My $7,000 transmission

[Quick GMC]

I have a 2006 GMC pickup. About 7 years ago when it had 20k on the clock, I decided to start messing with it. 3k stall converter, shift kit, headers, intake, exhuast, tune, etc. Lasted about 40k before the output shaft grenaded and took out the entire trans, literally. I threw the whole thing in the dumpster. Went with a reman that was supposedly freshened up. That lasted 4 months before the clutches went out. Tore it open only to find an old, worn tranny that had the case painted.

I gutted it, cleaned out the case, replaced everything with upgraded parts wherever I could. Billet output shaft, Borg warner clutches, Koleen steels, Sonnax servos, pinless accumulators, GM 5 pinion planets, the whole 9 yards. Sent the converter back out to get cut and cleaned, new clutch disc. I rebuilt the tranny myself in my garage. Took a while. I would wake up in the middle of the night and go remove the pump to make sure I put the band in, etc.

Finally got it going. Solid as hell. got 10k on the clock and there it goes again. I thought I was off on some of the tolerances or something. My dad is giving me heck, my wife is pissed. I send it out to a highly reputable trans builder to have them do the teardown to identify what I did wrong. NOTHING! Got a call today. The $900 converter let go and sent metal through the case and ruined just about everything. My build was good.

So here we are, an accumulative of $7k into my tranny now for an F'in daily driver pickup. It's a quick truck for what it is, but I have a baby on the way and I suppose it's time to settle it down for a bit. I'm going to retune it get it a little closer to stock for now.

It wouldn't be fun if you never had to work on it though, right?

[o-man]

That ain't the kind of fun I'd call fun. Congrats on you life changing event!

[Ace-Garageguy]

I feel your pain, but it might be time to start easing off a bit on the throttle foot.

[Harry P.]

Suddenly I feel a lot better about the price of the new tires I just put on the Mustang.

[jeffs396]

Maybe buy a high horsepower/torque rated trans from one of the specialty companies like this:

http://www.gearstar.net/warranty/

At least you'll have a warranty...

[High octane]

Too bad you're not drivin' a Mopar as I heard the 727 trannys are "bulletproof.

[1930fordpickup]

Congrats on becoming a dad.

The daily driver can no longer be your toy. Your kid has to ride in that truck. Sorry I had to sound like a Dad , someone had to tell you.

[PappyD340]

Yep the babies have a way of throwing a monkey wrench into your hot rodding finances, that's why I had to give mine up back in 1980 couldn't aford the hot rod and a baby too, but you will adjust, just buy you some truck kits to build and I guarantee you the tranny will not explode on them! congrats on the new arrival!!

[Rob Hall]

Sounds like you got a lemon..better unload it.

[slusher]

Sounds like you got a lemon..better unload it.

I agree with Robert. Congrats on becoming a Dad.

[Jantrix]

I feel your pain. I had an '86 Grand Wagoneer, and I dropped $2200 in a new tranny and transfer case, only to throw a rod in the engine three months later. I won't tell you the insane price an AMC 360 long block would have cost me. I ended up selling it for a fraction of what had in it.

[Quick GMC]

The truck has been solid. It's definitely not a lemon.

Trans 1- I built halfway. The weak link in these Is the output shaft. That broke.

Trans 2- a rebuild I bought that was not done the way they said it was done

Trans 3- build was good but the torque converter fell apart and ruined the rest of the tranny.

I'm definitely going to be taking it easy. I need to make sure it's reliable so I can drive my kid around.

I'm 30, so if I keep working hard I hope to have an opportunity to build something in the future. I wouldn't mind an old 41 plymouth or something. Time to grow up...for now

[azers]

I bought my wife a 97 s10 blazer 4x4 from a coworker who was taking it to the local pick and pull. It had a bad rod in the motor. Paid four hundred dollars for it. My wife fell in love with it . It has leather and fully loaded. We hired a shop our store does business to put in a new motor. Three months later and 2200 dollars later we pick it up. Three months later it spins a rod. So from august to december the shop has the truck fixing the engine under warranty. 27 miles later it spins the rod again. Turns out the shop let the truck go with break in oil and didnt get all the flush out. So after three months of court we win our case. So I bought another motor and rebuilt it myself. Runs like a champ now and the wife has her truck back. I think I spent 3500.00 on this engine but at least I know its done right.