Transmission Question

[DGamelin]

I have a customer with an 08, 2500, 4wd, 373s, 33k, has had a Smarty in it on level three for about 4-5 months. He said the truck use to break the rear tires loose with ease, and now it won't. He also says he hears a clunk when he lets go of the throttle. I'm guessing this is play in the drive line, but should it be noticeable with an auto? When he first got the Smarty he had it on level nine for a half hour just to try it and he says that he couldn't tell the difference between level nine and level three. No other mods. I drove it, feels fine to me, but I drive an 04 manual. He keeps coming over here asking me to do something about it. I told him to have the dealership look at it, but he's already been there more then once about his ball joints and the dealer tells him they're fine, they ARE loose. So he doesn't believe they'll do anything about his trans. He keeps asking me if he should puke the trans so he can get it done while he still has warranty left. I told him I wouldn't do something like that, it might bite ya in the butt big time. I'm sure the kid drives his truck hard, he's a contractor, and he pulls a dump trailer and a tool trailer, but nothing that should hurt the truck. Anyways, how do you think this trans would act on it's way out? I think this is Smarty related issue.



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93 250 2wd xc 354 auto 265k

04. 5 3500 4wd cc dully 373 6-speed 87k

 

[sag2]

The auto are not made to handle the increased output from aftermarket boxes and downloaders. It may not be ruined yet, but it does not do them any good at all. I can't understand why these guys want to turn up the power and then try and stick it to the factory to repair it for free, only so they can do it again. I wonder how he would feel is he built something for a customer and the customer used it in a way it was not designed, then wanted him to redo the job for free. I'm guessing there would be a whole lot of screaming and cussing going on.

 

[HBarlow]

Dean,

Your customer sounds like a charter member of the "something for nothing" or entitlement mentality crowd. I feel no sympathy for him.

He has probably trashed the transmission and the engine will soon follow. He'll be whining and criticizing Dodge all over town when it crashes.

I would remind him that he provides his own warranty. I hope that if he makes a big deal out of it at his local dealer they hook a reader to his engine and void his warranty. Guys like him destroy fine new trucks, cheat Chrysler/Dodge if they can, and pass the cost of their recklessness on to the rest of us.

All indications are that the new MOPAR six speed automatic is a fine transmission. I've only heard of one problem before his. A TDR member posted just a couple days ago about his transmission having already been rebuilt once and slipping again. He didn't admit to modifying the engine but I'd make a large bet that is what has happened.

 

[DGamelin]

I agree with you both a 100%. I run a business that sells tractors and trailers. And when people come in wanting "something for nothing", we use that expression a lot around here, I come right out and tell them they got the wrong place.



This kid really isn't a bad kid, some how I have become the one he comes to for fatherly advice on everything. If I tell him don't do something so stupid he listens. He semes to be concerned about disappointing me, to the point of calling my daughter and asking if I am mad at him.



I think what is coming over him is his business is doing really well and he is making to much money for a young pisspot kid. It seems when people start making good money they get cheaper.



My advice to him was take it to dodge and see what they say. There may not be anything wrong with it, I would drive it until it gets worse. Then I would pull it and send it to someone like Sun Coast trans and have them build a killer trans that he will have a hard time braking.



He loves his dodge, he's updated his truck twice in the past 3 years, he bought a new half ton, I busted his chops about not buying a real truck, so he traded it in for a new diesel, and he can't wait for the 2010's to come out. He won't bad mouth dodge.



Although if you've seen how loose these ball joints are, he does have a right to holler.



I need some advice from you guys on helping to diagnose this trans. Do you know where or what I should be looking for or how long will the trans behave like this?



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93 250 2wd xc 354 auto 265k

04. 5 3500 4wd cc dully 373 6-speed 87k

 

[Jim W]

Have you or this gentleman checked the u-joints? I know on my old Cherokee jeep, when the u-joints would go bad would have a clunking sound. This would happen when the throttle was release. I also have had the bolts come loose on the interface between the transmission and drive line once. These needed to be re-torqued along with Locktite on them.

The drive line mass will clunk upon de-acceleration from under power to no power being applied. If the u-joints are loose this will accentuate the sound.

This is just one more area to check.

I agree with Sag2 and Harvey if you add toys to your truck. Then you become your own warranty company not Dodge or some other manufacture, I know that I am. But I did my mods for fuel economy so I do not accelerate hard.

 

[DGamelin]

I check the U-joints there good, didnt look all that close at the bolts.

 

[MrLuckey]

Something doesn't sound right at all, there is a world of difference between Smarty at 3 and 9. Huge change in even the sound of the truck.

 

[DGamelin]

No that doesn't sound right. I never drove his truck with the smarty. Could his smarty have have a problem?