'89 Stepside "Way Cool Jr."

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Wh4t3v3rs

I got real bass!!!!
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Latest updates on Way Cool Jr. I'm finally installing the transmission I rebuilt two years ago.

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Can I get you to refresh us on what trans you rebuilt?
 

Thatlowchevy

How’d I get inside this tube?!?!
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Pull-A-Part OKC. It's an independent yard, not a part of the Pull-A-Part chain. I've chatted with the owner a bit, and he's trying to sell the yard so he can reopen elsewhere - it's currently in "the projects". He had it almost sold to developers who were going to turn it into apartments, but there's only one road in for emergency vehicles, so the city council nixed it. Hence, he sells parts far cheaper than the LKQ yard on the west side of town, and the yard is slowly getting a little more sparse.
I agree on the LKQ yard in OKC. They don’t move inventory very often. Some of the vehicles that were there in 2018 are still there… makes it hard to find many decent parts when everything is picked clean
 

Erik the Awful

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I got the transmission installation finished up. I ditched the PMGR starter for a gear reduction starter I have laying around, and then remembered why it was laying around. It's junk. It spins, but the arm that kicks the gear out is broken. Now I have to buy a new starter.
 

HotWheelsBurban

Gotta have 4 doors..... Rawhide, TOTY 2023!
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I got the transmission installation finished up. I ditched the PMGR starter for a gear reduction starter I have laying around, and then remembered why it was laying around. It's junk. It spins, but the arm that kicks the gear out is broken. Now I have to buy a new starter.
Always gots to be Some B*** S*** don't it?!
 

Erik the Awful

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I got the starter from RockAuto last week, and the weather turned nice, but my motivation was shot and I had to finish sorting the Explorer my sister-in-law inherited. I got the gear reduction starter installed yesterday afternoon, (Doh! I mixed up permanent magnet and PMGR a couple posts ago) but had to run and get transmission fluid.

Today I went out and filled the transmission until I got a reasonable amount on the dipstick. I started it, shut it down, checked it, and refilled again. Once it quit disappearing off the dipstick, I kept the truck running and kept adding fluid until I got a steady amount at idle. It took about 4.5 quarts to top the transmission off, which is about right considering it's a fresh rebuild.

I took it for a test drive/TV cable adjustment run and got it shifting 1-2 at 18 mph and 2-3 at 32 mph. I'll cruise it for the next 500 miles until I'm pretty sure it's broke in and running good before I hammer it. So far it's already slipping less than the junkyard transmission.

Now I need to get the Explorer's 5R55E transmission (C3 derivative) topped off, which is supposed to require crawling under it while the transmission's running at 160°F and adding fluid through the drain plug. Utter stupidity. I had to do the same process on my Mustang's 5R55S, and guess what? I followed the instructions to a T and still ended up low on fluid. I think I'm just going to add half a pint of fluid and see if that fixes the delayed shifting. Then I need to bleed the brakes.

Once that's done I can pull the Mustang into the shop and replace the inner tie rod ends, rebuild the rearend, and reset the HVAC positions. It has 190k on it, and that's all that's wrong with it, so I'm not upset.

But, ugh. I'm tired of the tedious stuff and want to get back to the fun stuff, like wiring the Jaggernaut and rebuilding Roscoe.
 

Erik the Awful

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I reused the torque converter. The old transmission had good fluid and didn't have parts breakage.

I drove the truck the church yesterday, and it's still leaking oil pretty good, so I need to look under it again.

Saturday I adjusted the TV cable and got it shifting great, but on the way to church it kept trying to snap my neck, shifting 1-2 at 25 mph and 2-3 at 35. I loosened up the TV cable several clicks and it's a bit better, but it's also hammering into drive when I first start it up, so something's not kosher.
 
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