AP Transmission - Best overhaul information please?

[minitransformation]

Hi,

Completely happy with all engine and body refurb that needs doing on my 1989 1000 City Auto, but the gearbox has done 44k and I am reluctant to just put it back in although it reportedly worked when I got it. I bought it already removed from car.

Can anyone point me to a very clear overhaul guide that would take me from removing the engine and replacing seals and checking for wear etc??

I have completed several vehicle rebuilds (mostly MGs) and love working on mechanical things and wish to undertake this as a learning exercise having never worked on an auto box before.

Many thanks,

Andrew

[Stu]

Foulis Overhaul Manual. If you can get hold of a copy.

[jockduck]

Beware of sellers claims, I still remember being assured by the seller of Otto twenty years ago even got his wife to nod in agreement that "the box changed OK" The engine was out of the car when we bought it so could not be test driven. I put the box into the car after changing the seals and clutch plates but not really checking it out properly, it was back out on the garage floor after 7000 miles, second proper rebuild has been more successful 35000 miles and still going strong. Never heard of the Foullis book I used Leylands workshop manual(Australian) for the car, not 100% but must have been good enough.
Jock

[notamini]

you can also go to Capt America
Go to TECHNICAL ADVICE AND AP AUTOMATIC.

[simonw]

Anybody done the 3 plate conversion ? It's on the America site

[limby2000]

does the (3 plate) conversion only apply to the early gearbox? think the late boxes are 3 plate already.

[jockduck]

When I spoke to the guys at JPAT back in 2007 they did not recommend the three plate conversion. They felt it was un-necessary.
Jock

[mra-minis]

Oct 9, 2015 23:41:44 GMT jockduck said:

When I spoke to the guys at JPAT back in 2007 they did not recommend the three plate conversion. They felt it was un-necessary.
Jock

Now whilst the guys at JPAT are a great bunch of guys, they are not automatic transmission design specialists.... neither were Rover, hence why they entrusted design to AP, this is the same for most if not all automotive manufacturers, they all use a supplier for auto's.

The reasons for the 3 plate conversion, this modification was a bit of a bodge from the start... but it worked well, until the plates are worn very badly then the retainer plate becomes one of those special "multi piece" retainer plates that so many 1275's suffer with...

However to say there is no need is to try to convince me and anyone who actually builds the AP2 that rover and AP did anything just for the giggle... Rover would NOT spend 1 pence on anything they didn't need to ! so why fit 3 plates ?

1) as time progressed tyre technology improved, ie grip, or more the case of torque acting on the tyres via the engine, transmission etc ended up finding the weak spot, this happened to be the earlier 2 plate clutch packs...
2) then along comes the Mini 1275 auto (Austin 1300, Metro etc had them for years) so now the good old AP2 has to put up with more engine torque.
3) The new catch phrase within the motoring industry ? MPG ! and rover then added a higher final drive ratio to lower fuel useage and emissions..

So now we have, more torque from the engine, more grip from the tyres and a higher final drive all of which are not good for any transmission let alone an auto version.

So to say there is no need for the 3 plate system is to not know the AP2, it's history and it's modifications over the years.

And with some further modifications you can fit 1275 turbo power to an auto and they really start to use the transmission...

[rondon73]

Great Post!