Transmission woes

[stew47]

Well my ford needed its tranny rebuilt. Swallowed hard and had it done. With almost 700 miles on it since it's had multiple episodes of brief grinding type noises. When it first happened the shop said drive it and let things break in. Ok so kept driving. Then I called again and they said bring it in. After a week there they haven't been able to replicate noise. So now it's time to either drive till something breaks or take to another tranny shop. Ugh. I've considered then giving bill to first shop and say pay up or I'm getting a lawyer ..... who knows how that will work out.

I'll be honest. This whole camping thing is starting to suck.

[stew47]

So three months later shop replaced torque converter. Month and half before that they replaced valve bodies. It's good now lol. At least I hope. I want to pull camper to glacier this summer so I hope all is well.

[pnichols]

Brian (the OP),

When my E450 5R110 transmission failed, the transmission shop technician rode right along with me in the motorhome as I demonstrated what it was doing. He also had a portable diagnostic machine with him plugged into the underdash plug while I drove. He could see the various error codes pop up in real time as we went down the road with the rough transmission jerking and jolting us as we went.

Luckily this happened close to home just before a 10,000 mile RV trip across the U.S.. I wouldn't have wanted to go through this a long way from home.

[Kennedycamper]

I bought a 09 Dodge last year, and they said the trans had just been re-built, but they did a crappy job. I got 14 months, and 5K miles out of it. Just dropped $5400 for complete rebuild, and new Suncoast TC.

[mkirsch]

In a lot of cases the only thing you can do is keep driving until it gets bad enough that they can figure out the problem. They're not going to rebuild the transmission for a second time for free on your say-so, and they are not going to pay another shop to rebuild the transmission for a second time on your say-so.

You don't realize how many kooks come into these repair shops with imagined problems, demanding free this or free that. If they gave in on every one they would be broke in no time. It's understandable when a shop won't fix your problem because they can't recreate the symptoms or find something obviously wrong.

I've just learned to drive it until the noise is so bad they can't deny it's there.

[MEXICOWANDERER]

In the early 70's I bought into an automatic transmission shop. Joined ATRA. When I discovered the durability nightmares like badly machined shaft bores, porous valve bodies and cases and tap dance grade liners for servo bores I got the hell out. How much does a transmission dynomometer and adapter fixtures cost? With my alternators I full-load tested them for several minutes. NOBODY ELSE DID THIS AND DOES THIS TEST. Only factory remanufacturers can afford transmission dynos. Induce a 200 HP load and pass/fail by Delta T transmission fluid temp as well as pressures and shift points. In 1990 I opened a Mr Goodwrench plastic shipping case. There was a note inside. INCLUDES NEW POROSITY CHECKED VALVE BODY AND HEAT TREATED CLUTCH DRUMS. If a transmission shop does not possess an electric fluid pump flush cleaner to flush debris from the cooler the shop is not worth snot. There are far too few automatic transmission gurus out there. It is EXACTLY THE SAME with rebuilt alternator and starter rebuilders. With the latter a huge percentage turn out garbage.

[ScottG]

I had a trans rebuilt in a much older FORD and it made some odd noises during the first week. They could be described as metallic but the shop said it could be air.
That was more than 20 years ago and the trans still works great.

[azrving]

Noise is not going to break in and go away. There is a problem with a thrust bearing or something. I'd like to be there when they drop the pan to see if there is any metallic material or bits and pieces of brass or torrington thrust bearing.

[westend]

Hopefully, they give your tranny to the ace in that shop. I know enough about transmissions to keep my hands away from them. Typically, there are wear parts and failure points intrinsic to models of transmissions. An "ace" knows this and plans accordingly.

[stew47]

I just talked to them. They did encounter some hard shifts and they are going to drop the pan.

[Chris_Bryant]

I agree about getting the original shop to drop the pan. If they cannot hear any grinding, and it shifts fine and there is no debris in the pan- I wouldn't worry.

[stew47]

The day before I took it up I just started driving it. I knew I had to figure out how to recreate things. So I drove. It had a rough upshift and I gave it gas right after. I think I was trying to beat red light lol. It made the grinding noise. So I kept doing that and was able to recreate 6 more times. All after. Rough upshift and all between 35 Nd 55 mph. Warm vehicle. So I wrote all that down and gave to shop. They couldn't recreate it. I should've wrote down mileage. Bet they haven't driven it.

Yea my plan right now is take it to another shop that was recommended by a friend. Pay to have tore down and see what happened. Then take the other shop to small claims. They offer a mediation service as a first step.

[Tiger02]

Like kamping guru said the BTS transmission is tough to beat. I paid about $4000 for an E40D 6 years ago, and love the difference in how it shifts. Not sure what transmission you have, but he does also customize the 5R110. It's not just a rebuild, but he upgrades many of the internal hard pieces to handle the stresses of towing.

BTS

[BB_TX]

Can you get it to start making the noise? If so, then take it out driving until you hear it, then go directly to the shop, leave it running, and go get the mechanic to ride with you and hear it himself.

It is near impossible for someone to fix a problem that they can't hear for themselves.

[lynndiwagon]

I think I would have them drop the pan and see what's there. If there isn't any metal or clutch band residue in there and it is shifting OK then it is probably good to go. Good luck.