visited the tranny shop for the followup....

[tactransman]

727/904 pumps (where the gears ride) don't go bad very often.

Find you an early 70's 360 engine,you can usually get a core for $50 and have a good machine shop go through it and "balance and blueprint" it.

The "crate" engine will not have that kind of attention put into it.

[shadango]

My bad, I did not mean a core that you send in when you buy a new crate engine.  What I meant to say is if you went the rebuilt 360 route, you would need the 360 block to start with.  With that said, if you know some guys that had them built locally, I would look into that more as to what shop they used.  It will end up cheaper than a crate engine, plus, if the shop is good, they will ensure all of the clearances are good, and everything is assembled correctly.  Just do a search on this board alone about crate engines, and for the most part you will see horror stories.  For your own good, you would want to take it to a shop and have them pull the valve covers off and check the lifters, etc for good oiling and proper adjustments.  Another alternative is to get a crate engine through a source that will put it on a dyno before sending it out.  That way it will already be broken in, and something like that you should be able to drop it straight in and go.

I understand this is all far down the line, but an engine swap/rebuild is definitely something you will want to put a lot of thought and research in to.

Oh no doubt I will want to do lots of research into....that is why I am hoping I dont need to right now....LOL

I have seen a few places in Mopar Muscle/ Mopar Action advertising crate engines.....Carolina machine engine is one that comes to mind....they say they send you the dyno sheets on the engine you buy.  They claim they are balanced, blueprinted too.  360 -- 350 hp (lopey idle) for $3500. I suppose they could just send you any sheet and you would never know....again, with the trust thing.

Its easy to say "find a good machine shop" when you have found one already.  LOL

I am not ready for THAT adventure....I am hoping that I dont need to go that route this winter.....will be perfectly happy with the 318 for now.  Guess I will cross that bridge when I come to it...hopefully later than sooner.

Was just out in the garage loading the tranny into my truck for tomorrow's trip to the shop.  My wife is a real trooper...betcha when I proposed to her so many years ago she never figured "lifting transmissions" would be part of the deal...LOL

Puttered around the garage a bit.....double checked my double checking to be SURE my block is marked 318....It is.  LOL But what an easy fix that vibration would be if it weren't...LOL

The casting number is  4006730-318-15 (that last number is either a 5 or a 6 ).....So I am assuimng the 318 means 318.

According to one site this is a very common 76-up 318...so a 318 it is. No easy way out.  LOL

Took another look at my motor mounts while I was under there.......

Here is the left one....



You can see the crack....its not real deep and far as I can tell it is just starting.....not as bad as I thought it was......

Here is the right one...looks perfect to me....

[dodj]

A stock replacement motor mount from 440 Source is $14.95

[shadango]

Thanks Dodj....

I was reading a bit last night about LA motors and the mounting ears changed slightly on the 75 (or maybe it was 76) up 318s......mine is a 76...so I need to order the mounts for a 76, versus a 72 (my car) 318 , right?  Or will the 72 mounts work?

Yeah, I know....a real dumb question.  LOL

[Moparal]

Order the mounts for your car year model. They will be the same on that car 70/74.  I just bought mine at car quest for 8 bucks each

[dodj]

When you buy motor mounts, you only get the rubber 'puck' with the bracket on one side that bolts to the 'k' member. The bracket that is in between your rubber motor mount and the engine you save from your old mounts and bolt onto the new one. It is that bracket that would be different (if there is a difference) so you don't have to worry. Just clean up and repaint and re-use the old ones. 

[shadango]

Awesome info.

Thanks guys!

[shadango]

Just got back from dropping the tranny off at the shop.

The tech said he would be calling Transgo tomorrow.....and that he would call me at some point as well.

I asked if he thought that my WOT 1-2 shifting too quickly could be related to the other "double bump" issue and he said no, that was purely kickdown.

Thing is, I have tweaked that kickdown up, down and sideways......I can feel the change in how easily it kicks into second and back out based on where I have it set, but the WOT 1-2 shift doesnt seem to change at all.

 He says that he really doesnt believe it is anything internal...he also said that he thinks the double bump issue could be causedd by my setting the kickdown wrong....WTF!?!?!....Meanwhile you guys and the transgo guy all say different.

I am hoping he is just blowing smoke to cover his redoing it.......I figure this is a chance for the tech to make it right.

He had his car there and it looks like it is setup for business (its an El Camino) on the track.....real nice actually....so the guy seems to know something at least in the chevy realm...I shouldnt doubt him I guess but when he is telling me the opposite of what eveyone else is saying.....well, I panic.

