Engine/Transmission (1994 - 1998) just lost transmission

[ninjazx7]

i was driving down the road and heard a kind of thud and my truck quit pulling like i had put it in neutral. if any of you remember i got my transmission waterlogged about 3 or 4 months ago.

looked under the truck everything was still in place, driveshaft etc. . the shaft wasnt turning while the truck was in drive or reverse. it didnt pull in 4wheel low or high.

the reason i posted all this info is because one of the guys at the transmission shop said if could have been the transfer case that went out.

if the problem is the transmission what should i do rebuild mine get a reman, or buy one ready for alittle power. ?

i do plan on boming in the future, but all ive done so far is straight pipe, plate slid forward and star wheel adjustment.

 

[ninjazx7]

any advice or recomendations would be greatly appreciated.

i have no clue in which high performance transmission to get.

 

[HoleshotHolset]

I won't tell you which transmission to get, because I'll get jumped on for swaying you to one particular vendor... .



If it is the transmission that let loose, which is more likely than the x-fer case letting loose (but not impossible..... )... . I recommend that you get the transmission done up the way you need it in order to handle your future HP goals.



You're better off having a stout transmission to start with and then you can worry less about putting your foot into it with the stock auto transmission.



The bottom line is that all of the aftermarket trannies are HUGE improvements over stock... . and it comes down to how much you want to pay, what style torque convertor best fits your needs, and which transmission YOU feel is the best bang for the buck... .



It's a hard decision, but I'm glad I finally made up my mind... . and I know I won't be disappointed.



Do your homework!



Matt

 

[Dieselnerd]

Depending on where you live, the best thing is to take (or tow) your truck into the nearest one of the transmission people most recognized by the members on this site. They can help you decide whether it is better to rebuild or replace your transmission.

 

[98rammer]

dtt, ats, bd, etc. are all good. i'm still looking into ats and dtt myself, but that's just me. have you also had any problems with the tc lock up clutch slipping?

 

[ninjazx7]

i have the truck at a good transmission shop. found out today it is the transmission .

they say $1600. to fix it it's a local company that has a great rep. and a good warranty. are there any parts i should buy or ask them to beef up?(valve body etc... )

i'm sorry but $3500. is alot of money to me! i can't see shelling out that kind of dough without a good warranty.

one thing i would love to improve is the fuel mileage, would a TC really help with that?

 

[Blakers]

If you're going to have it rebuilt locally, I would definately have them install a good triple disc torque converter and the high performance valve body that goes with it. Either Goerend Brothers or ATS will be able to supply you with what you need.



I don't know the specific things that need upgraded, but there are several items in the transmission that you should have upgraded. More clutch plates, band levers, overdrive planetaries. These are some of the things that are weak.



Before you have the local shop start the work, I would call the above two companies and see if you can get their complete rebuilt transmission for less than having the local shop do it with the good parts. I bet you will find it cheaper - I know I did. Plus they both have great warrantees.



Blake

 

[rrausch]

Blake is telling it like it is!

To pay for another stock T. C. is a waste of good money.



Get an ATS Torque Converter, and their Valve Body, and any decent shop can put it in with your re-build. ATS will give your shop all the information they need to set it up right. Their TC will make your trans last longer, as it won't slip and degrade and send little bits of TC clutch all through the trans. With the stock unit, if you tow or if you bomb the TC clutch will eventually degrade under heat/pressure and you'll need another re-build.



With the ATS, the TC clutches (3 of them) will hold amazing amounts of H. P & Torque without slipping, melting, crumbling, degrading etc. And that is a claim NO OTHER trans builder can match. ATS is near Denver 800-949-6002

 

[Bandit1]

ninjazx7, pick the right AFTERMARKET tc/transmission that fits your budget. the biggest bit of advice i can give you is to call each one, do a search and find which company works for you as well as which shope around you can install the stuff right. as for me i am in college, so ihave to make all my decions count until i can get a job and have a steady income. i found what i wanted after alot of research and ended up driving 451 miles one way to go to a certified installer of the company that i wanted. i love my transmission, they all do the same function, jsut pick which one is right for you, i know i did. good luck and sorry about the blown transmission, i blew the 2nd gear lip seal at 51k, followed by the second gear. hope all works out

 

[shendren]

just curious, when you put in that ats, etc tc and valve body, are there wiring changes made to the harness? i have found the harness to be very sensitive to change.....

scott.

 

[Blakers]

Originally posted by shendren

just curious, when you put in that ats, etc tc and valve body, are there wiring changes made to the harness? i have found the harness to be very sensitive to change.....

scott.

I installed the Goerend Bros, but I think the ATS is the same - no, there are no wiring changes necessary. You can however, install a controller that tells the torque converter clutch when to lock up. It's an option.



Blake

 

[TxDieselKid]

I will agree that just about ANY aftermarket transmission company is better then stock!!!

Originally posted by rrausch

With the ATS, the TC clutches (3 of them) will hold amazing amounts of H. P & Torque without slipping, melting, crumbling, degrading etc. And that is a claim NO OTHER trans builder can match.

I AM NOT TRYING TO START A WAR BUT,... .

DD is not making amazing amounts of HP with their DTT?



just wondering,

Andrew

 

[Archive]

Like others have said. . we wasted a bunch of $$$$ with a dealer on a trany. . and numouis TC's, before they got one that was worth a darn. . and it still has nothing on any of the aftermarket TC's... At least put in a good TC now. . at least the valve body can get added without removing the trany from the truck. And have them set the pressures right. . Call some of the aftermarket trany places and talk to them. .

Bryan



That was before we knew about TDR... could have a sweet trany for what we have in it now...

 

[rrausch]

The thing about the ATS Torque Converter which is so great is BESIDES the best & most indestructable TC Clutches on the planet, the TC has one heck of a stator in it. The stator is the part which gooses the truck forward off the line. I've posted about this before, but ATS takes a stock stator and goes at it with their own 4-axis CNC machine, resulting a wicked, wicked design. My truck rockets off the line now instead of lumbering and roaring and not accellerating very well! Get one!

 

[GLASMITHS]

WOo. OOo. WOo.

 

[Blakers]

Originally posted by rrausch

My truck rockets off the line now instead of lumbering and roaring and not accellerating very well!

Mine takes off like that now too with the Goerend. I wonder how they really compare with ATS? Probably about the same I'm guessing.



Blake

 

[rrausch]

Off-the-line performance with the automatic is due in a large part to the stator design and it's ability to multiply torque. What sort of stator is your Goerend running?

 

[bigbrassmonkey]

$1600 two or three times or $3500 once

 

[Blakers]

Originally posted by bigbrassmonkey

$1600 two or three times or $3500 once

 

[Blakers]

Originally posted by rrausch

What sort of stator is your Goerend running?

It is a modified stator like yours, but not sure of the shape.



Blake