Im sure someone has covered a 46RE rebuild on here before, if not several, but im posting this for my questions, and a build thread from a mechanically minded tech whos never done a trans before.

My kit: 88023k MCLEOD RACING TRANS SUPER KIT

Cause for rebuild, govenor pressure sensor & solenoid went bad, left it, trans said byebye.

This truck is in iffy shape. i was looking for a kit that could solidify my trans for a reasonable price and id be happy with its lifespan. ive heard good things about it, and it seems all inclusive. i have noticed the abcense of a few seals, but i added those one-off from other sources.

I have at this point, pulled the trans and tore it down. no abcence of info on that.

ADVICE ON REMOVING TC:
ive heard everywhere that you can easily remove the tc by wiggling back and forth while pulling up. well it wasnt budging. i tried everything. what i found worked for me was, if you rotate the tc, you can slide a thin towstrap under it. wrap it around the base like a cradle, and i hooked it to my cherrypicker. i lifted it and it lifted the whole trans xD. lifting by a half inch each time, making sure the trans was supported after, i hit the rim of the bellhousing down with a rubber mallet, pushing the trans down away from the tc and back onto my support. couole of these, the tc lifted out 👍. BE SURE YOU ARE NOT SUPPORTING THE TRANS ON THE OUTPUT SHAFT. i had an old rim and tire, the output shaft was through the center cap hole, the trans being supported by the housing on the rim. pics are of trans standing up.

my current question, on what i believe to be 4th gear, after pulling the old clutch packs, and putting in the new ones, the snap ring no longer fits in the case. what am i doing wrong?

so far, ive checked and double checked the order, size and amount of plates and clutches in the pack. the same. ive double checked that the spring plate and other snap rings and seals are flush, properly oriented and installed in sequence.

do i need to wet the clutch plates? like ive said ive never done this before, but as far as im aware, once assembled the snap ring should go in and the clutches shouldnt be so squeezed that they cannot turn by hand. if i clamp them down with a rubber tip c clamp i can get the snap ring in but everything seems preloaded and doesnt spin. i can post pics after work but i feel SOL on this one. any advice on where to look on here or what to do is appreciated


the trans internals layed out

internals angle 2

trans pulled and stood up for TC removal

angle 2

angle 3

 

First in the video series that goes over everything you will want to know..

 

Some of those snap rings are tapered and they must be installed with the taper in a certain orientation AND the gap in the ring must be put, in some circumstances, must be put in a certain position for clearances as well.

I watch Gary Ferraro before I undertake a new transmission.
Gary really gives it away and I even drove 1200 miles on my rebuild and shook the man's hand up on Long Island, New York. (really I was driving up there and my A604/42RLE vehicle got the best mileage) ...
Here is a related video for you and while this is not a complete tear down for you (where he always points out snap rings that matter) Gary does point out a few things that he would always do to rebuild a robust transmission. It is his attention to those details, and years of experience, that really build his reputation as the Go To transmission rebuilder.


I am looking forward to your rebuild and teachings. Keep up the good work and keep up with the tutorial documentary!

I made a neat liposuction machine for keeping my work area clean and clear. A 5 gallon pail with a sealing lid, a length of hose, and a shop vacuum. I would create negative pressure on the sealed pail with the shop vacuum and could vacuum up the blood from my SS work tray. It was one of my keys to success.

Get a fresh torque converter if you transmission has TCC (torque converter clutch)
...and I really don't believe you need this next piece of advice as it seems that you area squared away with this project, BUT remember to inspect your flex plate when you remove it to replace your engine rear main seal.

Cheers!

Here is my 42RLE/A604 rebuild
Be sure to post LOTS of pictures of your rebuild! It is like truck **** for mechanics and looky loos...

https://www.chryslerminivan.net/thre...-reman.166581/

 

UPDATE TIME

i dont have much time to get into it, im swamped. so there WILL be a follow up to this.

im stuck. ill explain how the rebuild went in follow up, but its complete. last night i got the trans in the truck. started her up, everything seemed alright, then i go to shift, nothing

i can select any gear and they all feel like neutral.

to prep for questions;

i checked the apply bands, torqued to 72in-lb and backed off 2.25 rotations on front apply band and 1.75 on rear band.

i checked the shift linkage, and when disconnected from the shift cable i checked to see if i could feel the detents, everything clicked solid and no play. reconnected.

the only thing i can think of is the transfercase is in neutral. its a POS and theres no linkage. can somebody help me find how i can confirm the transfer case is in 2H? which lever position is what on the case. also i tried moving it but it doesnt seem to want to click over(transfercase lever)

EDIT: i bent and mangled a thredded rod into a s curve and threw it in as the transfer case linkage just to get it to move. turns out i was in N. shifted to 2H and i have no issues. PHEW. i was going to lose it….. lol. will be posting my bigger update i. the coming days