Is there anything I can do to test a 833 on the bench - other then the obvious. It's been sitting with me for at least 13 years and i would bet it hadn't been used since the late 80's or early 90's

Might not be a bad time to change seals.

Pull the side cover, look for abnormal wear.



If it looks good, run it.

Do some bench racing with it.

Maybe go thru the gears.
I just bought a used 833 too.

Did you run it before or did you purchase it used? If it was good before it should be good now (if no rust/corrosion). I ain't a stick guy but replacing the seals sounds like a reasonable plan.

There is no way that I know of to functionally bench test an A833. If you have a burning desire to determine the condition, all you can do is disassemble the transmission, examine and/or evaluate the components, and go from there.

Ditto on the internal visuals.

I'll add since you have the tranny on the bench, to inspect the mounting plate to the transmission and especially where the shifter fastens to the mounting plate for wear. On different occasions, I've encountered worn thread bosses resulting in the shifter loosening over time. It appears that once these threaded engagement areas become worn, it's easier for the shifter to work it's way loose making shifting less precise.

I installed a 833 4sp after inspecting the internals. It looked great (to me)but after installing the trans it had an awful whine especially in 2nd gear. I ended up replacing the main shaft bearings. I couldn't tell that the bearings bad with it on the bench. You might want to try to find someone very familiar with 833s to look it over before putting it in the car.