Tuckerdee

Sheesh, what a big job this turned out to be! But so far, I really like how she's driving! (Pics are on the way.)

I installed a Hughes Performance 15XFM low stall converter, 2nd Gen flex plate, a TransGo TFOD-Diesel shift kit, a Flex-a-lite cooler with fan(FLX-45951) under the bed, and a spin-on filter (just before the fluid dumps back into the transmission).

Removing the transmission was no problem. I have a pit and a tall transmission jack. The only snag was the line that exits the transmission wouldn't let go. The flare fitting was bonded to the line somehow and I ended up twisting the line apart. No problem since I planned on replacing this line anyway with a new hydraulic hose to the under-bed cooler. I had to send my old torque converter to Hughes so they could rebuild it. They said they had zero cores available. OK. No problem. About $25 to ship it. They had it back on my doorstep less then a week later! Cost was about $380 shipped. All nice and shiny red.

I got the 2nd Gen flex plate easy enough. Our secretary's husband is the service manager for Cummins Rocky Mountain. One phone call and it showed up at my office the next day.

I got the new torque converter installed and replaced the transmission easy enough (poured 3 quarts of ATF into the converter before I slid it into the transmission). How do you guys do this without a pit and jack? I know, lot's of crawlin' around on the concrete. Interestingly enough, I discovered that the cross member actually helps to hold the frame together a little. The frame was spread apart about 1/4". So it took some long pipe clamps to bring it back together to replace the cross member.

I installed the remote cooler under the bed just in front of the left rear tire. Nice and out of the way. Went to my local hydraulic shop and had some custom hoses made to go from the transmission to the cooler and from the cooler to the stock heat exchanger. I did some head scratching to try and figure out how to install a T for the temp sensor. The shift linkage gets in the way of most anything bigger than stock. Ended up putting a 45* elbow straight out of the transmission, then the T, then the hose. Cost for hoses was about $50.

I had to fab a heat shield to go between the exhaust down pipe and the new hydraulic hose. I felt the heat was too close to the hose. I've wondered about this before (the coolant exit from the heat exchanger actually was touching the down pipe when I got the truck). Now I know the heat isn't getting too close.

Installed a spin on filter mount inside the frame rail on the left side just aft of the cross member. It's out of the way, and now, with my Mag Hytec pan, fluid changes will be easy. I just cut the return line by the transmission, rotated the back part so it pointed backwards and attached the supplied hoses to the cut line. I have an AmsOil Synthetic filter on it.

Now the part that I was apprehensive about. The TransGo shift kit. I’ve never been inside an automatic transmission before. So I didn’t know what to expect. I dropped the valve body. It is only held with 10 hex head ¼” bolts, NOT the myriad of torx head bolts (I learned this by removing ALL the torx bolts. Fortunately I figured out what to do before the valve body fell out in 6 pieces.) Then you disconnect the lever that goes to the parking pawl. It’s just an e-clip, but it’s only accessible with the transmission in LOW gear (or 1). An accumulator plunger and spring fall out when you remove the valve body. The TransGo directions are complete but not necessarily explicit on what to do to what. I had to do some figuring and head scratching a time or two to figure out what the instructions were talking about. After I got the kit installed and the valve body back together I had ONE screw leftover. Doh!! Fortunately, I figured out easily where it went. Then the only hard part is that it takes a minimum of six hands to hold the valve body up to the tranny, attach the parking pawl lever, slide in the e-clip, don’t let the detent ball and spring fall out of the rooster comb, and get 2 bolts started and snugged! What’s that? I forgot to slide in the accumulator piston and spring!!! Dagnabbit! So I take the valve body down again, slide those in, (only need seven hands this time!) and get it all snugged up. Whew. Total job from dropping the pan to torquing the bolts on the pan was about 6 hours. I could easily do it in half that time next time!

