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86 K5 - Suggestions on replacement parts?

So, I have a question about my tranny. How much should it cost to have a 700r4 rebuilt? What should be included in the process?

I would like to have it rebuilt because I think it would help everything. Plus the security of knowing that its solid would be nice.

I was pulling an empty utility trailer up a hill the other day on a highway. Off the beaten path but still speeds of 50mph. I start up this hill and the blazer starts slowing down obviously... but I give it more gas and keep pushing the pedal down and nothing really gets any faster.... I think the transmission changed gears but sounds like it was screaming for war.... but never made any progress...

At that point I was about to the top of the hill, mostly carried by momentum so I turned around in a farm entrance and headed back home...

Discussion on the problems please... and what you suggest I look in to.
 
I know about 14 years ago my dad paid a well known and respected shop in Grand Rapids, MI $1500 to rebuild ours and they did a hell of a job. I owned it for 5 years after that and it never gave me a lick of trouble. Firm shifts and great performance.

I figure plan on at least that now if they do all the work of removal and install. That wouldn't be for a performance rebuild likely, just a good solid rebuild.

Piece of advice I was given was to find your local police/sheriff's vehicle people and ask them who does their transmission work. Police put a TON of miles on their cars and do stuff often not considered good for automatic transmissions...sitting in park idling for long periods of times, fast speeds, hard acceleration, etc. They ought to know a good place to rebuild transmissions...
 
I've talked to a guy here in Lexington that advertises tranny work... Says he a 25+ year vet with ASE certification... Here's what he said:

"700r4 built with upgrade/correction kits is $700. The converter is $150 with warranty."

I asked about parts and where he got them...

"Clutch/seal kit is $122
Reaction Shell kit $58
4l65-E Master Pump kit $78
High Friction kit for 3rd-4th $50
Trans-go shift kit $40
Rest of the money is for labor"

He gets parts from his "distributor." : "We use Ray-bestos and consolidated or sun coast converters. The shift kit are sonnax and trans-go"

That work is for a "me take it to him and he fixes it and brings it back to me" price.

I have no clue on any of this so... comment. :D
 
Piece of advice I was given was to find your local police/sheriff's vehicle people and ask them who does their transmission work. Police put a TON of miles on their cars and do stuff often not considered good for automatic transmissions...sitting in park idling for long periods of times, fast speeds, hard acceleration, etc. They ought to know a good place to rebuild transmissions...


Yup its true, my buddy is a mechanic in Fremont, and he just replaced the cam in one of the 2 year old dodge charger police cars:eek1:. Those SOB's lol. Luckily my buddy said he would build my tranny for me for next to nothing after parts:thumb:
 
That sounds like a good list and if he isn't charging you labor then you're head and shoulders above a lot of other folks. Might ask the guys on here a specific question about the trans and upgrading one. What all goes into building a bullet proof 700R4 I dunno exactly but the stuff listed does stick in my mind.

I would say throw on a deep trans pan with a drain plug and consider a tranny temp gauge and possibly a cooler. I'm doing the deep pan on mine.

Might talk to you about this guy at some point.

I've talked to a guy here in Lexington that advertises tranny work... Says he a 25+ year vet with ASE certification... Here's what he said:

"700r4 built with upgrade/correction kits is $700. The converter is $150 with warranty."

I asked about parts and where he got them...

"Clutch/seal kit is $122
Reaction Shell kit $58
4l65-E Master Pump kit $78
High Friction kit for 3rd-4th $50
Trans-go shift kit $40
Rest of the money is for labor"

He gets parts from his "distributor." : "We use Ray-bestos and consolidated or sun coast converters. The shift kit are sonnax and trans-go"

That work is for a "me take it to him and he fixes it and brings it back to me" price.

I have no clue on any of this so... comment. :D
 
Yea, I think it breaks down to about $350 for parts and $350 for labor if he didn't leave any parts out... I can get a torque converter somewhere else I think so I'd just have the trans done. I've never taken one out though so that could be fun. Just grab my rommate and tell him I need help one weekend and I think I could get it done.

There is a guy back home that rebuilds transfer cases all the time... so I think I'll let him do the t-case. Then I guess it's just small upgades on everything else in the drivetrain... I've still got the new brakes and rotors to put on... haven't done that.
 
Whenever I move I will be... I don't really have anywhere to put it right now... When I get the garage... oh yea... tear down and repair time... lol.

I've got another friend back home that deals a lot with used cars and fixes them up... gonna see if he has anyone that is recommendable for tranny rebuilds.
 
For that earlier price he'd have to have somebody good.
 
Takin the tranny out should be no big deal, I like taking the t case off first, makes the tranny more balanced and less heavy, just take the bolts off the bell housing to the motor, take the 3 bolts from the flexplate to the torque converter, I use a few ratchet straps to hold the tranny after the cross member is taken off and get my jack positioned in a good spot to balance it, get one guy workin the jack and the other balancing the tranny, then lower it all down. Should be 6 bolts holding the bell housing on btw, What helps alot is a universal joint socket to get the top 2 loose, otherwise they are a freaking pain. Oh and some long extensions:thumb:
 
Make sure you support the engine under the oil pan when removing the trans, and at all times after the crossmember is removed. You can either do that, or risk having to replace a distributor cap when it hits the firewall.
 
Another good tip.. Thank you. If you didn't look on the previous page, I'm thinking about rebuilding the trans which is what brough up the discussion on how to take it out... I'm looking for tips on the rebuild too
 
I don't think truck cab carpet is long enough to cover to the ledge in the back, it won't actually extend far beyond the seat mounts for the front seats. You could just get the front carpet for a blazer though, no need to put the rear sections in.
 
I just saw a sale on truck carpet... that was the reason for questioning. For some reason I didn't think about just getting front carpet made for the blazer... duh. lol
 
The front carpet for the K5 only goes to the front of the rear seat "step up" in the floor.
 
Yes, that is the piece he is talking about. A pickup carpet though wouldn't go nearly as far.

To be honest I don't see any issue with it, other than holding down the rear part of the carpet at the ledge. You will still need to use that metal trim piece on the front of the ledge to hold the carpet down, but it shouldn't be an issue with the remainder being bed liner of some sort.
 

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