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
Click to expand...

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.
 
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