After adding the ATF (With the Double deep pan, the under-bed cooler, and the spin-on 1 quart filter, she now takes about 21 quarts!) I started her up, put her through the gears, and then backed out of the garage.

And…(drum roll here)…VERY cool. The torque converter is certainly tighter. It lowered the IDLE rpm by about 50. I actually can feel, and see on the tach, the transmission shift now! No more going to 2100 rpms and staying there under acceleration. The shifts are very appropriate, too. Quite firm, and the shift point rises nicely with more go-pedal applied. I haven’t driven around enough yet to get a feel for transmission temps. I’m also chomping on the bit to pull my 5th wheel with this setup. I’m driving to eastern Nebraska the weekend after Memorial day. So I’ll know then. Every indication is that it will be MUCH better than before. I’m really hoping this cures my running hot problems. I’ve done everything else on the cooling side to try and fix the problem…radiator, fan clutch, thermostat.

Oh, I’m definitely getting more smoke at launch than before. But I expected that due to the tighter torque converter. But the really cool part is that I gained about 6 lbs. or boost! I’m up to about 30 lbs. max boost now. Guess I’ll have to get the HTT kit soon since I’m nearing the max number for my little H1C.

Like I said at the top, pics will follow.

DieselSmith

if you don't mind my asking, how much did you dump into this project money wise? I'm looking to do real similar things here in the near future, Lord knows it needs it.

Tuckerdee

Oh you just had to ask! I've been trying to avoid totaling this so that I would be in the dark when my wife asked

Here goes:
Hughes 15XFM (shipped both ways)- $400
TransGo TFOD-Diesel (shipped)- $87
Flex-a-lite oil cooler with fan(shipped)- $250
Spin on filter mount with AmsOil filter (shipped) - $70
Custom Hydraulic Hoses - $55
24 Quarts of synthetic fluid (ouch!!!) - $120
12v relay and wire for cooler fan - about $20

Total - $1002

Of course, your mileage may vary...

(shhh, don't tell the wife)

ixx

I know its probably to early to tell, but what about fuel economy? any improvements noticed?

Tuckerdee

Yes, too early to tell. I'm really hoping this gives me a little jump though. When I pulled my modest 5th wheel (something like 6k lbs.) my mileage would drop to around 10-12. I'm hoping I get up into something like 15 at least with the trailer. Empty, on a flat road, I could get close to 20. I'm hoping this gets me up to 22 or 23 empty. Do I hear a 24?

dpuckett

What about your cruise EGTs and boost? If those went down, they should indicate an increase in MPGs. Mom's pickup needs the same thing- better stall and better shifting.

Daniel

Tuckerdee

Well, like I said, I haven't had it out on the open road yet to analyze the numbers. Just around town so far. I just really like what I see so far. I'll be sure and let you all know what I find.

DLittle

I like the idea of an external tranny filter. Where did you get yours ? any part #'s ?

nweaver916

good deal for those Hyd lines....my 2 8' lines cost me $114 out the door!

but it's good for 400 degrees and 3000 PSI or something crazy like that...the stock stuff that's cheap at the hyd shop was only rated for 212 degrees, so I opted up to some better hose.

sounds nice, wish I had thought of the filter thing before i fabbed mine all up! I'll probably get my TC rebuilt (if yours works well) this winter.

Tuckerdee

The spin-on filter is really easy to plumb in at any time. I didn't get hose made for this part. Just cut and splice the original steel line.

Big Nate

Glad to hear you are having good luck with your Hughes converter, maybe they are building quality stuff again. It has been a few years but I called and strictly specified LOWER stall, LOWER than stock I want a LOW stall and I get this converter that is so high it heats my tranny oil when I tow. Up a grade I went from 3rd to second gear and only raised my RPM by 200... for a gear shift! After that I swore off Hughes Converters for good, I wouldn't take a free one now after that experience.

OK done ranting.

This was not my Dodge Diesel but the converter still should have been what I wanted, the stock one did better.