Rusty Wrench

Junior Member
Joined
Jul 3, 2020
Posts
5
Reaction score
2
You read the title right....my wife's 08 had a reman tranny put in recently and now the tranny sounds like a fully spooled up turbo in the first three gears.....is this normal for 5r55 autos? The old trans never made these sounds....did they give me a defective trans?
 

rocky61201

forum member
Joined
Mar 25, 2009
Posts
1,170
Reaction score
764
Location
SoCal
If what you're saying is true then do you really need me to tell you they gave you a bad one? FWIW it ain't hard to screw up bearing clearances when putting any transmission back together. Give that shop a break, explain the situation to them and ask them to make it right. If they don't, take your future business elsewhere and tell your friends too.
 

Gabe

Whippled Coyote
Joined
Aug 7, 2011
Posts
8,440
Reaction score
1,531
Location
NC
If it's whining, it's not put together right
 

Rusty Wrench

Junior Member
Joined
Jul 3, 2020
Posts
5
Reaction score
2
The problem is I bought this trans from street smart transmissions which remanufactures automatics. I had a local mechanic install the thing but they say it is fine just get used to the whine because it works perfectly fine otherwise.
 

Pentalab

forum member
Joined
Mar 5, 2013
Posts
5,211
Reaction score
1,093
The problem is I bought this trans from street smart transmissions which remanufactures automatics. I had a local mechanic install the thing but they say it is fine just get used to the whine because it works perfectly fine otherwise.

BS..... it ain't gonna last long. Is the ATF level correct ?
 

rocky61201

forum member
Joined
Mar 25, 2009
Posts
1,170
Reaction score
764
Location
SoCal
The problem is I bought this trans from street smart transmissions which remanufactures automatics. I had a local mechanic install the thing but they say it is fine just get used to the whine because it works perfectly fine otherwise.

This ain't no Toyota Corolla. You are at least putting down some serious power. It WILL NOT last. You might get 6 months to a year at the most depending on mileage and weather. Run it just a little bit low on fluid and run it really hard continuously on a hot day and you are gonna cook it. Then it won't be worth rebuilding again. I have a 3650, not an automatic, but the principles are still the same. I rebuild them myself. My 1st attempt was just a couple thousands too loose. Always a bit noisy but it lasted. I gave me a solid B on that rebuild. My 2nd attempt was just a couple thousands too tight. I said, nawwww it will loosen up after a few hundred miles, just gotta break her in!!! That thing sounded just like yours does after a couple months. Couple weeks later it was done for. Give me an F. Lesson learned the hard way. Now I am an expert and do A+ work.

Seriously, fuck those guys. They know what they're doing and playing you for a fool.
 

Pentalab

forum member
Joined
Mar 5, 2013
Posts
5,211
Reaction score
1,093
I have a small M90 blower, 62mmTB, LT's, and a 94 octane tune on my 2010 auto. (386 rwhp / 370 rwtq).
Tranny temps would go from 170F to 200 F... in a mere 6-8 secs on the hwy with gas mashed and blower on. (5.8 psi boost).

Had to install a catch can for the 5r55... + a 2nd auto tranny cooler ( B+M, in series with oem)...+ a deeper pan, ( performance automatic) that holds an extra 4 qts of ATF, and also has a locking style dipstick, next to battery. Complete flush of oem ATF, then in goes 12-13 qts of RP max atf ( 100% synthetic). Without the catch can, the 5r55 will puke atf all over the ground. With no dipstick, you have no clue how much atf u have in there.

Ok, now with gas mashed, temps rise from 170 F..to a max of 172 F.

If you have gear whine, 6-12 months...18 tops..and it's seriously done.
 

WJBertrand

forum member
Joined
Dec 11, 2013
Posts
737
Reaction score
184
Whining is a sign that gear lash setting somewhere in the tranny is incorrect. Does it whine only when on or off the gas and then go silent in the opposite condition?
 

Rusty Wrench

Junior Member
Joined
Jul 3, 2020
Posts
5
Reaction score
2
Just when on the gas.... slightly noisy at idle in park...whine is directly related to rpm and and the gas pedal.....more power taking off equals higher whine....and more rpm same thing. Once in 4th and 5th gear... whine not noticeable. Also the trans acts like it it has a high stall converter....car barely moves until you hit 2700 rpm. Only recourse now is to see if street smart will replace the transmission completely.
 

