Rookie transmission question, broken first repair Options

[Charles Freeborn]

My transmission is reported to have a broken 1st gear. Not uncommon.
I've taken one pass through the EvilWerks videos (I bought the series) and as best as my memory can provide - the 1st and reverse gears are under the outer cover and not nested inside with the rest of the gear clusters. So, here's the question: If the damage is limited to just those components can one do a diagnosis and repair without cracking open the whole gearbox? Obviously if upon inspection things like synchros, etc are worn I'm all in, but this trans is reported to be sound other than the broken 1st, but yeah, race car...
Any transmission repair advice welcomed.
Thx.

[Charles Freeborn]

Aaaaand the carnage:





1st/Rev stack destroyed
So is the 1st /Rev carrier
couple of other sliders,
all the synchros and the ring gear is iffy... not to mention the main case is getting sloppy (main shaft bearing race not secure)

Yeah, gonna cost...

[wndsrfr]

Aaaaand the carnage:





1st/Rev stack destroyed
So is the 1st /Rev carrier
couple of other sliders,
all the synchros and the ring gear is iffy... not to mention the main case is getting sloppy (main shaft bearing race not secure)

Yeah, gonna cost...

Yep...I've come to the realization that the transmission on a track car with over 200hp has become another consumable....

[Charles Freeborn]

Aaaaand the carnage:





1st/Rev stack destroyed
So is the 1st /Rev carrier
couple of other sliders,
all the synchros and the ring gear is iffy... not to mention the main case is getting sloppy (main shaft bearing race not secure)

Yeah, gonna cost...

Yep...I've come to the realization that the transmission on a track car with over 200hp has become another consumable....

Certainly a number of components within..

[Charles Freeborn]

Trans going back together.
The only parts salvageable from the old one are the main shaft, intermediate plate and 3 of the forward gears. The old case, all consumables were done. Even the ring and pinion were trashed. If anyone ever tells you a welded diff is a good idea, turn around and walk away...

We changed the gearing a bit to better suit our road courses 'round here. Going with A, HA,N, S. X. We'll see how that all feels.



Master tech Gordon giving the parts a good talking to:







The huge advantage of getting help from a pro is he's got pretty much every conceivable shim and spacer on hand. No stopping and waiting to order fiddly little parts.



Shafts are assembled, Pinion depth set, pr-load and RP lash all set. Final assembly tomorrow. Wavetrac is on order and will go in later this summer or over the winter. There's a worldwide shortage of diffs at the moment.

I went from knowing very little about transmissions (I've understood the basic principles, but never torn one down before) to having at least a rudimentary understanding of how a Porsche synchro box works. After I've done it a dozen more times I'll feel comfortable taking one on myself. When you see it done right you begin to understand how precise they actually are. The notion that you can tear it down, measure a couple gaskets and re-assemble isn't true. Maybe if it was less than 10 or even 20 years old, but a 40 plus collection of parts has worn, stretched and distorted to the point that you have to start over with baselining all of the tolerances.

Aaaaand the carnage:





1st/Rev stack destroyed
So is the 1st /Rev carrier
couple of other sliders,
all the synchros and the ring gear is iffy... not to mention the main case is getting sloppy (main shaft bearing race not secure)

Yeah, gonna cost...

Yep...I've come to the realization that the transmission on a track car with over 200hp has become another consumable....

Certainly a number of components within..