What to look for when buying a used s-trim

[sedanman]

Ok, I have found a used S-trim that I am going to buy I am going to pick it up so what all do I need to check to makesure everything is good?

I read the thread on how to tell a S-trim vs A-trim, but what about how freely should it spin, should the shaft move at all etc...

Also what parts are crucial and expensive and what missing parts are no big deal, like are the oil feed lines expensive? Where can I get the random missing parts.

Thanks

[down]

Boy, I should be more help than I'm gonna be on this, cause I just went through the same thing last summer.
Take a feeler gauge to measure impeller/case clearence. Off the top of my head, I'm thinking .032, but DON'T TAKE MY WORD ON THAT MEASUREMENT!
The upper radiator hose and discharge tube, Vortech's pretty proud of those.
Dunno about the oil feed lines, but the fittings can be a PITA. Mine was missing those. The proper sizes are near impossible to find. I peiced mine together from Home Depot comp. fittings, but it's less than "factory looking".
Be surprised how expensive some of the little stuff can be. A little j shaped bracket for the alt. ran me ~$30 from Vortech, if memory serves.
I go to Vortech's site and print out the parts list for an S-Trim kit; then compare that piece by peice. Time consuming-yes, save you some headaches-yes.

Good luck,

J

[sedanman]

Thanks, I can use all the help I can get, do you know the fittings that you had to buy?

Thanks

[blown89stang]

Check to see if it spins nice and freely. Listen for any noise, grinding isn't good. It should spin nice and easy. Bearings are something to be aware of, and they are not cheap to replace. How many miles on this thing? Has it ever been serviced? Things to keep in mind.

[91GTFiveO]

The straight cut gearing will offer some resistance and noise when you turn by hand. I also had a tad of "roughness" but when I called Vortech tech they indicated it was "normal". I got it new, so rest assured, I won't be removing the compressor pulley anytime soon. I don't want to screw up the warranty.