68rfe Failure

[Turboz]

Do I have the 1st 68rfe failure here? 83,000 miles!

 

[RVTRKN]

First I have heard of, was your truck stock and what was your rear ratio?

 

[HBarlow]

His signature shows a Smarty S67 "magic black box. " This could turn out to be an interesting story.

 

[2Rowdy]

Your not near first, I blowed mine up in Jan. and a friend is on his second stock rebuild. You have to pay to play.

 

[d6c]

Friend of mine w/pickup almost my twin, except he has 3. 73 ratio lost his at 30k or so. Totally stock and tows some, but not over about 19k gcvw. He told me it would refuse to upshift was first sign of trouble. Metalled down things bad, Dealer rebuilt and so far so good.

 

[HBarlow]

Your not near first, I blowed mine up in Jan. and a friend is on his second stock rebuild. You have to pay to play.

What failed?

And what did you do about it? Complete factory reman, dealer rebuild, independent shop rebuild, upgraded aftermarket parts, or ... ..... ?

Is the aftermarket building heavy duty or high performance upgrade parts for the new six speed automatics yet?

 

[Turboz]

First I have heard of, was your truck stock and what was your rear ratio?

3. 73 gears. I use my truck for work and it has had a trailer of some kind behind it for probably 90% of it's life. I always use tow/haul and exhaust brake.

I did recall today when I changed the transmission fluid and filters at 17,000 miles I had found a piece of something in the pan, but didn't think anything of it, but now I know that it was a piece of clutch material after seeing all the clutch material in the filter that my dealer cut open when he did the transmission service yesterday. It's been chewing on the clutches for the last 65,000 miles and nobody knew it until a filter got cut open. Dealer said when he dropped the pan there was nothing in it and was stumped, so he decided to cut the filter open. I'm guessing it's the overdrive clutches because it doesn't want to stay in 5th or 6th with any throttle pressure at all, but will work just fine in 1st thru 4th. If the clutches actually started coming apart at 17,000 miles, I'm pretty impressed that it lasted this long. Page 47 of the latest TDR magazine actually talks about the o/d clutch stress from the way that the 2007. 5 TCM software shifts it into o/d under "some specific driving events". I use my truck to make a living, and in my opinion, I've never abused my truck or pushed it beyond its limits. I wouldn't bite the hand that feeds me. I'll keep everyone updated as info comes to me.

 

[2Rowdy]

What failed?



And what did you do about it? Complete factory reman, dealer rebuild, independent shop rebuild, upgraded aftermarket parts, or ... ..... ?



Is the aftermarket building heavy duty or high performance upgrade parts for the new six speed automatics yet?

I am not sure what failed first. By the time I got to the transmission shop the whole thing was ground into bits. I had an independent shop install a the Suncoast mega rebuild kit with a triple disk convertor and a stage 3 tuned tcm from MHP(or B & G Chysler) through Suncoast. If it were me on a stock truck with a 68rfe I would get an upgraded tcm. I don't know all the particulars of what the software changes are, but it is increased line pressure and other tuning.

 

[HBarlow]

2Rowdy,

Is there someone in the Lubbock area capable of doing that sort of high performance rebuild?

 

[2Rowdy]

2Rowdy,



Is there someone in the Lubbock area capable of doing that sort of high performance rebuild?

Harvey

I know opinions on this shop vary from one extreme to the other, but I used A-ivies on 19th street. He did not like the idea at all of me ordering my own parts. I did pay more because their is not a Suncoast dealer anywhere near here. I just couldn't go back with a stock rebuild and wait to trash it again. He seemed to do a very good job and I am happy with the service I recieved and the follow up he wanted to check on the transmission. I will say once he saw the parts he seemed impressed. Especially after he drove the truck.

 

[HBarlow]

I think that company has been in business there for a very long time. I can't think of his name now but there is a guy out off the Brownfield Highway just outside of town that is well known and respected by all the "old car guys" that I know. He rebuilds automatic transmissions and does performance rebuilds. He built a TH-700R for my '56 Chevy eight or ten years ago. I would trust him to do a truck automatic rebuild.

Did the Suncoast parts make significant changes in the way your truck launches and shifts?

I didn't even know that the aftermarket was already selling HP parts for the 68RE.

 

[JHumphries]

... I didn't even know that the aftermarket was already selling HP parts for the 68RE.

I'm sure as soon as someone broke something :-laf, the aftermarket started.
It probably took about a month for someone to make a tuner and start playing. It was only a matter-of-time after that.

 

[Turboz]

I ordered a new transmission from Dodge. About $5050. 00 with tax and installation. Gotta have my truck, and hope it was just a fluke!

 

[Turboz]

New transmission is in and all is well for now.

 

[2Rowdy]

Did the Suncoast parts make significant changes in the way your truck launches and shifts?



QUOTE]



It is not really the parts that did it, but the new tuning in the tcm. I can drive at 45 mph and it will stay in 5th gear around 1500 rpm instead of shifting into 6th and lugging down to about 1000 or 1100 rpm. Of course it shifts firmer which I really like.