[VAC] Re: Penetrating Epoxy Resin Repairs and Dodge Transmissions

[Jim Dunmyer <jdunmyer@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Harvey,
 Jim's Dodge has what is called a "Getrag" manual 5-speed transmission;
it was used in the pre-1994 Dodge/Cummins trucks. It is widely known to
be troublesome and VERY expensive to repair when it goes out. In 1994,
Dodge began using a New Venture 4500 5-speed transmission. Even IT had
trouble for a while, a nut would come loose and cause the loss of 5th
gear. However, you could continue in 4th gear, and it wasn't as
expensive to repair as the Getrag.

In doing some investigation on the Internet, I found 2 transmission
shops who won't even rebuild the Getrag, they found it cheaper to
install a new NV transmission. Of course, this is not
factory-authorized, so a Dodge dealer wouldn't perform such a fix.

Jim is kinda in a pickle, and I don't blame him for feeling as he does.
He has several options at this point:
1. Trade the truck off on something newer & better. Can be a private
deal or through a dealer, it doesn't matter.
2. Take it to a good trans shop and get the box changed out to the NV
4500 before he has any more trouble on the road. An option would be to
try to find a good used transmission.
3. Drive it as-is and hope for the best. It might well go 100,000 miles
before crapping out again, and if it does, he can make a decision at
that time as to what to do.
4. Sell the truck & trailer and buy a fishing rod.

I feel kinda bad for reporting this to Jim in the first place, making
him afraid to leave the driveway with his rig. But, I'm not sure that
not warning him and hearing of another expensive and unexpected
breakdown would be better. I think *I'd* want to know.

                                    <<Jim>>