Cali4nia Monte Posted March 27, 2007 Share Posted March 27, 2007 For those of you who have been following our transmission hassles over the last several weeks you are just going to laugh when I tell you that the transmission shop called us today to tell us that the B & M TH400 transmission we got to compensate for the 2 defective B & M TH350's, has a problem with reverse. The shop we took it to have it installed said that they think its the pump or something. I just started laughing...I was like you have to be flippin kidding me. Unfortunately they were not. So for those of you just tuning in this how its been: Tranny #1 B&M TH350 was DOA right out of the box...we installed and it would not shift into second gear. B & M gave us a another one. Tranny #2 B&M TH350 again we installed worked for a week before the second gear sprag went...with B&M blaming our 377HP car, too much HP? Tranny #3 B&M TH400....the speedshop we bought it from upgraded us to the TH400 so there could be no questions as to our car having too much HP....only this time we paid $500 to have a shop cut our driveline and install the new transmission, so there could be no question as to it being something we did during installation. Its DOA....First and Reverse are not right. I wonder what B & M is going to blame this time for their tranny not working? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heckeng Posted March 27, 2007 Share Posted March 27, 2007 un-friggen believable! I say tell 'em you're done with B&M. Get your money back and check into ATI Transmissions which are not much more than B&Ms or find a local shop that can build you one that will stay together. I'm just going on ATI's reputation, I have not used one of their transmissions. I do have one of their converters and it seemed very quality when I installed it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cali4nia Monte Posted March 27, 2007 Author Share Posted March 27, 2007 Completely insane isn't it! The speed shop said they just want to give us our money back for the transmission and be done with it! But what I want to know is who is going to pay the rest of our costs, we've spent over $100 on B & M's stupid trick shift fluid...they insist is the stuff, Mike installed the first two tranmissions so all that cost us was pain and agony, but now with this third transmission we paid $300 to have the driveline cut down and another $200 for them to remove tranny #2 and install tranny #3, because Mike was sick and tired of laying on the ground fighting them under the car and we didn't want there to be any questions as to it being something we did during installation. The transmission shop we picked has done work for the speedshop guys so there is no question about his reputation. Do you know are all TH400 transmissions about the same size or are we going to have problems with the driveline length when we go to put the next tranny in? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heckeng Posted March 27, 2007 Share Posted March 27, 2007 You can get different lengths of tail shafts. As long as you get the same one as the B&M that you cut your driveshaft to, you'll be fine. I am sure that the one you got is the most common as well. If I were the speed shop, I'd give you half of the installation/removal cost back just to be nice, and I'd try and coax B&M into repaying you for your fluid and the other half of the installation/removal cost. Driveshaft cost is something you can still reuse with no problems, so I'd say you're stuck with that. Measure the length of the tailshaft, and that will give you the info you need to find another transmnission. Also, when looking at th-400 transmissions, make sure you ask about keeping the ability to engine brake! Many aftermarket transmissions do not have that ability and you will want it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cali4nia Monte Posted March 27, 2007 Author Share Posted March 27, 2007 We actually have a TH400 that came out of a 73 Chevy Truck...Mike bought it months ago thinking he wanted to put it in the Monte...then changed his mind and decided to go with the TH350 so we wouldn't lose HP and so we didnt have to cut the driveline. It was supposedly rebuilt and then the truck got totaled less then 1000 miles later, so Mike is thinking of just having the transmission shop check it out and or rebuild it just to make sure its good. It has a bolt in yoke, but like you said those are changeable....so we'll see. I have to make some calls today and find out what the heck is going on. Luke the trans shop owner has been out of town at a race, and we really want to talk to him and see what he says. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
