Quote:

Originally Posted by Scottina11heat

no idea about those ford problems...but this is a proven tranny and design. So there will be none of those problems with the ZF for the V6. The V6's I have driven are absolutely stunning to drive. The V6 mated with the ZF is awesome and just as fast as the hemi with the 5/6 speed....FYI.

You seem to be under the impression there is one ZF 8-speed transmission that has been used in all Chryslers and all other brands that have come before it, giving it a long, proven track record.

In actuality, Chrysler’s version of the ZF design appears to be different in many respects, particularly the low-torque, Chrysler-built 845RE version that first appeared in the 2014 Grand Cherokee (where the latest problems are being reported).

Some changes were made simply to make it easier for Chrysler to mass produce it in higher quantities than ZF needed to for BMW, Audi, etc. Also the robotics and other aspects of Chrysler's Kokomo factory are different, requiring other changes.

Apparently many internal parts are not the same between the ZF and Chrysler versions.

Read all the tech tidbits at http://www.allpar.com/mopar/transmissions/ZF8.html

 

Get the V-8 Please, You will not go wrong.
Owner of 2011 Durango R/T Hemi

 

Agreed The V8 is the best way to go, this is a heavy rig!

 

I know exactly ALL the changes and each model used in ChryCo applications. I have also personally driven many models with the 8 speed.. I never said they were exactly the same down to every part. As said in your link(which by the way is NOT always factual) more friction plates and oil pan. Its still basically the same tranny as used for years in other brands. also...not all 845's are built in kokomo. The problem is getting the programming correct....especially for some of the finiky buyers coming from bmw, merc, audi etc.

 

Quintessential internet forum statement alert. Unless one of us is a Chrysler or ZF engineer I doubt either one of us knows exactly all the changes.

You forgot the following sentence: "oh2o wrote that many internal parts do not interchange between the 845RE and 8HP45." Oh20 being their "long time reliable source" whatever that means.

I don't disagree with that. Could very well be the programming which is probably the cause of half of Ford's DCT woes.



A similar case is the new Pathfinder's CVT. Tons of complaints to the NHSTA. But I haven't heard of that CVT being completely new to them, so presumably it's basically the same as the Maxima's and Murano's. So why all of a sudden all the problems with the Pathfinder's application? Gotta be the programming.


Hopefully in the GC / Durango and Pathfinder cases they remain motivated to follow through with perfect programming. But that's not a 100% guarantee.

 

ok...whatever...you win. The changes are published. can i name them off the top of my head? No. Do I care? No. Just think the thread is silly since there is a VERY small percentage of 14's V6 owners even complaining. I have driventhe V6 in the wk2 and it is world class. Milesahead of the merc tranny in the 11-13. Night and DAY.

 

One of my friends has a 07 JGC with a Hemi and a 5 speed and a 2014 Hemi with the 8 speed and he states that the 14 is more refined(more stable handling)...But the 07 is faster and more responsive according to him.
Granted it's lighter by a few hundred pounds
Other than the SRT, they are programming these for soccer Moms, not performance.
I would rather have a firm shifting beast.

 

you need to drive a 14'.....no comparison

 

What is the percentage?

Thanks but I'll trust the word of Consumer Reports and the folks who've actually owned these things for a few thousand miles over a dude who's test driven one or two.

CR: "The new transmission is generally smooth, but tends to upshift early to save fuel, which adds to response time and can be annoying around town. Turning off the default Eco mode helps a lot, but you'll have to do that each time you start the car. Ours tended to shift in and out of top gear frequently to maintain a steady 65 mph, hurting fuel economy there. The electronic shifter is somewhat quirky and may take some getting used to. Finding reverse on the first try can be challenging. Zero-to-60 mph acceleration is improved by a full second, but overall fuel economy remains 18 mpg. We did measure a slight boost in city mileage."

Full disclosure; that's my only complaint with the '13s 5-speed. It upshifts too early even when slightly accelerating. But welcome to CAFE standards.

One guy on the jeep forums said the response to pedal input was so unexpectedly slow he literally got in an accident.

Hey I'm not claiming the new tranny is junk when paired with the 8-speed. I'm just saying what I'm seeing on the Jeep owner's forum and the impartial reviews is that it might not be the night-and-day you're claiming (based on a couple short drives?) and there are clearly first year teething problems. Those that can't wait to go plunk down thousands more than the '13 to get the first 8-speed Durango off the line might want to consider that. That's all.

 

You guys are scarey when you go into tech mode. :-)
The V6 in my 2012 Crew seems more than adequate for general purpose transportation, and perfectly adequate when I hammer it on the on-ramp and other places. My only beef is that it is occasionally too slow in downshifting below 20 mph or so. But I suspect that is just me; I find myself wanting to reach for the gear stick and pull it into 2nd like the old 4-speeds. Alas, Mother Mopar does my shifting these days and I simply have to get used to it. All my love to mother. :-)