Was going to replace a leaky pan - question about the stainless ball - assuming it's a part of a valve assembly, somewhere. I haven't driven the car further than around the block (restoring)also debris caught by filter appears to be gasket material - analysis/ suggestions ?

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pic 3

There are a number of check balls in the valve body but near impossible for them to fall out without the valve body coming apart if they were all installed in their proper locations. Possibly a bearing ball from the output shaft bearing if it came apart now or at some time in the past?

If you have the pan back on/it filled up I'd drive it & see how it acts. If you are still undone like the pic(s) show you could pull/seperate the valve body & see if all the check balls are present. My Q would be who had the valve body open last or who rebuilt the trans

I'll check the bearing as best I can - this ball has at least two flat spots on it - I have not seen what the balls in the valve body look like as this is a first for me ..... would they be (or should they be)perfectly smooth ball bearing or do they show hard use ? I'll take a close up in a second. If they should be smooth then this definitely has hard wear - more like tailshaft bearing as you suggest ....

Yeah I was wondering about that flat spot myself. The ones in the VB would be round. wondering if it was a loose extra one that got crushed a bit during assembly but I think that would have caused a noticeable problem during the assembly process

This "bearing" definitely had issues at some point - can't imagine it could have gotten in this kind of condition serving as a check valve, definitely serious/hard wear - prolly as you suggested - output shaft bearing from previous "issues" as this tranny was recently rebuilt ...........

As was posted, the check balls in the VB are perfectly round.

when you get to it post what you see in the output shaft bearing

Still in virgin territory - I have play in the output shaft (tail side) so I may have opened up a can o' worms. What's involved in replacing the bearing or I'm I best off to drop it off at a shop ? Can I get a confirmed visual diagnoses or no (removing the seal now) ..... thanks guys

This bearing appears too small for input/output shaft ball bearing _ measures like 7/32 ?

I have seen many ball bearings that have crashed in electric motors and I have never seen one loose a ball without tearing the cage to pieces. Usually they lock the motor up or spin the race in the housing damaging the fit. The only other ball it might be is the detent shift position ball but you would have trouble shift if that is the case in my opinion.

I have a 518 valve body apart right now so if you need any sizes shoot me a PM

I just measured the detent ball from my valve body and it is .343

Just borrowed a caliper - around .210, sure this isn't from any carrier bearing - where's the detent bearing/ball located ?

The detent ball is located on top of the valve body on the shaft that the gear selector hooks on to it along with the spring it sets the valve body in the correct gear position. But your saying the one you have is just under a 1/4" so unless someone has been in there and lost the original I would guess now that it has come from somewhere else.

I'm gonna have to check this out further this week - I have a really sloppy shifter - hard to find a sweet spot in Park for ignition to work, very slight detent feel when going between positions. Maybe this is the detent ball ? Would'nt/couldn't the ball get really worn/deformed over years ? Could it have come and made it's way to the pan ?

OK that sounds like the detent ball so you will have to drop the valve body to check it out, here is a crude pic.