502ci Posted March 27, 2007 Share Posted March 27, 2007 Wow...and I thought I had bad luck...glad to see it is spread around the country and it's just not me... ...oops, sorry for laughing, I do feel for you... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike 57 Posted March 27, 2007 Share Posted March 27, 2007 Your situation with B&M is an absolute nightmare! I really hate to work on automatic transmissions but I went ahead and rebuilt my TH400 myself using ATI components. It seems to work just fine at this point and now I am really glad I went that direction. I was not far from purchasing a B&M TH400 before deciding to do my own. After reading these posts I am even more convinced that I did the right thing in rebuilding it myself. I will have to think long and hard before using B&M products. You have to wonder about the quality control at B&M to have this many failures out of the box. Your frustration level must be over the top right now. I hope you can get it all worked out to you satisfaction. The TH400 from the truck should work fine just unbolt the yoke and go with a regular one. Here is a picture of the short output shafts from a 400, the one on the left is what is on my 72. I hope this helps a little. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cali4nia Monte Posted March 27, 2007 Author Share Posted March 27, 2007 Well you know the old saying: If I didn't have bad luck I'd have no luck at all! Yesterday Mike was just in denial....he just kept laughing about it ....but todays a different matter...I think he's moved on to the anger stage.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heckeng Posted March 27, 2007 Share Posted March 27, 2007 On the positive side, you two will have a great and unbelievable story to tell at all of your car club gatherings You WILL eventually be able to laugh at this again. As another side note, good job deciding to have the transmission shop install the last one to eliminate you from the equation. That will mean alot to you guys by B&M not being able to just blame you guys on your installation techniques! very nice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wallaby Posted March 28, 2007 Share Posted March 28, 2007 It's too early to try out for the Hard Luck award, so.... I had to find some sort of humor in this because I was getting pretty mad just reading the post! This reminds me of a situation I had with "lifetime" batteries: until I finally told them to "Get lost". (not actual words} But this is happening at a blistering pace. I can feel for you. For me the best solution was to wash my hands of everything and start over from somewhere else. I might stick with the speedshop, but only if they agree to intall the next one at their risk. Next question is what if it works fine then fails in 30 days or so? Will they be willing to help then, or do you think they'd cop out and just say it was your fault? I think I'd just lick my wounds and take the money, then walk across the street to the other transmission shop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 28, 2007 Share Posted March 28, 2007 How many times do I have to keep guiding you guy's away from B&M's stuff? They make good shifters and shift kits, but the rest is well ok I'll stop being nice and just come out and say it JUNK PERIOD!!!!! Three bad trannies is not a fluke! It's a pattern of low quality work/parts! No way a 377hp engine could kill a stock th350 unless it's slap wore out first! It's time cut your losses and get a different trans from someone that does them right! Heck Precision trans or AAMCO would be better than the junk you been getting. Go over to Pamona and check with the local bracket racers and see who does most of their work and go there. Don Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cali4nia Monte Posted March 28, 2007 Author Share Posted March 28, 2007 Yeah we just going to get our money back from the speedshop for the B & M TH400 and have the old GM TH400 that was sitting in our garage rebuilt the transmission shop said they will build us a heavy duty TH400...Luke Dodd is the owner of the local shop we are using...he races himself, I think he feels kinda bad, so he's cutting us a break on the installation part and only charging us half. If we can get it back on the road by this weekend we'll be happy campers. We finally bought a new brake booster and master cylinder...so I'm guessing that will be on the agenda for this weekend. Lets hope we have better luck with the brakes...keep your fingers crossed for us! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heckeng Posted March 28, 2007 Share Posted March 28, 2007 Tell us how ya really feel Don! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 28, 2007 Share Posted March 28, 2007 I call them as I see them!! I don't call a product junk just because I personally don't like it. It takes many cases of "JUNK****ATITUS" witnessed personally for me to call it JUNK PERIOD!! Some one once said " Only a rich man can afford to use low quality cheap parts" why? Simple a rich man can afford to keep spending $$$ after $$$ on the same parts!! Don HECKENG, I don't think my normal at shop response to (How's about a B&M trans/converter in my ride?) would be ALLOWED on this board! So I kept it civil. Lets just say NO B&M trans or converters have ever or will ever be installed in my shop or by me! I have had engine customers install them behind my stuff before and NONE have ever made it past a good hard romp let alone a full track pass or any miles! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heckeng Posted March 28, 2007 Share Posted March 28, 2007 I'm just teasing ya Don, didn't mean to get you too stirred up! I know we all appreciate your opinions on the forum, you should let them out more often! