Well, my time has come, my trans. is just not getting the power to the ground like it did..I have a friend that oews me a lot of favors and YES he rebuilds tranny's for a living...here is what he wants to do: complete rebuild w/ all new clutches and seals, he also wants to add a shift kit instead of a new valve body ( he is doing this all for free)...i am supplying a custom low-stall high perf. converter w/ a billet cover designed for our trucks and can easily handle my power....without going crazy, is their anything else I should be doing?? i am on a budget (little one on the way!) and i rarely tow...ALSO will I feel a lot more power to the ground? that is REALLY important to me, it seems like my engine just "revs" like crazy, will i feel a big improvement in power?
Thanks for all replies

 

I would still look hard at a valve body if I were you.

 

doesn't a shift kit do the same thing as a valve body, increase line pressure?
what exactly will an upgraded VB help ?

 

guys, i NEED feedback here..it is happening within days!!

 

I recommend the Valve body as well. I have a shift kit in one truck and a complete valve body in the other. The valve body definately works better.

 

There are 4 places that have upgrade kits. You probably have heard of them.
Suncoast
http://www.suncoastconverters.com/dodge/ext_upgrade.htm

Goerend Brothers
http://www.gbtransmissions.com/default.htm

DTT
http://www.dieseltrans.com/dodge/index.htm

ATS
http://www.atsdiesel.com/products/products-dodge.html

I’ll leave the other trannys info to the guys that have them.
I have the Suncoast complete tranny and I really like the way it performes.
They can sell you everything you need to do the tranny job. They have an awesome valve body and torque converter.

 

i was stupid to this til i talked to a few people all a valve body from some one is them actually doing the work . adding the shift kit and increasing line pressure . make sure he uses the resistor to fool the computer of increased line pressure or she will go into limp mode. i just rode in john P s truck and he has his line pressure set at 155 wo 125 at idle . you can feel power to the ground ofcourse he has 486 rwhp

hope this helps

 

barracuda:

If you are planning on going way up in H.P. and torque
you may want to consider billet input and output shafts!
I highly recommend this if you plan on doing any real heavy
towing or drag racing. "billg" has given you some good
"reference sources" for the Dodge Diesel Transmissions!

---------
John_P

 

Barracuda, 2 weeks after I got my 01 last year, the tranny needed redo-bone stock at 70000 mi, no warranty. Had the local tranny shop do just what your man wants to do, drill this and that, increase preasure this and that,[shift kit the valve body] no added disc or shaft work but new. went with Perfect Shifts SHD TC which is a single, not double lock up clutch disk with special surfacing and otherwise all the right stuff and planned vanes for better lock up duration. You can get one, picked up here for about seven hundred if you got a core they can build you one with or exchange. I watched them build mine-it's tough!

Results; Good as is and really good with 4in exhaust added. With a lot less right foot and empty bed it's idolling out of the hole and nicely moving on at 1100-1200 rpm and dropped about 300rpm off my glide pattern to about 1600rpm running 60 mph. I was gettin happy with the new feelin' of the truck, [after dropping $2100 with labor] right up until #5 rod spun a bearing! You know the rest,LP and vp44!
I don't drag but do work the drive line, tow heavy, pull stumps, push a 9'2" full blade of white stuff , move RV's etc.
you'll like the G force with out the screamin rev with the right set up!....STY





r

 

PS , I only plan to go a bit over 300 hp......STY
LOL. If that TC helps your budget, let me know, PM..

 

TC and Vb at the least. I'd get an update kit from one of aforementioned suppliers. Do it once, do it right.

 

I've bought the dtt upgrade kit and did the install myself. Major thing to gett from them is at least the front piston and the servo lever. Piston to get the front drum sealing right nd the servo lever to increase holding force of the 2nd gear band. AFAIK they do sell an upgrade kit with all the seals and frictions, their piston ad servo band stuff.
I'm not too comfortable with shift kit installs (that's just me), but you should figure the core charges into the price of the VB and compare this to the shift kit price.

AlpineRAM

 

I would do the valvebody for sure.

And, in reality, if you want to do it right, get a torque converter too. Yes, the converter is spendy, but you get what you pay for.

If you do the Valvebody for $400 and the converter for $1000, plus what your buddy is willing to do, you will have a very well built tranny for the money.

The shafts are a good idea, but unless you tow heavy or do a lot of racing, with only 300 hp that is probably overkill though.