I am unable just to go into an auto parts store and ask for whatever for a 1991 Sidekick (Vitara here). Perhaps this is fortunate, but this is why I go to the parts catalog, find the factory part number and then search (or inquire, if there was an auto parts place here that could help) to confirm that whatever I’m buying is exactly what I want. If the WIX doesn’t comply with the old version, I’d make my own gasket.

 

We are still rather lucky here stateside when we can get parts by walking into a store. That said, I have searched for half a dozen parts that are just not available... The debacle with the Kickdown Cable being one. Once I get the remaining sub-parts and assemble, I'll create a more succinct pdf of items, sources, mods, and assembly to recreate the original.

On this trans gasket... I have never seen a parts manual for 3L30 trans. However, a little google-san turned up the attached.

Front page excerpt here:

and here:

The 3 digit part number is the last 3 numbers in the part description.
In the photo above, the filter is rectangular.
In the components section:

It references to a 5258245. A google of that part turns up a NOS on ebay:

So it appears the odd (not rectangular) gasket is the "newer" version - I think.

Thanks again for the reminder/pointer. This odd-shape gasket is still weird...

Is is possible to put the attached illustrated parts of the 3L30 in the stickies?

 

We are still rather lucky here stateside when we can get parts by walking into a store. That said, I have searched for half a dozen parts that are just not available... The debacle with the Kickdown Cable being one. Once I get the remaining sub-parts and assemble, I'll create a more succinct pdf of items, sources, mods, and assembly to recreate the original.

On this trans gasket... I have never seen a parts manual for 3L30 trans. However, a little google-san turned up the attached.

Front page excerpt here:
View attachment 123630

and here:

View attachment 123631

The 3 digit part number is the last 3 numbers in the part description.
In the photo above, the filter is rectangular.
In the components section:
View attachment 123632

It references to a 5258245. A google of that part turns up a NOS on ebay:
View attachment 123633

So it appears the odd (not rectangular) gasket is the "newer" version - I think.

Thanks again for the reminder/pointer. This odd-shape gasket is still weird...

Is is possible to put the attached illustrated parts of the 3L30 in the stickies?

Would this work?

180-180C Trans

Or more specifically this gasket:

180-180C gasket

I would definitely ask before buying to make sure you get what is being represented in the image according to the product number.

 

Was looking through my FSM to see if there was a diagram of the gasket…will see if I can find a diagram somewhere as I find it odd that 2 of the openings would be closed off by the new gasket. I came across this…probably not helpful but wondered if you saw this in your FSM.

 

And strangely, the photo under E in your link shows the gasket (326) which looks nothing like what you got or the part that Jpat is referencing…????

 

The Suzuki catalog also shows the ‘strange gasket’ as the correct part, in the diagram ,but you’ll notice that the 4 rectangular ‘holes’ are not shown in the diagram, nor is the second round hole in the gasket. Strange.

Suzuki

 

Responses:
1. Yep, I have the first two illustrations. The Kickdown valve part though is for inside the trans. That part does not need to be removed.
2. Detail E (part 326) looks exactly like the rectangular gasket? What is weird is that the relevant part number then crosses (per ebay) to the other "egg-shaped" gasket.
3. I see what you mean. But the gasket shows the holes; but the filter does not. It's really weird, in that where yu would think there should be a hole, there are just (2) maybe 0.25" depression. I have added the depressions onto the pic from the Suzuki site:

I talked with Mike from transpartsonline this am (he may want to rethink his company name with all the drama around "trans" from the current administration... ). He asked what is the gasket sealing.

It's a good question. In the valve body that the gasket is bolted to, there are (2) passageways, separated by a casting web. The rectangular gasket provides a perimeter seal for both passageways. The egg-shaped gasket will not seal off the area indicated in red:

Sigh. Why does it seem everything is so complicated...
If the WIX part matches the rectangle, I'll use that; it worked before.
If it matches the egg-shape, then I'll make a rectangular gasket.
Something changed: and I do not have the knowledge to determine if it is right, wrong, or simply just does not matter...

But I do know... I don' t want to assume the changes are correct, and come back and have to do this again because they were wrong...

 

The plot thickens…lol.

Suzuki

 

Interesting; at least the depiction of the filter now matches... but the egg-shape still leaves the passageway on the right with the perimeter un-sealed. Have a work meeting coming up, so I may nto be able to get to the parts store to check out the WIX version until tomorrow.

