new transmission time. get aftermarket or stock?

[moposcar]

New to forum here, but I have an 08 4500 with aisin transmission. It has around 130,000 miles on it and it looks like the torque converter is shot. My transmission shop told me it would be better to get a reman transmission than yo just get the converter and clean the old one. Should I get the reman of go to an aftermarket one? Read below for how the transmission shop came to a new transmission conclusion.

The truck has a dpf and egr delete with an h&s mini max programmer. I have only had the programmer and deletes for the last 15000 miles or so. I pull a gooseneck trailer with it that sometimes has 15000 lbs on the gooseneck. H&S is usually in tow mode. Transmission started throwing solenoid pressure codes and wouldnt go forward sometimes, or wouldn't shift out of second gear. I shut the truck off and restarted it to get it to work right. I sent it to the transmission shop and they think it is torque converter because of a howling noise coming from that area and the fact that there is some small flakes of metal in fluid. Filter has been changed every 25000 miles. Anyone have similar issues or thoughts?

Also, one of my employees said the H&S programmer can cause transmission problems. Is there any truth to this? The transmission didn't shift as good when I put the programmer on it, and I don't think it is for a cab and chassis truck. Just needing some advice. Thanks

 

[Bob4x4]

The reality is none of the perrformance transmission builders have been able to build a bullet proof aisin trans for big power builds yet.The other reality is most will not admit it publicly.

 

[transe]

Do you happen to have the exact codes it set? The actual codes, not the descriptions. I'm wondering why a bad converter would cause solenoid faults?

 

[DieselLady]

subscribed

 

[moposcar]

I don't have the exact codes, and my truck is at the shop right now. I will ask the shop on monday what they were. The transmission shop did not think the torque
converter was producing the pressures needed and was causing the low solenoid pressures. He thought the torque converter was coming apart internally.

 

[DonFitzwater]

Get a better description........torque converters don't build pressure as far as I know.

 

[transe]

Get a better description........torque converters don't build pressure as far as I know.

Correct. The pump produces the main line pressure (not the converter). Now the pump is driven by the hub of the converter, but that hub is welded to the converter shell, which is bolted to the flexplate, which is bolted to the crankshaft, so it turns with the engine all the time. It's either OK (driving the pump correctly) or the hub weld is broken, in which case you'd have no pressure at all (and truck would not move), so I'd say your converter hub must be OK.

Not to say that the converter couldn't be failing internally. I'd just like to see the fault codes so I can render a more informed opinion.

 

[DieselLady]

I don't have the exact codes, and my truck is at the shop right now. I will ask the shop on monday what they were. The transmission shop did not think the torque
converter was producing the pressures needed and was causing the low solenoid pressures. He thought the torque converter was coming apart internally.

I'm really not familiar with this transmission at all. Only that it is a copy of the Allison. I'm wondering if the pressure sensor may be bad. That happens a lot in the older transmissions and also the 68rfe and can cause bad shifts. I agree with Transengineer, need the codes.

 

[moposcar]

Here are the codes.
P0730. Gear ratio code
P0761. Shift solenoid C performance code
P0796. Pressure control solenoid 3 performance

There is some fine metal particles in the fluid and my transmission guy thought those were causing the problems with the solenoid performances. He also said there is a whining sound coming from the converter that you can hear when the truck is in neutral. He thinks the converter is coming apart internally.

I didn't think 130000 miles were that many, but my mechanic said he has seen a lot of these transmissions fail by this time.

Thanks

 

[DonFitzwater]

"mechanic said he has seen a lot of these transmissions fail by this time"..............Not to detract from your current issue but I seriously doubt he is correct.

Let's see what TransEngineer has to say about the codes you posted.

 

[CBlack]

Didn't know anyone was building aftermarket Aisins....

I have 185k+ on my stock 68 (with the exception of Overdrive installed) and I know it's a weaker transmission than the Aisin.

 

[moposcar]

The mechanic is separate from the transmission shop. He has seen 3 of them go, all from the same company. This company is in the boring business and are known to be hard on vehicles. Their last one to go was a 2012 truck.

I hadn't had any troubles with mine until our first cold snap of the season. I think it is a good transmission, but am wondering what typical miles before failing.

 

[DieselLady]

ATS builds the Aisin now. And seems like 185k is good for any trans. ")

 

[transe]

P0730 means there was internal slippage within the trans. P0761 and P0796 are both related to problems with valve operation, but they are for two different valves that are operated by two different solenoids. And there are no related solenoid continuity faults, so it appears that the solenoids themselves (and wiring) is OK. So it looks like maybe you have a couple of sticky valves (possibly due to the metal debris as your mechanic is supposing).

In the Aisin trans, the valve body is serviced only as a complete kit, with a matched pump assy. This means that, in order to replace the valve body (which is normally a pretty simple repair), you have to pull the entire trans and replace the pump as well. I should also note that this pump and VB kit costs something like $3600.

So if I were you, I would first drop the pan and VB, split the VB open, clean everything and make sure all the valves slide freely, then bolt it all back up (with a new filter) and see if that takes care of it (at least temporarily). If you're lucky, maybe you can eke a few more miles out of it. The alternative is to pull the trans, tear it down, inspect to find the source of the metal debris (if none is evident, then replace the converter), plus clean the VB (or replace the VB and pump). Or just replace the whole trans. Either way will be expensive, I'm afraid.

 

[RCorbeil]

The Aisin Trans has NO Converter, but rather 2 Hydro Clutches.

 

[DonFitzwater]

I was reading an old TDR this am and reviewed a section talking about trans component changes and the Aisin had significant changes to the pump AND valve body. Aisin removed the pressure relief valves out of the pump and installed them in the valve body instead to eliminate the pump removal necessity.

TransEngineer, can the new parts retrofit to an older trans during rebuild???

 

[Bob4x4]

The Aisin Trans has NO Converter, but rather 2 Hydro Clutches.

Lol. Go back and do someone research,it has a t/c and lock up clutch pack

 

[moposcar]

Transengineer: how many miles are a few more miles? I cannot afford to be down this spring as it is my busiest season. Sounds like a new transmission is the way to go by the time parts and labor are thrown at this thing. I can't remember what they quoted me for the transmission.

Thanks for all the info.

 

[transe]

Transengineer: how many miles are a few more miles? I cannot afford to be down this spring as it is my busiest season. Sounds like a new transmission is the way to go by the time parts and labor are thrown at this thing. I can't remember what they quoted me for the transmission.

Thanks for all the info.

That depends on where the metal debris is coming from, and how fast it is being generated. So unfortunately, it's impossible to say. I agree that if you need the truck, changing out the trans may be your best option. Maybe you could get lucky and find a low-mileage trans from a junkyard?