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Tremec TKO Trans is the biggest POS I have ever had.

Started by ChargerKen, July 23, 2021, 10:53:22 PM

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ChargerKen

To all who are thinking about buying a Tremec transmission. You are in for a ton of grief. I have a vibration that I cannot get rid of. Comes in at 65 and don't go away. I'm over it. Plus when it gets warm it shifts real stiff in all gears. Totally regret buying  this pile of junk. Totally do NOT recommend.
1968 Charger R/T
1978 Power Wagon Stepside
1979 Lil Red Express
1979 Power Wagon 200
2013 Durango R/T

Kern Dog

You write that you are over it but go on to complain more.
Every product has a failure rate. Every one.  In some cases, it is low.
I have a TKO in my Charger. I wrote a thread for this forum covering the installation. Mine is fine. It actually shifts smoother as it warms up.
Several things can contribute to your problem.
It could be a defective transmission. This is unlikely but it is possible.
Far more likely is that it was installed without properly centering the bellhousing. Seriously, these transmissions need to be within .006 of an inch on center. If the bell is off center and out of spec, the input shaft is crooked and that affects everything. As it gets hot, it probably gets worse because the bearings are overheating from misalignment.
The only way to know before sending the trans to a shop is to pull the trans and measure the runout.

Mopar Nut

"Dear God, my prayer for 2024 is a fat bank account and a thin body. Please don't mix these up like you did the last ten years."

John_Kunkel

Quote from: Kern Dog on July 23, 2021, 11:57:36 PM

I have a TKO. Mine is fine. It actually shifts smoother as it warms up.

Me too, great trans, no complaints at all.  :2thumbs:
Pardon me but my karma just ran over your dogma.

INTMD8

Yeah mine is good too  :2thumbs:

Sorry to hear of your frustration but whatever the cause, it's certainly fixable.
69 Charger. 438ci Gen2 hemi. Flex fuel. Holley HP efi. 595rwhp 475rwtq

Kern Dog

OP is embarrassed to return. He must have realized that he screwed up the installation and it is HIM to blame, not the transmission itself.

AKcharger

I don;t have one of these transmissions I'm just here to watch everyone gang up on ChargerKen!  :nana:

Kern Dog

OP must be busy pulling the transmission to check the bellhousing runout.  :pity:

Kern Dog


chargered

Or he has better things to do other than waste his time scrolling through online posts on a daily basis.

Kern Dog

What you call a "waste of time" may be considered educational and entertaining to others.

Lennard

Quote from: chargered on July 29, 2021, 01:56:13 PM
Or he has better things to do other than waste his time scrolling through online posts on a daily basis.
He didn't think that it was a waste of time typing up a complaint here about a transmission that many others have no problems with.  :shruggy:

Kern Dog

OP doesn't post much. It seems petty to just pop in, bitch about something then not respond to anyone that chimed in.
The problem could be fixed if he were to read and learn from others. I've been quite happy with my Tremec.

ChargerKen

1968 Charger R/T
1978 Power Wagon Stepside
1979 Lil Red Express
1979 Power Wagon 200
2013 Durango R/T

ChargerKen

Quote from: Kern Dog on July 26, 2021, 11:37:08 AM
OP is embarrassed to return. He must have realized that he screwed up the installation and it is HIM to blame, not the transmission itself.


It's Dicks like you getting on sites like this that keeps guys like me from posting much. Just for your information it was dialed in within .001" of perfect.i don't think thats svrewing up the install.  Maybe I've been too bust trying to figure this out on my car. Thanks for all your helpful input. Maybe my post was made out of frustration. I have tried everything and have not gotten to the bottom of this. Super happy for anyone that has done this swap with success. I have not achieved success.
1968 Charger R/T
1978 Power Wagon Stepside
1979 Lil Red Express
1979 Power Wagon 200
2013 Durango R/T

ChargerKen

Quote from: Kern Dog on July 30, 2021, 03:33:27 AM
OP doesn't post much. It seems petty to just pop in, bitch about something then not respond to anyone that chimed in.
The problem could be fixed if he were to read and learn from others. I've been quite happy with my Tremec.


Teach me oh Enlightened Mopar God.
1968 Charger R/T
1978 Power Wagon Stepside
1979 Lil Red Express
1979 Power Wagon 200
2013 Durango R/T

Kern Dog

Check my post history here, Lipshitz....I've started build threads on a few helpful things including my conversion from a 727 to the Tremec 5 speed. Mine has been great so far.
I'm not some ace mechanic, I just do some research, dive in and ask for help when I need it.
There is a failure rate with every product. You may have just had the unfortunate luck to have received a bad transmission. Your opening post was a gripe session with no practical advice or detailed explanation about the specific problem, then you went away. That will come across as a spoiled brat that didn't get his way and doesn't know why. People on these forums can be incredibly helpful to the point of taking pictures for others, giving them parts, talking on the phone or even meeting up somewhere to hash it out in person. You chose to jump in and complain, then go away.
Do you want help or do you want to keep complaining?

Kern Dog

Quote from: ChargerKen on August 12, 2021, 04:29:07 PM
Quote from: Kern Dog on July 26, 2021, 11:37:08 AM
OP is embarrassed to return. He must have realized that he screwed up the installation and it is HIM to blame, not the transmission itself.


It's Dicks like you getting on sites like this that keeps guys like me from posting much.



