I was about 60 miles from home when suddenly my truck wouldn't shift out of first/second. It was accompanied by a very high pitch whine. My speed sensor had just gone out two weeks ago and I replaced it. It was all gunked up.

At any rate, I luckily limped the truck to a transmission shop and they did a quick test drive on it and said I needed a new transmission. It wasn't shifting into reverse very well and they said there is a mechanical problem and it would need to be torn down and rebuilt. The truck is a '99 5.2 club cab with 4wd and ~125k miles.

The prices I got were estimated $1600 to rebuild my transmission with a 2-year unlimited mile warranty or $1900 to install a completely rebuilt transmission with a 3-year warranty with a 75k mile limit.

I am leaning towards the $1600 price tag, but just want to make sure that isn't out of line.

Off topic, but just a thanks for the wealth of knowledge. I fixed my plenum gasket with the help of this forum and the speed sensor.

 

around $1500 is sort of normal for a rebuild, although it can escalate to 2000-2500-3000 for excessive failure or performance parts or price runup.

transmissions are the biggest sob story on this forum...
the cost is high, sometimes as much as the truck is worth, and there are some really good transmission shops and there are some terrible shops that screw you over. unless you or your neighbor or somebody has a good bit of experience with a shop, you just don't know how they're going to act if you have a problem. some stand behind their work, other's say they have a warranty, but then give you nothing but crap when you have a problem down the line.

i don't know what to tell you.
ask specific questions about what they plan to replace. (parts list).
ask for references.
stand around the shop and observe other customers coming and going - are they satisfied or are they pissed off. if you see pissed off customers - leave ! or you'll be next.
ask for the terms of the warranty. what does it cover. what does it exclude. it should guarantee "free of defects in parts or workmanship for xxx miles or xxx months". you want no exclusions.

if the shop doesn't plan on replacing torque converter - i'd leave.
if they don't mention replacing or flushing the cooler - leave.

 

Those prices sound about right. Is this a reputable shop? Warranties don't mean crap. The shops always cover everything EXCEPT what broke on the truck. While you have the tranny out, it might be a good idea to have the freeze plugs changed before the start leaking.

 

The shop was referred to me by a ford/gmc dealer that I managed to limp to. I will have to ask about the warranties, so thanks for that (I am much too trusting of a person when it comes to stuff like that).

I am not too sure if they'd be able to tell me what exactly needs replaced without pulling the transmission and at this point they allowed me to leave it on their lot until I decided what to do with it.

What are the freeze plugs? I hope they aren't link the flux capacitor...

 

thats a good price, the rebuild done to my tranny was near 2300

 

I think thats a good price and sounds good being that a dealership uses them as well....
The not shifting out of first and second(limp home mode) is usually just the governor pressure soleniod and sensor . I had the same issue with mine but If your having reverse issues too theres more involved..

 

If you are in the central Florida area, I have a great tranny guy that worked on dodge trannys for 13 years. Charged me 1100 for a rebuild including the converter.

 

oh yeah freeze plug replacement is a good idea....mine was leaking myself between the engine and tranny...used stop leak as a temporary fix till the tranny goes which probably wont be long...
they are plugs that are designed to push out and relieve the pressure rather than the block cracking if it ever froze..

 

Central Indiana here. Just down from MN this summer. Are the governor pressure soleniod and sensor standard parts to replace on a rebuild? I'd hate to get it back and find out there are still issues with it.

 

Those were included in my rebuild.