Transmission gone... does this rebuild estimate seem fair?

Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.

PJDYukonXL

TYF Newbie
Joined
Jun 19, 2020
Posts
18
Reaction score
26
Location
Orlando, FL
2016 Yukon XL SLT - 95k miles. 6l80 transmission - 2 nights ago felt like it was starting in 4th gear, kept changing gears on highway, clunky shifting. Took it to a local shop and was told the following:

We have thoroughly inspected your transmission. The valve body assembly (hydraulic cross leak) and the Torque Converter(overheating) are bad. The transmission has other internal failures; ie, burnt clutches and steels.

We can fix it. The first step is to remove, disassemble, and inspect the transmission. This labor equals $1,420.00.

The range the rebuild this six (6) speed transmission is from
$5,680.00 up to $6,350.00 + taxes

The inspection labor is included in the price range above.


Comes with lifetime warranty on internal mechanical parts.

Does this seem like a fair estimate? Transmission shop has 4.9 star rating with 500 reviews in Orlando, FL.

Also, anything I should try to have upgraded at this time?
 

Attachments

  • IMG_4915.jpg
    IMG_4915.jpg
    448.8 KB · Views: 22

OR VietVet

Multnomah Falls
Supporting Member
Military
Joined
Oct 8, 2014
Posts
19,076
Reaction score
31,189
Location
Willamette Valley
Where is the lifetime warranty honored at? Just that shop? If you are like me and very seldom roam from my zip code or within 100 miles of there, that would be ok, but if you travel, well you can see where I am going with this.

There was another member that had I think the same transmission go out and the repair was very close to the same amount at a dealer and looked like that warranty was honored nationwide.

 

Marky Dissod

Full Access Member
Joined
Mar 3, 2023
Posts
1,038
Reaction score
1,340
Location
(718)-
2016 Yukon XL SLT - 95k miles. 6l80 transmission - 2 nights ago felt like it was starting in 4th gear, kept changing gears on highway, clunky shifting.
Took it to a local shop and was told the following:

We have thoroughly inspected your transmission.
The valve body assembly (hydraulic cross leak) and the Torque Converter(overheating) are bad.
The transmission has other internal failures; ie, burnt clutches and steels.

We can fix it. The first step is to remove, disassemble, and inspect the transmission. This labor equals $1,420.00.
The range the rebuild this six (6) speed transmission is from
$5,680.00 up to $6,350.00 + taxes. The inspection labor is included in the price range above.


Comes with lifetime warranty on internal mechanical parts.

Does this seem like a fair estimate?
Would it be either cheaper and / or quicker to simply replace with a GM SRTA 6L80E, or a similar already built-built-in-advance 6L80E?

If not, and the local shop is sufficiently trustworthy, I'd ask if they'd rebuild it like a 6L90E in a DuraMax-LGH van, or a CTS-V.
 

OR VietVet

Multnomah Falls
Supporting Member
Military
Joined
Oct 8, 2014
Posts
19,076
Reaction score
31,189
Location
Willamette Valley
The inspection is included in the final price. At least that is what the OP said. The teardown for a rebuild and inspection is included in the transmission rebuild.
 

Doubeleive

Wes
Supporting Member
Joined
Nov 7, 2017
Posts
23,420
Reaction score
34,049
Location
Stockton, Ca.
2016 Yukon XL SLT - 95k miles. 6l80 transmission - 2 nights ago felt like it was starting in 4th gear, kept changing gears on highway, clunky shifting. Took it to a local shop and was told the following:

We have thoroughly inspected your transmission. The valve body assembly (hydraulic cross leak) and the Torque Converter(overheating) are bad. The transmission has other internal failures; ie, burnt clutches and steels.

We can fix it. The first step is to remove, disassemble, and inspect the transmission. This labor equals $1,420.00.

The range the rebuild this six (6) speed transmission is from
$5,680.00 up to $6,350.00 + taxes

The inspection labor is included in the price range above.


Comes with lifetime warranty on internal mechanical parts.

Does this seem like a fair estimate? Transmission shop has 4.9 star rating with 500 reviews in Orlando, FL.

Also, anything I should try to have upgraded at this time?
it's high, but if you are keeping it for the long term the lifetime warranty "could" payoff in the long run presuming it covers all internal parts and not just the ones they are replacing, the details will be in the fine print, which will include having it serviced regularly going forward.
ASK questions, what if? what about? etc, etc. get it in writing
 

CMoore711

Full Access Member
Joined
Jul 18, 2017
Posts
1,170
Reaction score
907
That price seems within range…

Does this include a new torque converter?

The clutch discs and steels are the highest wear items in the transmission.

A lot of transmission rebuild shops will use either different thickness clutch discs/steels and/or different tolerances in order to allow them to add additional clutch discs over OEM transmissions. From my experience this usually results in a higher quality rebuild and a transmission that can last longer than the typical “GM Remanufactured” or “GM Rebuild” transmissions.

That being said I don’t think clutch discs and steels are considered “mechanical parts”; But I would ask if a burnt out clutch disc sends debris through a mechanical part causing it to fail is that mechanical part now covered under this warranty.

