Any experts on 46RE transmissions?

Since installing the Transgo kit and replacing the front seal the trans has been leaking worse than ever from the bell housing. 

I am short in time and made a call to a local shop for an estimate. He seemed surprised to hear it was leaking from the bell housing and said it's unusual with this trans. In his experience it's rarely just a seal leaking and usually more involved. 

As a result he game me a ballpark price of $1300, based on worst case of needing to replace the pump bushing and seals, input shaft seal, and torque converter. He said in some cases it's the torque converter that is the source of the leak. 

Now I'm looking and wondering if I'd be better off getting a lower mileage unit from a salvage yard (possibly install reman torque converter at the same time), buy a reman from a local parts store for $1800 (including the torque converter and warranty), or pay the $1300 to get mine fixed with >180k miles. 

Im also wondering if I should remove the inspection cover, loosen the torque converter bolts, use a bar to pull it into the flex plate and relighted in case there's some misalignment. But my gut says that just wishful thinking, and probably won't gain me much  

Anyone have experience with the 46RE that can offer some guidance?

Vent is at the top of the pump in the bellhousing. It's overfilled, imo. Checked in neutral?

In reply to Ranger50 :

Checked it in neutral and had it in the middle of the range after install and test drive.

It took a month or so, but it's lost enough to be off the stick last week and took almost a quart to get back to middle of the range 

I've got a similar leak on the 46RE in my Jeep that I need to sort out at some point.  A dose of AT205 in the fluid slowed the leak down, but mine isn't nearly as bad as yours (takes maybe 20 - 30k miles and at least a year to lose a quart).  FWIW, mine has 249k miles on it (and still checks out healthy).  Leak started a long time ago and is only just now starting to get a little worse. 

I'd question the quality of a cheap reman.  Plus, you just did valve body work on yours.  I'd be inclined to fix it (and maybe take an excuse to upgrade the converter if desired).  As long as it's not showing signs of wearing out otherwise, you're probably fine.  Worst case, clutches and bands are fairly cheap anyway, so doing a basic rebuild isn't the end of the world.  It's basically just a 727 with a new governor and an OD unit on the back, so it's pretty simple as automatics go. 

In reply to rslifkin :

I just wonder if mine is worth putting more money into it with the mileage on it. My hesitation is that I spend $1300 to fix the leak and then have the trans fail in 6 months needing a full rebuild.

The main reason for the valve body work  was to increase longevity, and not performance, so it wouldn't be work that I'd need to do on a replacement. 

I've also looked at the option of a lower mileage used trans and found the following: One with 147k for 750. one with 109k for 900.00 or one with only 6,800 miles for 1350.00 all were tested no codes out ready to go.

The remans I looked at for $1700-$1800 were through NAPA and Oreilly with decent warranty's. The Napa is 3 years/unlimited miles, O was 12 month unlimited miles. 

I would not get a used 46RE.  The quality control was about as good as the aim of a toddler with a bow and arrow.  Dodge's idea of testing was "well, it drove from the assembly line to the parking lot." Demand was exceeding labor and dealerships were having trouble with some on their first test drive.  I can't even begin to tell you how many our shop rebuilt with 60k, 80k, or even less.  If you have one that is still going strong, keep it and fix it.

Edit:  A reman with a warranty is not a terrible idea, but it doesn't cover the labor.  Do some serious research on the reman company.

I had another thought on how to keep it a bit more budget friendly. 

Just thinking out loud, I may be able to replace the front pump and torque converter for about $300.

It looks like a reman pump is around $150-200 (eBay/Amazon) and the torque converter is $110 from Oreillys. 

Of course the risk is I may end up with a leaking pump from eBay, so this may just be a thought exercise. 
 

Based on the feedback it looks like the best option is to just pay the man to fix the leak, and not have to climb under it now or later if it leaks after reassembled. 
 

Edit:

I don't mind the labor for the initial R&R of a reman, but I don't want to do it multiple times. I can do the R&R in a weekend so it's not horrible, but I want to be able to turn it around quickly without waiting on parts to arrive or a shop to press bushings in and out. 
 

I know in the past I have had the reman warranty cover labor for the warranty replacement when an Autozone reman'd 2.8L failed in a Cherokee, but that was probably late 90s. 

Dodge RWD transmissions are not cheap to reman.  If you're finding them for $1800, I'd be very cautious.

Typical soft-parts rebuilds at our shop (these are figures from 10 years ago and include R&R):

4L60E:  $2500
4R70W:  $2700
46/47RE:  $3200

And since the labor was similar, you can see it's all parts.  I could buy a rebuild kit with a converter (wholesale) for a 4L60E for under $200.

My suggestion might be... if it's coming out anyway, just have yours rebuilt while it's out.  The big part is labor.  If they're taking it out anyway, why not spend a few more dollars and have it rebuilt?  Like you said, it could explode some day soon and you'll be paying that labor again.  I'm reminded of the time I dropped the pan and tore down the front of an LT1 to do a timing chain.  When I ordered the parts I was trying to decide if I just get a $17 parts store replacement, or a OEM for $45.  Then I slapped myself and realized that I just spent a day tearing apart the bottom and front of an engine.  I bought a Cloyes double roller set for $150.  I didn't want to have to do it again.

If I'm replacing a battery cable, I'll go to Pep Boys.  If I'm spending $700 in labor to remove a transmission for a $1300 repair, I might consider the "hey-while-you're-in-there" approach.

There is also a benefit to spending the money on labor for bigger jobs.  If you take that trans out and bring it to me, I can bench build it for $1200 and zero warranty.  If you bring the whole vehicle to me I can remove, rebuild, and replace it for $3000, and it's on me to remove and replace it how ever many times I have to under the warranty.  This is why shops charge $100/hr labor but only pay the tech $25/hr.  (again, numbers from 10 years ago)

When I had the facilities to easily do the work myself, I often found myself having a trans rebuilt whenever it was out.  In my defense, most of what I work with is classic American iron, so a TH400 or C6 is a lot cheaper to rebuild than a modern electronic transmission.