Well, took my truck to the dealer out of frustration.

Basicly, it would not shift past 2nd gear. So, for the past couple months I have been manualy shifting it on the collum.

I had the fluid/filter changed three months ago and the pan had no metal in it...I saw it my self.

This was the orginal thread:
http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=421562

So, I take it to the dealer and the call me and tell me there is metal in the pan. I am skeptical.

When I pick up the truck I am gonna pull the pan and cut the filter open to confirm what they say.

Did I harm it by manual shifting for so long? I never went faster than 40mph in 2nd which corleates to about 4000rpm.

James

More than likely the sunshell blew apart...Very common.

Read about that ..... saw a picture. Joy to the world:)

So, in your opinon....

The truck has 89K on her...in good shape. Should I stick a used tranny in there.

Go with a reman found this one place for $1300 shipped with no core charge. http://www.tomsrivertransmissions.com/

Any good write ups on pulling the tranny?

Or, just sell the truck for what it is worth now and move on?

James

If you can obtain the transmission remaned/rebuilt or used locally w/ a warranty I would go with that. The truck is worth it.

Yeah, that is what I am leaning towards doing.

What is a resonable labor rate to pull the old one out and put the new/used one in?

I was thinking about doing it myself also...any good writeups floating out there?

James

Yeah, that is what I am leaning towards doing.

What is a resonable labor rate to pull the old one out and put the new/used one in?

I was thinking about doing it myself also...any good writeups floating out there?

James

For labor you're looking at at least 8 hours according to the books..

So whats the verdict at this point?

So whats the verdict at this point?



I really think you are dead on with the sunshell. I think it might be going into third. Not sure but at 35mph it is doing almost 4k rpm. And in reverse it is sometimes very very jerky. So that would explain a sunshell failure since it works 2/4/R

I am in laredo tx now and moving to dallas in jan. I am going to keep driving it and when I move I will have a reman installed in Dallas. Of course trailering it to dallas...

Prob go with that 1300 dollar reman since they require no core.

Thanks again for your advice!

James

************* Update ****************

Well, I recently moved up to Dallas and bit the bullet and got the tranny rebuilt. I found a recommended shop and had them do the work.

Costs:
-$1300 for a rebuild they do in house 24 month 12 mile warranty
-$280 OEM Alternator installed
-$200 External Tranny cooler

I am SO happy I can drive faster than 45 mph. The tranny works great and I am pleased. It was a lot of money to spend on an older truck. However, I have no payments on it to worry about.

The shop said the reason the tranny failed was two things. First they said there was considerable water in the tranny. I am guessing this came from the tranny dipstick. I remember reading that service bulletin about that.

The second reason they said was because the old alternator was not doing very well that was another reason it failed. They said the transmission needs good voltage to shift.

So, I have a plastic bag over the dipstick so that doesn't happen again.

I was happy with the work they did. I know I got ripped on the transmission cooler. That thing probably cost them $45. And I i doubt it was very labor intensive. But they had me because they said the tranny was nasty inside. So, plumbing the cooler lines back into the stock radiator cooler wasn't an option.

I also installed my own transmission temp gauge. But that is for another post.

Thanks again for the helpful posts.

James