So what could be worse than having metal shavings floating around in your tranny? Oh, I know, mad cork... Just some pics from my gasket replacement today... I actually have to drop the pan AGAIN because I guess i reinstalled the gasket incorrectly since theres about 4oz of ATF on my driveway after i finished. Im pretty sure Im going to just permatex the whole gasket on both sides and then seal the entire thing once its bolted back up.. Any thought on what kind of sealant I should use? I have permatex 2 from my Valve cover install... transmission slipping is gone btw... slight flare from 2-3 still exists.

 

 

Yum.
I suppose that determines your next step.

 

well i permatexed the whole gasket and then sealed everything... turned out pretty nice... still some strange shifting happening, is it possible that some pieces of cork traveled all the way into the valve body and might be causing higher rpm shifts and harsh engagements?

 

Holy moly. Who would even use this kind of gasket there??? Whoever is the manufacturer of that gasket should be ashamed of themselves and get sued.

 

I concur..

 

I didn't even know cork gaskets were available...

 

VYBZ -- did you install that cork gasket, or did the car come that way?

There is a LOT that doesn't look right about that gasket... the thickness, the overlap... I wonder if a previous mechanic made a custom gasket out of a cork roll or something.

 

Cork gaskets are available. I'm running one on my tranny now. If installed properly they work very well.....ie mine looks nothing like what is pictured. Install is everything. My tranny guy said he would replace it free if it failed/leaked. Same thing can happen with other gaskets as well if not done properly.

To vybz, yes.....it is possible peices of cork have entered the tranny. I was actually assuming the debris you showed in the strainer was actually some of the gasket.

Though I think we discussed this in your other thread. If everything was to look good, then keeping the tranny is appropriate (do the shift kit and cooler you talked about). It seems that the tranny is in a bad way given the debri and possible gasket being sucked through the system and blocking passages and such. I think you now have good enough info to say replace it.

 

Gregg, so saying the cork got sucked through and may be blocking passages, is that in the Valve body only? If I were to get the shift kit done later, im assuming theyd be able to clean the whole thing out and it will be ok, right? Or is it that the stuff would travel elsewhere in the transmission and cause more problems? The problematic shifting occurs once the transmission is fully warmed up, im going to check the levels the proper way and take some pics of the readings so I can determine if its overfilled or not and if thats whats causing the problems.

Montego, I definately got it that way lol

 

I'm purely guessing, saying only that I believe it's possible given the trash you strained out of the fluid and fact that cork will not be caught by the magnet. It would be hard to say where the cork/trash got passed.
With the tiny passages and springs and check *****, I just think mentioning a peice could get passed and stuck in one of those areas should be considered.
Your transmission being okay is highly questionable. The trash, amount of metal in the pan magnet, the slipping, etc. one of those things we discussed early on, that you have to take into consideration what you find once dropping the pan to guide you about whether tha tranny is maintainable. It is only my opinion, but personally I would rebuild or replace. If replace, drop that pan, inspect, and do the kit on that tranny with new solinoids

 

They are... for valve covers on air cooled VW's...