Chipped Weld on OverRun Clutch Housing

[KEhrhardt]

Okay,
So far I have been "into" three different 200-4R's. All three have chipped welds on the overrun clutch housing. None have a hole, but instead a small chunk, perhaps 1/4" long, is taken out of the weld. I have checked the overdrive carrier assembly carefully, per the CK manual, and it looks good. No cracks in the splines, the pinions look good and rotate smoothly, the pinion end play is around .015". Cripes even the bushing looks perfect. The input shaft bearing surfaces look good as well. 4th clutch pack and overrun clutch pack look good, no blueing on the steels, the fibers look perfect. WTF? Improper thrust bearing clearance on the pump thrust washer? Could the back half of the pump stator be gouging the overrun clutch housing? If anyone else has seen this problem I would like to here about it, and if you found a cause. Thanks.

 

[KEhrhardt]

I added some pics to help explain. Note the "blueing" on the inside of the overrun clutch housing on the opposite side of the chip in the weld. Also note that the overdrive internal ring gear (last pic) has some blueing toward the outer edge of the gear.

http://members.aol.com/kje59/2004r/orun1.jpg
http://members.aol.com/kje59/2004r/orun2.jpg
http://members.aol.com/kje59/2004r/orun3.jpg
http://members.aol.com/kje59/2004r/orun4.jpg
http://members.aol.com/kje59/2004r/orun5.jpg

 

[3point8]

Over run clutch housing welds

Hi,
Mine is the same as yours. My thinking is that its a production weld you know done by a robot and its just the way they turn out and since its not in a weight bearing surface area it isn't critical.
Just my opinion
However I must say I don't like the looks of that blue bushing!
Also the bluing on the outer ring gear housing is out of my realm of experience. I cannot understand how that would happen in use maybe its manufactured that way like the welds with cavities?
Hopefully someone like Chris will chime in and give us the correct info.
Peter

 

[77 cruiser]

I took a look at one I had & it looks the same. That's the way the weld ends, the bluing on the bearing surface is from the heat of the welding. The bluing on the ring gear is probably from a heat treating of some sort.

 

[WE4]

That is normal.

Just as someone said, robotics. We do make a laser welded reinforced OR drum and they do have a tendency to crack at the stock weld. Very, very rare but it has happened. Ask Lonnie Diers. Anyway we do make that drum with reinforment if needed and desired.

Bruce
We4
www.PTSXTREME.com

 

[KEhrhardt]

>>That is normal.<<

Thanks Bruce, great to hear. I was beginning to wonder when all three transmissions showed the same symptoms. Never even considered the robot welding. Thanks again to all that responded.