A-250 transmission swap possibilty

[vpihokies]

Hi, I have a 1970 D100, slant 6, with a three on the tree A-250. I had a lot of vibration and leakage from the transmission output shaft. I pulled the extension housing off (was going to replace the seal and bushing) and found the inner (shaft) snap ring for the main shaft bearing broken into pieces, and that bearing feels not quite right to me. I pulled the transmission to let of friend of mine with more experience look at it, but I think it may need some work, besides just replacing the snap ring.

Is it worth it to get this transmission fixed or put something else in? I like the idea of the all-synchronized A-230, and they seem to be more commonly available. I know I would need a different slip yoke (mine is 26 spline), but is that it to switch from the A-250 to the A-230? Is the bellhousing the same? Will the shift linkage rods work? Should I just get the A-250 fixed? If another transmission comes out of a passenger car, are they the same length as the truck transmission, should I look for an A body or B/C body transmission? I really don't know much about manual transmissions.

Thanks in advance for the help!
Morgan
Roanoke, Va.

[Hobcobble]

There were a lot of Sweptlines equipped with the A230 transmission.
If the bell housing is original to your truck, I would think that the A230
would be a direct bolt in.

John

[vpihokies]

Thanks for the reply. It is the factory bellhousing. After further inspection of my A250, the inside looks pretty clean and nothing is broken or overly worn inside, so I think I will keep it. It appears the only thing I will have to fix is replacing the snap ring on the main shaft at the main shaft bearing, the tailshaft bushing, and seal. However, when the snap ring broke, it looks like everything slid and the groove for the snap ring is now partially covered by the center part of the bearing. Is there a way to get the shaft to move, relative to the bearing, and get a new snap ring in, without having to take everything apart and put it in a press? Transmission shops don't seem to want to help with old manual transmissions, I'm noticing...

Thanks,
Morgan

[Hobcobble]

Have you looked in a Factory Service Manual for a detailed drawing
of it?

John

[vpihokies]

John,
I have the service manual, the only reference is to press the bearing on the shaft and then install the snap ring. In my case, everything is assembled, just that the shaft has slid in the bearing and there's not enough groove exposed to put a new snap ring in. I would think that using a press is not an option without taking the transmission apart, additionally, I don't have a press available. I was just wondering if anyone else had run into this issue and had a 'trick'. I am going to check with a few more transmission shops in the next few days and see if anyone is willing to try and fix it. It seems that the A250 seems to be the oddball transmission for these and there's just not much information out there about them, and not a lot of parts availability either...

Thanks,
Morgan

[vpihokies]

It should also be noted that the only work I have ever personally attempted on any kind of transmission before this was changing filters and pan gaskets on automatics :)

Morgan