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Using Endoscope Camera To Assess Transmission?
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Irishcalifornian
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PostPosted: Mon Sep 20, 2021 11:35 am    Post subject: Using Endoscope Camera To Assess Transmission? Reply with quote

Has anyone here tried using an endoscope camera, inserting it in the transmission (fluid drained of coarse) to assess the condition of it?
If it worked, it would be a lot cheaper than removing and replacing the tranny just to diagnose it or just to see the condition of it.

Just a thought.
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snowsyncro
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PostPosted: Mon Sep 20, 2021 12:21 pm    Post subject: Re: Using Endoscope Camera To Assess Transmission? Reply with quote

I have seen threads here with such photos I think.

Forum member Paul Guard aka 'gears' I think has done, also others.

RonC
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Wildthings
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PostPosted: Mon Sep 20, 2021 2:03 pm    Post subject: Re: Using Endoscope Camera To Assess Transmission? Reply with quote

Irishcalifornian wrote:
Has anyone here tried using an endoscope camera, inserting it in the transmission (fluid drained of coarse) to assess the condition of it?
If it worked, it would be a lot cheaper than removing and replacing the tranny just to diagnose it or just to see the condition of it.

Just a thought.


Every transmission failure that I have had was do to something breaking/snapping from age and/or abuse, wear to the gear sets has never been an issue. In general if the tranny is quiet and shifts well then you can continue to put miles on it.
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Sodo
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PostPosted: Mon Sep 20, 2021 3:45 pm    Post subject: Re: Using Endoscope Camera To Assess Transmission? Reply with quote

Wildthings wrote:
In general if the tranny is quiet and shifts well then you can continue to put miles on it.


Provided the drain magnet is coming out clear.

Until something like 150k miles and approximate lifetime limit of the 3rd/4th gear slider hub.
It's like a timing belt, you have to get the hub replaced - because if it breaks it can mess up lots of stuff.
It's a "known" problem with a known lifetime.
Most (if not all) timing belts would run quite a bit longer than their (90,000 mile) recommended lifetime,
but it's not generally considered "economical" to go after those miles.

There is a silver lining to this.
If you have the hub changed, you get new bearings too.
You've done this before grinding up the gears that you will need for your trans' second life.
And the "invoice amount" inspires better care too for this 2nd life.👍🏽

If you get a new hub + new bearings while the trans is still quiet, while the magnet is still running clean, your gears are likely in real good condition.
All's good and you can take a long trip with no worries.

And a properly maintained trans (new hub, bearings, rebuilt while quiet & clean) is much better for the big engine you're dreaming about too. Wink

Miles of smiles 👍🏽
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Last edited by Sodo on Tue Sep 21, 2021 7:29 am; edited 1 time in total
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Sodo
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PostPosted: Mon Sep 20, 2021 7:32 pm    Post subject: Re: Using Endoscope Camera To Assess Transmission? Reply with quote

Back to "Using Endoscope Camera To Assess Transmission?"

If the magnet is big and hairy, with long shards or strings of shards, don't bother "looking at stuff" - it's done.

But if the previous owner found the big hairy magnet and wiped it off, well you've lost that info.
But rest assured it will be big & hairy again, perhaps sooner.

You can see the Ring & Pinion thru the drain hole.
Which has several good indicators.
You can look at the wear pattern and look for chipped teeth.
But if there weere chipped teeth the chips would be on the drain plug magnet.
Unless the previous owner found them and took them off the magnet.

Thru the oil filler hole you can look at 4th gear.
You can try to wobble it, see if it's loose on its needle bearing.
Or look if it's made a bright clean circle on the forward case (called the gear carrier).
If it's touching the case it's "done".

Sounds like you're wanting to assess a running van, but for other folks reading....
If the trans was out of the van, or if the engine is out of the van, you can remove the bellhousing and look at the R&P.
It's pretty easy, just 10 bolts.
Easy to bolt back on. Seal it with Permatex® Ultra Gray or Black.
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'90 Westy EJ25, 2Peloquins, 3knobs, pressure-oiled GT mainshaft, filtered, cooled gearbox
'87 Tintop w 47k 53k, '12 SmallCar EJ25, cooled filtered gearbox
....KTMs, GasGas, SPOT mtb
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4Gears4Tires
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PostPosted: Tue Sep 21, 2021 9:01 am    Post subject: Re: Using Endoscope Camera To Assess Transmission? Reply with quote

I tried. I wasn't able to see much. I didn't see any obvious chips, so the pictures looked ok. But my magnet was a spiky spiky mess so I don't think going by pictures is a very good indicator.

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Sodo
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PostPosted: Tue Sep 21, 2021 3:29 pm    Post subject: Re: Using Endoscope Camera To Assess Transmission? Reply with quote

Not easy to do a real good inspection if you havent been inside a few gearboxes.
All the parts are glistening, and look kinda nice.

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Here's a few things.

I'm not a pro at all, I've never even built a trans.
I've goofed around in there a bit, ya gotta give me that! Wink

I don't know how much pros look thru borescopes at.
If the trans makes a funny noise they just say "send it".
If they have the trans in the shop they open it.

I don't know what to say about those marks on the tooth faces, I'd have to see them wiped clean. Maybe could spray it clean for a better lookie.

Anyway hope this helps a little.
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'90 Westy EJ25, 2Peloquins, 3knobs, pressure-oiled GT mainshaft, filtered, cooled gearbox
'87 Tintop w 47k 53k, '12 SmallCar EJ25, cooled filtered gearbox
....KTMs, GasGas, SPOT mtb
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4Gears4Tires
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PostPosted: Tue Sep 21, 2021 4:10 pm    Post subject: Re: Using Endoscope Camera To Assess Transmission? Reply with quote

What do you think of the pinion gear not being inline with the idler?
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Wildthings
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PostPosted: Tue Sep 21, 2021 10:24 pm    Post subject: Re: Using Endoscope Camera To Assess Transmission? Reply with quote

4Gears4Tires wrote:
What do you think of the pinion gear not being inline with the idler?


Maybe wear on the nose cone?

You could spray the gears with brake cleaner to be a clearer view.

Having a certain amount of fuzz on the drain plug magnet is normal and should be expected.
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