Transmission rebuilds

[Kris Guilbeaux]

Transmissions usually scare people pretty bad with what is entailed.

Right now Russell and I have found a transmission tech at the dealer that will rebuild our auto transmissions at very reasonable price.

Prices vary based on parts that are needed. But looks like rebuilds can be done in the $400- $600 price range easily. Maybe even less if no hard parts are needed.

Right now he is following the frankentranny thread on Ef building a a4ld/5r55e hybrid transmission for my 91 Eddie Bauer.

He even said it could be done early as Friday!!!!

I brought him two full transmissions the a4ld out out stripe 93 limited and a junk yard 5r55e with 89k out of a 2000 xlt ohv 4x4.

I will also bring him my transmission from jpx next. Just to have it done since it had 200k on the odometer. Might as well have a fresh transmission in my first gen 5.0 swap. Mainly cause once I have the motor/trans in I don't want to pull them back out.

I'm sure if any of you have transmissions you need work done on this would be the way to go for sure.

[KF5ZXT]

Good find. Not many people are willing to step out of the box like that in creating something like the hybrid you are talking about, especially based off an internet thread. Should I assume that this applies to Ford only? I may have to get him to swap my freshly rebuilt/updated Super Duty trans stuff swapped over to a 4x4 case when I do the 4x4 conversion.

Having not read the Frankentranny thread, I'm not really up to speed on what that means (other than A4LD/5R55E hybrid). I think I'll go look for that now. Be back later with a link.

[Kris Guilbeaux]

Well the frankentranny is basically an a4ld with a 5r bell housing/pump, with 5r internals and bearings, the a4ld middle case, and a4ld valve body.

What this does is give you a better pump and pump seal, also upgrades the clutch packs and drums, and you get Torrington bearings.

This basically makes the a4ld as strong as possible with as many upgrades as you can make inside the a4 case. The pump seal is a major upgrade over the seal that a4 came with as you know well Randall.

[KF5ZXT]

So with the parts of the A4LD that are kept, looks like middle case and valve body, are those parts kept because they are better than the 5R55E equivalents, or because the 5R55E components don't fit in the A4LD case, no difference quality-wise, or something else?

[Kris Guilbeaux]

No quality difference and this keeps the electronic and vacuum control from the a4ld so that you can continue use this transmission in a 91-94 explorer and work like it was intended.

Other wise you have to run two pcms and make a transmission controller like what Russell did on blue.

[KF5ZXT]

[Kris Guilbeaux]

A4ld case clean

[KF5ZXT]

Beam me up, Scotty!

[Kris Guilbeaux]

Just wanted to say that the frankentranny is complete. Now the testing of the trans won't happen for a while still since Goldie is down in Victoria getting body work done. But even with buying a 5r55e transmission the total cost of the build was about $600 this included the new torque converter.

[KF5ZXT]

Not bad at all. Did the tranny guy have and comments or feedback after following the EF thread compared to his experience with the amalgam?

[Kris Guilbeaux]

He said he sees how this would beef up the transmission but how it works won't change. He also said you would get a little more life out of the transmission is about it. I'm just stoked about the front pump seal not blowing out mostly and the better pump as well.

[Kris Guilbeaux]

Here is the frankentranny

[KF5ZXT]

Yeah, that front pump seal is pretty much the bane of my existence.

[Kris Guilbeaux]

Well this one has the upgraded seal and pump.

[KF5ZXT]

I may have missed your response, but is this tranny person Ford only, or does he do other brands, like Turbo Hydromatic?

[Kris Guilbeaux]

I'm sure he would have no issue rebuilding one