1995 Impala SS - Transmission Issues

[LT1Silverhawk]

Originally Posted by j cAT

great info keep us updated.

the rear diff could be a locker type diff. see if you can pull numbers off the gears..

Thanks!

How do I check the numbers?

[j cAT]

Originally Posted by LT1Silverhawk

Thanks!

How do I check the numbers?

there appears to be a few companies that supply gear sets that will fit this rear diff housing...most likely this is what occured in your vehicle..the gear set should have stamped numbers on it...locate these companies and ask where exactly you find this also what fluid to use...

with the rear diff cover removed there are pictures of the rear diff gear set on these web sites .....this also will help you identify the diff..also.

[LT1Silverhawk]

Originally Posted by j cAT

there appears to be a few companies that supply gear sets that will fit this rear diff housing...most likely this is what occured in your vehicle..the gear set should have stamped numbers on it...locate these companies and ask where exactly you find this also what fluid to use...

with the rear diff cover removed there are pictures of the rear diff gear set on these web sites .....this also will help you identify the diff..also.

Ok, that sounds doable. As soon as I have access to the car (probably not for a nother few days or a week), I'll pop the cover and see what I find.

Thanks again!

[LT1Silverhawk]

I thought it was time for an update on the transmission situation.

I got quite a few recommendations for some local performance transmission builders but haven’t managed to cough up the moolah yet.


However research into the following items continues…

a. Rebuild kits: I’ve only received one recommendation: http://www.700r4l60e.com/store/product.php?productid=330&cat=22&page=1

b. What actually failed:

a. I haven’t been able to go to the shop where the car is parked and, they won’t touch it because they outsource their transmission work. I told them I was shopping around for the best transmission deal and would pay them to handle the removal and installation.

b. Lost a job this week so getting the transmission properly built is quite out of the question at the moment. I put the car up for sale but, if no decent offers come through, I have decided to swap in a stock engine, transmission and PCM from a ’95 9C1 to get the car back on the road again. There is a guy who selling this setup for $500 and I have a couple of friends to help me. Sounds like the cheapest way to go for now. I can pull whats in the car and rebuild it as time and money allow.

c. Some further research on the Impala SS Forums let me to the “Common Failures” thread and, based on the information listed, I have the situation narrowed down to the following scenarios:

i. “Loud bang, grinding sound, loss of all gears, and a binding driveshaft: snapped output shaft. Try to wiggle driveshaft - if more than 0.020" play, that's the sign. R&R.”

ii. “No movement in any gear: pump failure, or total loss of fluid. R&R, or refill pan and find the leak. If out of fluid, avoid running the engine until the trans is refilled to avoid pump damage. To check for pump failure, check fluid level with the engine off, then start the engine and recheck fluid level. If level does not go down when engine is running, the pump is broken.”

d. Additionally, I had a guy call me up after he saw my ad and it turned out he was a member of a local Impala club. After I described everything to him, he concluded that it may be the rear end. His suggestion was to raise the rear, put the transmission in neutral and see if the wheels spin freely. My friend and I did push the car a ways when it broke down so I figure it’s not the rear end.

[LT1Silverhawk]

9 Months Later...


Well, since the last post, Ive done nothing but research everything about the transmission, shop around for good replacements, and finding the courage to tackle the job myself.



I finally jacked up the car a couple weekends ago, started the car, put the transmission in various gears and checked to see what happened.

Results:

• Reverse: [COLOR=blue! important][COLOR=blue! important]Wheels[/color][/color] would not move under acceleration. Wheels hard to move by hand.
• Neutral: Wheels spun freely by hand.
• OD: Wheels did not move under acceleration. Wheels hard to move by hand.
• D: Wheels can very very barely move under hard acceleration. Wheels move fine by hand.
• 2nd: Same results as D.
• 1st: Same results as OD.

I find it safe to say that the rearend is not damaged.




So I've decided to tackle the removal and reinstallation job myself. A stock 4L60e out of a '95 9C1 with 97k miles on the clock will serve as a temporary fix.

The story continues in the thread linked below.


1995 Impala SS - Transmission Removal and Reinstallation

http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbul....php?t=1054026