I'm starting a new thread regarding my trans slipping. I've had the weekend to let myself calm down enough to accept the fact that my tranny needs rebuilt. I was going to attempt a 4 gallon flush and filter change but I think it would be a lot of uneccesary work prolonging the inevitable.

I found a complete kit with both bands, all bushings, clutches (alto), steels, seals, o-rings, and overrun piston. It looks like an assembled kit from a distributor as none of the manufacturers are listed other than clutches, seals, and gaskets. I emailed the seller to inquire about the maker of the bushings. I know that Clevite and Fed Mogul are used in some kits but outside of those two I wouldn't be satisfied with any name I at least didn't recognize (i.e. Chinese made).

Obviously the most enticing part is the price and I've been a mechanic for a long time and understand the expression "you get what you pay for". I've rebuilt several transmission and used off brand kits from a local distributor mostly when I was younger and never had issues with seals, bushings or thrust washers in those kits. There's no one that can match internet pricing though... so I'm thinking about this kit.

Any thoughts?

Ended up purchasing the Pro Super Kit by TCI. Comes with Alto clutches and steels, complete gasket/o-rings, check balls, shift kit and a kevlar intermediate band. I had to buy the kevlar reverse band seperate.

Got the tranny out the truck... took 6 hours by myself including the time it took to assemble the Harbor Freight transmission jack adapter for my floor jack. Everything came apart great. My plan is to have it rebuilt by Saturday and start getting in back in the truck which shouldn't be an issue since Summit stocks everything else I may need in case my sprag or planetaries are shot.

I'll let you all know how the kit works out once I get into it tonight. As it stands, I did about 10 hours worth of online shopping/reading and found that the TCI kit is the most comprehensive high quality kit available in the $300 price rangeand already comes with a shift kit. I would have had to buy the transgo shift kit and valve body plate with any other rebuilt kit I purchased. They also claim that these are the components that are used when they assemble their Street Fighter transmission.

Intresting side note... this was my girlfriend's father's truck. He unfortunately passed away in January and the truck sat for about 6 months prior to that because he didn't have the money to repair the IP. About 20,000 miles earlier though he took a second mortgage on the house and purchased a reman motor. Crawling around under there yesterday I saw the tag and just now realized that he had purchased a Jasper engine! Since then I've replaced the IP and PMD with a used IP that with 21,000 miles that is not a reman, came straight from Stanadyne. Truck runs amazing. This has been quite an experience with all the unknowns of purchasing this non-running truck... definitely didn't know the tranny and radiator was shot. I can't wait to get this hog on the road! Getting antsy now!

might need to get or make a piston installer for the forward clutch.thats what i had to do to get the piston seated,can be used for the other same size clutch as well.

I was talking to a rebuild out fit,they told me they only replace whats worn beyond specs.If it looks good ,it goes right back in.
Makes one wonder?.

seriously?! wow... not surprising as I've never been satisfied with anywhere I've taken my vehicle. especially since I usually only go to get tires. Very difficult to trust anyone that's out to make a living off your money!

I saw a thread on another site that showed using some wood working speed clamps with the squeeze handles to compress the piston. I picked up one more because I had a set... but the guy who put the thread together said that 2 were ok for a couple of the drums but some of them required three. In the past I remember welding up pieces of key stock and using a hydraulic press to compress them... speed clamps looked much easier!

seriously?! wow... not surprising as I've never been satisfied with anywhere I've taken my vehicle. especially since I usually only go to get tires. Very difficult to trust anyone that's out to make a living off your money!

I saw a thread on another site that showed using some wood working speed clamps with the squeeze handles to compress the piston. I picked up one more because I had a set... but the guy who put the thread together said that 2 were ok for a couple of the drums but some of them required three. In the past I remember welding up pieces of key stock and using a hydraulic press to compress them... speed clamps looked much easier!
Its not compressing the piston in to the bore thats the problem,the piston seal lips itself are wider than the taper edge in the bore,causing a hangup.
Trying to force the piston in the bore without a guide is gonna wreck the seals.

very good to know... I appreciate the tip and I'm definitely going to order a seal installer. Any particular one you can recommend?

tranny's completely apart, case is degreased and power washed... sitting on the bench ready for reassembly. Should be together tomorrow. Got the fibers soaking in Mobil 1 now.

An seal installer kit can run over $300.I could find no idividual pieces,only kits.
i made one for the 2 clutches that one really cant do without out from a 1/16 x 1 1/2 wide steel band welded to a circle the exact size of the piston OD with one edge ground to fit the taper in the clutch so there is no edge for the seal lip to catch on when you tap the piston home.
I used short strips of thinner material between drum and the guide to wedge the guide perfectly round in the clutch.
I pushed the piston from the bottom up in the guide,and then both in the clutch. You need to find a way to keep the guide seated till the piston is in its bore.I used a couple of steels on top of the guide, held in place with the snap ring.


hope this helps.

very helpful. I took some online tips I found and made a lip seal intaller with guitar string and an exacto knife handle. I also used a few .0010 two-pronged shims to get it started. it worked nicely, and I appreciate the heads up. It was a delicate process and your advice caused me to be extra careful. thanks again

Are the seals you are referring to on the clutch accumulator pistons?

Also I having a very hard time visualizing how you would use a wire lip seal installer.

Any advise would be appreciated.

No, the seals I'm reffering to are the clutch drum piston seals. There is an inner and outer lip seal on the piston and in order to get it seated back into the bore you have to keep the seal's edge going in the right direction. I put the wire in there and applied very little pressureon the side that the wire was on and worked it completely around the bore until the entire seal made it into the bore. It was extremely time consuming and frustrating and I was afraid that I damaged the seal anyways so I took it back out and inspected it. Turns out it was ok but I opted to buy a complete Kent-Moore rebuild tool kit for the 4L80E which I picked up off ebay for $330 that comes with virtually every tool necessary to complete the rebuild. Well worth the investment! It even came with the adapter to put the 4L80E in the standard chevrolet transmission holding fixture. Also came with all the tool to remove oil pump, and every clutch hub.