Pentalab

forum member
Joined
Mar 5, 2013
Posts
5,211
Reaction score
1,093
Just when on the gas.... slightly noisy at idle in park...whine is directly related to rpm and and the gas pedal.....more power taking off equals higher whine....and more rpm same thing. Once in 4th and 5th gear... whine not noticeable. Also the trans acts like it it has a high stall converter....car barely moves until you hit 2700 rpm. Only recourse now is to see if street smart will replace the transmission completely.
Oem stall converter is 1500 rpm. You need the entire tranny replaced..or rebuilt.
 

RED09GT

Equal Opportunity Offender
S197 Team Member
Joined
Jul 17, 2009
Posts
2,630
Reaction score
488
Location
Kelowna, B.C. Canada
I wonder if they damaged the front pump on install.
If it has a warranty and they still won't do anything, go out and do a bunch of 5th to 3rd WOT downshifts. That turns the 5R transmissions into a bucket of bolts faster than anything.
 

07 Boss

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 25, 2009
Posts
3,831
Reaction score
968
Location
Sin City
These trannies are pretty weak to begin with let alone a re-manufactured one. I would either go with a new or built one. Trust me I'm on my third. The last one I had a local shop do the work so I could verify the build process and parts quality. She's been a champ ever since and I abuse her like a red headed step child.
 

MrBhp

Senior Member
Joined
Sep 12, 2013
Posts
1,250
Reaction score
1,032
I wonder if they damaged the front pump on install.
If it has a warranty and they still won't do anything, go out and do a bunch of 5th to 3rd WOT downshifts. That turns the 5R transmissions into a bucket of bolts faster than anything.
The guys that installed it are not going to warranty it. They didn't furnish the transmission. So he's going to need to pay them again to take it out and install another one. At least that's what I tell my customers. If they furnish the parts, I only warranty the quality of my labor. If their parts fail, I have no obligation for parts or labor. He's got to have it pulled, shipped to builder where he bought it, have them dick around and say it was the mechanic, mechanic says nope, you didn't buy it from me. SOL. If I was the mechanic I would act on the part of the customer and try to get it sorted out. The builder might reimburse for labor.
 

RED09GT

Equal Opportunity Offender
S197 Team Member
Joined
Jul 17, 2009
Posts
2,630
Reaction score
488
Location
Kelowna, B.C. Canada
The guys that installed it are not going to warranty it. They didn't furnish the transmission. So he's going to need to pay them again to take it out and install another one. At least that's what I tell my customers. If they furnish the parts, I only warranty the quality of my labor. If their parts fail, I have no obligation for parts or labor. He's got to have it pulled, shipped to builder where he bought it, have them dick around and say it was the mechanic, mechanic says nope, you didn't buy it from me. SOL. If I was the mechanic I would act on the part of the customer and try to get it sorted out. The builder might reimburse for labor.

I was never expecting the shop to cover the warranty...
But it is bullshit to say that a loud whine is perfectly normal and not assist the customer on this.
Perhaps he is best to run away from that shop and take it somewhere else so that if there was an issue with the install, they won't try and cover it up.
 

Gabe

Whippled Coyote
Joined
Aug 7, 2011
Posts
8,440
Reaction score
1,531
Location
NC
Delayed engagement usually means it's slipping. Add that to the whining and that thing doesn't have long to live
 

Rick Simons

Member
Joined
Sep 27, 2019
Posts
250
Reaction score
61
Sounds like either the front pump or a planetary set.
I bought a trans from street smart a few years back for my minivan, no problems. However, I did reject the first one they sent; it was on a plastic pallet and was allowed to slide around inside of the truck. At one point in its journey it stopped so hard the strap holding the TQ in place bent, allowing the TQ to come part way off of the pump shaft. The second unit was tied down.
If I'm not mistaken you have full warranty since you had a shop install it. I would contact street smart about it.
 

Rusty Wrench

Junior Member
Joined
Jul 3, 2020
Posts
5
Reaction score
2
Got 3 year warranty....but these idiots, like every other greedy company, will try their best to not have it replaced.....I know it's a bad tranny...but I need to know what to say to these buffoons in order to get another replacement tranny. Before they try to give me the run-around....I would like to to be one step ahead... I'm thinking a noisy trans won't be enough..
.. but I'm not gonna risk the pristine engine and drivetrain by trying to hurry up and kill the trans altogether.
 

Rusty Wrench

Junior Member
Joined
Jul 3, 2020
Posts
5
Reaction score
2
I didn't take it back to the installer...I took it to a transmission shop... they basically said it's normal for a rebuilt trans that was originally abused or high mileage to whine.... shouldn't have been rebuilt in the first place. But u probably will have to live with it because these reman companies only care if the car makes it down the road.
 

Latest posts

Support us!

Support Us - Become A Supporting Member Today!

Click Here For Details

Sponsor Links

Banner image
Back
Top