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The 68RFE is the six-speed automatic Ram put behind the 6.7 Cummins starting in the 2007.5 model year, and it is still the automatic in a lot of 2500 and 3500 pickups. It grew out of the 45RFE and 545RFE family, so the layout will look familiar to anyone who has had an RFE apart: underdrive, overdrive and reverse clutches in the input clutch assembly, and the 2C, 4C and low/reverse holding clutches in the case.
When a 68RFE comes apart for a rebuild, the overhaul gasket and seal kit is the cheapest box on the bench. It is also the one that decides whether you are pulling the truck back in next month for a leak at the bell housing or a pressure loss that burns the new clutches. Buy it carefully.
Overhaul vs Banner vs Master Kit
In the rebuild trade these three names usually mean different boxes, but sellers do not always use them the same way. That is why the contents list matters more than the title.
| Kit | What It Usually Contains | When It Is the Right Buy |
|---|---|---|
| Overhaul (gasket and seal) | Gaskets, lip seals, O-rings, sealing rings, pan sealing | Reseal of a unit that still shifts clean, or when you are buying frictions and steels separately |
| Banner | Overhaul contents plus friction plates | Clutches are worn but the steels are flat, blue-free and reusable |
| Master | Overhaul contents plus frictions and steels, sometimes a filter | High-mileage or heat-damaged unit where you want every clutch surface new |
Some 68RFE listings, including a few in our own catalog, are titled "overhaul kit" but describe frictions and steels in the contents. If the description lists clutch plates, treat it as a banner or master kit and price it against those. If you only need the sealing side, make sure that is all you are paying for. Our rebuild kit vs master overhaul kit explainer goes deeper on the naming.
What a Complete 68RFE Overhaul Kit Should Include
- Front pump seal and pump O-ring. The pump seal is the leak that gets blamed on the rear main. Fluid at the bottom of the bell housing that smells like ATF and is red, not black engine oil, is usually this seal or the pump O-ring.
- Rear seal or adapter seal. 2WD trucks have an output seal in the tail housing. 4WD trucks use an adapter housing where the transfer case bolts on, with its own sealing. The rear housings differ, so make sure the kit matches your drivetrain.
- Input shaft and clutch hub sealing rings. These feed the input clutches. A worn or nicked ring bleeds apply pressure and is a quiet way to burn a new overdrive clutch.
- Clutch piston seals and O-rings for the pistons that use separate seals.
- Manual shaft seal and external O-rings, including the ones on the speed sensors and the electrical pass-through.
- Gaskets for the pump, valve body and adapter or extension housing where the unit uses a gasket rather than sealant.
Several 68RFE clutch pistons are bonded, meaning the sealing lip is molded onto the piston. An overhaul kit often does not include those. If a bonded piston is torn, hard, or cut at the lip, buy the piston separately; a new loose seal will not fix it.
Matching Your Year
The 68RFE has been in production a long time and picked up revisions along the way. Kits are cataloged in year bands for that reason. In our catalog you will see bands like 2007-2017, 2019-2024, and broad-coverage kits like the 2007-2024 kit that pack extra pieces to cover several revisions.
- Use the model year on your door sticker, not the year the truck was sold.
- Lay every new gasket over the old one before it goes on. Hole patterns tell you instantly if you have the wrong revision.
- Broad-coverage kits leave leftovers. That is normal. Parts left over from the other revision are not missing from your transmission.
- Many kits are cataloged 66RFE/68RFE because the two units share a lot of sealing hardware. Confirm the tag on your case says 68RFE before you rely on a cross-reference.
Leaks a Reseal Fixes, and Leaks It Does Not
| Leak Location | Usual Cause | In the Overhaul Kit? |
|---|---|---|
| Bottom of bell housing | Front pump seal or pump O-ring | Yes |
| Tail housing or transfer case adapter | Output or adapter seal | Yes, if matched to 2WD or 4WD |
| Pan rail | Factory RTV seal broken down | Sometimes; many kits rely on you to use RTV on the stock pan |
| Spin-on filter base | Filter gasket or loose filter | No, it is a service part |
| Cooler line fittings | Fitting O-rings or damaged lines | Rarely; buy fittings separately |
Before you tear down a unit for a leak, clean the area and find the actual source. Our 68RFE fluid leak guide walks the common spots in order.
Install Notes From the Bench
- Lube everything with ATF+4 or assembly lube. Dry O-rings roll and lip seals tear on the first start.
- Size Teflon-style sealing rings before you install the mating part. A ring that is still stretched will shave when the clutch hub goes over it.
- Drive the pump seal square. A cocked seal leaks from day one. Use a seal driver that bears on the outer edge.
- Air-check each clutch circuit before the valve body goes on. A good apply is a firm thump; a hiss means a seal or ring is not doing its job.
- Change both filters. The primary pickup filter and the spin-on cooler return filter both go new on a rebuild. See our 68RFE filter and pan kit guide.
- Fill with ATF+4 and set the level hot. Our 68RFE fluid change guide covers capacity and the check procedure.
Common Mistakes
- Buying on title alone. "Overhaul kit" on one listing is "master kit" on another. Read the contents.
- Reusing hard bonded pistons. A reseal with tired pistons is a slip waiting to happen behind a Cummins.
- Ignoring the sealing ring lands. A grooved ring land on the input shaft or hub will eat new rings. Fix the hard part.
- Skipping the cooler. A rebuilt unit fed by a cooler full of old clutch material does not stay rebuilt. Flush or replace the cooler.
Doing a full rebuild rather than a reseal? Compare the 68RFE master rebuild kit 2007-2018 and our 68RFE rebuild kit guide. If the pan is coming off anyway, the RFE speed sensor, filter and pan gasket kit handles the external sensors in the same job.
68RFE Kits Ship Same-Day
Overhaul kits by year band, master kits, filters and hard parts for the 68RFE behind the 6.7 Cummins. Free shipping on every order. Need hard parts beyond what we stock? Our sister shop CoreTransmissionParts.com carries more rebuild components.
Shop 68RFE Parts →FAQ
Does a 68RFE overhaul kit include clutches?
A true overhaul kit is gaskets, seals, O-rings and sealing rings only. Some sellers use the name loosely and include frictions and steels, so read the contents list. A kit with frictions only is a banner kit; frictions plus steels is a master kit.
Will one 68RFE gasket kit fit every year?
Some kits cover 2007 to current by including extra pieces for each revision. Others are cut to a year band. Match the model year on your door sticker and compare each gasket to the old one before installing.
Is the 68RFE pan sealed with a gasket or RTV?
The factory pan is sealed with RTV. Many aftermarket deep pans use a reusable gasket instead. Use RTV rated for transmission fluid on a stock pan and install a reusable gasket clean and dry.
Can I reseal a 68RFE without rebuilding it?
Yes, if it still shifts clean and the fluid is not burnt. A reseal with the overhaul kit, both filters and fresh ATF+4 fixes leaks. If the fluid is black or full of friction material, the clutches need attention too.
Is a 66RFE kit the same as a 68RFE kit?
Many kits are cataloged for both because the units share a lot of sealing hardware. Confirm your case tag reads 68RFE and check the kit's listed applications before you rely on the cross-reference.