Trans shop can't get it right, please advise!

[fixitagain]

So I had my trans (48RE) rebuilt by a local outfit in December. $4500, 12 month/12,000 mile warranty. Triple disc converter, Billet input shaft. Supposed to have a TransGo shift kit. Trans lasted three days before I realized it was leaving numerous puddles. Found a few fasteners loose, no big deal. 100 miles after the rebuild the torque converter seized up super tight. Had it towed back, (my dime) and they replaced the converter. 1600 miles into the fresh trans I got tired of the 2-1 gear bind every time I stopped, and the off-throttle 2-3 upshift gear bind, so I took it back. Now the trans shifts SUPER soft, like luxury car soft. And guess what, when I get on it hard, something is slipping. When driving old man slow, (my normal driving style) it shifts into 2nd about 12-18mph, 3rd about 25?, 4th about 35, and lock up happens at 50 on the nose.

Working on it today, I found two pan bolts stripped out and missing, the driveline witness marks were not clocked, and the pan is dripping. They stripped out the bolts for the converter inspection cover, and ran self-tappers into it, which are also stripped. Last week I put a 30HP MPG tuner from Rob Dugan on it, and now the slipping is gone, the shifts are firm and decisive, but the 2-1 gear bind is back. It shifts mostly like it did when I initially picked it up from the trans shop, making me think he messed with the computer (dropped the operating pressure??) to fix the gear bind.

So should I bother going back to him? I really don't want more stripped out bolts. I would fix it myself, but not really sure where to start. What options do I have? Thanks for reading!

 

[Ozymandias]

Get your money back would be my recommendation.

Sounds like they have no clue what they are doing and used cheap parts to (converter).

 

[fixitagain]

Yeah, small claims court has crossed my mind more than once...

 

[SSage]

$4200 or so got me a Goerends rebuild at an approved installer a while back in GA. You need a second opinion I'm afraid, then you go back and demand compensation probably via court.

I've only had two of these 4 speed autos rebuilt by diesel trans specialists, but both do not like to be driven with a light foot. They shift smoother under moderate throttle than light. I do back off a little at the TC lock up point so it doesn't hit so hard. I tow heavy and my Goerends shifts hard and quick under full boost. It runs cooler than stock, my dually tires will break loose sometimes pulling heavy. The Goerends TC is very stout IMO. I've had two of their torque converters, one is around 15 years old now in my work truck and is still surprisingly strong.

 

[06 Dodge]

Everyone I know who has had Goerend trans & TC has been very happy with what they got from him...

 

[BigPapa]

I do back off a little at the TC lock up point so it doesn't hit so hard. I tow heavy and my Goerends shifts hard and quick under full boost. It runs cooler than stock, my dually tires will break loose sometimes pulling heavy.

You make the Goerend transmission sound harsh. Mine was never harsh. It was positive and firm but never harsh. Just trying to clarify.

 

[SSage]

My Goerend stage one shifts hard and quick under light throttle, its smoother under say 15 pounds of boost than 10 or less. It holds gears longer than my past builds. I can put it in drive and just roll down my dirt road with 10K on the trailer without it shifting up too early. I really like the shift timing when loaded. I don't have to manually shift much at all with the 48RE Stage One.

It may be the installer set up, but I used the installer recommended by Goerends. Blacks Diesel Performance in West GA is where I went. They do good work best I can tell. I would do it again.

 

[06 Dodge]

I think what shift kit was used ( ie stage 1, 2 or 3 ) is why some have harder shifts then others, IMHO...

 

[BigPapa]

Stepping out on the “ignorance plank” again, but unless something’s changed, Goerend doesn’t use shift kits or offer multiple VB shift options, at least they didn’t used to.

 

[06 Dodge]

Just did a quick look and found this at Goerend: Please take the Valve Body Questionnaire to set up a custom valve body to fit your truck's specifications, so they can be set up for racing to normal drive or heavy haul...

 

[BigPapa]

I do recall when we’d order a transmission for a customer and when I ordered mine, they asked about how the truck is used and power levels. There were basically three “categories”: performance, towing, daily driving.

 

[Bromiley99]

I’ve got 4 goerend automatics, 2 triple discs, 2 single discs, 0 hard shifts!

 

[Regcabguy]

$4200 or so got me a Goerends rebuild at an approved installer a while back in GA. You need a second opinion I'm afraid, then you go back and demand compensation probably via court.

I've only had two of these 4 speed autos rebuilt by diesel trans specialists, but both do not like to be driven with a light foot. They shift smoother under moderate throttle than light. I do back off a little at the TC lock up point so it doesn't hit so hard. I tow heavy and my Goerends shifts hard and quick under full boost. It runs cooler than stock, my dually tires will break loose sometimes pulling heavy. The Goerends TC is very stout IMO. I've had two of their torque converters, one is around 15 years old now in my work truck and is still surprisingly strong.

That's how my DTT acted on my 24v. My buddy's got the Goerend equipment on his 48re and it is a different animal. Super smooth accelerating or letting of the throttle abruptly. It's a joy to drive.

 

[JReichenbach]

I went thru this a couple of years ago with a "Specialist" in Indiana. 2 incorrect torque converters, LR band adjuster left loose, and filter extension installed backwards. He sent me a V-10 converter the first time, I did the R & R myself originally, but wasnt able to replace the wrong one, so he said to have my local shop replace the replacement he sent, and he would cover the cost. Local guy calls me and says he sent me a 47RE converter, instead of the 48RE. the V-10 converter was also for a 47RE, the extra sealing ring for the input shaft was pushed back into the pump when he took it apart. I just had him put a converter in, tired of F##cking around with the rebuilder "Specialist". He pissed backwards on his word to pay for the R&R. Got nowhere with him or Credit Card company. He advertised alot, selling Performance Trannies and parts on a Mopar site that I was on, so I aired him out with pictures and everything on the site, stirred up quite a controversy, and the guy finally blamed his "employee" for the errors. Lesson I learned here, my local guy, who also builds the Trannies for my race cars knows more about the 48RE than the Specialist did. Should have used him. Last I heard, was the Specialist just sells parts now, wont build anything anymore.

 

[SSage]

I've never had a good experience with the average trans shop with diesels. So I went with an "approved Goerend builder" out of state. I would do it again, but the trans will probably out last the old truck. I still have an old 2005 built Stage 2 47RH DTT and its always been very strong. Its amazing how long a properly built trans will last. I've had to replace the seal at the shifter, replaced a stretched out TV cable and the usual ATF service with filter occasionally, that's it. I did replace the transmission cooler lines as preventive maintenance at rebuild time. The 48RE rebuild has been trouble free except for the 2003's OEM shifter cable becoming loose two times giving me false neutrals. Haven't had anymore troubles with it so far, not sure why that cable was stretching. I guess it was old age, but my much older 1995 truck never had the shifter cable adjusted at all. It will probably mess up now that I said that.

 

[Ozymandias]

There is no shifter cable on the Gen2, it's a linkage.