Transmission blew up, started leaking everywhere. Dealer said it was the side-cover gasket, for which they would need $1234.00 to drop the tranny and replace the gasket.

Called up Todd(Rogue) over at INTENSE, and got it figured that for a little more than that, I could get a bunch of upgrades as well as the repair and since I already had an appointment for a snout/pulley swap, they could do that as well.

Needless to say, not that simple.

When they got the tranny down and opened her up, EVERYTHING was destroyed!
Turns out it wasn't the side cover gasket after all, it was the channel-plate gasket(think valve-body). When it went pressure got where it shouldn't be and blew everthing to crapville. The valve body was actually displaced and Tim(their installer) siad that the boost valve had actually pushed through!

Anyway I ended up getting a full INTENSE rebuild, except for the input shaft(don't need it yet) and torque converter(wasn't hurt). New clutches, new valve-body, new everything.
Also got what I went in for in the first place, a new */C snout(old one had a bad bearing), couplind and a 3.4" pulley, and some Autolite 104 plugs. Also got my 180* stat installed, doesn't seem to hurt the climate-control performance at all(in fact, I roasted my right foot on the way to my parents' place today).

So, picked it up yesterday, just in time to get snowed on, so I haven't really pushed it yet. Going to Michigan for turkey tomorrow at my Aunt'*. Should be warmer and dry al the way up, so we'll find out wht she'* got now!!

What with all that, I should be solidly in the fourteens next spring.

I hope I can count on someone at a performance shop when/if my 4T80E decides to kick out.

Seems like you had a helluva lot of tranny damage...good luck with the performance rebuild.

Say Brian, did you ever get a PCM deal worked out yet?

Was there much debris? If so, I'm sure they flushed your torque converter, but it'* also a good idea (I've learned this recently) to bypass the cooling passages in the radiator and go with an external cooler.

If no debris, don't worry about it. Gotta love those upgrade excuses, eh?

Update:
Had a couple days to drive her around now, and she is definitely a bit snappier now!
I figure, by seat-of-pants gauge, I should be down around 14.9-15.00 territory now. Some from the pulley some from slightly snappier shifting. Now I need to see about a solid front motor mount, starting to get a little motor roll.

Still haven't had a chance to talk to anyone about custom-programming for the computer, need ot get hold of someone at DHP.

I'll ask Scott about rerouting the cooling lines.

there'* always something about a fast big Buick... so cool

Especialy when jonny ricer sees the tails of that grandpa car he thought he could smoke

The local rice haven't quite caught on yet...

A 14 second Park Avenue...that'* insane.

so is a 10 second bonnie...