I would also then ask them if the lifetime warranty requires you to have them do the transmission fluid flush service at their location. If so; This isn’t necessarily a bad thing I would just clarify so you know what you’re getting into.
 
Joined
Mar 9, 2023
Posts
802
Reaction score
1,860
Location
The transmission bench
2016 Yukon XL SLT - 95k miles. 6l80 transmission - 2 nights ago felt like it was starting in 4th gear, kept changing gears on highway, clunky shifting. Took it to a local shop and was told the following:

We have thoroughly inspected your transmission. The valve body assembly (hydraulic cross leak) and the Torque Converter(overheating) are bad. The transmission has other internal failures; ie, burnt clutches and steels.

We can fix it. The first step is to remove, disassemble, and inspect the transmission. This labor equals $1,420.00.

The range the rebuild this six (6) speed transmission is from
$5,680.00 up to $6,350.00 + taxes

The inspection labor is included in the price range above.


Comes with lifetime warranty on internal mechanical parts.

Does this seem like a fair estimate? Transmission shop has 4.9 star rating with 500 reviews in Orlando, FL.

Also, anything I should try to have upgraded at this time?
Shops will have varying rates depending on what they do to the trans, local market going rates for an overhaul as well as cost to R/R the unit to and from the vehicle.

That said, for that amount of money, I’d want to know exactly what they are doing/installing upon overhaul. It should include the following, in addition to stuff like filter, gaskets, seals, orings, sealing rings:

1. New frictions and steels - tell them you want Borg Warner or Raybestos high energy clutches and a new steel module for all clutch packs (consider a kolene pressure plate and steels for the 4-5-6 clutch pack)

2. New TEHCM, Internal Mode Switch, wiring harness and speed sensors - all must be OEM and Fast adaptive relearn performed

3. Sonnax Zip kit installed (has updated valves for the valve body and pump)

4. Pump completely overhauled (both working surfaces machined flat/true, pump rotor and slide-to-deck clearance set at .0015”)

5. 3-5-R drum re-welded at the base where it leaks to prevent recurrence

6. Sonnax 1-2-3-4 billet aluminum apply piston installed in place of factory piston

7. All brand new bonded steel and rubber pistons/piston dams

8. New OEM rear sprag clutch

9. New snap ring for the sprag assembly

10. New torque converter with .050” or thicker converter clutch - DO NOT let them give you an oem converter with the same POS .020” thick clutch as it fails repeatedly

11. Optional unless high peformance or heavy duty: Sonnax billet 4-5-6 clutch hub with Sonnax apply/dam piston kit to run an additional friction and steel in the 4-5-6 clutch pack. The OEM hub can snap in half under power

12. Cooler bypass delete kit or at least a lower temp thermostat so it runs cooler than stock

13. New, updated parking rod assembly (these were prone to failure and if that happens you lose the ability to put the vehicle into park)
 

OR VietVet

Multnomah Falls
Supporting Member
Military
Joined
Oct 8, 2014
Posts
19,076
Reaction score
31,189
Location
Willamette Valley
Shops will have varying rates depending on what they do to the trans, local market going rates for an overhaul as well as cost to R/R the unit to and from the vehicle.

That said, for that amount of money, I’d want to know exactly what they are doing/installing upon overhaul. It should include the following, in addition to stuff like filter, gaskets, seals, orings, sealing rings:

1. New frictions and steels - tell them you want Borg Warner or Raybestos high energy clutches and a new steel module for all clutch packs (consider a kolene pressure plate and steels for the 4-5-6 clutch pack)

2. New TEHCM, Internal Mode Switch, wiring harness and speed sensors - all must be OEM and Fast adaptive relearn performed

3. Sonnax Zip kit installed (has updated valves for the valve body and pump)

4. Pump completely overhauled (both working surfaces machined flat/true, pump rotor and slide-to-deck clearance set at .0015”)

5. 3-5-R drum re-welded at the base where it leaks to prevent recurrence

6. Sonnax 1-2-3-4 billet aluminum apply piston installed in place of factory piston

7. All brand new bonded steel and rubber pistons/piston dams

8. New OEM rear sprag clutch

9. New snap ring for the sprag assembly

10. New torque converter with .050” or thicker converter clutch - DO NOT let them give you an oem converter with the same POS .020” thick clutch as it fails repeatedly

11. Optional unless high peformance or heavy duty: Sonnax billet 4-5-6 clutch hub with Sonnax apply/dam piston kit to run an additional friction and steel in the 4-5-6 clutch pack. The OEM hub can snap in half under power

12. Cooler bypass delete kit or at least a lower temp thermostat so it runs cooler than stock

13. New, updated parking rod assembly (these were prone to failure and if that happens you lose the ability to put the vehicle into park)
What is your typical turn around for doing all that on a 4L60E? I could bring a transmission to you and kill time in LV during the wait time, depending.

If the Silverton is still in business, I liked that casino when I lived there for 9 months. Is attached at the Bass Pro Shop, or at least it was.
 

Forum statistics

Threads
128,802
Posts
1,805,663
Members
91,785
Latest member
Eliteweapons
Top