totally agree... and honestly I dont take things like this lightly, but I think if I was going to have to shell out 3700 bucks for a transmission, I'd just look into converting to manual.

I think automatics are a pleasure to drive and convenient etc... especially for stop and go traffic, but honestly... I'd probably choose a simple purely mechanical device over something more complex any day.

I've never owned an automatic anything that had a transmission last worth a ****, mostly having problems before ~50kmi and even then when they were fixed they never drove like new.

 

Ronnyek,
I have a 2004.5 that lunched the tranny with 130,000 miles on it. I purchased the truck with 75,000 miles on it. I thought it shifted and drove VERY nice when I purchased it and the transmission showed no adverse signs. I checked it closely because I knew the trans is a notorious weakpoint.
When I dropped the trans pan at 130,000 for a fluid change due to symptoms very similar to yours I pulled out about 1/2 of a thrust washer that appeared to be about 6" in OD when whole. Needless to say I was
I took the advice of several people on this board and called Dave at Goerend Transmissions. I was able to get a transmission that meets my current needs and that basically I am confident will last longer than the rest of the truck no matter what I throw at it! And to boot it drives BETTER than the stock unit on any other truck I have ever driven, new or used. I know the initial sticker shock is but trust me when I say it is worth EVERY penny!

 

Oh no doubt about it, and the rest of the truck is pristine... I just cant afford the 3700bucks atm, and thats just the lowest end one he has as a full tranny isnt it? I just bought a house, bought the truck, and got reamed by US govt for taxes... if 200 bucks will buy me like 6mo, I'll be in a much better position to do that.

 

well they are going to look at it tomorrow... as an update, in the past few days the shifting of the transmission has gotten significantly worse. It now wants to hang onto a gear to almost a rediculous point (like I had it in 2). When slowing down, the downshifts clunk pretty badly. I caught a bit of video from my camera phone. This was acceleration from a stop to about 35. Very very light throttle, where I would have expected a shift MUCH sooner. Seems like it only does this on some shifts into drive (eg, if I shift into drive it will be consistently effed until I shut it down)

 

your tranny is shot

 

fried clutch pack!!

 

Not that anyone necessarily cares, but they have thus far said they yanked the "solenoid pack", and saw that it was plugged with "clutch material". I will have to bring the truck in monday for explorative surgery...

I guess at least they arent trying to skirt the issue. I've had my bmw in the shop about 25 times for the same thing (which is an extremely common issue) and they've beat around the bush each time.

 

another update
they claim solenoid pack and kickdown band are going to be replaced... which I am skeptical thats actually going to completely solve the problem (eg, make it so its like new), but I'll give them the benefit of the doubt until I get it back.

 

replaced both things, flushed, adjusted bands... talked with their tranny guy and he was very informative... but...

After my second drive, its doing the same ol ****... seems like once I get her warm, then stop and get out and run into a store for like 10 minutes, then get back in... its shifting all nutty. Wants to hang onto 1st way too long, gotta hammer it to get it to shift. Shudders getting on the freeway when its in its bad mood. SO I guess back to the shop it goes.

 

Does the accelerator seem stiffer when its occurs?