# Transmission rebuild, how long do I have?



## JLL (Sep 12, 2017)

No clue. Personally I would replace it as soon as I could afford it.


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## Valpo Cruze (Feb 23, 2014)

Change the fluid and start saving for a trans rebuild. Could pop tomorrow, or maybe never.


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## Cruzing12 (Oct 10, 2020)

ha ha i do this to my self some times.

so i did some research and> eco torque, an WG Motorworks has a posted guide of fualts. i toured around the other astra, alfa an holden forums. and i need a bearing swap. i bought the car at 147k km and immediately swapped the tranny oil out to ams oil, but like other indicators I believe it was original oil that came out. so what i'm hearing is the bearing pitting becuase of poor oil/ oil level.

called the scrap yards and a tranny is between $700-$1000, bearing kit about $400. i'm thinking get the 2nd tranny fix it up and swap it out over a weekend, fix the original and sell to recoup costs.


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## Claradonal (8 mo ago)

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Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Cruzing12 (Oct 10, 2020)

stopped by a transmission shop and their contemplating the rebuild as they don't commonly do manual transmissions. but said just to pull the unit and remount would roughly be 1200, plus parts and bench labor. 

option one is to then buy the junkyard unit. rebuild it myself. and go from there. key thing I've herd rebuilding is proper bearing tension. with there being two "output" shafts it should be relatively easy to feel via through the diff


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## Cruzing12 (Oct 10, 2020)

Cruzing12 said:


> called the scrap yards and a tranny is between $700-$1000, bearing kit about $400. i'm thinking get the 2nd tranny fix it up and swap it out over a weekend, fix the original and sell to recoup costs.


so turns out U pull style wreckers yards, trannys go for 200. worth the bull turd to pull myself at that price, i could afford a bearing kit with that savings too.










And I'm slowly amassing parts for a trans cooler.


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## Jimster480 (11 mo ago)

Cruzing12 said:


> so turns out U pull style wreckers yards, trannys go for 200. worth the bull turd to pull myself at that price, i could afford a bearing kit with that savings too.
> 
> 
> View attachment 298977
> ...


so did you end up getting a new transmission?


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## Cruzing12 (Oct 10, 2020)

Jimster480 said:


> so did you end up getting a new transmission?


I've concluded the bearings could of had rust from the car sitting so long pre sale. 

Since then I'm at 170k km now 25k km since oil change. As for the previous symptoms, I only have bearing problems with the input shaft bearing sounding like glass while in neutral. And 4th and 6th having occasional whine. Alot better than it used to be... Growling in most gears 

I've done the 1st an 5th gear test( clutch in shift to gear. Let out clutch till it tensions the drive train. And observe if the gear shift moves. Basically the gear shaft moves due to play, pushes on the shift fork and feedsback to the shifter, more it moves worse the bearing wear is. 

As for my tranny there's 1/8" movement in the stick. That with how the bearings are and that I need a flywheel. I'd like to do it in one go. 

Got to stop by princess auto and take out a small loan on bearing pullers to see which ones would work..... Or another radical theory drill small holes into the trans case and Puch the bearings out. Reinstalling you simply plug the holes with sealant as the new bearing race is installed.


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## Jimster480 (11 mo ago)

Cruzing12 said:


> I've concluded the bearings could of had rust from the car sitting so long pre sale.
> 
> Since then I'm at 170k km now 25k km since oil change. As for the previous symptoms, I only have bearing problems with the input shaft bearing sounding like glass while in neutral. And 4th and 6th having occasional whine. Alot better than it used to be... Growling in most gears
> 
> ...


I didn't think the bearings would be made of material that rusts, that is an interesting theory.

You are lucky to be able to borrow bearing pullers to see which ones work, AFAIK I have no place to borrow such parts.
Your theory about drilling is a bit radical since you would need to drill perfectly straight or you wouldn't be able to push them out properly IMHO.


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## Cruzing12 (Oct 10, 2020)

Jimster480 said:


> so did you end up getting a new transmission?












Like new, spent 6hrs today at a u pull pulling the motor just to get this little sucker. It's out of a 2014 LS. I'm not sure on milage but it's pretty low. As I was the first ever to unbolt 99%of the bolts. Might of not even had a clutch swap yet.

$210 for the tranny.
8hrs from the house n back.
$15 on expenditures.
Motivation to swap?
Not there.


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## Jimster480 (11 mo ago)

Cruzing12 said:


> View attachment 300448
> 
> 
> Like new, spent 6hrs today at a u pull pulling the motor just to get this little sucker. It's out of a 2014 LS. I'm not sure on milage but it's pretty low. As I was the first ever to unbolt 99%of the bolts. Might of not even had a clutch swap yet.
> ...


