Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) Since were on the transmission thing! Dtt?

[CCamillo]

Hey guys,

Well where to start? I put a DTT transmission in my truck last may. Me and my family were moving (military move) just after that in Jun. I had a local shop I trusted do the install since I was unable to. It is a Napa auto care center. I had a problem with the truck not wanting to shift out of 1st gear it would just hang there. I changed the all the sensors in the transmission at another Napa center. I paid half and DTT paid half#@$%!. They said the labor was over charged and they wouldn't pay for it. It worked for about a mile then the problem came back. I found out that if I put it in park cycle the key and back in drive it would work but the shifting was really hard after the fluid warmed up. I went back to the original shop I had do the install and they called Bill again. Turns out there is a box that changes the signal between the transmission and the ECM that I was supposed to have but did not come with the transmission. They forgot to send it. I got the box installed and adjusted it to Bill's specs. The problem was still there. After talking with Bill a couple times we agreed that shops were expensive and that DTT didn't want to pay for it and I knew I would get stuck with the bill again. So I worked with Bill and tried to do what he asked and fix it myself. All in all Last thing I did was take a pressure gauge that Bill sent me and got some readings. It was like 180 psi to shift out of second gear. I called bill a few times, left messages with the results and never heard back from him#@$%!. Needless to say this is only half the story and I am very dissatisfied with DTT's products and customer service#@$%!. Currently I am deployed in the gulf and don’t have all the details, I will be home in the near future and would like to fix my truck before the warranty is up. I just want to be able to drive it with no problems. Oh After it warms up if I shift it out of drive at all and back to drive I have to put it in park and cycle the key to get the transmission to shift. The go pedal is also very heavy during the shiftting problem but returns to normal after key cycle.

Thanks for any ideas

Chris (Very Very frustrated and dissatirfied)

Another thing I asked for a copy of their warranty and got an email rundown. It said “All parts and labor one year unlimited mileage, then one year parts only”.

 

[Joe Mc]

CC, Before anything else thank you for your service and putting yours in harms way to keep ours safe. I was USN 80-85. Keep it low and arrive home safe.



I can relate to Bill not wanting to pay overpriced labor to a shop that may not be doing what's needed. I can relate to your frustration with the situation as well.



I feel it would be best if there was a way to get your truck to a DTT trained center and they can work with Bill while you are deployed.



DTT has always provided great customer service and stood behind their products. I'm surprised you're having difficulty, but you never know what's going on? Maybe someone close to your truck that you trust can talk with the fine folks at DTT and see if they can work out a way to get your truck to a DTT facility to take care of it while you're away keeping all our butts safe.



Arrive home safe - Best regards.

 

[CCamillo]

I have never heard of a DTT facility. If I knew of one close I would be glad to try it. The biggest thing that worries me is putting more money into it than I already have and can't afford. I would just assume sell the truck. If I could do it again I would just put a manual in and call it good. My wife tried to talk to them and she even asked for the owner, but the girl in the office wouldn't tell her who it was or transfer her. Like I said No professionalism and no custormer service at all. Very rude to say the least!

 

[Regcabguy]

I have never heard of a DTT facility. If I knew of one close I would be glad to try it. The biggest thing that worries me is putting more money into it than I already have and can't afford. I would just assume sell the truck. If I could do it again I would just put a manual in and call it good. My wife tried to talk to them and she even asked for the owner, but the girl in the office wouldn't tell her who it was or transfer her. Like I said No professionalism and no custormer service at all. Very rude to say the least!

DTT will provide the closest authorized installer. I used Fred Swanson in Waddell,AZ near Phoenix. When you use an authorized installer,you're not stuck in the middle. The installer goes to bat for you if it's the product's defect and he is experienced with the DTT line.

 

[MAleshire]

DTT is a small family business, and the lady you talked with in the office was most likely Bill's wife. Call and ask for an authorized installer near you. Bill is a perfectionist and is pretty particular about who is doing the work. There weren't any DTT trained installers near me, so I went to Canada. There are probably some authorized installers in So. Cal.

 

[WILLD420]

What you are describing has a couple potential causes.

1st. If your line pressure is too high, the trans can go into limp mode which causes the computer to freak out because the voltage is too high coming up to the computer, due to the pressure sensor in the trans voltage being out of whack. This is what that box you got from DTT is probably all about. It should have been a voltage regulator to "Lie" to the computer and tell it that the trans was stock. Also, if they turned the pressure up too high, it can overpower the governor solenoid and cause it to stick, preventing a shift, most commonly at heavy throttle.

I used this to solve my problem with sticking in 1st at heavy throttle:

Dodge "RE" Governor Solenoid Conversion 48RE 47RE 46RE - eBay (item 130299569203 end time Jan-31-11 14:00:36 PST)

It works great so far. I haven't had a stuck shift since the install and I'm running a BD valvebody turned up higher than stock by a whole bunch.

If you tested the pressures on your trans, then you know what it was at light throttle, mid throttle and full throttle. You can adjust the pressures down a little to eliminate some of your issues.

BD has a really good guide, here's the link:

http://www.xtremediesel.com/manuals/1030416.pdf

I'm not affiliated with BD in any way, so don't worry, I'm not trying to push their product. I have DTT parts in my trans as well, but they wouldn't sell me the valvebody I wanted, so I had to go to BD.

If your throttle is heavy, I would suspect something wrong with the kickdown linkage, this would also cause shifting issues. Whether it's internal, or something is binding up in the cable, I have no idea. Since it goes away after a restart, I would think internal issues.

Hope this helps. Don't worry, it's not as bad as it all sounds or looks. You can probably drop the pan and lower the main pressure a couple turns and fix 90% of your problems without spending money on a new truck or the GM conversion kit provided they didn't really screw something up when they did the work.

Be safe out there and come home in one piece so you can tell us how this turns out.

 

[HBarlow]

CCamillo,

I agree with the opinions above. Your problems began with having the DTT automatic installed and set up by a NAPA facility. They may be good automatic transmission techs but are unlikely to be familiar with setting up the tricky modified units like the DTT.

A DTT authorized rebuilder/installer will know and be known by Bill Kondolay and will be familiar with Bill's components and methods for setting the transmission up properly.

A seldom mentioned unwanted side effect of highly modifying the MOPAR 47/48RE transmissions is that they require specialized installers and tuners. The average corner transmission shop in home town America is not familiar with or able to work on them.

Call back and start over with a pleasant attitude. Ask Bill or Stefan for the name of a shop near you. You may have to take a trip of several hundred miles to find a guy who Bill knows and works with.

 

[CCamillo]

Thanks guys for your advice. I always knew I could come here for some help. I will be home soon and try again. You guys are welcome its my duty to take care of things and help make this country as great as can be just as the vets before me.