If I reinstall this thing and it still hs the double bump issue, what would you do then?

So I guess I just have to wait and see what happens. 

Guys, say a prayer to the Mopar gods for me.

I dreamt about money, $100, the numbers 75 and 76, a priest, and a purple fish (a real fish)....dont know what ANY of that means but I am hoping it means good luck...LOL

[dodj]

I'm sure everyone is pullin' for ya Shadango - I hope they do it right this time.

[ShelbyDogg]

I say if he tries to fix it again and it doesn't fix it, Ask him for a refund or ask the owner if he can put another tech on the tranny. If he refuses, document everything that you have done so far then take the shop to small claims court.    You can always take it to another tranny shop, that knows mopars, have them fix it, then have them show up in court with you to testify why the first guy didn't fix it.

Having to pull the tranny myself, then take it to them, then reinstall it myself after paying them over a grand would have set me over the edge. They should have pulled it, warranted the TQ though the place they got if from and got another one,  have another tech check the 11st one's work, then reinstalled it.
Are they a chain or a little single, private trans shop?
Good luck shadango!

[bb71challenger]

I agree with Shelbydogg. I once bought a lifetime warranty starter from Autozone for an 89 Chevy truck I used to own. Great, a lifetime warranty right? Well the first starter went out 2 days after I put it in. The second one sounded great and was really smooth but the bolts holding the whole works together backed out and the starter literally fell apart. I took it back and told them this. I think its great you guys offer a lifetime warranty but I am tired of crawling under my truck to change this bastard out every couple of days. They gave me a heavy duty starter at no charge.

 The moral of the story is, there is no way the tech should be mad at all, YOU are the one that is laying on the ground, busting knuckles in an attempt to remedy HIS shoddy workmanship. He should be thankful that you are working with him and pulling the car apart again. I would have just told him I would be bringing my vehicle by his shop so he could fix the tranny. Screw me once, shame on you, screw me twice, shame on me.

[dodge freak 2]

Autozone parts stink...I buy motor oil, spark plugs etc there but learn for better parts shop at Jegs or Summit. I went through 3 brake boosters till one work just right.

[shadango]

Yeah, I hear what you all are saying.

I am thinking this is his one chance to make it right, like I said.

Everyone screws up.  I do it everyday.  Sometimes I think I have perfected the art of screwing up...LOL

But when I do, I admit it and bust hump to make it right.

The way the tech is blowing it off as nothing serious does really bug me.....but if he is just "that way" and covering, I dont care as long s its right this time.

If its not, then I have to decide what to do.....and I doubt that pulling it and taking it to them a THIRD time will be in the cards.....will probably go elsewhere.....I would think it would be really hard to find a shop willing to go to court.....but they may document the issue.  Just my having it redone and that documentation should be enough I would think.

But REALLY hoping it doesnt get that far.

Seems like I just can never find the right people.

Last year during the summer I had my (house) roof redone and some skylights installed....well, even after extensive research and interviewing I picked a contractor who turned out to be a louse....did one section of roof completely wrong....luckily I had held back money and it was just enough to take care of the leaks and redo that section...I am still living with numerous aesthetic issues he was supposed to have fixed the first and second times around.

Taking the guy to court is pointless as he has nothing at this point (was going through a bitter divorce apparantly) and I dont even know if he is still in business.

But I do know that the way the tranny was shifting wasn't right. No "aesthetic" argument about that.

This shop is  a franchise...so I could at some point complain to the main office I guess.  If I install and have the same issue that will be what I will do I guess.....the owner knows all about this I am told.  From what I can tell, the shop has just this one guy as the rebuilder and two others that do the R/R.

If you knew me, you would know I do tend to get hot over stuff like this.

But in this case I am really doing my best to keep the happy face on and give this guy the benefit of the doubt.....

[bb71challenger]

I hear exactly what you are saying and I too mess up at times, its human nature. The fact that you are having to pull the trans again yourself should satisfy most any judge I know. I dont know that you would even have to get another shop to go to court to testify for you. Hopefully it will all be a moot point and the guy will come through for you. Man you seem to have a helluva time getting competent help with ANYTHING, where do you live?

[shadango]

LOL Sometimes I wonder if I am some sort of schmuck magnet or if I am just too picky.   

Thats why I try and do as much as I can by myself. Hard to know who to trust.

Even word of mouth these days isnt worth crap.  This shop was recomended to me by a family member.

Liek you said, i am hoping this is all moot and it comes back good as new.