I am forwarding this to the list for comments: Joe
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Subject: Re: Re[2]: 1998 Dakota / 318 / auto / 2wd (posi)
Author: Ken Bachellerie <celery@thegrid.net> at internet
Date: 2/19/98 6:02 PM
At 10:52 AM 2/19/98 -0500, you wrote:
>
>
> Ken, thanks for your response. I forwarded it to the Dakota mailing
> list. I was told that my transmission is basically a 727 with
overdrive.
> Could you be more specific as to what is considered weak in these
> transmissions and if anything can be done about it. Many people are
> using these transmissions for drag use and no-one has reported
> problems.
> In your opinion, does wide open throttle operation from a dead
stop to
> 90 mph, damage this transmission?
> Thanks in advance, Joe Borg
We rebuild approximately 3-5 518 transmissions a week, in Dodge
trucks('95-'98, mostly) with 40,000-60,000 miles. I have never seen one
go more than 80,000 miles, although I am sure that some do. The torque
converter is the main culprit, and there is nothing that can be done about
it. Secondly, the torrington bearings, sungear, and planet, in the
overdrive, are weak, and usually the hardfacing begins to flake off of
these components, at, or around 60,000 miles, if the converter does not
fail first. Also, unlike a 727 transmission, Chrysler did away with the
input shaft-outputshaft bushing support, probably to cut down on production
cost, which makes the front of the unit considerably weaker than a 727
transmission.
I work on "stock" vehicles, so I cannot tell you how they hold up under
drag racing conditions, but, since lockup does not come on, during full
throttle settings, it should not be hard on the transmission.
Ken Bachellerie
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