Trans is wearing out, replace or rebuild

Clubbs

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jun 15, 2008
Location
Blounts Creek
Got 216k on my stock 2018 ram. It tows stuff often and commutes 150 miles a day.

Got the 0187 solenoid code tonight towing my boat home. Limp mode engaged to 4th gear no lock up. Pulled over, fluid check (fine), pulled code, cleared code and it drove fine the 10 miles home.

Three options - help me decide

1. I'm suspecting the valve body is wore out. I could put a new valve body and solenoids in it for $1300 in parts and hope the rest of it isn't dunzo.

2. Rebuild at a local shop, probably need a new valve body with this option too, could do some power upgrades and probably end up around $6k I'm guessing for a mostly stock rebuild.

3. Buy a revmax, fire punk, or some other brand of 500hp trans and swap it myself for $7-9k.

Obviously I don't want to spend any cash, but I don't know if I should expect to just change the valve body, send it, and expect another 200k miles out of it...

Any experience with revmax, fire punk, or other 68rfe trans builder? I don't know any trans gurus out my way so would be taking a random shot at a local rebuild...
 
Replace with warranty. Miles and wear and tear I would replace. I would not rebuild unless by a specialist and also a warranty.

My luck has been very hit or miss with autos that act up and replacing partial rebuild parts.
 
BigClay said:
There are plenty of trans around, I have seen a lot on liberal college campuses, maybe you can get a new one there
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One of those will fail under pressure faster than the 68rfe he has now.

Personally, I would spend the money on a full rebuild/replace. I wouldn't be against doing the swap myself, but make sure any warranty isn't void if you do so. You also have to have scan tool or something to start the relearn process. Randy's and RevMax are the two that most of the FB groups fanboy over. TRE Diesel in Norfolk rebuilt my 47RH and I have zero complaints and is who I am/was planning to use when it's time for mine, but Tim does it on the side and can be hard to get ahold of.

Duane
 
Updates...
Bought an ezlynk and 5 switch on the fly tunes from calibrated power. Read clutch volume indexes without loading tunes Wednesday night. All values were well within spec, but the range is so wide I don't know that this amounts to anything. Did the quick relearn procedure through ezlynk and drove it around. Cvis changed slightly and all still in the middle of spec.

Can't download stock tune with ezlynk (didn't know that before). Calibrated loaded a stock tune in my file so whatever... Loaded tunes yesterday during lunch break. Another quick relearn and drove around. Cvis went down slightly, the tune raises line pressure as expected and raises shift points. That's all fine. Was thinking I may be able to get away with just a valve body replacement.

Have been talking with Randy's and Revmax for the last few days. Both very helpful and informative. Called again with my happy cvi news and both suggest I could do the valve body, but realistically with the mileage and my towing and daily driving habits a full rebuild is inevitable. Hence doing only the valvebody is risky in that when the trans does go it will likely damage the valve body as well, which is more expense later.

Ordered a stage two DIY kit from Randy's. Comes with all the billet parts new converter, pump, valvebody, and all major clutch/drum assemblies are pre assembled. Supposedly the only clearances I'll need to verify is end play on both input and output shafts, all other critical dims are handled by Randy's during the build of the module kit. Randy's and Revmax both seem very professional and I believe genuinely guides my decision without trying to influence a sale. Went with Randy's over Revmax only because of the lower cost of the DIY kit, both seem equally competent.

I've torn down and switched tailshafts on my old 727 in the jeep, but never been inside one of these new fangled high faluttin electro mechanical jobs.

Very painful to buy the kit I did, certainly can't swallow a full rebuild ship to your door transmission price. No warranty on the DIY stuff for obvious reasons so that's unnerving too but I understand.

So here we go... Should have a full stage 2 (good for 750hp) kit on its way as soon as they can build all the pre assemblies. Hope to be able to make it happen over a weekend...
 
Randy's is awesome. Tossed a built 47RE in Eric's truck a few years ago and that thing is mean! They're awesome with Dodge transmissions.
 
Randy's transmission parts are in the mail. Hope to do the rebuild over memorial day weekend.

Ordered and flashed a set of calibrated power tunes so I could do the trans relearn procedure and monitor clutch volume stuff.

Got their switch on the fly tunes and an ezlynk setup. Really woke the truck up and mpg went up about 1.5 best I can tell. I can't tell a difference between the switchable settings though. Maybe it's just me but the thing feels like its got way more power in all the settings, which is good. But when I need to tow something heavy I think I should turn it down and it doesn't seem that I'm able to. Did some data logs last night and calibrated is already looking into it. FWIW Calibrates power seems to be a real solid group of folks and have a nice tune and pick up the phone every time.
 
Calibrated helped me sort out why I couldn't switch between tunes. I had the switch plugged into the obd port and it's extension harness with a male obd plugged into the female obd plug on the bypass cable and then the ezlynk thing plugged into that one... and apparently on the 2018+ it's sensitive about how many dufalaxhies are plugged in. So it went straight to the 100hp tune everytime.

Got that sorted out. And received 6 emails from UPS suggesting all the transmission parts arrived today.

Cleaned off the workbench this weekend. I'm going to go buy a washer drain pan or HVAC drain pan to put on top of my bench to contain all the atf during disassembly and see if I can remove, rebuild, and replace this weekend. Might be an aggressive plan, but I need to tow little man's race boat to Charleston the weekend after... That would be a long ride in the CJ
 
Took 5 hours to get the transmission out once I removed the def tank support, harnesses, and fanagled the converter bolts out the tiny blind access in the bellhousing conveniently hidden right below the turbo. Used my vacuum pump to suck the juice out:
PXL_20240525_141808051.jpg


Even with the truck on blocks the transmission wouldn't fit out from under the frame rails so had two floor jacks and blocks to get the transmission jack out and set the thing on the ground and then drug it out and used the engine lift from there.
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Pressure washed it, taped off the t-case and hosed it off with red engine enamel and started the rebuild on top of the wash machine / transmission drain pan.
PXL_20240526_130136693.jpg

This is a fairly involved mechanism (surprise). There's a gazillion pieces inside that supposedly have an order to them per the 100 page atsg manual. Fortunately, Randy's preassembled as much as possible.

