New Valve Body available!!!

[aldive]

He would not tell me the manufactureres name but he gets his parts from TransStar a supply company who sources it from the builder. He really puts a lot of stock in them and says they work great.

Wonder why?

Please post some pics.

 

[Lazzman]

I don't think he knows the actual rebuilders name but here is a link to the transtar site.

http://www.transtarindustries.com/valvebodies.asp

Could not find the exact description of the valve body though they do say they have it available. Remember Transtar industries just distributes valve bodies they don't manufacture them.

 

[Glacier991]

It would be a mis-assumption to approach the rebuilt stock VB with ALL the Sonnax Mod's as a "re-engineered VB". Everything is the same, but the bores that wear will be reamed oversize so that better fitting oversize spools can be added (for the most part - that is a slight oversimplification). The main thing these address is leakage caused by worn bores, that leakage can lead to low pressure at varying points during shifts, leading to flare and other symptoms.

Now, that said, I think those can be valuable additions to an OLD VB, as compared to a simple disassemble/clean/replace approach. It just isn't a "new" or "re-engineered design".

 

[Lazzman]

Yes, but the VB rebuild on here does not address enlarging the passages because you need special specific tools that are not available. I like the VB rebuild on this site but for $300 imho you get a better valve body from the Pro re-builder. Thats my only point.

Word-

 

[aldive]

imho you get a better valve body from the Pro re-builder. Thats my only point.

Opinions vary; I for one, would rather have Glacier rebuild a tranny than any shop I have ever seen.

 

[Glacier991]

Thank you for the kind words Aldive, but he is right in terms of the reamed valve body with new spools being a superior product to one simply rebuilt using the old spools (with the rare exception of a relatively new VB in which case I submit it would be just as good.)

The reamers necessary to produce the full complement of Sonnax upgrades are about $500 - $700 all by themselves.

But you mistakenly think you are somehow "enlarging passages" which would suggest changing fluid flow. Such is not the case, you merely ream out a bore so as to establish a tighter clearance with an oversize spool. Hence reducing leakage. The fluid pathways are unchanged.

The notion this is somehow re-engineering a bad design is a fallacy.

That said, if you can confirm that a company is doing ALL the Sonnax reamed upgrades, adding new solenoids all around and selling their product for $300... BUY IT ! It would be a great product. And when you install it do the FORD mod. And maybe the Superior Mod.

No word of mouth allowed... written confirmation. I'll be their best salesman!

(And this isn't some sort of manhood challenge or anything, I am as curious as everyone else.)

 

[BrooklynBay]

Opinions vary; I for one, would rather have Glacier rebuild a tranny than any shop I have ever seen.

I totally agree with AlDive on that. Years ago before I knew how to do this kind of stuff, I had a transmission shop attempt a rebuild for me. When I came to pick up the van, the guy DOUBLED the price! He made up a story that it needed more parts than his original quote even though it was in writing. He also INFLATED the cost of parts 50-75%. I argued with him, but he wouldn't budge. He said that he needed the entire amount in CASH, or he won't give me back my van. I asked him for an extended warranty, but he said that since I use it for work, he will give me a SMALLER warranty than he normally does. To make the story short, the rebuild only lasted for 2 weeks, and he did nothing for me, except for sending it to another shop, because he said that I had another problem. I then bought a rebuilt one from a Ford dealer that died less than a week after the warranty was up. When I opened it up to rebuid, I was surprised at what "junk" they used in their so called "Factory Rebuilt" unit. By the way, that shop changed their name, and possibly ownership soon after my incident with them. I'm sure that other people were after them. They were a recommendation from a store that sold transmission parts (which is now not in business either)! What a bunch of crooks!

 

[Lazzman]

Thanks for clearing that up Glacier.

The new valve body comes with upgraded springs, shift kit and the ford upgrades. It has been engineered from the ground up to give the best performance. All upgrades are already installed so there is no need to add Superior or the Ford Mod.

YeeHaaaaaaaaaa

 

[Lazzman]

Picked up my X today with the new valve body installed. The total price was $500 which brakes down as $300 for the valve body and $200 for parts and labor i.e trans filter, gaskets and fluid.

Well I drove it for 25 minutes and it is like driving a new vehicle. The truck is a beast effortlessly pulling along. The new valve body is one tough customer, really holds the shifts strong and snaps through the gears nicely. Rather than falling on its face when changing gears as it did before each gear is taken up a notch with the new VB. The Trans really works the engine extracting max power from my mods. The 2-3 shift on acceleration is really special, it does not fall back on change but rather rolls from one gear to the next and pulls harder.

The shifts and power are so effortless that you have to carefuly watch your speed. I kind of knew it was a good upgrade, as the Trans tech told me yesterday after his test drive that he thought I would be very pleased.

For information you can contact TransMedic in Windham, NH at 603 898-4112, ask for Andy. Don't know if he will sell you the valve body but maybe you can get some more info.

 

[BrooklynBay]

You are very lucky that you found a good shop, since there are a lot of shops out there that are just trying to take your money. Did he offer any warranty? Is he registered as an ATRA member? Is his shop a franchise of a chain?

 

[Bigg_billy]

Trans-Medic

Just want to mention that this the exact shop told me I needed a rebuild for $1,600, when all i needed was the 5R55E VB rebuild. They are the same as the rest...Andy et all...........

 

[thewishkah]

Brooklyn Bay what shop was that? so I know to steer clear of them, I had a rebuild done at Sal's in coney island, hope it wasn't them, although any time I had an issue they fixed it with no issues.

 

[BrooklynBay]

It was on 18th. ave. somewhere around 87th. st. The transmission shop is on the left side near some guy that sells ATVs. His buddy that is just like him, but does general repairs is across the street on the right past the corner plumbing store. I don't know if those places are still owned by the same people, since it was about 10 years ago. The dealer that I bought the rebuilt from was also in Bay Ridge. All of those places are not too far from where you live.

 

[BrooklynBay]

Billy, did you ever go back to that shop after you rebuilt your VB to tell him that it was only your VB, and not the entire transmission? Did you try to call that main branch's phone # that is listed above?

 

[thewishkah]

HAHA lee myles yeah I blew up one of theres , It had the standard 1-2 shift vb problem, they claimed nothing wrong with it. some where in the range of 100 miles over the waranty it died. Sal's told me they threw in a junk yard tranny and gave it some paint. My "mechanic" is right on the other side of the ATV place Tom's, but Im not a big fan of him, but when my dad is offering to pay thats where it goes=(.

 

[BrooklynBay]

It was Gibraltar when I last went there, then changed to Lee Miles a few months later.

 

[BrooklynBay]

The other mechanic wasn't right next to the ATV place, but on the opposite side of the street, near the plumbing store. After the transmission place broke a ground wire near the battery, and the fuel pump socket, they gave it to that place to see why it didn't start without telling what they were doing first. I found out the next day. The guy said that my fuel pump was dead, and he wanted $250 to fix it. I told him that I will just have it towed. He wanted $60 for his time troubleshooting the problem, or he wouldn't let me tow it out. I towed it, and fixed it when I got home. I told the guy before I towed it that the check engine light wasn't going on, and that the computer controls the power going to the fuel pump. He just had a puzzled look on his face. I wouldn't let him do this work, since I knew that it wasn't the problem.

 

[thewishkah]

I see you do most of your own work now but, if it ever came down to you having another on rebuilt I would recomend Sal's on stillwell right off of neptune, A little bit more money depending on what you are asking for but well worth it.

 

[spindlecone]

I see you do most of your own work now but, if it ever came down to you having another on rebuilt I would recomend Sal's on stillwell right off of neptune, A little bit more money depending on what you are asking for but well worth it.

Small world
I've even heard of Sal's, they have done some stall convertor work for several of the trac crowd