97 GTS Transmission : countershaft stuck

[Cyruss]

Hi everyone,

My transmission "broke" on the highway, doing 5th and 6th full throttle acceleration.

I start to disasembled my gearbox and found one broken key of the 5/6 synchro.

As I continue to remove all the internal parts to make a full rebuilt (with upgraded parts), I cannot pull out the countershaft as explained on the service manual.

It is so hard to pull it's look like it is a one piece countershaft ! (like Corvette ??) and not 2 pieces.

But there is no reason that it is not a 2 piece ... so any idea of how I can pull it out or why it got stuck ?

Here are some pictures...

Thank a lot for your Help ...

back of the transmission :

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What I found on the magnet : part of the key of 5/6 synchro

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Pull the countershaft as explained on the Viper SM

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Part detail on the Tremec SM

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Countershaft close look

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Picture found on internet, this should come like this :

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Just slide out of the other piece of the countershaft :

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[steve e]

Not that it matters, I was just wondering, full throttle from 5th to 6th, why?? 6th is useless at any speed, the car will not pull to top speed in 6th it will just go slower .

 

[Cyruss]

Good point, I was fine tuning the car and on 5th and 6th the acceleration was slow enough to record the Air/fuel ratio.

PS : I was driving and someone else on the passenger side had the laptop

 

[steve e]

Thats cool, I was just wondering, I could never understand why the car has that useless gear anyway.

 

[Cyruss]

Yes, as the transmission is (will be ) disassemble I will change the gears at the same time !

 

[steve e]

Awesome, thats the way it should have come from the factory, I put 3:55 out back and that helped all the gears do there thing, 5th now pulls hard but 6th is still useless at any speed.

 

[Cyruss]

I was thinking also to go with a 3.55 but as I already spinning the tire in 1st and 2nd, I guess that would be not recommended

 

[zombiesnake]

ive rebuilt a few transmissions(havent done a viper trans yet) and usually at this point you just have to wiggle the hell out of it, and if that doesnt work ill use a slide hammer as a last resort.

 

[Cyruss]

Thanks zombies, I try an even lift the transmission by the countershaft, wiggle it .. but all was holding by the shaft !

I have to try to hammer it then .... but I don't understand how this could get stuck like this.

 

[steve e]

With so much torque running through that shaft they tend to twist just a C hair and makes it tough to take apart.

 

[Cyruss]

ok, does that mean I will have to change it as it could be damaged ?

 

[steve e]

I would say maybe have it checked, but they all are a pain to get apart and they are fine.

 

[Cyruss]

True

I'll try to pull it out and check it. Or I will send the all transmission to a pro and let his knowledge do the magic