A855 - 5 Speed

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From what I hear is these tranny's had all new gears made for them, for this issue
 
matthon said:
Funny, I don't see any chime in with positive feedback, none, zero, zilch.
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I had the 13th one built in my challenger, had it in for 3 years and beat on it at all three years at Drag Week, 4000lb Challenger and a 505, went through 2 McLeod ceramic Clutches, but never one problem with the trans, got tired of the clutch issues in a heavy car during drag Week and went to an automatic.
 
weedburner said:
Back in the 80's we used to modify 3spd transmissions to use in our dirt latemodels. Occasionally we would come across one that popped out of gear, our quick/dirty fix was to change the profile of the interlock detent notches in the side cover. I know nothing of the a855, but mis-indexed detent notches might be slightly side loading the forks, keeping the struts/springs from seating correctly.

I have cut large holes in the top of spare main cases, making them fixtures for easily checking the indexing of the interlock detent notches. I currently faceplate my own transmissions, which gives me the opportunity to change the placement of the dog rings and shorten slider travel distance. It's pretty much necessary to also modify the interlock detents for proper alignment to go along with the shorter slider travel, as you don't want to damage the forks due to un-necessary side loads.

Grant
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Yeah, Chrysler used to different side cover configurations. The ball and detent, which IMO was the better of the two and the interlocking lever side cover.

I wasn’t a fan of the interlocking lever cover, because the ends of the levers would break off.

I would think with any engineering at all, they would have stayed away from some funky shifting mechanism...but stranger things have happened.
 
matthon said:
You mean shifting into 4th?
It does seem to match the symptoms when driving.

I couldn't find a comment.

A855 - 5 Speed
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Do you know where he put 5th gear? The way I see it is you can only have a 1:1 gear is using 4th. No need to go through the cluster to do that that I can think of.

As I posted earlier, the only thing I know of that allows the gear box to not stay in gear is the struts and strut springs. Sometimes a syncro can do that, but it usually grinds a bit, especially when downshifting.

That little strut cams over center when the slider moves to engage the gear, and should stay over center until the driver pulls on the shift lever.

I wish I could take one apart and measure it. I’d bet weed burner would like to do the same. Without the engineering drawings you won’t know if it’s in spec, but most of the internals need to be chrysler sized to fit in the case.
 
Drawings would be good but I don't think they're necessary. The problem is either visually evident or could be measured. Something isn't lined up or properly positioned.

I've worked for manufacturers for years and there's one common trait - no one likes to issue drawings, especially ones with internal dimensions.
 
matthon said:
5th is on the same rod as reverse.
5th is up to the right, reverse down.

I don't know if that answers the question, so forgive my ignorance.
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Yeah, that’s what I was asking. I’m trying to picture it in my mind...but to do 5th on the reverse shaft...I’m trying to think how he stuck 5th there.

At any rate, 4th is still direct (I think it is) and that is probably the same 3-4 slider, hub, struts and springs as a Chrysler box.

Do the struts not cam over and basically lock the slider into gear until it’s shifted back out of 4th? Thinking out loud here.

3 and 4 uses the same slider, hub and struts and it doesn’t pop out of third. So that leaves either the 4th gear cone is machined incorrectly (again, I’m kinda guessing without seeing the gear box) the struts on the 4th gear side are machined incorrectly (although I’m not sure how that could even happen, and how one or two struts could be machined wrong on one side and they all happen to be assembled with the incorrect rly machined side to 4th gear) or maybe the hub is incorrectly machined on the 4th gear side only, and that doesn’t let the strut engage the slider enough to keep it in gear.

I’m just spitballing here. But usually any popping out of gear is strut/hub related.
I’ll have the cover off my 4 speed tomorrow and I’ll look at it to refresh my memory because I ain’t seen the guys of one in awhile.

I can’t imagine a scenario where that gear box can’t be fixed unless something is horribly wrong.
 
I have followed this thread and it DISGUSTS me how he's been treated and run around over this. 5K IS a lot of money to piss away for a piece of crap that doesn't work right. I'd like to have a 5 speed in my Barracuda BUT IT WON'T BE ONE OF THESE!!!
 
^ Agreed. There's plenty of examples of stellar customer service in this hobby. Richard at RP & M, Cass at Dr Diff, etc. Legendary sent me a free set of matching "buttons" for my 69 Charger seats when I inquired about two coming apart my relatively - new front covers. Exceptionally good service sticks in my memory for a long time.
 
