ATS Diesel Performance

Why we heat-test every single solenoid before it ever goes in your transmission 🔥

Anyone can flow-test a solenoid at room temp. But here's the truth: solenoids don't fail cold—they fail hot.

That's why we dyno-test every solenoid pack under operating temperature. We're talking oil so hot you need gloves, just shy of burning your skin. Because when that heat kicks in, that's when a "good" solenoid starts getting clicky. That's when the scaling starts. That's when pressure that should be 180 PSI drops to 90 or 100 PSI.

And in a 68RFE? You don't get second chances. Those clutch packs have a second and a half to apply. No slip. No forgiveness. Low pressure = burnt transmission.

We catch those field-failures before they leave the shop. First we test the solenoids hot. Then we test the valve body. Then we verify what the solenoids are actually controlling—clutch timing, lockup, line pressure. Because it's all connected:

Signal → Solenoid → Valve → Clutch Pack

One weak link burns the whole thing down. We make sure that doesn't happen.

The OEM manufacturers pinch pennies. We know it. But when "cutting costs" turns into locking up your rear wheels at highway speeds, that’s a problem.

We’re looking at the GM 10-speed. Known failure? The valve body. Sure, you can bore it out and swap a better valve in, but you’re still fighting the root issue: cheap material.

Word in the industry is that GM and Chrysler sourced from the same bottom-tier aluminum supplier. Low zinc. Poor lubrication. Soft metal that just gives up.

That gap is exactly why the aftermarket exists. Companies like ATS are building the components that should’ve been there from day one—like billet 68 pumps that actually fix the issue instead of kicking the can down the road.

It’s been a long road seeing this play out. But somebody’s gotta build it right.

Save a buck, cost a transmission. Build it right, keep it rolling.

Your 2018 Ram 3500 has more in common with a 2000 Dodge Durango than you think.

The 68RFE basically hasn’t changed in nearly two decades. Same valve body. Same separator plate. Same chassis. Bolt a 2000 valve body into a 2018 truck, plug it in, and it’ll drive down the road.

Why? Because it was cheap to manufacture.

It was revolutionary in its day—one of the first true clutch-to-clutch, non-synchronous designs—but FCA never fixed the fatal flaw: tiny clutches, slow computers, and hydraulics prone to cross-leaking. Every shift is a computer-timed balancing act between releasing one clutch and applying another. Release it too fast? Bind up. Too slow? Neutral condition and a flare.

That’s why they fail. Not power. Precision.

Your built 68RFE is only half done if you stopped at tuning.

Here is what most miss: the stock valve body has a hard 160 PSI mechanical ceiling. No tune alone—no matter how aggressive—can break through it. That means even with a built transmission, your clutches can still slip under load.

The fix is a two-part attack:

1️⃣ Modify the valve body to remove that pressure cap and unlock the 200–275 PSI range a built transmission actually needs.

2️⃣ Add intelligent control. A standalone controller (like our Co-Pilot) sits between the TCM and valve body, dynamically commanding line pressure based on real-time RPM and load data. That means precise clutch clamping across the entire power curve—not just a static “trick” signal.

Tuning tells the trans what to do. The valve body + controller duo gives it the hydraulic muscle to actually do it. Skipping either half leaves power on the table.

Drop a 🔧 below if you are building your 68RFE right.

There is nothing more frustrating than a truck that falls on its face when you need it to pull. Recently, our customer Matt Shaddy came to us with exactly that problem. His truck was slow off the line, his EGTs were going through the roof, and his fuel mileage was stuck at a dismal 12.5 to 14 MPG, no matter how he drove.

Matt uses his rig for everything—it’s his daily driver, his weekend warrior, and his dedicated tow king. He needed reliability and power, so he reached out to the team at ATS. Our team knew exactly how to fix the issue and set him up with a brand-new ATS VGT-style turbo.

The transformation has been massive. Not only is Matt's truck noticeably faster off the line with perfectly controlled EGTs, but the fuel mileage increase is incredible. He is now averaging 14 MPG in the city and an impressive 18 to 20 MPG on the highway! 📈
We love seeing real-world results like this from our customers. If your truck is lacking the power you need, let the ATS team build the perfect setup for you. What is the biggest performance issue you are currently dealing with on your rig? Let’s talk about it in the comments! 👇

It is no secret that Wranglers are the most upgraded vehicles on the road. You have added the bigger tires, swapped the differentials, and built an absolute beast of a rig. But there is a massive gap between your aggressive modern upgrades and the old technology sitting under the hood.

Why push all that heavy-duty gear with an outdated 4-speed or 5-speed transmission?

We are here to bridge the gap. We are taking the engineering experience we gained from our Allison conversions and applying it directly to the Wrangler platform. We are actively working to make modern 8HP transmissions and V8 upgrades a reality for your Jeep, giving you the modern power and efficiency your build actually deserves.

Are you still running a stock transmission with your upgraded rig? Let’s talk about it in the comments!

If you own a 2007-2024 Ram with the 68RFE, you probably already know its fatal flaw: extremely low line pressure. The factory setup caps out at just 160 PSI, which simply isn't enough clamping force to keep your clutch packs from slipping under heavy loads or added power. Fixing this usually means spending thousands of USD to unlock and reprogram your ECM, plus performing extensive internal hydraulic modifications.

We have a much simpler, plug-and-play solution that saves you massive tuning costs. The ATS 68 Co-Pilot is a standalone controller that bypasses your ECM entirely, taking full control of your line pressure while acting as a live in-cab diagnostic tool for your MAP and pressure sensors. Pair it with our ATS Upgraded Billet Valve Body, which is mechanically redesigned to handle 275 PSI, and you completely eliminate the factory bottlenecks causing cross-leaks and slippage.

Whether you are towing heavy, daily driving, or pushing 1,000 horsepower, this is the most cost-effective and reliable way to bulletproof your 68RFE. Click the link below to get the ultimate transmission upgrade package for your truck!

Link to product page: https://atsdiesel.com/collections/all/products/ats-68rfe-co-pilot-fits-2007-5-2019-6-7l-cummins?variant=45906687033620

Things are moving fast at ATS Diesel in Arvada! 💨 Three dynos running non-stop to clear out today's customer builds (47s, 48s, 5R110s).

The best part? Our warehouse is FULLY STOCKED with 68RFEs, turbos, and torque converters ready to ship. 📦

🔥 CALL IN EXCLUSIVE: Pick up the phone and call our sales team today for a deal you can't pass up. Fast service, parts in stock, and massive savings. Call now! 📞

A look back at the vault! Here is a clip from our Dealer Days presentation a few years ago, breaking down the absolute hardest part of modern engine swaps: the electronics.

When we dropped a complete 2022 RAM TRX powertrain—engine, transmission, transfer case, ECM, and TCM—into a 2015 Jeep Wrangler, bolting it in was only phase one. The real challenge was the immobilizer. Modern modules are designed to lock you out if they don't see the exact vehicle they were built fo

During this presentation, we explained our solution: immobilizer emulation. We engineered a custom translator that takes all the data the 2022 TRX expects to see and feeds it back to the computer.

Essentially, we programmed the translator to become the vehicle. It tricks the 700+ HP TRX brain into running perfectly inside the older Wrangler platform.