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cali4nia Monte Posted March 28, 2007 Author Share Posted March 28, 2007 I'm just teasing ya Don, didn't mean to get you too stirred up! I know we all appreciate your opinions on the forum, you should let them out more often! Yeah if only we'd pay attention to them.... Had I researched it better before I let Mike loose with the checkbook...we wouldn't be in this predicament. It really is sad that a well known name like B & M has gotten so generic. I am hoping as you said that their shifters are still OK because we installed a B&M floorshifter in December. Mike is ready to yank it and put something else in...not because it isnt working but because he has no confidence in their products...he was looking at the Jegs catalog at the Hurst shifters until I told him B&M just bought them out Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wallaby Posted March 28, 2007 Share Posted March 28, 2007 RatBrain, if it were me I'd sit down and chronicle all that has happened with your B&M experience (include dates and dollars, even car mileage if possible) and compose a nice letter to B&M explaining why your faith in their product and customer service is lost forever... Nothing angry mind you, just a factual timeline of the events that led you to take your business elsewhere. The object isn't to get a response from B&M (I'd be surprised if you did): rather it is a process that will give you closure and help you to move on knowing you did the right thing. From this point I guess the news can only get better Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heckeng Posted March 28, 2007 Share Posted March 28, 2007 HECKENG, I don't think my normal at shop response to (How's about a B&M trans/converter in my ride?) would be ALLOWED on this board! So I kept it civil. Lets just say NO B&M trans or converters have ever or will ever be installed in my shop or by me! I have had engine customers install them behind my stuff before and NONE have ever made it past a good hard romp let alone a full track pass or any miles! That would be a conversation I'd probably pay to see! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
502ci Posted March 28, 2007 Share Posted March 28, 2007 I am hoping as you said that their shifters are still OK because we installed a B&M floorshifter in December. Mike is ready to yank it and put something else in...not because it isnt working but because he has no confidence in their products. I will take your experiences and Don's excessive experiences on B&M and stay clear of their transmissions. "My" own personal experience with their shifters is like what Don said "Good". I've had mine in my car for several years and it hasn't failed me yet... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cali4nia Monte Posted March 28, 2007 Author Share Posted March 28, 2007 RatBrain, if it were me I'd sit down and chronicle all that has happened with your B&M experience (include dates and dollars, even car mileage if possible) and compose a nice letter to B&M explaining why your faith in their product and customer service is lost forever... Nothing angry mind you, just a factual timeline of the events that led you to take your business elsewhere. The object isn't to get a response from B&M (I'd be surprised if you did): rather it is a process that will give you closure and help you to move on knowing you did the right thing. From this point I guess the news can only get better Wallaby, you crack me up....Mikes already over it....he was over it when he got home yesterday and I already had the tranny shop building him a new tranny! That and the fact that I ordered him wheels....so now he's sitting and staring at the photo I printed out. He thinks his new wheels are soooo sweet, he says he's bringing "sexy back" to the Monte...so he keeps singing that Justin Timberlake song. Yeah he's weird I know, thats what happens when you pick your husband in sixth grade Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wallaby Posted March 29, 2007 Share Posted March 29, 2007 Oh, sorry, I was assuming he was a grown-up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heckeng Posted March 29, 2007 Share Posted March 29, 2007 I'm still laughing over that one! Jaylene, you aren't a teacher by chance are you? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
502ci Posted March 29, 2007 Share Posted March 29, 2007 Oh, sorry, I was assuming he was a grown-up. Took me a moment to realize what you meant. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cali4nia Monte Posted March 29, 2007 Author Share Posted March 29, 2007 He is grown up he's 38 years old. Its just we've known each other since 6th grade. My son was making fun of him and made up new words to the sexy back song...goes like this: Im bringing sexy back...those other wheels dont know how to act..... Oh by the way the transmission shop had our transmission done today and it works killer. Mike said he really can't feel any sort of loss of power, he is very impressed with it so far. Sadly however he only got to drive the car for 10 minutes before he blew the tread off one of the front wheels, we knew the tire was going...but were hoping it would last until the wheels get here. I guess that goes along with our luck the last few weeks....oh well life goes on and at least the car is here so we can work on it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cali4nia Monte Posted March 29, 2007 Author Share Posted March 29, 2007 He is grown up he's 38 years old. Actually I take that back...you guys never "grow up" your toys just get more expensive.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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