He has a '68 shortbed with ZZ3/Saginaw 4spd/posi now. I admit,I've seen it run hard but he don't "bang" the gears. I've got one,too,for if and when I buy a 3spd truck,for a quick and easy swap.

I have heard both "Saginaw is weak" and "Saginaw is awesome" from different people. This one came with the truck and is in good shape, so I used it to get rid of the very worn out 3-speed

[Lattimer]

OK, got it out. had to disassemble the trans. Luckily I have the book for it. 2 snap rings in there that I wouldn't have known about otherwise.

Also found I have a bad input shaft bearing, so I just ordered one of those.




Now I just have to get it all back together.

[special-K]

So,this ordeal turned out to be a blessing in disguise,huh?

[Lattimer]

Originally Posted by special-K

So,this ordeal turned out to be a blessing in disguise,huh?

Probably. It could have probably run thousands more miles, but it had a little looseness that I don't like. New bearing was freaking $50, but it will be here Thursday.

[Lattimer]

Trans is back together. Reassembly is easier than disassembly. Not used to that!

And here I thought I was going to waste all of those gaskets in the kit I bought....LOL