A while ago I was writing in about some trans issues I was having. Every time I put a load behind my truck, I got the old "flashing OD light" and no power.
I looked at my options and decide to rebuild the trans myself (save a few $$). I called the Transmission Exchange Co and ordered the Heavy Duty package with the Transgo tugger and all ($900 and change). Let me be clear on one point. The sales staff was very courteous througout my dealings and I can't say enough about that.
A couple days later my transmission is out and on the floor with a new kit sitting next to it. I carefully read the instructions and began to work my way around all of the special tools that are supposed to be required.
Upon completion, I backed my truck out of the garage and everything seemed good until I tried to go up a hill. Trans is slipping bad and feels like it is fighting itself.
OD light is flashing and I have no way to read the code. Ordered AE ($350) and found out that my Trans shift position sensor was completely inop (likely damaged in removal).

Got in a hurry and tried to change the part without thinking about what I was doing. Truck was sitting on a slight hill and I knocked it out of park. Ended up with a sore back, likely cracked sternum, possibly fractured skull and several stitches in my forehead.
Not my proudest moment, and were it not for the grace of God, I would likely be dead because the truck just stopped before anyone could do anything.

Later, after some healing, I moved the truck via trailer to friends garage and found out that the wrong gaskets had been sent to me. It was only a slight difference and I didn't notice that the packaging itself had the wrong year written on it.

Two of my clutch packs were completely smoked and the inside of the case has to be cleaned out.

Transmission Exchange company claimed some responibility but still charged me $50 and some change for the replacement parts. Thier view is that I should have caught the error before install even though they didn't catch the error before shipment.

In the end, I am out $2500, have no warrenty, the internals on my trans have seen more damage than they had before and I have a wicked scar on my forehead.

Moral of the story: If you order from Transmission Exchange Co., check your parts closely before install.

Other moral: Chock blocks are gooood!

 

Out of all the toasted transmission threads I've ever read.... this one takes the cake.

 

Wow... sorry to hear about all your troubles! I'm guessing the truck rolled over you? Not fun...

 

Holy crap man!!! Glad you're relatively okay!!

Wow -- so how hard was the rebuild?? I've been considering doing my own if/when I need one, but kind of nervous about it. Have you done this kind of thing before?

 

Man, I'm glad you are OK. Sorry to hear about the tranny troubles. I am so lost when it comes to auto's that I leave it to the experts.

 

Man, this sucks. I think I will take your advice and go to BTS.

I don't think I would try to do my own.

 

Well your still here which is a good thing! It sucks to here but at least the trans is fixed right?

 

Glad you're alright. That really sucks.

 

I don't have the injury but I do have the pain of not getting a "good one from the start". However I had a small Hurricane get in my way so I bought the "best I could". $4200. It lasted 4500 miles. Now facing hurricane season again I still have the tranny out of the truck. The work was done at a transmission shop. When I walked in I asked for NEW FORD transmissioin. Not available at that time. Best I could get was rebuild. I do think they "did their best",, but this tranny is too big to do your best, IT MUST BE RIGHT THE FIRST TIME. Now they are rebuilding under the 12/12 warranty, but I can assure you IT IS NOT FUN. They don't like not being paid and I don't like the tranny kicking out at 70mph the engine running to redline and slowing down as in Neutral with 2 SEMI's tailgating. This was clearly unsafe to lose power with 2 semi's behind the truck.
The guys are "doing their best" hopefully it works. BTS would be great if there were a easier to ship and return the core with shops that he would stand behind for installation.
There is one shop I use (he was closed due to hurricane) that ONLY USES NEW PARTS. They will not use reman or rebuilt parts. Their answer,, we want the best for the customer and the least returns.
So I feel your pain on the transmission. Best of luck hope it keeps on trucking

 

Glad to hear your still alive and like you said you didnt hurt anyone else either!!
Now the question - Hows it doing, how hard was the rebuild, and would you do it again(with chock blocks that is)?

 

The older I get the more I hear this or a similar story. Sucks to get run over by you own vehicle, especially when it not even running. those chock blocks work good when you remove the last bolt on the drive shaft yolk too. guess how I know.... glad you are OK

 

 

Sorry to hear about your troubles. This is why I keep the Will Rogers quote in my sig.

That pretty much sums up what I was thinking too.

If you do this Joe, give me a call. I'd like to see what all's inside there. I've rebuilt manual trannys before, but those are a much simpler design (not to mention they were 3 speeds so lots fewer parts).

 

I read this out loud to my family. My 19 year old daughter exlaimed, "That's crazy!" when I got to your injury list.

Praise God you weren't hurt more seriously bud!

Stewart

 

Definitely the greatest transmission thread I have read thus far.

Glad to you are still with us!

I would be very interested in your experience of rebuilding your own trans.