RON REAGLE said:
I have followed this thread and it DISGUSTS me how he's been treated and run around over this. 5K IS a lot of money to piss away for a piece of crap that doesn't work right. I'd like to have a 5 speed in my Barracuda BUT IT WON'T BE ONE OF THESE!!!
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I agree. I’ve followed this thread since day one, hoping it would be resolved. This style of gear box is dumb simple and it’s been around forever. I can’t imagine that it’s something so wrong it can’t be fixed.
 
It seems the perfect fit for the guy who doesn't want to cut his car apart and fab a cross member etc. It isn't too much to ask for it to work!!!
 
Maybe you're supposed to use gears 1-3 then skip to 5....
 
yellow rose said:
4th is still direct (I think it is)
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That is my understanding.
The rest I have no idea.
When I pull it again, I'll take the cover off and snap some pics.

The more I think about it, do they expect this trans to never be serviced by anyone else, professional or otherwise?
No idea how a T56 would get serviced, or is the answer they don't need to be.

@RON REAGLE - I agree 100%, obviously.

I got on the 'list' and never thought about it again. When I was called I had just sold a car, I wanted a highway gear, and I wanted to keep my bench seat, so it seemed like good timing.
 
2/24 - Friday
Called John, he called GFI, texted me back, I called him back.

The skinny: John is sending me a brand new trans, on a pallet, in a crate, no charge.
He is also sending me, in writing, a 3 year warranty from the day he ships it out.

He requested, again, for the opportunity to make this right on his dime.

Will this work out for me, now, in the future? I have no idea. This is my last attempt to get back on the road with this and move on to other things.

My requirements were simple.
A 3 year warranty in writing.
If this new trans pops out, or grinds, or makes horrific noises, or is damaged in shipping, whatever, I get my money back.
Painting the trans does not void the warranty.
I need time to do the swap, weeks not days.
It ships on a pallet, no shitty wooden crate.
I don't take my trans out or ship anything until I have the new one here, intact.
I pay zero for shipping here or back.

I didn't have to ask for the last 2, he spelled those out first, adding it will cost him $280 one way.

We discussed responsibility, whomever is supposed to take responsibility vs who does, which is nobody at this point, which was also part of the warranty discussion.
John said I deal with him from now on, period.

He said he has it tested and it would be ready to ship as early as this Monday.
I stressed now is not the time to hurry up and get me a trans. He agreed and would discuss with his employee who does the install/testing/driving.

A few other notable items.
He made the case that none of these trans have broken or blown up due to hp or torque or beating the hell out of them.

He wants the old trans sent to him, he wants to know what's wrong with it.

I told him the painting the trans voids the warranty baloney and he thought that was ridiculous.

When he came into this, he got involved in the shipping as trans were getting damaged in the metal crates. He paid for all of the wooden crates but quickly realized they were garbage and went to pallet.

I sent him a pic of my trans when I got it, and he immediately recognized it by the # on it as one he had tested. It is from 2017. I told him again how it immediately popped out of 4th, on my street, first ride out.

It is obvious he shares my frustration with GFI and Passon and is still never surprised when I mention communication issues.

Last thing, that stuck in my head, he said Jamie doesn't want anyone to know he doesn't build the trans.

That's crazy, on many levels, and based on my direct experience he also doesn't want anyone to know he does build them (ya, I stated that correctly, even though he doesn't build them), or who does the warranty service, or the correct fluid to use, or that his 'list' is a farse, or that the trans have 1 consistent problem, or the truth.
 
matthon said:
2/24 - Friday
Called John, he called GFI, texted me back, I called him back.

The skinny: John is sending me a brand new trans, on a pallet, in a crate, no charge.
He is also sending me, in writing, a 3 year warranty from the day he ships it out.

He requested, again, for the opportunity to make this right on his dime.

Will this work out for me, now, in the future? I have no idea. This is my last attempt to get back on the road with this and move on to other things.

My requirements were simple.
A 3 year warranty in writing.
If this new trans pops out, or grinds, or makes horrific noises, or is damaged in shipping, whatever, I get my money back.
Painting the trans does not void the warranty.
I need time to do the swap, weeks not days.
It ships on a pallet, no shitty wooden crate.
I don't take my trans out or ship anything until I have the new one here, intact.
I pay zero for shipping here or back.

I didn't have to ask for the last 2, he spelled those out first, adding it will cost him $280 one way.

