Hi,

No warning, I pulled away from a friend's place in the SD and I lost all forward gears. Reverse worked. I got towed home and read up on the B2 piston.

Though I worried that I broke the B2 band which is not an easy repair, I took the cover off and discovered my B2 piston was all in pieces and cracked like all the images online. Textbook b2 piston failure. The band had spring back when I pushed on it with my finger.

I had the silver cylinder bushing. I thought it was scored so I set out to replace it. And I'm having a tough time. I wish I'd just put the new piston in and buttoned it up. I've mangled the oil seal. I cannot even remove that.

As I fabricated the washer bolt puller folks use to do this I pulled it through and folded it up on what I thought was the inside edge of the bushing. Then I realized darn, I was looking at the inside of the aluminum transmission case. The scoring I thought I saw was just the case. I thought I was looking at a big step worn into the steel bushing. Ima idiot. I looked at the bushing and it had a nice polished surface. My piston was lightly scuffed but not gouged.

Anyway I haven't given up. I'll try to get it all out tomorrow and install the plastic bushing. I'll make another washer tool. Now I'm committed to doing the whole enchilada. I've scratched up my steel bushing and torn my oil seal. It's gotta come out.

Wish me luck. I'm having that sinking feeling but I am counting my blessings that I didn't break my B2 band. I will get that ring out. Not sure what my options are aside from just giving up and buying a Civic. No way...time to rest up and hit it again tomorrow.

__________________
79 300TD “Old Smokey” AKA “The Mistake” (SOLD)
82 240D stick shift 335k miles (SOLD)
82 300SD 300k miles
85 300D Turbodiesel 170k miles