I other news... per your pic:

In reference to item 9 - the shifter shaft:
I replaced my shifter seal yesterday; which reminded me that there was a large-ish (apple size!) cluster of oil and dirt, concentrated on the shifter seal, the Neutral Safety Switch, and the shifter itself. I really should have taken a pic.

Turns out a PO somehow really buggered up the shaft. There is a roughly 1/4" irregular edged gouge in it at the sealing surface. Not much I can do right now... but dangit! It ain't that hard to remove these. I have over a dozen motos and change shifter seals a couple times a year... Not once have I buggered up the shaft.

Anyhow, Ebay has a vendor (singular) in Japan who has some of these remaining in stock. Part #24723-61A01. Most of the "usual" vendors indicated out of stock. If anyone reading this has an auto trans where the shifter seal is leaking... may want to pick one of these up. These could probably be machined in a good machine shop... but not for $100 (including delivery but + 10-50% trumptax. Prolly closer to $1000 based upon a shaft I had made for a 1940 drill press...

 

Hi inthedesert
I don't know have experience on these 3L30, but I was looking in videos,
and the valve body in this attached photo has a free communication "window" (signaled in red)
in the circular hole to the bottom oil sump, so it is not necessary a gasket seal in that hole I guess..
¿has your valve body the window bypassing the gasket, as it is in this photo?

 

Pancho,
Thanks for the response.
Good find!
Actually, as I sit here, I have no idea; I have been focused on the filter and the gasket.
I'll check tomorrow when I get back out to the garage and advise.

 

Pancho - Your photo matches my trans - which it should - with the little window cast in that pretty much negates the need for a gasket over this area. I totally missed that, concentrating on the filter itself.

I finally received the WIX filter. It has the same egg-shaped gasket as the O'Reilly version; with both NOT MATCHING what is on mine, as well as the photo-based parts diagram I posted at the start of this thread.

So... it looks like either will work.
I think.

I found the UTube video you excerpted from. Great info. There are also some interesting comments if someone may be trying to solve trans problems. Link:
Trimatic TH180 3L30 Auto Transmission Holden Commodore GM Disassembly/Overhaul Part 1 of 4

Bex/TurboGuzzi - Any way to get this posted into the stickies? This series of videos are really good info on the Sidekick/Tracker transmission. I tried to do so and cannot.

 

Added to the stickies.

 

Thanks Bex!

 

gee man, when you posted the first pic of the car back in july, it looked like a sweet, well cared for thing..... cant believe the amount of work that you are putting into this..... hope the end is near....

 

Ha!
That was my thoughts as well...
What's a little grease on the underside??? It seems to drive ok, AirCon works great, shifts ok, and the shop I had look at it indicated there was a power steering pump and valve cover gasket leak. No problem...

Unfortunately, that "little grease" was in many cases 1/4" baked on, and hiding a multitude of sins... mostly leaking stuff. At the shifter shaft, it was a mis-shapen blob nearly the size of my fist... Worse, other than scrapers or small screwdrivers, there is no chemical that (by itself) takes this crap off. I've bought a dozen different versions of grease removers I have tried; but even the best of them still requires scraping or steel wool.

I have found and fixed - or still working on - leaks in the power steering box, power steering pump, valve cover gasket (back and (2) sides), trans shifter shaft, speedo cable, distributor, oil pan, oil drain plug, trans drain pan, trans dipstick holder, front differential, rear differential, and transfer case drain plugs... It's like... anything that is supposed to hold fluids, leaks. Except for the radiator; someone replaced that a short time ago.

Then the mechanical stuff; broken Kickdown cable, messed up shifter cable, broken motor mounts, cracked exh manifold, worn connecting link ball joints, worn rear upper stabilizer, cracked fuel/vapor separator, I think that's all I've found so far. Then I put in all new brakes except steel lines; just... because. Then starter and alternator, because that's what I do whenever I buy a used car...

But it's getting better.
This should be here Thursday, then everything starts going back together:

Rebuilt steering box from RedHead. Steering box rebuilds is all they do:
About/Process. Red-Head Steering Gears

 

Maybe upload that photo again, or at least the original link, so everyone following this can see what you’re working on, without having to search for it….