Those are my videos you are watching
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Yes, so far I stopped at 16 because I put this to this to the side over the winter. I have it completely back together now other than a few odds and ends. I'll be finishing the series soon.
As a first timer, some tips:
1. Don't start tearing it apart unless you plan to totally rebuild it. There's nothing at all you can tell by splitting the valvebody or air testing it. Mine checked out ok and didn't have excess debris in the pan, and third was still burned up. Either stick it in the car and see how it works as is, or overhaul it.
2. If you overhaul it, you need a good manual such as the ATRA versions or even better, use an appropriate year FSM(Chrysler manual). You can use my videos for tips and ask here, but go by the manual first and foremost. When you ask on forums you get so many random bits of advice and opinions, that although they are well-menaing, it just confuses you.
3. You need a clean bench with good lighting. You need kids and wife out of your way. You need to plan to clean and clean and clean.
4. Any bushing that doesn't look new has to be replaced. The front pump bushing replacement can be considered mandatory and that takes a large bushing driver set which you can't get at HF. I bought a used Matco set off eBay. You need a complete kit which has steels, bushings and soft parts. I got mine from Oregon Transmission parts. You don't need whoopty-do alto clutches or kevlar or anything else on a street car. In fact, the use of such is discouraged due to their altered friction characteristics and especially since they are usually thinner to encourage people to try to fit more clutches in the clutch pack, and as a consequence they
do not absorb heat well. Also, the front band should be the good original cast-iron style unless it's a much later unit. They don't make those any longer, and they are a superior piece compared to the flimsy "flex" bands they keep pushing on people these days. I won't use one of those after seeing how sloppy it was. You CAN have the cast-iron band relined. In fact, there is a place in Muscle Shoals west of here that does just bands, and they had an exchange unit on the shelf ready to go. With my core it was a whopping $5.00
5. You need to know what converter that is. I know guys keep saying to use higher-stall converters, but the converter stall speed needs to be less than whatever your cruise(60-65) speed rpm is, or otherwise the converter will be slipping some all the time and generating heat. That's often disregarded but you want a transmission to run cooler, not hotter. Plus, some 8.5:1 CR 318 with stock heads(for example) will be an unpolished turd trying to drive 2.93 gears through a loose converter. Don't follow the "bigger *****" mentality.
6. That transmission with the rust in it has been saturated by water, and I would consider it a parts transmission at this point. The case might even be corroded.
7. You can find out what year they both are down to the DAY by looking at the numbers on the driver-side pan rail. There's a letter code, then numbers that are the 10,000 day calendar date. Plug them in to a search and it tells you what day of what year it was produced. If you luck out one might be an A999 but not likely. The partial VIN's are on the passenger side bellhousing.
8. Don't experiment with homebrew throttle-valve linkages. That's the fastest way to burn up a TF. The guys that engineered those linkages knew what they were doing. Either use the factory linkage or use the LOKAR kit like I did after decided I didn't want to fund some guy's retirement for a set of correct 4bbl linkages.
Again, don't start disassembling it hoping to learn as you go without a guide. You'll have a big pile of parts left that you'll haul out to the curb. Good luck!
