Have tranny rebuilt or buy rebuilt & have it installed?

bugeyed

Original poster
Member
Dec 25, 2011
78
I have heard that it's cheaper to buy a rebuilt tranny than have a shop rebuild mine. Can someone tell me the pros & cons of this & if I go the rebuilt tranny route, how do I go about getting the tranny to the shop? Are transmission shops receptive to this & what is an expected price for replacement labor etc. Just starting the education process here. Buying a rebuilt transmission appeals to me because I don't really have a tranny shop I know & trust, so a rebuilt one would be more likely to have been done properly. BTW I am experiencing the TC lockup slipping issue. Shifting seems normal in all other situations. Just the slipping/chatter/thump at Hwy speed on a grade. I have the kit from Pro Built Automatics, but I am not inclined to tackle this. Tried to get motivated to do it, but it ain't happinin'. So I will throw some $$ at it instead. Mileage is at 152K.
Edit: Anyone think a shop will install the kit? Does that make any sense?

Thanks,
kev
 
Apr 26, 2014
53
Good Morning,
Buying a rebuilt vs. getting yours rebuilt should yield the same quality results. You said a rebuilt would be more likely to be properly done, I don't think so. You have several options . Get your trans. properly diagnosed first. Find a shop (not AAMCO) that will give you a straight answer. If it is drivable then eye to eye is much better than the phone. If it needs to be rebuilt you also have the option of a used trans. Trans. shops don't like this option because it cuts their labor down, but there are lots of low mileage used trans. available. The advantage of a used trans. is that it is much cheaper than a rebuilt. The disadvantage of a used trans. is a very short warranty on the part only, not labor(usually). The advantage of a used or rebuilt vs. rebuilding yours is that you control the cost. The advantage of repairing yours,(either specific damage or rebuild) is that your trans. may not be as bad as you seem to think and there will be warranty on both labor and parts.. The trick to a repair/rebuild is to find an honest shop. If you go used and not a trans. shop(friend, diy,craigslist mechanic,etc.) be certain they flush the cooler and lines really well. There are a lot of sharks out there,swim carefully. Start with a proper diagnosis.
Did I mention to get it properly diagnosed first?
Chris
 
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AtlWrk

Member
Dec 6, 2011
674
Your best bet is to call around and see what shops are willing to work with you. If they push a replacement or rebuild before a proper diagnosis, move on. Check with the BBB, neighbors, maybe locals here for any recommendations (or shops to avoid).

I have heard that shops are willing to install kits for customers but I've never actually asked myself. I would think they would think any labor is better than no labor.

TCC lockup issues are usually pretty minor when it is just a worn valve body. It doesn't warrant dropping the whole trans and definitely doesn't warrant a rebuild or replacement. :twocents:
 

bugeyed

Original poster
Member
Dec 25, 2011
78
AtlWrk said:
Your best bet is to call around and see what shops are willing to work with you. If they push a replacement or rebuild before a proper diagnosis, move on. Check with the BBB, neighbors, maybe locals here for any recommendations (or shops to avoid).

I have heard that shops are willing to install kits for customers but I've never actually asked myself. I would think they would think any labor is better than no labor.

TCC lockup issues are usually pretty minor when it is just a worn valve body. It doesn't warrant dropping the whole trans and definitely doesn't warrant a rebuild or replacement. :twocents:
I was thinking that the Torque Converter may be in need of attention. Is it possible to know if the TC is shot without dropping the tranny? I would certainly prefer to just have the kit installed & see if that fixes it. As mentioned, the thing seems to shift well in every gear except for it not holding overdrive with a load. BTW I have done the brake when it's messing up trick & it stops the symptom.
Thanks,
kev
 

Mooseman

Moderator
Dec 4, 2011
25,257
Ottawa, ON
It could be the solenoid that controls the TC that's causing problems. I'm not knowledgeable enough on this to advise on how to diagnose it but personally, I would have replaced it just to shotgun it first prior to dropping the tranny. But if it's shifting normally otherwise, it shouldn't need a rebuild. What is the mileage? What was the maintenance like for fluid and filter changes? A transmission shop should be able to advise on this. If it is the TC, then only that should need to be replaced.
 

bugeyed

Original poster
Member
Dec 25, 2011
78
Mooseman said:
It could be the solenoid that controls the TC that's causing problems. I'm not knowledgeable enough on this to advise on how to diagnose it but personally, I would have replaced it just to shotgun it first prior to dropping the tranny. But if it's shifting normally otherwise, it shouldn't need a rebuild. What is the mileage? What was the maintenance like for fluid and filter changes? A transmission shop should be able to advise on this. If it is the TC, then only that should need to be replaced.
Thanks, I will see what a shop says. Mileage is 152K. Went a little long on last fluid change, but after I replaced the fluid it was much better. Maybe even fixed, but then, after driving it about 200mi. I dropped the pan & changed the filter & fluid again. That's when it started acting up again???? Haven't driven more than 150 Miles since the filter change, so maybe I am overreacting & just need the valvebody work & see how that goes. Thanks for your input.
Kev
 

Jrgunn5150

Member
Dec 18, 2014
68
Ionia Michigan
If your TC is bad, you should have seen evidence of it during your last fluid change. When those clutches let go, they leave a fair amount of evidence behind.
 

HARDTRAILZ

Moderator
Nov 18, 2011
49,665
I like to have a shop remove and rebuild and reinstall so they cant blame a failure on a tranny you provided. The less people involved the better you will be for any resulting issues being covered.

Definitely find a local reputable shop you can talk to!
 

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