[BAD68GTO]

Okay okay, you can attack me for the title with smack, but the high end car geeks, I can use a hand. I blew my trans in third gear under full throttle after putting in my new SPEC 3+ clutch in with about 80 miles on the clutch. When the trans blew, there was a terrible vibration. Pulled trans at buddies shop and the input gear was toasted. I bought a trans outright from RPM transmission and installed it. Started car, and the terrible vibration was still there (let's say a 5 on a 1-5). Went 300 feet down the road, lost all clutch, drove back to friend's shop since he has a lift. Pulled trans after seeking brake fluid pouring from front of trans as slave cyl got toasted too. Checked clutch and the disk was rattling around as the center portion was dicked and loose where it rides on the input shaft. Called SPEC and they said, "how many miles?" I replied that it was between 70 and 90 miles and they said "send it back". I sent it back and they fixed it for free (excellent service!). So now I have a new trans, clutch redone and a new slave cyl.

Here is where it gets weird. I ordered a complete set of mounts from Woodhouse to replace my stock ones as I am going to be climbing up the HP ladder and wanted to keep it tied to the car. I changed the mounts, changed the halfshafts to Unitrax's best ones at the same time and added safety loops. Start car and now there is still a vibration at idle over and above the norm. Okay, let's again say after blowing trans it was a 5 on a 1-5, and now it is a 3 on a 1-5, where before I had a 1. You could quickly say "idiot, those vibrations you will feel going away from the comfy mounts an utilizing Urethane" Well, let me quantify how bad the vibration is-at idle sitting there watching my car, the headlight aimers are wiggling and they never did that before. I called Mark at Woodhouse in service and he knows his stuff and says that they will be a bit stiffer, but this did not sound normal. He thought maybe I should check the flywheel that it might e out of balance now. When the trans was out last time, we did check and replace the pilot bearing, although it looked fine. One note, is when the mounts were installed they are a hair taller than factory height and the motor was jacked up and there is now a slight exhaust leak, and yes it is a hair noisier as expected, but I can't equate that to a vibration as the car is idling. I wasn't even going to address that as I have a all new exhaust system ready to bolt on from headers to tailpipes. If you guys think I should check into that, that is okay too as my car is running a bit weird (no codes thrown) for the little 60 miles I drove it thus far, seemingly a bit hot and a mild misfire at lower speed.

I have about $6,000 in HP upgrades to add but I do not want to do dick before I get this resolved. I know the car will run a bit different with a mild exhaust leak, and that explains why the car makes more noise and all that common sense things, but I need to address the vibration. I have the stock mounts which were all fine to reinstall, but that will just mask the problem, if in fact one exists. I wish one of you guys were here with mounts like mine so I can compare, but I will just STFU and listen. You can bash me for not realizing how the reciprocating assembly oscillates into the car and why didn't I know that and such, but I am there with you. These are great cars, but I am thinking that:

A) my new trans might have a problem
B) I'm an idiot and it will make that kind of vibration even though Woodhouse says it sounds unusual
C) Flywheel is out of balance now (Fidenza is on my car)
D) exhaust leak is in door sill and can really cause car to vibrate so bad even at idle (REALLY doubt it, but thinking out loud)
E) Sell Viper, get a Yugo as I don't have enough neurons to resolve a simpleton issue such as this

Thanks for the insight regarding this. I didn't even drive it as yet as I want to make sure there isn't anything wrong before I do rockers, full exhaust, bigger TB's, VEC2 programming, et cetera and get totally confused troubleshooting. It is times like these that I am glad I have another kewl car (I am too poor to have a stable of Lambos, FGT's and such as yet). TY!

Gary

PS: Very happy with SPEC, RPM and Woodhouse this might just be something independent like lack of cerebral power on my end