Ok, as you all are in suspense I am sure... my A604 build project is taking for freaking ever.

Why?

Because one part, yes ONE part is still not being shipped to me.

The trans is 100% done, but to put the limited slip differential together, Phantom Grip says I should buy these other springs- which aparently only they make, and they do not have any at the moment.

My tech keeps getting the run around, everytime he calls, they say "oh, we will ship it in 2 weeks"- in 2 weeks they say the same f_cking thing.

For whatever reason, they include springs with the kit- but they say not to use them in favor of these other ones...

THEN WHY THE HELL DO THEY INCLUDE THEM WITH THE KIT????

You'd think that after spending $300 for a limited slip differential, they'd quit with the BS and just tell me where the part is, why they dont have it, and what I can do to get my car back on the street.

Ok, so now I am slightly pissed, its been over 2 months of this crap.

So finally today I say "ok, if they're giving the shop the run around, I will do the calling"

Guess who doesn't answer the phone? Phantom Grip- they have an answering machine however, which says to email them. So I did.

We will see what they say.

I want to know:

1) What are the consquences to using the springs that came with the kit?

2) Where are the springs we ordered that keep getting delayed?

3) What is different about the springs they tell us to use?

4) Can I use the springs that came with the kit, as long as my application is below a set of hp & torque? I know I will not be making 500hp with my 3.3- so if the difference is, say, having a setup that lasts threw 300hp vs 700 or something- I can go with the smaller number.

Anyone here know if this is a reilable company? Can they be trusted? Has anyone used the springs that ship with the $300 kit?

So I go and email them as their answering machine tells me to do.

Guess what? I get a failure notice about tech@phantomgrip.com

Isn't that nice?

 

Ah ha!

God this is a headache that just won't end!!

Aparently my trans shop ordered the parts from their supplier, who in this case is Jegs who is supposed to be a dealer of Phantom Grips.

JEGS has been telling him that phantom grip has the part on backorder and it was ordered threw jegs, who since at least mid Dec has been saying that they're waiting for the manufacter- in this case Phantom Grip, to make the part.

So after half a day I got threw to phantom grip, they told me that they have never had this part on backorder (#^@+$@! jegs!!! :angry: ) so jegs must be clueless on whatever is actually going on.

Grr...

So now I either have to get jegs to figure out what the hell is going on, or have phantom grip somehow supply the parts directly.

I know the jegs part # for the springs, but not phantom grip's part# but it is a phantom grip part that was sold via jegs (who is supposed to be one of their dealers).

Ok.... so now its jegs I have to fight with.

 

Gah!

I just got off the phone with jegs.

They said they placed the order with Phantom Grip on Dec. 22.

That means my trans has been on hold for 2 months because f_cking phantom grip has refused to send the part (which they claim has never been on backorder) to jegs who would have shipped it to my rebuilder.

That means, yes, Phantom Grip is at fault for this whole mess- by waiting threw Feb 27 to ship it to jegs (jegs said they were now being told freaking feb 27th).

Phantom Grip said in their email, that if its their ****up, they'll send me the part overnight.

Lets see if they live up to that.

 

I got the part!!

Yesterday I got it, today I dropped it off at the shop.

Monday work will resume, and with anyluck I will get the car back in a week or two

Not bad, I can't wait (only been 3 months since I had use of this car last!).

 

Ahhh, the 604.
What part were you waiting for?
604 parts are a dime a dozen. Those trannys fail a lot.

 

lol, its not a stock part.

This is a racing trans with abt 1500 in nonOEM parts, many of which (like the pressure plates) were custom made for me...

 

My car is back and finished (well the trans anyway).

First time I've had the car in like 4 months (between the trans and coolant issues).

I can't believe it, but its back.

-New front axles, cvs, etc (they were all shot to hell and back)
-Kelvar clutch overhaul kit
-5 pinion planetaries
-limited slip differential
-billit high stall TC
-custom made pressure plates
-custom gear ratio for the final drive gears
-shift kit
-valve body booster
-differential pin stoppers
-all the nonmentioned updated parts

Grand total: $2700 USD.

Not too freaking bad considering it was practically a $5,000 job (the tech took it apart and kept expiramenting with the differential to get it just right in terms of limited slip & traction).

All I can say is its awesome, I am speechless.... I did a burnout at every intersection coming home (ok, first one wasn't intended). Acceleration is a hell of a lot better- those final drive gear mods are SO worth it. The shifting is perfect, the ride is smoother (prolly due to the old bad axles), high stall TC works exactly as it should (sat at one long light playing with it).

Between the fun and the new exhaust I do admit my ears were hurting a lil by the time I came home (I have been driving the 5th ave lately... you could prolly fire a gun off inside and not hear it outside that car is so solid and insulated).

Took some getting used to in going from leather mark cross seats in the 5th ave to the split dynasty bench... me thinks my next project should be a seat of 5th ave seats, only w/out the memory feature (since I never use that anyway in the 5th).

Now here's where I need a hand with this thing, the tech said that what I really need to get the most out of the A604 is a custom or performance TCM, since the OEM TCMs appear to try to "correct" for any performance parts you throw in it. He's called everyone, from power demon to chrysler and much inbetween and the reaction has consistantly been a "you wanna do WHAT to a WHAT?!?!?!?"

Which, although amusing, does little to help our situation.

Any ideas on a performance TCM? I don't care if I have to switch to OBID2 or go to an earlier OBID1 year to pull it off, it would be insanely helpful to this project.