Did the three speed to A833 thing this past weekend. Also added full dual exhaust

[Bowtie001]

WOW. I am sore.
Here is my extremely abbreviated version of what I did.

A short list of the needed things:
Automatic crossmember (bolts)
Transmission mount (bolts)
A lot of patience while removing the old bellhousing
A833 transmission
A833 bellhousing
Newer style starter (bolts up instead of in) (bolts)
Reused old clutch fork and throwout bearing
Shifter and hole cutting device (bolts and cotter pins)
Fluid (hose)

Some interesting things about the three speed bellhousing that I was not aware of:
I didn't realize this but when you release the starter, the motor mounts on this style truck don't stop the motor from rocking. The solution is to put a jackstand or whatever under the engine first... if you remember.

My wife: "why is your engine tilted?" You know what? She was right.

Also the bellhousing has little nubs that sit down into the rubber mounts. This makes it really hard to lift the whole transmission and the rocking engine over past them while still maintaining enough arm movement to slide it back. The best solution is to unbolt the tranny from the bellhousing, but I couldn't figure out how to get to the inside bolts.

By the way a Hurst Shifter from the 84 chevy diesel doesn't fit well at all. My knee and the shifter fight for space.

Now for the lingering questions:

I still have not figured out how to remove the old crossmember. Any ideas?

I put three quarts of synthetic in it and it whines like crazy, especially in first and second but also in neutral. Is it the fluid or did I screw up?

Did anyone ever reach a consensus on which way the driveshaft was supposed to line up as far as phase angle?

Ever manual transmission that I have driven has had a point where it will not let you put it into gear if you are going too fast (like the three speed would not let me have 1st over a crawl). This one won't let me into second unless I am going like 10. What function of the transmission causes this? Can it be changed?

Any way I am still getting used to the new setup. I think it will quiet down when I get a boot on it. The reason for this change is because I got a cheap rear end with 4.11s and I needed overdrive. Now that the exhaust is swapped, it is crazy how loud the rear is and I never even noticed that much.

Feel free to ask any questions, and also to answer the ones I have posed.

Thanks
-Brian

[tkeduk8r]

I wish I could be more help as I am looking to do this swap also, however board member GreenMachine has done it and shoudl be alot of help to you. I have also driven their truck and it is definetly worth the headache(s) of going through with it... I'm 6'2" and I dont remember there being that much issue with my knee and the shifter though... IIRC each fo their transmissions had a little whine to them (they had installed one and bought another from me as a spare) and they did fight a little when going into second gear if the RPMs were not right... shoot 'em a PM and IM sure they will help out...
--Mike

[Bowtie001]

Thanks for the info. I did send a PM and hopefully some questions will be answered.

How I have to figure out what kind of fluid I should have used (maybe the synthetic is too thin and hence the noise?) and if I can bend the chrome shift lever with heat and not destroy it.


Any ideas?

Thanks
-Brian

[Bowtie001]

Well, it wasn't the fluid. Apparantly the clutch fork is doing the right thing too because it's still making the noise after adjustment.


Did I install a junk tranny?

[Husker]

What exhaust setup did you use?
Ron

[Tx Firefighter]

You can just change the nosecone on the starter instead of the whole thing.

[Bowtie001]

Whoa, I did not realize that you could swap nosecones! That changes everything!! Thanks fore the tip!

I'll have to do that soon. I like my old Delco starter. It will probably work for another 35 years.

I used a setup from heart throb exhaust and left out the tailpipes. Mike is the guy that answered the phone and he was really helpful. I added a Summit H pipe and was very happy with it. There is very little room under there for exhaust, and it sits a little low, but I guess it will have to work for now.

If I understand the adjustment on the clutch correctly, it just needs to allow the pedal to move before engaging the fork to ensure that it's not holding it up at all, right? I have mine this way, but there is still a distinct whirring sound when I am off the pedal. I have heard that the throwout bearing is the opposite of this. I am new to the manual tranny thing, so any ideas are appreciated.

[Tx Firefighter]

That is correct sir. When the clutch pedal is not being depressed, the throw out bearing is not in contact with the pressure plate and is not turning. A noisy throwout bearing will present while you have the pedal depressed.

If your whirring sound goes away when you depress the clutch pedal, it is coming from the transmission. When you disengage the clutch, the transmission stops turning and the noisy transmission stops making sound.

[Bowtie001]

That's what I was afraid of.

I changed the oil from Castrol Synthetic 75W-90 to a regular dino variety of the same weight and the noise is still there. Could it be that I don't have a boot on it and the hole in the floor is larger than it needed to be?

Or... is the transmission destined to die a grindy death?

It makes a whining when in first and second but the rear end is so loud is is tough to differentiate the noises. It seems like it goes away in fourth but again, with the rear so loud it's hard to tell.

I thought these tranny's were bulletproof... what could be wrong? Could it be that it sat for six months?

Any ideas?


Thanks for your input so far.

[Tx Firefighter]

Don't worry a bit about it until you get a shifter boot and some noise deadener between you and those whirring parts. Standard transmissions are much noiser in operation than most people realize.

An open hole between you and it will definitely cause it to sound bad.

[Bowtie001]

OK so last night someone gave me an idea, and so I drove home with a polo shirt wrapped around the hole (my work shirt) tightly. The noises are all still there and I am pretty sure by the end of the year I will be calling Passion Performance to buy a set of syncros and a input bearing. Does that sound right?

I never did mention that shifting into first and second when going over 10 mph is darn near impossible and second is always a little tough if I don't get the revs spot on.

How hard is it to tear into one of these things?

-Brian

[Bowtie001]

Well I swapped the nosecones last night and the real starter is back in it. Now I can return the new one for the core charge and save some money too, because I did not want to get rid of a working Delco starter.


Transmission still making noise though... I am going o contact Passion Performance and try to get some rebuild parts for it. I think it may be the input shaft/bearing and the synchros at this point.

Thanks for the help!
-Brian

[webfoot]

Probably some bad bearings, if I were you I'd see if they have a complete rebuild kit for it. How old is this transmission? If it uses brass synchros it needs the old style GL-4 rated gear oil.

[Bowtie001]

It's from 1984 and I did use the GL4 after a brief stint with Castrol synthetic. I swapped oil because I thought it might be causing some noise on it's own...

[wibilly]

was your tranny originaly set up with a hydralic clutch the one i have for a feuture project is

[Bowtie001]

Both transmissions were manual clutch and remain so.