Irritated!!

[Devil Pup]

Ok so here goes, I have a 69 C20 with a 5.7 with just basic power adders. I.E. headers, exhaust, HEI, Performer manifold carb ect. . . and it was a 4 speed with granny. I swapped it out as a going away gift to myself before i joined the Marines. I put a TH350 in it with a B&M shift kit and B&M shifter in it. I had a shop do this for me and it seemed to run fantastic. I drove it for about a month and then parked it in the garage while i was training. The whole time I am gone the trans is leaking according to my family and when i actually get back "6" months later i drive it only to find out the shifts are extremely rough and it slips. I am in a different state now and couldn't get it back to the same shop so i took it to a very well known and popular shop out here in Tucson, Az. they tell me that the trans was poorly rebuilt and the rear something or other was adjusted wrong and caused the trans to starve of fluid and needed to be rebuilt again. Not having much of a choice because this is my baby, I reluctantly rebuild it again. "tried to file a suit with the BBB but they denied saying no proof of bad work from previous shop" . . . . now with it freshly rebuilt i drive it daily, over the past year now i have had to take it to the new shop several times for leaks or slipping, and it seemed they finally got it worked out and no other problems. my warranty expired in December and it is now April and my trans is leaking severely and slipping at every light. What can i do? is it a bad trans or is it poor work? I don't hot rod too much and always performed the maintenance that they scheduled. The shop looked at it today and they said it is leaking where the spedo cable connects and that it chewed up the cable and to get a new one asap. I don't exactly make good money to just keep rebuilding these things. Any suggestions or poss swap ideas?

[NORMSCOLORADO]

id get me another trans....

[BB72CHEVKT]

I hate to say it but it is just part of owning an old truck.

[justincat]

Yea man a new tranny isnt near the price of messing around all these tranny shops. Remeber these guys make a living off of people bringing there truck back. Not saying they all do but I dont trust manny tranny shops.

[Devil Pup]

Originally Posted by justincat

Yea man a new tranny isnt near the price of messing around all these tranny shops. Remeber these guys make a living off of people bringing there truck back. Not saying they all do but I dont trust manny tranny shops.

where would you recommend ordering a tranny from? and would a 700R4 be a better option the the TH350 because of i have 4/10 or 4/11 in the rear. its not too good on the top end with the 350

[Crazyz28]

Sounds like they have no clue what they're doing. There's really on a couple...really 5 places a trans can leak. Tailshaft seal, trans pan gasket, Pump seal, cooler fittings, and converter gasket. Well, really 6, if they screw up so bad and it starts spitting fluid out the vent tube.

[pat 70/71]

b&m trans cost under 1k . have one works great. get one and all will be great in your world. thank you for your service best of luck! Pat

[leddzepp]

What is the name of the shop you went to?? I live in Riverside also and want to avoid it.

[Devil Pup]

It was riverside transmission. haha i would recommend doing so

Originally Posted by leddzepp

What is the name of the shop you went to?? I live in Riverside also and want to avoid it.

[vectorit]

Ahh that post was easy on my eye's, actually had to take my glasses off.

Automatics I've noticed are finicky about leaks, they either cooperate with little coaxing or just continually want to piss all over your driveway not matter how much money you spend on em.
If everything has been gone through, and it still leaks I'd be looking for another one that has not been beat up. Then rebuild it when the money is there.

But like noted above, these old trucks like to leak.

As for mine, I won't park on a buddies nice driveway on a hot day. Since the hypoid oils get thin enough to seep out of every possible spot, from front to rear of the entire drive train.

As for Riverside transmission guys, I've had work done by Mogi trans and have had great experiences.

[Leviticus]

One thing to look for when going to your next trans shop (If you decide to) is to make sure they are a ATRA (Automatic Transmission Rebuilders Association) member. If there warranty is through ATRA then you should be able to have it repaired by any shop that is a member IIRC.

And if they screw up, contact ATRA and give them hell, and they will usually contact the shop and do the same.

You might consider contacting ATRA about your last shop, and they might buck up and fix it to save face.

And Thank You for serving this great country, you have my respect, prayers and support!

[Jacfourteen]

I understand that these things can be finiky but they shouldn't have to be rebuilt on a yearly basis. I'd say go with a rebuild from one of the performance companies. Like mentioned above b&m are reasonable and so are TCI. I just don't know about alot of the trans shops out there, seems they charge way to much when you can get a rebuild for a decent price.

[my67c20]

Side note. Make sure that your speedometer cable is in good shape and spins freely. I have seen and heard the cables tension up because of binding. Weakest links always go first.

[hatchaddict]

i would put a 700r4 in it from b&m. the 700 will help greatly with fuel economy especialy with the 4.11 gears with the 350 it probably turning like 4 grand at 65 or 70

[Myself]

Any competent rebuilder should be able to build a TH350 without any leaks or problems. I've only built 2 and I know I could do it. I feel like it's all in the prep work and inspection. If everything is not perfectly clean, or a hairline crack is missed, there will be problems. There is so much going on in some of these shops, those kinds of things happen. But then again I'm the type of mechanic that's absolutely anal about cleaning and inspecting. I can't even bolt a trans back up without new bolts and a crossmember cleaning lol.

I have fought a leak recently that ended up being wicked up from the output shaft, and actually leaking through a little hole in the end of the yoke in front of the u-joint. Apparently this is common on older chevy's. I just cleaned it thoroughly and dobbered the hole shut with silicone.

[justincat]

x2 on the b&m or tci tranny. There are alot of good mechanics, and there are some not so. I would also get the 700 if your going to be driving around with those gears. You can order one up, buy you a manual, put it in yourself, and after one hit to the wallet you would have a good tranny, a peace of mind, and a little experiance if your not already. Not that big of a job.