I want to start by saying I’m not auto mechanic per se, but I am a certified aircraft mechanic and inspector and have been for over 20 years. So, with that and my farm experience and working on a lot of my own vehicles, I have thousands of hours wrenching.

I was moving our personal effects from Minnesota to New Mexico with a 2007 Dodge 3500 DRW 4x4 with a 5.9l Cummins pulling a 26’ enclosed trailer. On my Second trip I heard a loud bang thought I had lost a drive shaft. I pulled over and looked underneath and nothing was wrong no fluid dripping anywhere so I attempted to continue on. I was able to go forward but I had no reverse. The 48RE tranny would only shift up to 3rd, but no fourth. I made it to a truck stop and called roadside service. While waiting I found BG&S transmission in Grand Island, Nebraska. My vehicle was then towed there.

3-11-20: While there I received excellent service and they installed a Road Ripper 3000 from Certified Transmissions Omaha, NE. This transmission was recommended by BG&S because I was pulling trailers in the 10K# range.

From there I drove on to New Mexico which was another 750 miles. During that time, I noticed I had transmission fluid on the oil pan. I called BG&S and took a photo. I said I would be able to stop on the next trip which would be about 2400 miles from the installation time. At that time, they looked at it check for codes, which I was told there were none. I was also told there was a leak in the rear seal. I asked if I could keep using it as I needed to complete our move before my work started, and that it was just a minor leak. BG&S said that once I was settled down somewhere and I could have it looked at that they (Certified) would probably just replace the transmission.

I completed five trips to New Mexico which was less than 12,000 miles from time of install. I brought it to a mechanic in Fergus Falls, Minnesota which I have used for our vehicles work. A competent shop. He found a couple leaks and communicated those to BG&S. BG&S then contacted me and I was told that the Fergus Falls mechanic was not cooperating with them. They wanted him to run dye in it and check for leaks that way. By this time I needed to get back to New Mexico for work. So I removed the pickup from his shop. They did replace my water pump at this time.

6-8-20: When moved and in New Mexico I brought it to a transmission shop in Roswell. They had similar findings as the Fergus Falls mechanic, leaks at flange/ gasket areas. The Roswell shop noticed silicone behind the bolt heads of the overdrive housing forward mounting flange and communicated that as well to BG&S. The Roswell shop told BG&S the overdrive housing was cracked. It has not been removed and verified at this point. BG&S told me that Certified told them that it would void the warranty (36 month/ 100,00 miles) if there’s a crack in the overdrive housing. (At a later date find out the warranty is in BG&S’s name and not mine) While there I observed silicone behind every mounting bolt, and took photos. I have photos from the Fergus shop showing the silicone present at that time and that no bolts had been removed. I communicated with an AAMCO transmission mechanic and he said there would be no reason for silicone behind those bolt heads because there’s a fiber gasket in there. I agree. They (Roswell) also found that the transmission oil pan was leaking. Prior to this I’ve videoed tranny oil leaking out of the front of the transmission through the flywheel/ torque converter cover. Sent the video to BG&S may 27, 2020. The Roswell shop said that it was likely from an overfilled transmission. And I have documentation of that. I had 10K on it before it ever happened and I photographed the puddle and videoed it leaking at idle. So, did BG&S overfill my tranny?

BG&S said that the Roswell shop was cooperating with them although they didn’t do dye either. I find that interesting. One shop is cooperating by NOT using dye, but another is not.

BG&S insinuated that someone else had worked on the transmission and put those bolts in with the silicone behind the heads after I took possession. This is NOT true. I told them that was not the case because I had been driving the pick up a lot and nobody touched it or seen it but myself. I told BG&S that the transmission had to have come that way from Certified. Once again, I have photo evidence it was on there before the Fergus shop looked at it.

BG&S also said that Certified would put another transmission in there for $2000+ but I had to pay the Roswell shop to install it and for the shipping of the transmission. I will not give either Certified nor BG&S anymore of my money if this is the way I’m going to be treated. BG&S told me that Certified said line one on the transmission warranty says any cracks voids the warranty. Line one of the warranty says nothing of the sort. But it is found further down the document.

It is my conclusion the housing was cracked when I got it. As an experienced mechanic I contend that either Certified knew there was a cracked overdrive housing and installed those flange bolts with silicone behind the heads or BG&S swapped out the overdrive housing assembly while at their shop. Fact is overdrive housings are hard to come by. I aIso understand by talking to the Roswell shop MOPAR does not sell them anymore.

In my opinion this smells highly of fraud and manipulation.

On another note, the transmission shifts extremely hard from 3rd to 4th and I was told by a BG&S that that will go away over time because the tranny learns your driving habits, I guess. Has not happened in 15,600 miles. Update 1-1-2023: has not happened in 54,000 miles.



4-20-22: I personally removed the transmission to replace the rear engine seal as it began to leak. Before I did, I pulled the bolt out of the questionable leak area. Transmission fluid ran out like I pulled the drain plug. I then replace using an aviation fuel tank sealant, but it still leaked in that area. According to the AAMCO mechanic, that should not happen. So, I’m guessing the cast inside where the threads are has been breached. Thus, the reason for the silicone behind the bolt heads.

 

On just about every trans reman company I have dealt with, if you have the trans installed by a shop, then they cover the labor of the install as well. I suspect the shop in Nebraska was trying to pull a fast one on ya there...

Also, how can they void your warranty due to a crack?? Seems to me, that if the case cracks, and the trans pukes, they should cover that..... as their trans is supposedly built to deal with what you are doing with it. Now, if you were using it in mod bogs, I could see there point... But, you aren't, so, I don't.

I think the trans you got was either a crappy rebuild be the company that did it, or, a VERY shady deal by the folks that installed it....

Most of their reviews seem pretty good, but, this one caught my eye.....

Wonder if you got the transmission you actually paid for......

 

Hard to find people who are educated enough and will spend the time it takes to properly diagnose and solve problems. Majority of shops are parts cannon mentality; that only works sometimes and is usually the most expensive route.

Check out this engine repair video I saw the other day, wow...

I avoid driving far from home with my old vehicles anymore, just not worth the risk of getting put in the bent over position...

 

this past October I took our 1994 LeSabre from NM to IA to MN to MT and back to NM. the only issue I had was the turn signal relay went out!

 

Im guessing I bent over and didn't realize the outcome.

I believe they were aware of the issue, thus they added the language to the warranty.

"vengeance is mine sayeth the Lord"

 

Unfortunately statistics will win in the end, you just have to flip the coin a few more times. :-) But the 3800 is a strong engine, I enjoyed "fixing" the supercharger on the hipo ones with a $25 bushing....

 

Its all about proximity, you don't live there so these is little risk for them that you cause issues. Its like getting a speeding ticket while on vacation, who is going to drive back to attend a court session?