But what If it isn't good?


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## Cruzing12 (Oct 10, 2020)

Jimster480 said:


> But what If it isn't good?


Then I source the parts and rebuild. Only thing I need to worry about is the driver's side drive shaft popped out on impact( front end collision looks like the wheel took the impact and cuacking the assembly back pulling out the drive shaft)


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## Jimster480 (11 mo ago)

Cruzing12 said:


> Then I source the parts and rebuild. Only thing I need to worry about is the driver's side drive shaft popped out on impact( front end collision looks like the wheel took the impact and cuacking the assembly back pulling out the drive shaft)


So you have everything to rebuild the transmission? It's quite a task. I looked into it


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## Cruzing12 (Oct 10, 2020)

Jimster480 said:


> So you have everything to rebuild the transmission? It's quite a task. I looked into it



At the current moment I have to clean, assess, and inspect the pulled tranny, I showed up to the lot and the only information given was a 2014 LS 6mt, and random numbers on the windshield from insurance/auction. One those number 25xxxkm. I'm sure if I asked I could get the milage. But when I pull it apart and if the bearings are in good condition I'll most likely clean and reassemble

As for physicality there's no cracks or obvious damage to the case, it changes gears smoothly, and it rotates smoothly. The front impact looks to be a pole hit the front wheel snapped the control arm at the bushing cuacking the wheel out and into the driver's door so I may of lucked out.


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## Jimster480 (11 mo ago)

Cruzing12 said:


> At the current moment I have to clean, assess, and inspect the pulled tranny, I showed up to the lot and the only information given was a 2014 LS 6mt, and random numbers on the windshield from insurance/auction. One those number 25xxxkm. I'm sure if I asked I could get the milage. But when I pull it apart and if the bearings are in good condition I'll most likely clean and reassemble
> 
> As for physicality there's no cracks or obvious damage to the case, it changes gears smoothly, and it rotates smoothly. The front impact looks to be a pole hit the front wheel snapped the control arm at the bushing cuacking the wheel out and into the driver's door so I may of lucked out.


So then you have the parts to disassemble and re-assmeble the transmission. Since I mean taking the case off isn't hard but the rest is pretty complex and requires special tools, especially if you plan to re-assmeble it!


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## Cruzing12 (Oct 10, 2020)

Jimster480 said:


> So then you have the parts to disassemble and re-assmeble the transmission. Since I mean taking the case off isn't hard but the rest is pretty complex and requires special tools, especially if you plan to re-assmeble it!


Bearing pullers, bearing pressers, circle clip pliers are stuff I'm going to have to buy or seek help for, but having the tranny to work on while still having primary transportation is a big weight off.

I don't veiw it to be a "complex" job. I'd like to clean the needle bearings but if the main bearings are good I may have to suffice with giving it a good soak in cleaner or a good spray down with brake cleaner.


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## Jimster480 (11 mo ago)

Cruzing12 said:


> Bearing pullers, bearing pressers, circle clip pliers are stuff I'm going to have to buy or seek help for, but having the tranny to work on while still having primary transportation is a big weight off.
> 
> I don't veiw it to be a "complex" job. I'd like to clean the needle bearings but if the main bearings are good I may have to suffice with giving it a good soak in cleaner or a good spray down with brake cleaner.


 Well this one not only just needs a press but there are specific sizes used to create the right ring tension on the shafts which exists between the gears. You should watch some of the assembly videos, there are special tools from getrag to do it which cost 3000 euro/quid (since they don't sell them in the USA there is no usd price from what I've been told). 
I do know of 2 shops now that can rebuild these transmissions here in the USA though (not sure about Canada though).


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## Cruzing12 (Oct 10, 2020)

Jimster480 said:


> Well this one not only just needs a press but there are specific sizes used to create the right ring tension on the shafts which exists between the gears. You should watch some of the assembly videos, there are special tools from getrag to do it which cost 3000 euro/quid (since they don't sell them in the USA there is no usd price from what I've been told).
> I do know of 2 shops now that can rebuild these transmissions here in the USA though (not sure about Canada though).


You're talking about shimming for proper bearing tension. If you have the feel for how tapered bearings are sopposed to be tensioned then one could shim by hand one shaft at a time. Having the diff removed you then have access to all three shafts.

I've seen about 5-6 different videos, and, it's a gear box. If I didn't feel like a rented mule I'd of started to take the tranny apart. But having a feel of the input shaft and cycling the gears, tension is there. 

On my previous Cruze at an idle putting the clutch in and letting it out would cuase a 150 or so drop in rpm. Current car that may be about a 20rpm drop.


