T400 Transmission rebuild near Fuquay

Turk919

Turk919

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 19, 2019
Location
Garner NC
Hey guys.

So, my short bed Honcho needs a T400 transmission rebuilt and probably needs the trans cooler in the radiator flushed. My issue I’ve run into is the truck is a work in progress and isn’t registered or insured to be on the road currently. I have gotten a quote from a local shop with an iffy reputation to do the whole job for around $1200 if I bring them the truck, but they can’t test drive it afterwords to make sure the shift points are correct and all that fun stuff.

My other thought process so save a little money on labor is to pull the trans and radiator myself. Inspection plate is already out so I could have it on the ground in an hour or two. But, if I install it myself I am potentially at the mercy of installing it wrong or something being wrong with it to begin with and not find out till later or have a leg to stand on with the shop that rebuilt it.

Any thoughts or ideas? The truck drives and stops as far as I have been able to move it before the last trans went. Should I stick the tires on it that it’ll have and just let a shop do all the work so I know it’ll be right when I get it back? Any of you know a local shop that has a back lot they can run it around on so it can shift? Assuming they still test transmissions by driving them :rolleyes: haha

Picture of the truck in question.
F7F27CA8-7A62-46C3-8016-BB7923853150.jpeg
 
That sounds like a very basic problem.

Remove your trans. Give it to a reputable trans guy. Change trans cooler for a new one (especially given its age). Install everything properly and enjoy.



But you bring up 2 issues :

1) the trans being wrongly built from the shop doing the work

A TH400 is a very simple/well known unit and if the guy doing the work is decent your shouldn't have any problem. And even if there is a problem, they should work with you to find a satisfactory resolution for the both of you

If you want to pay for a premium, I know PTC has a trans bench and will dyno all their trans before shipping them out. But I've never found this necessary.

2) the trans being wrongly installed if you install it yourself.

That is a bigger problem IMHO. Even if the chances of installing a TH400 wrong are pretty slim once the converter is filled with fluid before install. Seem to me that you aren't 100% certain with your wrenching skills (<-- big understatement here). But to learn you have to fuck up too.


In a nutshell, either you pay someone to do all the work, or you do some of it yourself and you pay less, with less guarantee that the shop didn't fuck up or that you didn't fuck up. It's a risk/reward type deal.

Are you a player or are you lame ? :flipoff2:
 
Actually just said fuck-it and am going to redo it myself with the shop manual that came with the truck. Installed many trans without issue, this is the first one that’s been dead upon installation. I was betting it was trashed when I put it in though.

Looks like if I do it wrong I’m only out about $200 and can chalk it up to a learning experience.
 
Little update, rebuilt the trans myself and HO-LEE-CHIT am I glad I did. Damn thing was trashed. Worked my way through it over a period of a couple days and learned new things, bought new tools and have some local shops and part suppliers some money o_O
 
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