This morning, I took the '02 to the transmission shop, for an overdue service, as I had noticed a shudder in overdrive... .. .

They ran diagnostics on it, and cheerfully announced that the overdrive was shot, and that the transmission needed rebuilding.... I asked the price, then if there were any other options I could follow. The cost, with 12,000 mile warranty ran at $2800 including tax... To get a rebuilt exchange, with 12,000 mile warranty was nearer $3000 including tax, or I could get a brand new, never used transmission, with heavy duty torque converter, for $3150 including tax..

What I had expected to be a $100 service, turned into a new tranny, with heavy duty torque converter, and 36,000 mile warranty, for a grand total of $3140.. Some day, huh?

So now, I have a new transmission, which will get a service every 20,000 miles, not every 100,000 miles.. Entirely my own fault - my truck I service regularly - I completely forgot about the '02 when it came to servicing it. That mistake cost too much to make again.

 

No one is perfect, at least you caught it before it left you stranded somewhere.

 

That makes me feel much better, thank you. I had not looked at it that way. Interestingly enough, I only got 57,000 miles more, having done all of the regular services on my truck's transmission, before it decided to go south.

 

Are you saying you got 157000 out of an auto?

 

Yes, without any work exept regular fluid changes, and diagnostic testing, I got 158,200 odd miles, out of the auto in my highly modified '96. From mile 20 it had the Trans Command sytem from Gale Banks installed, which I guess is a good advert for them, huh? When it eventually needed the rebuild the only problem that manifested itself was a reluctance to change into overdrive, under light load. I was told by the rebuilder that he thought the transmission had much fewer miles on it than it had, and that though the overdrive was shifting poorly, the trasmission would have continued operating sufficiently well to be driveable, for a long time. The rebuild showed very little wear at all - they replaced the valve body, not because they had to, but because they were in there, and thought it best to do so, considering the mileage on the transmission. I am hoping that it gets the same amount of mileage before the next rebuild - I will be servicing it regularly.. along with the '02.

After the replacement of the '02 transmission, I left the '96 there overnight, to get properly checked out. They ran full diagnostics on it, did the service, and reported that there is absolutely nothing wrong with it's rebuilt transmission, which makes me a very happer camper.

The more amazing thing about the longevity of the original build, was that the truck regularly grossed over 24,000 pounds, travelling between Denver, CO, and Salt Lake City, UT. That included regular trips over the Rocky Mountains. I am hoping that I get as the same reliability with it's rebuild, and also that the Predator Tuner I have will keep the '02's transmission good for the next 150,000 miles and more.

 

that is why I HATE automatic transmissions, Manuals are the way to go.

 

I hate automatics also. Sorry about the repair bill Theo.

 

Well, maybe I'm just brain dead, but 158000 out of auto sounds darn good to me. The manual will go further, but has probably had a clutch or two at that mileage.

Am I an automotive automatic dufus? Is 158000 NOT a good showing for a auto trans?

 

I am going to go with manual with my next truck, unless circumstances dictate otherwise. The repair shop told me 158,000 miles on an auto was very good.. and yes, manual will go a lot farther, cheaper, even with a couple of clutch changes thrown in. When I bought my truck, I was recovering from malicious injury, and could not manage a manual. The '02 was bought for Sliknspeedy, all 61 inches and 100 pounds of her, and to get it comfortable for her, had to have the adjustable pedals.. the manual did not come with them.. (she had not learned how to deal with manuals at that time either..)

 

My C6 has 314,000 miles on it... nothing more than filter and fluid changes.... its starting to slip quite a bit now though...

 

The C6 is the only bomb proof tranny in existence.. These electronic boxes nowadays do not last long at all. A lot of folk I know have not gotten more than 100,000 without a rebuild.

 

The E4OD in my old '91 had nearly 200k on it when the truck got totaled... The shifts were a bit hard towards the end, but never slipped. I was the third owner, one tranny... Hardly ever serviced before I bought it with 130k on it.

 

My 84 F-150 4x4 had a C6 auto behind a 300 I-6. I replaced the engine at 180,000 miles with a factory rebuld and the transmission was still running strong when I sold it at a little over 250,000 miles, the only thing that had ever been done is to change fluid and filter once a year. I talked to a person who knows the current owner and the truck has had another 50,000 put on it, when I asked about the trans. he said he was the one who services it and everything looked good. But again the C6 is dern near bombproof.

I'll agree manual transmissions last longer but only if you know how to PROPERLy drive one. And how many clutches willl you go through in 250,000 miles, most will need at least one, maybe two if it's used for heavy towing.

 

Theo, I'm getting ready to put a shift kit in mine (4R44E), and replace the servo. My buddy just adjusted the intermediate band, it made a marginal improvement, but it still shifts OK, no slipping. No biggie, it needed to be done anyway. He is the number one tranny rebuilder around here, and he agrees that a shift kit is a good upgrade, esp for the improved valving and fluid flow. He uses them a fair bit.

Everything I looked at for shift reprogramming says that narrower shift transitions/duration greatly increase the life of the tranny. I've never really cared for this electronic slushbox, but it works so far. I'm at 107k right now, I figure another 50k miles will give me a few more years out of the beast before I have to put my wallet thru the wringer.

Hopefully, the shift kit will give me firmer and faster shifts. We'll see. I'm not looking for a race truck, just more reliable tranny action.

I like the way the C5 works in my Fairmont a whole lot better than the way this one works. The 'mont has 145k on it, original tranny.

Too bad a C6 conversion is so difficult.

 

I had a shift kit in the Mark VIII that I sold this year. It made the transmission much better - the engine blew before the transmission did..