Any auto transmission gurus out here?

[cuong-nutz]

While I have been neglecting essentials for the 250, I have been busy rebuilding my auto transmission in my Pathfinder.

I'm using a plethora of parts from different generations of RE4R01a transmission due to a few painful monetary expenses in learning how to rebuild one.

1993 Nissan Pathfinder 4x4 transmission
2001 Nissan Xterra valve body
rebuilt torque converter
front pump stator from old transmission (I couldn't pinpoint what year or what vehicle it came out of)
new high drum
new reverse drum (not sure what vehicle either but it looks better than my original)
Transgo Shift kit
Rock Auto rebuild kit (If I were to do it over, I'd get another kit as this one did not have the right hard parts)

I just had to fork out another expense because I did not have the necessary tool to measure endplay for the pump and brake drum. I was not comfortable with my crude measurements using my digital caliper and I did not want to fork out anymore money by buying a stack of and washers at $14 a pop and go through the trial and error of getting the right endplay.

What's making this hard is that Nissan has used this transmission for over a decade and it's so hard to pinpoint what they changed out throughout the years and in what models. Basically I'm fording in unknown waters. I have talked to a view transmission rebuild shops and they can't even give me the answers I'm looking for. The FSM is a blessing but what's funny is that they use older updated photos of the older model.

My advice for anyone if they're considering tackling this feat:
Have lots of ziplock baggies
Take lots of photos
check clearances of your original parts before disassembling
work in a clean area
do no wipe down internal parts with non lint free stuff
make sure you have all the proper tools you need
do this task in a weekend if you can and not months apart (you'll end up forgetting where stuff went)


Here's a link to all my photos if anyone's curious.

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y5/...%20PATHFINDER/

[cuong-nutz]

So I added another tool to my collection... One that I will more than likely never use again unless I'm building another transmission. Expensive cheap Verdon of its bigger brother. Does the job fine.





Bearing race measurement




Clearance for thrust washer


Calculating my options.

[bruce71198]

You are a brave man....

[InvisiBill]

PROTIP: Don't sandbag your vehicle when rating its power, then give it a transmission that just barely meets those artificially low numbers. AWD (i.e. no wheel slip) won't make life any easier for the trans.

Stock trans, sprag failure (should look like this)


Poorly rebuilt trans, lubrication failure

[Snake]

Both of you are very brave and patient men.

[InvisiBill]

Originally Posted by Snake

Both of you are very brave and patient men.

I didn't do any of the work. I took the first pic of my "trophy" after the crappy shop rebuilt the stocker. The second batch of pics are from the guy who rebuilt it after that.

[cuong-nutz]

Originally Posted by InvisiBill

PROTIP: Don't sandbag your vehicle when rating its power, then give it a transmission that just barely meets those artificially low numbers. AWD (i.e. no wheel slip) won't make life any easier for the trans.

What I am concerned with this rebuild are the sealing rings that TransGo provides versus the OE design where the ends butt up against each other. The ends of the TransGo seals are cut diagonally and so the ends overlap each other.

The other concern is the 1-2 shift is going to jolt. I have read from from Aussie and Kiwi folks that the shift is a bit solid (they're rolling with the Beefy version of the RE4R01a The Re4R03a) behind their TD patrols.

I'll see once I get it running.

[RacinNinja]

Never been inside an auto trans before.

I have no problem ripping apart a manual with all the gears and syncros. I guess the thing is I only own one Auto and it only has 100K on it......

[cuong-nutz]

Originally Posted by RacinNinja

Never been inside an auto trans before.

I have no problem ripping apart a manual with all the gears and syncros. I guess the thing is I only own one Auto and it only has 100K on it......

After tearing down this auto trans, I am pretty confident I can work on them granted having the right tools. Most of the shops I've talked tend to reuse the same bushings if there isn't any damage when they do a rebuild. There are a few bushings that are hard to get to and will require the right tools or some ingenuity and patience with a dremel to cut them apart. Now if I had a choice to rebuild an auto or manual, I'd prefer a manual. So much easier and faster but I would need a press to remove the gears and bearings.

I had issues with this auto only because I had purchased it used at a junkyard and did not know too much about autos at the time which only came to bite me in the ass later when I installed it and ran with it.

I'm on the clock to put the transmission back in right now so I can get my truck registered and inspected by Tuesday. Unfortunately the DMV office is closed tomorrow so I'm hoping I can get some leniency so I do not have my vehicle towed for sitting out in front without proper registration.