Cut it someplace where you will have room to splice when you put it back together. Or, if you are planning on replacing the muffler anyway, cutting near it isn't a bad plan either. Once you have it all back together, (at least, enough to drive it.) take it to a local muffler shop to have it welded up, or whatever.

 

So i got the trans out and tore down on a shop bench, everything looks good except my overdrive housing. There was a bunch of thick metal shavings pooling at the bottom of the OD housing and all through out the back end towards where driveshaft plugs in. I havent inspected the clutch pack yet due to needing to press that big spring out. My question is what would cause metal shavings to pool there? Am i shredding internal OD clutches? Or can this happen from slamming it in and out of park and drive on steep driveways? Seems like the pack is closed so tight any metal shaving coming out would be smaller. But it is physically chunky and built up in the corners and all of the OD housing only. The rest of everything else appeared to be clean. Trans Pan and magnet is full of metal shavings but first 2 bands and clutch packs had little to no shavings present within. All the drums looked smooth and both bands had good meat left. Planetary gears looked good too. Even friction plates and metal plates look unscratched. Does this sound like an overdrive unit failure??(clutch pack of friction plates & metal plates). Well the Metal shavings seem to be on the outside of the overdrive clutchpack. still inside the housing tho. What else could cause these shavings? I mean they are pretty chuncky. Almost like concrete floor flakes if youve ever seen someome get epoxy floors. Would a toasted torque converter produce chunky metal and shoot it back to the OD housing?? What are the chances my cooler is clogged too? Someone was telling me about a check valve in cooler line getting clogged and you can bypass that they said...Early update i was reading another forum and a few people were experiencing what they referred to as a bad Overrunning clutch in the back of the housing. pretty sure this is a part of the Overdrive area. any tips about replacing it? do i still need to press the big spring to get to it?

 

If the bulk of your shavings are in the O/D housing, then that is likely where the problem originates. Gonna have to tear it down to find the actual source though. Most any shop that has a press should be able to deal with that spring for you. Either that, or harbor fright has 'em for not too hideously expensive.

 

yea I like the harbor freight press I bought one today and decided to make my on press tool to press the OD out, so after lifting the clutch pack out I found the culprit for my shavings. it is what people are calling the Overrunning clutch "Sprig" and the top face of it was very chewed up..... it is a round wheel full of z springs and metal cylinders. it is underneath planetary gears- inside OD under the clutch packs and stuff.. it looks very chewed up but I also have a lot more metal shavings than what that sprig thing has to offer. the Planetary gear in OD unit is very burnt and smells. no longer a silver color, its more dark brown. no blue. I wonder if there's a bushing or washer I chewed up because there is an excessive amount of chunky metal in my casing. I checked all the other clutch packs and there was little to no shavings. looks like maybe the metal plates of the OD clutch pack were shaved a bit too, just doesn't add up with all the shavings I found. let me know if any pictures would help. any problem areas I should look for and double check?? It's like the amount of metal shavings compared to the wear on the internal parts seems unproportionate.

Also wondering where can i order a kit that has all 4 clutch packs and metal plates? the kits I see looks like it only includes a single clutch pack with 6 or so friction plates. the other clutch packs I inspected seemed to have fairly good grip material left on the plates. now the OD clutch friction plates are worn close to metal. while replacing the OD friction plates, would it be fine to use old friction and steel if they are un damaged? just clean them off and re use?. pretty much I'm looking for a rebuild kit that will tell me everything included down to the servo rubber seals.

 

TransmissionCenter.net has some reasonably complete kits. I would expect Summit Racing, and Jegs do as well.... Probably even your local parts store. I would not re-use clutches/steels. They aren't hideously expensive, and its just cheap insurance.

You may have something else contributing to your pile as well.... Drop the pan on the trans, if you haven't already, see what's on the magnet.

 

so come to find out, my overdrive planetary gears are fried. they are effortlessly moving around in all directions so i have to buy another one of those. what are the chances the sun gear is bad? parts store guy was saying i need to buy all 3 parts, the sun ring, sun gear and planetary. the shaft and the bearings seem to be un damaged. just brown in color. where is the best place to get one of these overdrive planetary gear sets?

 

Pick up another used O/D unit from the junkyard? Buying new, they ain't gonna be cheap.

 

Is it true that some 46re's have a planetary with 4 pinion?? because mine has 5.

 

Not sure. I know that the internal parts from the 47, and 48 transmissions will fit inside the 46 case though. Makes for some bulletproof upgrades, but, not inexpensive......

 

i found a full overdrive set from ebay for pretty cheap, said it came out of a 1995 47RH. It has the 15degree teeth and a 5 pinion planetary. would that be fine to swap? my 1997 46re has 15degree 5 pinion planetary as well. just want to make sure before i buy it. Thanks for all the help in this thread ive learned so much.