I have a 2000 Dakota QC, 4.7L 4x2 with the NV3500 5-speed manual, 96k miles.

My question is: does anyone have an opinion/information about rebuilt transmissions from Allstate Gear, ManTrans or Coleman Taylor? Jasper is asking $2,400 plus core, Allstate wants about $900 for what appears to be the same product, but with a 1 year warranty rather than 3 years. ManTrans and Coleman Taylor don't show their prices online, and the warranties vary.

The long version/background info:

For several years, the tranny has been making a rattling noise in every gear except 4th. The noise is directly proportional to engine speed, gets louder with higher engine torque (like before you downshift going up a hill), and is loudest in 5th. I don't remember when it started, but I'm pretty sure it didn't sound like that when new... I suspect it's related to when I towed a heavy U-Haul trailer at high speed in 5th gear some years back. Live and learn.

Several people have told me that it's most likely a bad countershaft bearing. The noise hasn't been getting worse over time, so I just figured I'd try to live with it and only use the truck for tooling around town.

About 5 months ago I had the tranny oil changed, and there was no change in the noise.

I took a trip for Thanksgiving, and while we were on the road the noise changed. Remember those automatic trannys from the 60s, especially in Dodges, as you would accelerate you'd hear kind of a melodic whine from the torque converter? Similar to a turbo spooling up except lower pitch. Well, now my tranny is making that sort of noise in 1, 2 and 3. 4th is still silent, and in 5th/R the rattle has been about halfway replaced with the whine. I checked the fluid (which was full) and decided to try to make it home. Outside of the noise being different, there were no changes in performance, no hard shifting, etc.

At this point, my friends are telling me that the tranny is FUBAR and could blow apart at any minute (although they may just be saying that to get me to shut up about my car problems ). I know that there's something not right with it, but if I can expect it to last a few more years I'm inclined not to mess with it. On the other hand, I prefer not to fix something that isn't broken (especially if it costs 3 large just for parts). I do intend to keep the truck for at least 3 more years, though. (If/when I replace the tranny, I'm going to replace the clutch at the same time.)

Any thoughts/info/advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

My truck always makes that whine... and it's only got 8,234 miles on it. However, it is from the differential in the rear. This truck has never been driven hard... maybe just a few times burning out... but it was always there. By the way it's a 2000 Dakota 4x2 4.7l V8, 5MT Reg cab with the 3.92 rear end... Transmission's gating is fine, no rattles, the clutch is still new from the feel, and it runs perfect. I even had a F-150 that I put 120k (5MT, 4x2, V6) on it and it had the whine my Dakota has from day 1. So I am quite used to it by now.

 

I had some noise from the rear end, soon after it was new (I have the 3.92 LSD as well). Sounded like a low moaning sound when going around a curve and applying power. The shop put some friction modifier in the rear end, and that fixed it.

For two reasons, I know this noise is the tranny and not the rear end: 1) the noise does not occur in 4th gear, and 2) the noise is related to engine speed, not vehicle speed. Still shifts fine, though.

Anyway, after all that blathering, I'm still trying to figure out the best source for a new transmission. I don't want to pay over $2k if a reasonble one is half that price, but I also don't want to make a habit of tranny change-outs.