Took it apart, cleaned it out, didn't see any damage, some light clutch material but still plenty of clutches left. I'm certain the valve body is the culprit, but still glad I'm doing the stage two kit so I can confidently turn up the motor.

Get all the guts back inside and measure endplay on both input and output - Its too tight... So apart again and I have to order thinner shims. Tried to order shims with the kit, but Randy's said I would need to know which one to order, and likely wouldn't need any. But since I'm on a deadline I tried to order an entire shim kit from my dealer who had absolutely no idea what I was talking about... Should have tried harder... Uhg now I'm stuck waiting on two plastic shims...
PXL_20240527_013739528.MP.jpg
 
Picked up shim kits from the dealer this afternoon. Pulled it apart again, reshimmed and got end play on both shafts within spec.

Back together again and on to final assembly. Had to "clearance" the inside of the new pan to clear the filters and valvebody. Took a good bit out of the corner where the spin on filter was interfering...
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Air , brake clean, more air and put it on with the pump cover
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All together before going under the truck
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Had the truck higher, but it still wouldn't fit under while on the jack. Fanangled it under there with floor jacks and then cribbed it to get the transmission jack back under it. Rachet strapped it to the jack and up it went. Maxed out the jack and it was an inch to low so has to lower the truck. Got it to line up with minimal issues. Wired it up, and got all 6 torque converter bolts started, cross member in, and all bellhousing bolts in.

Called it a day at 1 am. Got to get up for work just before 5 am. Should have it finished tomorrow night. Towing my son's race boat (maybe 700 pounds) to Charleston Friday for a race. Heck of a "test drive" I suppose.

It's not an adventure if you know you're going to make it...
 
I dealt with the same thing with the F350 I'm working on. Can't get the trans under on the jack. I cribbed it end to end until it was high enough to fit. The same with getting it off. It was a PITA.

Good luck, I hope it works great!
 
Finished it up tonight...

Here's the acres of room they give you to torque the converter bolts... I can just imagine that design conversation when that compromise was made, I guess it's not exactly regular maintenance but man that was tough. Got one click per swing on my 3/8 drive torque wrench - perfect:

PXL_20240531_001655642.jpg


Plucked the rear seal out of the t-case over the weekend, it wasn't leaking but I had a new one in the kit so may as well.

New seal didn't fit so I ordered one from AutoZone. Picked it up yesterday and it was rubber with no dust boot. Figured it was an upgrade or something. Test fit it on the shaft (was pretty tight) test fit it on the t-case (a little loose), but whatever...

Just back from first test drive. Did the usual fill it up let it idle in neutral, some shifts to d and r. Trans got to 100 degrees and I did the quick learn function through ezlynk. All the clutch volume indexes moved around as expected, but all within spec - so we're the old clutches too though.

Hit the road for some light throttle start stops on all these back roads around here. Shifts are different from stock but good. Everything seems to be fine.

Back in the garage and in neutral it has a different sound to it, put it in D or R and it stops. Figure it must be the triple disc converter doing triple disc whirly things...

Check fluid again - it's perfect.
Climb under for a leak check and trans is dry, t-case output seal is draining all over... Boo.

Supposed to be leaving in the morning for Charleston. Have to call around and see if I can find the right seal.

All in I'd do it again. Ridiculously expensive, but a stock rebuild at a shop would be about the same price and.... well... stock. Props to Randy's for making these kits with as much pre assembly as possible to provide an "affordable" alternative to performance towing transmissions. The transmission "rebuild" was the easiest part. Other than not having shims and the wrong t-case output seal this kit was perfect, and they never claimed to include shims or a t-case seal so no complaints.

Calibrated Power sent me a custom tune per Randy's specs right away no questions asked. They've also been great to work with. Apparently since I have a transmission that will hold 750hp they increased the power level of my sotf tunes as well. I thought the base tunes were pretty hot, once break in is done I'll test out the new depth to the go pedal...

Two great vendors that have so far fully supported their products and my mix of random overthinking questions. I'm on mile 10 as of tonight but I'll report back after a few thousand, or sooner if I can't get the t-case output to seal
 
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10 miles is plenty enough break in time to do a burnout!

Also, yes, a triple disc converter makes a little noise in park/neutral when they're not flowing much (if any) fluid through them. There's a couple extra clutch/steel plates in there for the lockup. They rattle a little. Nowhere near as bad as that dual disc clutch you used to have though!

The shifts of a solidly built auto behind a diesel and the lockup of a triple disc converter are divine 🤌🤌🤌 Being able to lay the hammer down with confidence is totally worth it!
 
3,000 miles with a few hundred being towing. Getting used to the harder shifts and higher shift points. So far so good, no leaks, runs cooler, and I'm averaging just under 20mpg with the tune.
 
So....


Burnout time?
 
Croatan_Kid said:
So....


Burnout time?
Click to expand...
Haven't tried that yet. Converter is programmed not to lock up until 4th. So unless I'm towing my usual 12-15k around it doesn't really load up the engine until 4th lockup. Probably have to power brake it otherwise it would just be a violent rev fest. Towing is fun though - has that freight train feel to it. Chassis torque roles and it just goes...
 
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