Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) transmission Rebuild

[cwsoules]

I recently had my transmission serviced by the Dodge dealer in Oakland, CA. When I picked it up they told me that my forward band did not have any additional adjustment left. In addition they thought the 2nd to 3rd shift was rough. They told me when I next needed a forward band adjustment I would need a transmission overhaul.



My transmission has 64,000 miles on it and the DTT mods about 30,000. I know I do not want the Dodge dealer to do the rebuild whenever I decide to do it. My choice as I see it is to have it rebuilt or to get a rebuilt transmission from DTT.



Any suggestions of which on I should choose?

 

[klaybus]

Wow! At 64,000 it's headed south? Knock on wood, I'm at 105,000 & all still seems to be OK. From what I've read here, DTT, ATS, Goerend, Suncoast, BD, etc all build great trannys. Do you tow with it? Mods? If money weren't an issue I would go with the DTT living in the NorthWest, but since money doesn't grow on trees in my backyard I'll have to cross that bridge when I come to it.



Good luck!



Clay

 

[jrandol]

Originally posted by cwsoules

I recently had my transmission serviced by the Dodge dealer in Oakland, CA. When I picked it up they told me that my forward band did not have any additional adjustment left. In addition they thought the 2nd to 3rd shift was rough. They told me when I next needed a forward band adjustment I would need a transmission overhaul.



My transmission has 64,000 miles on it and the DTT mods about 30,000. I know I do not want the Dodge dealer to do the rebuild whenever I decide to do it. My choice as I see it is to have it rebuilt or to get a rebuilt transmission from DTT.



Any suggestions of which on I should choose?

Wow!! if i am reading this right your DTT is failing with this few of miles and your bombs? Did you call DTT or have a DTT installer check into this? I thought these were much stronger trannys than this, I would have a transmission guru look at this before believing the Dodge S... ... Dealer.





Jeff

 

[Snow man]

Chuck,call Bill K at DTT . Im sure he will get you set in the right direction. For what its worth I have never had this happen on any of the trucks Ive worked on or my own,and my trucks get driven hard,and the power is way turned up. This could be something real simple, you never know until you call Bill.

 

[cwsoules]

I have towed our 5er for 30,000 miles with my truck. On our first long trip (6,000 miles) I only had a transmission sump temperature gage. Now when I think back I probably over heated it as on one occasion in heavy traffic mostly stopped the sump got up to 205 degrees. I did not get an alarm. Once I had better gages I found that backing the trailer often yields temperatures of 240 degrees. In bumber to bumper traffic the transmission reaches the low 200 range even when not towing. To control the temp I shift to 1st if the traffic is very slow and 2nd with the smart box on if traffic is moving a little faster. During prolonged stops I shift to neutral.



My 5er weighs 10,400#.



I have loved our DTT mods and the combination of the smart box and exhaust brake.

 

[krs]

Have YOU noticed anything wrong with your trans. while driving? There's no reason to think that because there's only a few threads on a band adjuster that an entire transmission will fail. I'd imagine that many dealer service departments might find any shift made by an upgraded transmission "rough"; After a while driving stock trucks they'd come to think that sloppy slow and mushy shifts are normal.



(what do trolls smell like?)

 

[inarush76]

????

FORWARD band? I'm aware of an intermediate (second gear) band. Not a forward band. There are forward clutches which certainly aren't adjustable externally. Call Bill, I would run from a dealer or shop who seems unfamiliar with the components they are trying to work on. I got a call from a customer just Saturday that has passed the 155K mark on his trans which has DTT mods.



James

 

[WyoJim]

I would be suspicous of their band adjustment.

I see you have a pan with a drain plug. I would drain it and drop the pan. Then try to fit a 1/4 inch allen wrench under the band levers. If it won't go, they are too tight. Loosen them to fit the thickness of the allen wrench.

And from now on service it your self.

 

[Stefan Kondolay]

Chuck ,



My dad and i just got back in town, he had me look up your profile sheet and i know he is going to answer the question you asked on our website.



Some of you guys that did just a TC and VB like Chuck 2 or 3 years ago may also be interested in Bill's post. It should be up in the next couple of hours.

 

[cwsoules]

You asked what sort of problems I have seen. There have been very few. They include:

1. heating up quickly when going slow both towing and not

2. heating up very quickly when backing

3. when I disengage the cruise control to slow down with the smart box and exhaust brake on once in a while the transmission will unload when it should have stayed locked up. (Bill K made some suggestions on how to trouble shoot this problem, but to date my efforts have been unsuccessful. Plus when in the midst of a long trip it is easy to put off trouble shooting until we return home. )

4. once the transmission would not shift out of first gear. This lasted about 15 minutes in town and then it started to shift normally



Do not worry no Dodge dealer will work on any transmission repairs. I have used them only to change oil and filters. Of course they are supposed to adjust the bands when they have the transmission open. I have tried to be cautious by having my transmission fluid replaced before, once during, and after one of our long trips. The dealer in Oakland, CA and in Columbia, SC have done most of these services.



My problem has been that Kustom Truck, in Yuba City, CA (the closest DTT recommended shop) is at least two and a half hours away from my home. When I need a new transmission I'll go back to Kustom Truck.