We discussed responsibility, whomever is supposed to take responsibility vs who does, which is nobody at this point, which was also part of the warranty discussion.
John said I deal with him from now on, period.

He said he has it tested and it would be ready to ship as early as this Monday.
I stressed now is not the time to hurry up and get me a trans. He agreed and would discuss with his employee who does the install/testing/driving.

A few other notable items.
He made the case that none of these trans have broken or blown up due to hp or torque or beating the hell out of them.

He wants the old trans sent to him, he wants to know what's wrong with it.

I told him the painting the trans voids the warranty baloney and he thought that was ridiculous.

When he came into this, he got involved in the shipping as trans were getting damaged in the metal crates. He paid for all of the wooden crates but quickly realized they were garbage and went to pallet.

I sent him a pic of my trans when I got it, and he immediately recognized it by the # on it as one he had tested. It is from 2017. I told him again how it immediately popped out of 4th, on my street, first ride out.

It is obvious he shares my frustration with GFI and Passon and is still never surprised when I mention communication issues.

Last thing, that stuck in my head, he said Jamie doesn't want anyone to know he doesn't build the trans.

That's crazy, on many levels, and based on my direct experience he also doesn't want anyone to know he does build them (ya, I stated that correctly, even though he doesn't build them), or who does the warranty service, or the correct fluid to use, or that his 'list' is a farse, or that the trans have 1 consistent problem, or the truth.
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Ok, so fill me in on the details I don’t remember please.

Who is GFI? And I though Jamie was doing all the assembly in these, and he had a hand in developing this gear box? Is that not so?

I’d get on the list IF I could see some drawings of it, or some pictures of the damned thing. I love the fact it bolts in and I don’t have to cut a bunch of stuff up to get it in there.

If I pay that much money for a gear box and I have to take it apart and measure it and look it over, I’m going to pass on it. Not for that much money.
 
yellow rose said:
Who is GFI? And I though Jamie was doing all the assembly in these, and he had a hand in developing this gear box? Is that not so?
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GFI designed, builds, and repairs the A855.
You and me both, and many others.
Not so, from what I was told directly by GFI and John.

In retrospect, it makes sense, he's never known when new trans will be available and doesn't service them or stock.

Our Story
 
matthon said:
GFI designed, builds, and repairs the A855.
You and me both, and many others.
Not so, from what I was told directly by GFI and John.

In retrospect, it makes sense, he's never known when new trans will be available and doesn't service them or stock.

Our Story
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So I read that article you posted and the very first thing that jumped off the page was using carbon fiber syncros. I have no idea why that was what they came up with, but brass is much better shifting.

What is GFI calling out for gear box lube?

Not saying that’s what’s wrong, because it most likely isn’t because it should happen in all gears but for me, CF isn’t a good use there. Hopefully they used 833 sized syncros. I’d junk the CF.
 
yellow rose said:
What is GFI calling out for gear box lube?
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They agree with the MT90.

From post #2:

Paperwork with trans states to use 75W140 rated for limited slip differentials, but for some reason, not knowing much, it didn't make sense. Called Passon, a change was made, use:
Pic of sheet rec'd with trans with incorrect fluid type:
A855 - 5 Speed
 
yeah....I'm not sure what the material is (we called it clutch facing, like on an automatic trans clutch) but in the late 90's there were guys not wanting to buy the expensive Mopar fluid for their T56 Viper gearboxes, so they used GL-5. It would dissolve/eat up the facing adhesive and didn't take long for the whole thing to become a slop-mess inside. And, this is one of those rare cases when pouring in a bottle of that transmission restorer fluid didn't help.
 
For Sale...one new 855 transmission,changed direction on project, contact Matthon
 
matthon said:
They agree with the MT90.

From post #2:

Paperwork with trans states to use 75W140 rated for limited slip differentials, but for some reason, not knowing much, it didn't make sense. Called Passon, a change was made, use:
Pic of sheet rec'd with trans with incorrect fluid type:
A855 - 5 Speed
Click to expand...


WOW. I just read that sheet and flipped my beenie. How does engine torque matter in break in time, and what the hell is in there that needs to “seat” together or break in? They syncro needs to grab the cone on the gear and slow it down so the slider can engage the clutching teeth on the gear.

It’s funny that they called out for a gear oil that has the limited slip component to it. That would make the syncros more grabby.

I’m lost for words on this deal.

What a bummer.
 
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