Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) Torque Converter Starting To Go! What to do??

[RopinFool]

Well I knew it was coming eventually but I think my torque convertor is finally starting to take a dump. I had been pretty proud of it because it has gone so long with out slipping (I got the truck with 30,000 miles on it, a year and a half ago and it now has 107,000) and I have an exhaust brake with a mystery switch, and a VA box, and i regularly pull around 8-10k in the mountains. But none the less, this weekend while pulling a bit heavier load than usual (12k) i began noticing a very short shudder when the torque convertor would lock up, and at lower rpms with the torque convertor clutch engaged it would shudder. So my question is: can i replace the torque convertor and valve body (I am thinking DTT) and be good to go or am I going to need to redo the whole thing?? I have at most 2000 i could spend if necessary. The most important things I want, are to be able to have 2nd gear lockup (for exhaust braking), be able to handle more horse power (I'd like to get injectors, possibly DD2's if it can handle it) and for it to last me another 100,000 miles(is this even possible???). Any feed back at all would be much appreciated thanks guys.

 

[snowracer69]

Call Bill at DTT and discuss what he thinks is best for you. You could easily get t/c and vb and Smart Controller and have all you need for what you say you want. The SC allows you to use the ebrake all the way into 2nd gear.

 

[y-knot]

I think with 107,000 miles on your present trany you would be foolish to only stick in a new valve body and TC. You tow alot of weight and often, probably the hardest thing you can do to any transmission. At the very least, you should have them tear-down your trany and inspect it inner parts, replace what is worn and then install the new pieces. Any transmission builder that advertises in the TDR will most likely be able to get you going, with a competent unit. I choose ATS for my replacement transmission, and it has worked out very nicely. I can not say anything about DTT, B&D, or any of the other ones, I have not driven in anyone Else's truck but my own. I do know that a replacement trany from ATS with all the up-grades is the most cost efficient way of replacing your trany, know one else comes close.

I have never been a fan of the mystery switch, I think it is very crud, hard on the truck and very dangerous. Maybe you will give a controller some thought, all brands have one. Mine is the ATS Commander, it takes care of locking and unlocking the TC, and controlling the E-brake very nicely. No worries about forgetting to UN-lock the TC. That is one thing that will kill a torque converter or flex-plate, especially once you switch to the better HD type TC's, they will not UN-lock or slip on their own, and it is very easy to forget with the mystery switch.

The only problems I have noticed with the Commander is that it is always looking to get you into 4th gear and locked up as quick as it can. This can be a problem when in town or towing in stop and go type situations. I most often turn the OD off in town, that helps eliminate those needless shifts and keeps the RPMs up. The better TC with it's lower stall speed, makes the truck much faster stop light to stop light loaded or not.

 

[RopinFool]

Well i talked to the shop up here in Redding that does DTT work on the phone. Basically he said he didn't want to just put in just a TC an VB, because he couldn't assure the reliability of the transmission, but he would do it as long as i understood the possible consequences,for around 2000. He recommended doing a complete teardown and rebuild to the tune of 4200 bucks. Sure i would love to do this, but i absolutely cannot afford to do that. He said there is another shop in town that will rebild the transmission for 2500 if that is what i wanted, but i would basically be back to square one with a just slightly better than stock transmission. So what i am wondering, is what are the chances of having problems, just doing the VB and TC? I'd like to get another 100,000 miles out of this truck (probably another year or two) and then I will be moving on. I just can't justify putting 4200 into a truck i will only have for another year or two, but at the same time the way the guy made it sound, i would be throwing my money away to only do the TC and VB.

I am a starving college student and can't be throwing that money away! Has anyone out there put in a TC and VB and had the transmission fail, or heard of it happening? The guy at the shop said it wasn't likely, but it would still be rolling the dice.

 

[Lsfarm]

You recieved good advice

Hello RF, you recieved good advice. The problem with auto transmissions is that there is no way to know how good of a trans it is, untill you either break it, or tear it down and make it a good one.



Our factory transmissions are a mass-production item, and therefore are subject to all the variations of mass-production. Some clearances will be on the tight side, some on the loose side. One trans may have all tight clearances, and good machining and it will last a lot longer than a trans with poor machining and loose clearances. There is just no way to know without tearing it down, then you are in the middle of a rebuild.



I'd love to be able to assess the quality of an installed running stock trans, but there is just no way to know. All automatics wear with useage, and wear even faster and more when towing.



With 100K+ miles on your trans and towing at 17-20K GCVW, you are lucky to have gone as far as you have with a stock trans. The shuddering you are experiencing is the first indication of the whole trans suffering from wear and miles. The TC shuddering is because of loose bushings, worn seals and the resulting low internal pressures that no longer will hold the TC in lockup. So it isn't just the TC, it is the whole trans that it is part of.



If I were you and you plan to keep the truck and continue to tow a lot, then figure out a way to get the complete upgraded trans done, you won't regret it. Trying to take your exsisting trans another 100K towing just isn't going to happen even with a new TC and VB. And it may not last even without towing if you add injectors and up the HP.



I educate my trans customers with all the internal parts and production issues and how we at DTT fix all those problems. This is the heart of a good trans, then the TC and Vb can work with a good system and a tight trans and last a long time. Call Bill K, he can explain.



I hope this helps explain your transmission for you. Greg L