Thanks MassDiesel & DTT!

[David Muench]

I just wanted to publically say thanks to Scott and Tim at MassDiesel and DTT. I spent 4 hours at MassDiesel today while they installed a DTT valve body, accumulator piston, and double deep Mag-Hytec transmission pan in my 2003 with the 47RE. The truck drives great now, even though it still has all the stock internals and torque converter. It's much more fun to drive, and I can't wait to add some power to it.



Oh, and by the way. . The cooler lines have (as many probably suspected) changed for 2003. So the old crossover line for installing a sender in the lines won't work. We put mine in the pan for the time being. Hopefully someone will come up with a better solution at some point.

 

[PCline]

You've got to expand on how the truck drives now. Does is shift firmer? Does it shift at the same speeds or did the shift points change?



Since you didn't change out the TC I'm guessing the fluid coupling hasn't changed. Or does the higher pressures from the valve body somehow improve that? Are you planning to upgrade the TC after some power upgrades?

 

[mr plow]

hey...

tomorrow i'm installing a mag hytec transmission pan in my truck also. i'm also getting the check ball removed completely. I wanted to install a shift kit, but was told that the existing kits for the 47re would set codes for these trucks. Was the valve body expensive? what are the shifts like now? please elaborate on your noted and perceived differences.



thanks.



Oren.

 

[David Muench]

I'll need some more time with the truck to be able to elaborate better (I am in Boston on business and only driving a couple miles a day till I head home Saturday. . It's hard to learn how it shifts when you're stuck in heavy traffic). . But it does shift a lot firmer. And quicker. It doesn't jerk the truck but it is a nice firm shift. I think the shift points have changed, but I am still figuring that out. The TC is stock, but I do feel an improvement, it must be from the line pressures. . It seems to slip less. When I push the accelerator, the truck moves with less hesitation. It seems faster off the line the few times I've had enough room to get on it.



I do plan on doing the TC and all the other goodies at some point, but I plan to wait until I have some more power in the truck. . A tight torque converter in a low power truck is probably no fun.



I can't speak to "shift kits", but it is a normal 47RE DTT valve body. The only change I know of was that Scott had to swap my stock neutral safety switch onto the DTT valve body, since they changed for the 3rd gen trucks. He did install a voltage regulator, just like they do on all Dodges to prevent it from going into limp mode with the high pressures.



Given that the 3rd gen 47RE is almost identical to the 2nd gen 47RE, I don't see why shift kits would need to be different.



Here's the DTT pricing page, you can see what I paid for the valve body (they're all the same, despite the 2003 not being listed yet). All in all, with labor, fluids, the DD pan, the piston, and all the other little goodies I got away for a bit less than a grand. Money well worth it I think. Scott and Tim spent around 4 hours installing everything so I think the labor charges were very reasonable.



Hope that's helpful for now, I'll be able to describe it better after my drive home.



I'm sure someone will ask this sooner or later - I haven't driven a 48RE truck so I can't make a comparison. But I am very satisfied with my decision to go with the 47RE/aftermarket route.

 

[David Muench]

Oh, and Oren. . Scott passed along a bit of wisdom on the mag-hytec transmission pans. The drain plug torque spec is 30 inch lbs, and if you even torque it to 31 it'll probably get stuck and be a royal PITA to get out (it's made of hardened steel I guess). I know when I change my fluid when I get back home (to get any install dust out) I'm going to be very careful.

 

[mr plow]

david,

where do they put the voltage regulator? i really need this shift kit, but i was told that it did exactly that, the increased pressure send the truck to limp mode.



thanks

 

[Fred Swanson]

That's the purpose of the DTT Voltage Regulator, to not set codes or let it go into limp mode with higher pressures.



Scott probably mounted it to the right of the PCM on the firewall behind the passenger side battery.

 

[David Muench]

Right, spliced into the main connectors on the passenger side of the firewall near the battery. I couldn't tell you which wires off the top of my head, since they changed in the 3rd gen's (colors changed). We actually had to call someone (DTT I think) to verify what colors since I didn't have my FSM on me.

 

[Batman]

David... ... ... . you went to the right place... ... ... ... . Massdiesel is the best.

 

[Snow man]

David,ditto what Batman said, Scott is awesome.

 

[David Muench]

Now that I've got some miles under my belt with the DTT valve body, I think I can describe it a bit better. It's tough though, not having a stock truck to compare it to.



It definitely shifts quite firm, and fast. Where the stock transmission would just slide into the next gear in kind of a mushy fashion, the new VB shifts very firmly and quickly. I think that's my favorite part so far. I think the shift points have changed a little too, but it's hard to tell. They all seem to shift at a slightly higher speed than they used to, but it's nothing dramatic. The truck does feel like it's staying in it's power band more.



My major gripe with the old transmission was that OD locks up too early with 3. 73 gears and the 315/70 tires (and no speedometer correction). Scott said the VB wouldn't affect that at all, but it does seem to be locking up a few mph higher in 90% of cases, which makes me happy.



Best of all, I think I should be good for 350-375hp now without having to worry too much about the transmission. I am going nuts trying to not order an Edge EZ, but I keep telling myself to wait for the Comp or other later boxes that are a bit more intelligent. . But it needs power.



The one oddball thing. . If I'm cruising along in 4th locked up, at lower rpm's (say, when the transmission locks up too early while accelerating at light throttle) and hit the OD button to disable OD, it acts differently now. Stock, it would unlock the TC, shift down into 3rd, then lock the TC. Now, I am not sure what it's doing. I think it unlocks the TC (I see an rpm jump), then it re-locks the TC (rpm drops back to where it originally was), then it shifts into 3rd (locked-locked shift? I didn't think that was part of just a VB). I haven't totally deciphered what is going on there yet.



Very happy overall though, before the truck drove like a mushy SUV, now it has a great snap to it's shifts. Can't wait to add some power.

 

[Snow man]

David is your new VB set up for a smart controller/exhaust brake? This affects the 4-3 downshift slightly . Congrats on your mods. John

 

[David Muench]

It shouldn't be. I don't have a smart controller or an exhaust brake yet. All I have is the VB, the accumulator piston (right? The small piston), and the double-deep transmission pan.



I posted that part of the question over on the DTT site too, so maybe Bill will have some insight.

 

[David Muench]

Well, what do I know. . Not much.



Thanks to Darrin at DTT and Scott at Massdiesel, they cleared up my confusion. The VB is set up for exhaust brake operation, and now that they jogged my memory I remembered that I did tell them I intended to put one on in the future (and I do). So it's operating just the way it should be, naturally.



I'm still happy.