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## Cruzing12 (Oct 10, 2020)

Pulled the diff yesterday. It's in beautiful condition, the black gear oil wiped right off with a rag. Crown gear is in good condition, spider gears are also good, splines weren't damaged. Bearings..... The cones have small pitting but I believe it's more to do with how the metal shavings navigate through the oil. Non the less nothing I'm not going to clean and throw back in.

Pics of the diff later today, when I get to pulling the end case.


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## Cruzing12 (Oct 10, 2020)

Black stuff wipes off zero burnt smell .


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## Jimster480 (11 mo ago)

I see some pitting!


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## Cruzing12 (Oct 10, 2020)

Jimster480 said:


> I see some pitting!


Yeah having ripped apart just the diff I can say theses bearings get a bad rap... But I think it's more to do with the indescriminate diet of scavenged fluid (there's fluid return ports/), as some of the metal shavings and chips tend to float in the oil, the same oil that flows through the bearing races. In short it could be bad bearings, or just that the gearbox has to much metal floating around.

None the less I'll be reusing these bearings.


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## Jimster480 (11 mo ago)

Cruzing12 said:


> View attachment 300498
> 
> 
> 
> ...


The ones with the pitting? Why not replace them before they start grinding and then be careful with the fluid!


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## Cruzing12 (Oct 10, 2020)

Jimster480 said:


> The ones with the pitting? Why not replace them before they start grinding and then be careful with the fluid!


Meh true, but of all the transmission bearings the diff is accessible. Hobby time is slow, I haven't taken the transmission apart any further so no knowing if I need a bearing kit.


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## Jimster480 (11 mo ago)

Cruzing12 said:


> Meh true, but of all the transmission bearings the diff is accessible. Hobby time is slow, I haven't taken the transmission apart any further so no knowing if I need a bearing kit.


Well I would take it apart further if you really want to see because with the pitting on just the diff bearings; the rest might have quite a bit of pitting. Especially like the output shaft.


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## Cruzing12 (Oct 10, 2020)

Looks okay, bearings are pitted if slightly more than the diff bearings... Something I'm going to change out.









Surprise, there's a second catch magnet.











Full rebuild. This will take a while. I have other parts I need to order off of rock auto and will browse their catalog for individual bearings, and see if it's cheaper to go rock auto or a E Bay vendor from the UK. Side note looking at the gears there's signs of chaffing, mushrooming, razoring of the edges, I may take a file and profile every gear over again just to alleviate possible future metal flakes, as pictured in the bottom left gear there's already missing flakes.













And while I'm looking it over, potential spots to have oil cooler return lines installed, ie where the SS balls are pressed into. And may also want to go with a third magnet / oil filter since the oil cooler setup is going to need a oil pump for flow.


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## Cruzing12 (Oct 10, 2020)

I've taken a look on rock auto and it looks like they have all the bearings needed for the box. 


Does anybody off had know the bearing specs?


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## Cruzing12 (Oct 10, 2020)

Okay, so I found most on rock auto. Endcase bearings are 3 the same O.D. 62mm I.D. 30. (National bearing 30206)

There's a single Input of O.D. 51mm I.D. 27mm. (National bearing A4)

And two Differential bearings is O.D. 80mm I.D. 50mm (National bearing 32010X)

The two output shaft bearings have an O.D. of 85~86mm but am currently un able to find anything that matches.


Now onto the rest of the bearings. The "first gear" bearing race seems to be the cleanest one



















Then the output race for the 3-4-R shaft. Nice, even.



















And the one of the things that's cuaght my eye so far. the bearing for 1-2-5-6 shaft isnt anything close to evenly worn.









And the race has a swoop in it transitioning from 12 o clock, clock wise.










A word on bearing removal, good luck. The only portion to grab is the little slit in the 2 o'clock position, two slits 180° apart. Theorize that a blow torch and a slotted screw driver may help kick things off. The input shaft bearing and end case bearings should be relatively easy access.


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## Cruzing12 (Oct 10, 2020)

here's a recent video on a early modle gearbox.







I attempted cleaning the trans case and came to the conclusion that sending it off to get powder coated would solve said problem, but what color? white, red, or orange?


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## Cruzing12 (Oct 10, 2020)

So, rock auto. They only have the end case bearings... Not even diff bearings... Auto.


Bought a kit from eBay and should be here in a couple weeks.

Counted the 6th gear on my gear box and is a 29tooth, "gearboxpartsonline" had the higher gearing 6th gear set the 27tooth for $180... Wondering if the fuel savings would be worth it you know. When I'm in sixth I'm usually 90kph, but when ever doing long distance highway driving the speed is usually 120kph or 3100rpm. 3000rpm for about a constant hour or two doesn't feel right even with 3000mile OCI's.


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