Jake's D3 TransBrake separator plate fitment
 

I have a 4L80E transmission with a Reid Super80 case. I had an aluminum direct drum with a 36 element sprag which broke the outer sprag race. After that I rebuilt the transmission with a new 36 element direct drum. When I was installing the valve body, I noticed bolt and check ball pocket misalignment problems. After that, I spoke with Mike at Jake's Performance and asked if there were any upgrades since I purchased my D3 trans brake valve body and if they replaced the separator plate in the upgrade. He replied yes. The reason I sent the trans brake in is because the four ball checks which he has you install were not lining up with the pockets in the transmission case, and therefore not seating. When I got the trans brake back, I installed the separator plate onto the transmission case to see if the misalignment problems were corrected. I could not even get all of the bolts through the separator plate and screwed into the case without having to file one of the openings. I think my sprag broke because of too harsh of a second gear engagement caused by the second gear ball check not seating.

I took five videos showing the misalignment problems:

They are more severe using the Reid Super80 case; I think the ball pockets are slightly smaller. Looking to rectify this problem as I believe the second gear engagement would be harsher without the check ball in the loop. I found a good link to a GM 4L80E hydraulic manual here: https://www.scribd.com/doc/95238440/...Hydraulic-Book On their listed page 36 of the document (or page 41 as it shows on my PC), it shows a diagram of the various ball checks and their functions.

I feel Jake needs to redesign his separator plate as the bolt holes and the ball check openings do not line up properly with either my Reid case or a stock case. Have any of you owners of the D3 brake had issues with the bolt holes or with the ball check alignments, or did I get two one-off badly cut plates? Please let me know if any of you have had similar problems and if so, how did you correct them?

Thanks!
Mark

maybe call or email jake instead of blowing him up on here?

there are a variety of ways a .dxf file can get turned into a laser cut plate the wrong size.

I already contacted Jake's Performance three times about it and sent him all these videos. He and/or Mike said there's nothing wrong with this plate and has "used it in thousands of builds with no problem" and then offered to have me send it back for a refund. Other than the plate fitment problem, I'm happy with his trans brake. I'm just trying to see if others have had a similar problem having to file the separator plate bolt holes before it can be bolted on and not having the ball checks drop into their proper holes. Mike at Jake's told me to "just run it." I think his plate does not work properly on my Reid case and I'm just a bit frustrated at getting no acknowledgement of the issue nor satisfactory reply from Jake's. If you look at the videos you can see what I'm talking about.

I have also had some of the new SFI 4L80E cases come in to the shop cast/ machined incorrectly...

These seem to still a somewhat new/ limit production transmission case; and unfortunately problems like this do arise.

OOO! and if you purchase enough separator plates overtime; you will see that they are hardly perfect matches to one another (even from GM).

Probably the case is a little bit off and the plate is a little bit off... (Any plate that I have gotten from Jake; always went through good quality-control... since I have not had an issue).

I also (for my own business) make separator plates... and depending on how they are cut (stamped, water-jet cut, laser cut, ETC) there is often slight changes in the plates.
For any of you guys; if you buy an aftermarket plate... always double check fitment and passage alignment.

Note: passage holes that are off only a small amount, should not be of concern.

vorteciroc: Did you see the one video where the stock separator plate is on top of the Jake's plate? Big error. I think there's something off in his CAD program, because both of the plates I got from him had the same problem. :confused: My original plate was bare steel and the second one was gold anodized, so I think they came from two different runs but the error existed on both plates.

No LOL! As usual I did not watch the videos... I try to bang-out these post as fast as possible and get back to work.

Sorry for the error.

I just watched some off the videos...

I have not had a plate that was off that much from Jake.
That plate may be from a different vendor/ cutter then usual...

Honestly, I have had far more problems with that case... then I have had with anything from Jake.

After watching all the videos, I got back to this opinion.
You probably did the following, but just in case... Next time you order a plate for an aftermarket case; make sure you specify that to the person selling the plate.

The same goes for an aftermarket valve-body casting... specify all of it... Double-check the plate to valve-body alignment as well.

Check ball misalignment problems FIXED!
 

Here's an update video showing my cure for the misalignment of the check balls in the Jake's Performance separator plate: