SO as some of you may have seen, I bought a new truck, 2000 with a 47re, problem is it only goes backwards! So here's the story:

 

Kid I bought it from bought it about a year ago from the original owner to, and I quote, "to roll coal and do burnouts" and he did just that, and it took the tranny with it... kinda. It started out he said slipping a bit, so do what most people would do when they're trying to sell their truck and tranny starts slipping, burnouts! Couple burnouts later it wouldnt go above 25mph, so he took it to a buddies and they put more atf in it, I don't know why, and magically it doesn't move forward any  after they did that, and here I sit.

 

Now, for the symptoms:

 

Obviously no drive so no 1/2 either. When you shift from park to reverse, it locks up very well and strong, no problems there. Shift out of that into neutral and it unlocks of course, then you shift into drive and it doesn't lock up and lurch forward or anything, it's like it's stuck in neutral or something, but it does shift it into drive, I know that, I have checked that it's actually shifting it into drive on the side of the tranny, just isn't wanting to actually move forward. The kid I bought it from (not brightest so take this with a grain of salt) said the shift kit didn't work in it but never explained to me what he meant by that, probably because he didn't know what he was actually talking about. When trying to put it into tow/haul in park the light didn't come on so I can confirm that, however I don't know if you have to be in drive to do that or not, surely someone will know and I'll go do the right thing and report back.

 

Since I bought the truck I have done nothing to it, partially cause I have no space currently and partially due to me getting sick over Xmas break conveniently, so besides all I've told you, I know nothing more. As always anything helps and I would really appreciate all the help I can get. I'm honestly very scared about this truck because I know nothing about automatics and I don't wanna be in over my head with repairs cause of a childish kid who can't grow up. Again, thanks for the help!

1 hour ago, Dynamic said:

You'll want to check and see what you actually have in there. "Billet" seems to mean something different to everyone, especially someone trying to sell a truck. LOL...

So if that kit isn't complete with what I need, what kit would be complete and would be good for the power I'm making???

 

I say let the professionals handle it. I can turn a wrench, but when it comes to these 47RE's the tricks and secrets are known by the builders. Sure pan off upgrades would get you by but do it right once.

4 minutes ago, gipperkid said:

I say let the professionals handle it. I can turn a wrench, but when it comes to these 47RE's the tricks and secrets are known by the builders. Sure pan off upgrades would get you by but do it right once.

Problem is, I would do that, but I'm a college kid.... And I absolutely do not have $3700 to have it rebuilt by a professional. Plus if I can learn how to do it, I can rebuild motors AND transmissions, what is there on the truck I can't do! I'll take their tips of what to put in there, but I'm not taking it to them to get screwed on a rebuild that they'll supply a $600 kit then screw me on work.

@TheGreatWhite I have this article here for you to do some reading, it's updated and has more information then what @kzimmer posted.

 

Further line pressure diagnostics are required from there, However my advice having gone down this road is to just let a good builder do it. I do recommend Dynamic for this. Do it once and not worry ever again. I fought with my Built auto for years till I got it straighten out, enough to use it, and now I'm back to it again.

 

3 minutes ago, TheGreatWhite said:

Problem is, I would do that, but I'm a college kid.... And I absolutely do not have $3700 to have it rebuilt by a professional. Plus if I can learn how to do it, I can rebuild motors AND transmissions, what is there on the truck I can't do! I'll take their tips of what to put in there, but I'm not taking it to them to get screwed on a rebuild that they'll supply a $600 kit then screw me on work.

 

I see. In this case then your gonna need to do line pressure diagnostics and then see what needs to be fixed. Even if so your gonna be dropping the pan, the valve body and the transmission. If you can rebuild a motor you can also do a transmission.

Edited January 19, 20196 yr by pepsi71ocean

1 minute ago, TheGreatWhite said:

Problem is, I would do that, but I'm a college kid.... And I absolutely do not have $3700 to have it rebuilt by a professional. Plus if I can learn how to do it, I can rebuild motors AND transmissions, what is there on the truck I can't do! I'll take their tips of what to put in there, but I'm not taking it to them to get screwed on a rebuild that they'll supply a $600 kit then screw me on work.

Hey diesel trucks cost big bucks. It's like a boat, Bust Out Another Thousand. Lol! But $3700 is probably getting you a basic rebuild, no frills. $5000 minimum for somthing with at least billet input, and triple disc converter.

6 minutes ago, pepsi71ocean said:

@TheGreatWhite I have this article here for you to do some reading, it's updated and has more information then what @kzimmer posted.

 

Further line pressure diagnostics are required from there, However my advice having gone down this road is to just let a good builder do it. I do recommend Dynamic for this. Do it once and not worry ever again. I fought with my Built auto for years till I got it straighten out, enough to use it, and now I'm back to it again.

 

 

I see. In this case then your gonna need to do line pressure diagnostics and then see what needs to be fixed. Even if so your gonna be dropping the pan, the valve body and the transmission. If you can rebuild a motor you can also do a transmission.

Everything is just a couple of nuts and bolts right?? Right guys?? LOL. I think I can do it, it shouldn't be that hard.

2 minutes ago, gipperkid said:

Hey diesel trucks cost big bucks. It's like a boat, Bust Out Another Thousand. Lol! But $3700 is probably getting you a basic rebuild, no frills. $5000 minimum for somthing with at least billet input, and triple disc converter.

Diesels are you're very right! I'd have a little more wiggle room if the ole boy that's buying my old cracked 53 block would come get the motor I could afford some goodies for it! I was told the transmission has billet internals, whatever that means from the original builder of the truck, but I plan on using the Firepunk Competition Master or if anyone has a better kit they'd recommend for ~500hp that'd be great! I don't think I need a new TC or VB but we'll see when it all comes out, cause I haven't touched it since I bought it like I said.

A good triple disk converter, billet input and a flex-plate is a minimum if your looking for 500HP. I would also add in the extra steels and clutches and get your line pressures adjusted after doing the shift kit. 

 

Sonnax makes a great valve that takes the place of the drilled hole, for park fluid circulation.

When you have it apart don't forge to measure your tolerances, and pick up a good ATSG manual. I have a friend who just got done rebuilding a 46re for his 1500 pick up and it took him 2 months to rebuild, after finding out which parts could be upgraded, what had to be replaced after ripping it apart.

Plus most re-builders upgrade some of the 47re parts and use the 48re's where they can for added stability.

For me, it wasn't worth the aggravation, and in hindsight I wish i just shipped my trans out at first, instead of rebuilding mine. But there's a write up or two out there.

Edited January 19, 20196 yr by pepsi71ocean

1 minute ago, pepsi71ocean said:

A good triple disk converter, billet input and a flex-plate is a minimum if your looking for 500HP.  When you have it apart don't forge to measure your tolerances, and pick up a good ATSG manual. I have a friend who just got done rebuilding a 46re for his 1500 pick up and it took him 2 months to rebuild, after finding out which parts could be upgraded, what had to be replaced after ripping it apart.

Best to drop it and start taking it apart.

 

Plus most re-builders upgrade the 47re parts and use the 48re's where they can for added stability.

For me, it wasn't worth the aggravation, and in hindsight I wish i just shipped my trans out at first, instead of rebuilding mine.

I think this rebuild I'mma just stay upgraded full 47re rebuild, with just 47 parts (unless 48 is cheaper, of so could someone please let me know?) and when I get a better job, put some big boy toys in there.... Still hurting from the $900 clutch I put in my dually back in October...

1 minute ago, TheGreatWhite said:

I think this rebuild I'mma just stay upgraded full 47re rebuild, with just 47 parts (unless 48 is cheaper, of so could someone please let me know?) and when I get a better job, put some big boy toys in there.... Still hurting from the $900 clutch I put in my dually back in October...

 

Its not that it is necessarily cheaper, but there are differences, such as the number of planetary gears in the O/D housing between the 47 and 48's. Most builders upgrade these just because. Different types of clutches and steels that are used to hold additional power. You don't want a set of clutches for racing application as they won't last, rather-wise daily driver and towing are different. There is more then one way to skin the cat for upgrades onto a transmission for extra holding power, but the last time I checked the profit margin on the rebuild on a built auto is about 1,000 or so, the rest go into parts. 

 

That aside, here's my main concern. I would question the current TC and the internals in the transmission. The guy said that it was slipping, and now has no forward gears, that tells me that the rear clutch is most likely burnt. If this is the case, then that material is all through the transmission, and no doubt inside your TC as well. If you reuse it, your going to be risking dumping materials into your new transmission, and then if there are metal fragments, you run a risk of getting stuck valves in your new valve body.

2 minutes ago, pepsi71ocean said:

 

Its not that it is necessarily cheaper, but there are differences, such as the number of planetary gears in the O/D housing between the 47 and 48's. Most builders upgrade these just because. Different types of clutches and steels that are used to hold additional power. You don't want a set of clutches for racing application as they won't last, rather-wise daily driver and towing are different. There is more then one way to skin the cat for upgrades onto a transmission for extra holding power, but the last time I checked the profit margin on the rebuild on a built auto is about 1,000 or so, the rest go into parts. 

 

That aside, here's my main concern. I would question the current TC and the internals in the transmission. The guy said that it was slipping, and now has no forward gears, that tells me that the rear clutch is most likely burnt. If this is the case, then that material is all through the transmission, and no doubt inside your TC as well. If you reuse it, your going to be risking dumping materials into your new transmission, and then if there are metal fragments, you run a risk of getting stuck valves in your new valve body.

I know it's possible to get a valve body cleaned, which is what I'll probably do because of the problem of no tow/haul supposedly, is it possible to get a TC cleaned? I know they can be repaired. Again idk the internals of it besides the billet parts. I'm still thinking that darn cooler is to blame for part of this.... It's not that old of a tranny.

 

As for the parts going in, this is where I'm stuck, because idk what to get since there's a million and one different parts you can mix and combine to get certain things. This is why I stick to manuals, just throw a new clutch in it if it's causing problems and call it a day.

2 minutes ago, TheGreatWhite said:

I know it's possible to get a valve body cleaned, which is what I'll probably do because of the problem of no tow/haul supposedly, is it possible to get a TC cleaned? I know they can be repaired. Again idk the internals of it besides the billet parts. I'm still thinking that darn cooler is to blame for part of this.... It's not that old of a tranny.

 

As for the parts going in, this is where I'm stuck, because idk what to get since there's a million and one different parts you can mix and combine to get certain things. This is why I stick to manuals, just throw a new clutch in it if it's causing problems and call it a day.

 

No tow/haul is just a way of locking out O/D. Which isn't necessary if you have a built auto.

As far as I know the only way to clean a TC out is to cut it open and clean it. Then it needs to be re-welded back together, and balanced. A Valve body will have to come apart into the 3 sections and cleaned manually. Just don't loose the balls or their location inside.  If you have access to a dunk tank and can get the inside clean do it as well when you go to do your rebuild.

What do you mean by the trans cooler? @TheGreatWhite I'm really curious as to what you are talking about.

Yes there's an endless supply of parts to shop for, thats where you'll loose me as I haven't much experience in that.

12 minutes ago, pepsi71ocean said:

 

No tow/haul is just a way of locking out O/D. Which isn't necessary if you have a built auto.

As far as I know the only way to clean a TC out is to cut it open and clean it. Then it needs to be re-welded back together, and balanced. A Valve body will have to come apart into the 3 sections and cleaned manually. Just don't loose the balls or their location inside.  If you have access to a dunk tank and can get the inside clean do it as well when you go to do your rebuild.

What do you mean by the trans cooler? @TheGreatWhite I'm really curious as to what you are talking about.

Yes there's an endless supply of parts to shop for, thats where you'll loose me as I haven't much experience in that.

With the tow/haul thing, so if I had a built auto I wouldn't need it? I'm kinda confused on that.

@TheGreatWhite I understand your feelings about rebuilding the 47RE as your probably like me and have dove head first into many complicated projects because it is only bolts, nuts, and snap rings to us.

 

However in this case each transmission builder that has built an impeccable reputation with their builds will not divulge their trade secrets. It's completely understandable since their trade secrets is what makes their builds what they are and teaching others their secrets will create unwanted competition.

 

I think your options are limited to taking the chance of building the transmission yourself with limited knowledge of proper modification for a successful 47RE build or keep the truck parked until you have cash to hire the professionals that have built hundreds or thousands of 47RE transmissions and offer warranty to build the transmission.

 

I've built many auto transmissions in stock form but when it comes time to build the 47RE in my 01 I plan to send it to @Dynamic since I've seen nothing but positive reviews for his builds. 

7 hours ago, TheGreatWhite said:

With the tow/haul thing, so if I had a built auto I wouldn't need it? I'm kinda confused on that.

 

Stock these O/D units were very weak, and there is no tow haul mode for the 47re series trucks, (Unlike the 48re series). In fact the 48re with the actuator's were a completely different animal with different tables for downshifting and such for load adjustment, unlike our 47re's. Even so the 48re series valve bodies were totally different. Even so custom valve bodies on 47re's are capable of lock up on all 4 forward gears.

Often times the 3rd and 4th weren't that stout, but the O/D off was required when towing, it even said so in the book. But that's because the clutches could barely hold the stock power.
 

45 minutes ago, 04Mach1 said:

@TheGreatWhite I understand your feelings about rebuilding the 47RE as your probably like me and have dove head first into many complicated projects because it is only bolts, nuts, and snap rings to us.

 

However in this case each transmission builder that has built an impeccable reputation with their builds will not divulge their trade secrets. It's completely understandable since their trade secrets is what makes their builds what they are and teaching others their secrets will create unwanted competition.

 

I think your options are limited to taking the chance of building the transmission yourself with limited knowledge of proper modification for a successful 47RE build or keep the truck parked until you have cash to hire the professionals that have built hundreds or thousands of 47RE transmissions and offer warranty to build the transmission.

 

I've built many auto transmissions in stock form but when it comes time to build the 47RE in my 01 I plan to send it to @Dynamic since I've seen nothing but positive reviews for his builds. 

Well..... I am a college student, I barely have the money to fix this truck, let alone pay the shipping to get it to him and pay him to fix it, and also can't pay the expensive shotty tranny shops around here either, so I'm left with myself. It would be optimal to do that, but I can't, and I need the truck come this summer as a backup truck for welding, so I'm kinda stuck with one option sadly..... 

 

5 minutes ago, pepsi71ocean said:

 

Stock these O/D units were very weak, and there is no tow haul mode for the 47re series trucks, (Unlike the 48re series). In fact the 48re with the actuator's were a completely different animal with different tables for downshifting and such for load adjustment, unlike our 47re's. Even so the 48re series valve bodies were totally different. Even so custom valve bodies on 47re's are capable of lock up on all 4 forward gears.

Often times the 3rd and 4th weren't that stout, but the O/D off was required when towing, it even said so in the book. But that's because the clutches could barely hold the stock power.
 

Oh so all it does is turn O/D off? Correct? If so thats interesting....

 

I still think the stock clutches are garbage because of the stock coolers. I've seen 2 bone stock trucks blow the tranny, and get completely rebuild WITH a bigger cooler, and both ran cooler and lasted way longer hauling horse trailers.... No matter what anyones says, theres no way that that cooler can hold up to 500ish hp, therefore I will probably be getting a dual Derale.

24 minutes ago, TheGreatWhite said:

Well..... I am a college student, I barely have the money to fix this truck, let alone pay the shipping to get it to him and pay him to fix it, and also can't pay the expensive shotty tranny shops around here either, so I'm left with myself. It would be optimal to do that, but I can't, and I need the truck come this summer as a backup truck for welding, so I'm kinda stuck with one option sadly..... 

 

 

 

 

I was once a broke college student too about 15 years ago and haven't forgotten what that's like. The point I was trying to get across is the chances of building a transmission that would be of any improvement of strength and longevity over what the truck left the factory with would probably be less likely with limited knowledge of modification that would benefit strength and longevity of the transmission.

 

If it were me I would rather pay $5,000 for an expert 47RE builder to build the transmission rather than me throw $600 or more parts and hard labor into it only to fail a year or so later. In the end I probably wouldn't have saved a nickel by building the transmission myself.The kit you posted above would be bare bones, there are likely many other parts worn too badly for reuse. So in the case I can't afford to pay for the expert build I would park the truck until I could afford the expert build and purchase a vehicle more within the financial means of a broke college student. Even if the truck is parked for 3 or 4 years the financial benefit would be far greater by going with an expert builder. 

 

 

Edited January 20, 20196 yr by 04Mach1
Spelling correction

23 minutes ago, 04Mach1 said:

I was once a broke college student too about 15 years ago and haven't forgotten what that's like. The point I was trying to get across is the chances of building a transmission that would be of any improvement of strength and longevity over what the truck left the factory with would probably be less likely with limited knowledge of modification that would benefit strength and longevity of the transmission.

 

If it were me I would rather pay $5,000 for an expert 47RE builder to build the transmission rather than me throw $600 or more parts and hard labor into it only to fail a year or so later. In the end I probably wouldn't have saved a nickel by building the transmission myself.The kit you posted above would be bare bones, there are likely many other parts worn too badly for reuse. So in the case I can't afford to pay for the expert build I would park the truck until I could afford the expert build and purchase a vehicle more within the financial means of a broke college student. Even if the truck is parked for 3 or 4 years the financial benefit would be far greater by going with an expert builder. 

 

 

Can't do that, need it for a backup in the summer as a welding rig and a rig hauler. Wish I could, but it needs to be done.

9 hours ago, TheGreatWhite said:

Can't do that, need it for a backup in the summer as a welding rig and a rig hauler. Wish I could, but it needs to be done.

 

Then you need to line pressure testing to see if your even getting pressures out of the valve body. If you are then you can pinpoint where your issue is. Yes I haven't finished that article, but I'm close.

The best I can say is to hope that your issue can be patched and your up and running long enough to get a few jobs down to make enough money to get it built the right way down the road.

@TheGreatWhite and @Mopar1973Man Here is the latest article I have submitted. I know it will help you out @TheGreatWhite since your going to be doing this on your own.

 

I'm unsure if it will show up, since it says it needs to be approved first?

 

 

Edited January 20, 20196 yr by pepsi71ocean

Should be up and running.