You blame me for staying away. Fine.
I'm not the one that only posts to bitch and complain. I tried to help, you stayed away for 3 weeks and then come back to complain some more.
I'd hate to deal with you in person. You must be a black cloud of doom and gloom everywhere you go. It is a good thing that you don't post much.

ChargerKen

1968 Charger R/T
1978 Power Wagon Stepside
1979 Lil Red Express
1979 Power Wagon 200
2013 Durango R/T

ChargerKen

Quote from: INTMD8 on July 24, 2021, 10:45:12 PM
Yeah mine is good too  :2thumbs:

Sorry to hear of your frustration but whatever the cause, it's certainly fixable.

Thanks man. I'll get it eventually.
1968 Charger R/T
1978 Power Wagon Stepside
1979 Lil Red Express
1979 Power Wagon 200
2013 Durango R/T

XH29N0G

I didn't add to this because it looked like it was going a little sideways. 

Leave open the option that you may have two things.  The hard shifting may be alignment of the trans with the pins.  The other may be the driveline angles or a driveshaft balance.  I had issues with both the angles and the balance that affected vibrations.  They each produce something a little different.  For the balance, I think it comes in a a speed like 55-60 mph and relates to the rear you have .  I solved it by having a company that balances truck driveshafts balance mine.  For the angles, it will come in sometimes a little higher speed (I think) and will be different depending on whether it is under load or not. 

If it is either of those, we can help. I think KD can help with the pins and has shown how that is done.

Good luck 
Who in their right mind would say

"The science should not stand in the way of this."? 

Science is just observation and hypothesis.  Policy stands in the way.........

Or maybe it protects us. 

I suppose it depends on the specific case.....

INTMD8

Quote from: ChargerKen on August 12, 2021, 04:21:34 PM
Quote from: Mopar Nut on July 24, 2021, 03:44:00 AM
Did you check your pinion angle?

Yes Sir

What is the trans angle and pinion angle?

Vibration which is speed induced sounds like driveshaft/driveshaft angles more than a trans problem.

this is a good video-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Idk3BVDVHq4
69 Charger. 438ci Gen2 hemi. Flex fuel. Holley HP efi. 595rwhp 475rwtq

Kern Dog

If the OP wants help, it would be a surprise.

"To all who are thinking about buying a Tremec transmission. You are in for a ton of grief. I have a vibration that I cannot get rid of. Comes in at 65 and don't go away. I'm over it. Plus when it gets warm it shifts real stiff in all gears. Totally regret buying  this pile of junk. Totally do NOT recommend."

As he stated above, he is "over it".

ChargerKen

Quote from: Kern Dog on August 12, 2021, 06:50:04 PM
If the OP wants help, it would be a surprise.

"To all who are thinking about buying a Tremec transmission. You are in for a ton of grief. I have a vibration that I cannot get rid of. Comes in at 65 and don't go away. I'm over it. Plus when it gets warm it shifts real stiff in all gears. Totally regret buying  this pile of junk. Totally do NOT recommend."

As he stated above, he is "over it".
Hey KernDICK, why are you on here? I never asked for help, especially from you.
1968 Charger R/T
1978 Power Wagon Stepside
1979 Lil Red Express
1979 Power Wagon 200
2013 Durango R/T

ChargerKen

So my original post was made out of frustration. I wasn't asking for help but would have gladly shared the reasons behind why I wouldn't recommend the swap.I don't recall blaming anyone for staying away. I certainly don't like being mocked. I bought my"kit" before SST or American Powertrain was even selling them. I installed my transmission as per  kit instructions to a tee. had to buy offset dowel pins to dial in bell housing to within .005' per instructions  It went in with my new motor and new Strange 60. when I got done it vibrated.This car is a builder. I assumed it was my old tires and mag style wheels. Later I installed my new tires and wheels.Still vibrated. It has sat for several years due to life......housefire,2 surgeries weddings, births, deaths. My goal this year was to get it lined out to take to Carlysle. Well I had to have knee surgery. I persevered. First thing I did was downloaded the Tremec app and checked my driveline angles. Came up red. I cut the floor and raised the transmission 1" brought my trans angle to 2.3 degrees down. Pinion angle is 1.6 degrees up. All in the green on the app. Same vibration. So I started looking at runout only to discover that my brand new Strange 60 had a pinion yoke machined off axis. AHA. I called strange and bought a new chrome moly yoke. It was bigger than the old one so I had a new driveshaft made. Installed new driveshaft, lower speed vibration gone. High speed vibration still there. Pulled driveshaft and sent to another driveshaft builder 225 miles away to have it verified. Builder said it was near perfect. installed drive shaft. Jacked up the car and removed tires and ran up to highway speed. Vibrated. Removed drums. Ran up to highway speeds. Vibrated. Removed driveshaft and installed a yoke in the transmission and built a fixture to hold it in place. Ran car with no driveshaft and brought transmission up to highway speed. Vibrated exactly the same. Removed transmission and rechecked bell. Dialed it in even closer, within .001 up and down, .001 side to side. I put a dial indicator on the input shaft and found that the retainer was .0075" hight. thought that was odd. Installed the transmission. Same vibration. Removed transmission put dial indicator on bell and sat it .008" high to compensate for the high retainer.installed transmission. Same vibration. I called an engineer at Tremec and talked to him today. I will do a couple things he asked. If that doesn't do anything then it will be shipped to Tremec for complete inspection. Not asking for help. Just saying why I was frustrated when I made that post.
1968 Charger R/T
1978 Power Wagon Stepside
1979 Lil Red Express
1979 Power Wagon 200
2013 Durango R/T