46RE ticks in all gears except reverse

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fshd4it

fshd4it

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2001 ram 1500 with a 5.2, bought it 3 years ago with a bad trans. It was going to be a project with my grandson, but the plan of them moving closer never came to pass. Anyway, I rebuilt the 46RE (reman. converter as well) and it had a tick. Not a quiet one either. Follows RPM, seems to get a bit louder as it warms up. I pulled the dust shield and checked the flexplate/bolts/block contact etc. I even set up my dial indicator and checked runout on the T/C. Parked it off in the corner and left it be, other than starting it up and moving it around every few months, since then. The tick disappears in reverse (cold or hot), but I can't remember if it was always this way, or if it used to make noise in all gears. I was messing around with it a bit yesterday, gave the throttle pressure cable a tug (in neutral, I was checking the fluid level) and the tick stopped. Couple more times, same result. But, as my luck would have it, that was the only time it worked. Applying pressure at the cable or the lever later in the day had no effect.
I'm not sure if I'm going to fix this thing, part it, or just dump it, but I'd like to figure this noise out either way. Any thoughts?
 
This is very interesting. It might have ticked later in the day when you pulled the cable because the fluid was warmed up and thinner. Was the trans cooled down by then? Did the outside temp increase significantly? I wonder if you could jack the pressure regulator to fix it? I believe that it is pressure related. Reverse operates on much higher pressure; whereas forward pressure is governed by mph. Does this trans behave normally in reverse and all forward gears?
 
maybe a shim out of spec...pressure pushes clutches and pushes something into another..> Not a trans guy....
 
Throttle pressure related was what I was thinking as well, but I didn't consider it until I'd tugged on the TP cable. I'm also wondering about any "thrust force" that's applied inside the trans when it's in reverse. I had the truck pretty well warmed up by then, as I was running the heater to make sure the interior was nice and dry. Ambient temperature didn't change (about 50 all day), and I also pushed the TP lever all the way forward later with no change. There's good engagement in all gears, but reverse has the notorious valve body whine (that seems to be common with these transmissions) barely audible when moving much over an idle. I'm gonna go out and fire it up again, see if the TP lever makes any difference when the truck is cold.
 
pishta said:
maybe a shim out of spec...pressure pushes clutches and pushes something into another..> Not a trans guy....
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Certainly not out of the question... I've reviewed the numbers I wrote down while I was building this one a few times. I've rebuilt a few of these before without troubles, but that doesn't mean I didn't flub this one up somehow.
 
So here's how it went this morning, cold, right off startup. Noisy as usual in park, quiet after a second or 2 in reverse, tick in neutral and all forward gears, but not as pronounced as park...quieter, almost sporadic, but still noticeable. Applying throttle pressure in evry gear but park stopped the tick, no effect in park regardless of rpm or how long I held TP on.
 
The more I mess with this, the more I remember. This was at least 2 years ago, my memory fails...The truck was REALLY sluggish when I first put the trans in. More than I'd ever experienced, almost didn't want to leave the shop. Plenty of fluid in it. I think it got better, but still not right. I think. Spitballing, I changed valve bodies, seemed the easiest thing to do at the time. The one installed originally I put a TFOD-jr kit in, so in case I hadn't gotten it just right I shoved in a spare stock one in that I had cleaned up and inspected to the best of my abilities (no promises). I don't recall this noise from the beginning, but it might have been there.
 
So I'm gonna theorize one more time before I pull this trans out. Maybe something's not right with the direct drum. I don't understand why applying throttle pressure affects it? But as the noise seems to be coming from the front of the trans, and that clutch is applied in reverse...
 
It only "TICKS"? "Ve haf vays to mak u tock".. You are able to pinpoint a noise as coming from the FRONT of the trans??? What does :sluggish" mean? And it may or may not have been noisy before...got it.. We will insert said information into our super duper awesome computer and see what it spits out. But the converter is not charged in Park only.."Notorious valve body whine"?!?!? What the..?...I'm wondering about that converter..Did you replace it when you did the rebuild?
 
Yep, new converter. Pinpoint? Not exactly, but the converter area is where it's the loudest. I bought it directly from the rebuilder, I can drive it back up to them and have it checked while it's out. Since it's a 3 hour round trip, I'll call first and see if they have any ideas or experience with this issue. Sluggish, as in not wanting to move right away, and needing some RPMs to do so. That's no longer the case. I know to charge the converter in neutral, as well as the first valve body having a TF-JR kit, with their modified manual valve.
 
Converter interference was the first place I went with this. Bolts have plenty of clearance, endplay was somewhere around .010". I even checked runout on the converter at the ring gear (.030), and the flexplate (less than .005). I posted here about these numbers back in '19, but didn't get any response.
 
Called the converter builder, no way to test it without cutting it apart. And of course, it's way past warranty. The noise wasn't something the guy I talked to had any experience with.
 
A guy on the phone had NO experience?!?? What is this world coming to?!? Pressure goes way up in reverse. Pressure goes up when you push the kd lever back too. I think we have a low pressure situation... I suppose you could jack the pressure regulator valve...but that seems like a band-aid.. And both valve bodies did it.... How does this thing shift? I wonder if it's governor related...
 
fshd4it said:
So I'm gonna theorize one more time before I pull this trans out. Maybe something's not right with the direct drum. I don't understand why applying throttle pressure affects it? But as the noise seems to be coming from the front of the trans, and that clutch is applied in reverse...
Click to expand...
Check your speedo gear.
the convertor is moves forward in forward gears. Related?
 
CudaFactHackJob said:
A guy on the phone had NO experience?!?? What is this world coming to?!? Pressure goes way up in reverse. Pressure goes up when you push the kd lever back too. I think we have a low pressure situation... I suppose you could jack the pressure regulator valve...but that seems like a band-aid.. And both valve bodies did it.... How does this thing shift? I wonder if it's governor related...
Click to expand...
I wouldn't say he had no experience, he did ask some of the same questions we've covered here. He didn't think it is a converter issue, but other than cutting it open... I can't swear the "kitted" valve body had this issue. I swapped them 2+ years ago, some things I just don't remember. No road test yet. I'm finishing changing a front wheel hub at this moment. Gear engagement is good and solid, but not harsh.
 
I think I'll swap VBs again, in case there's an issue with this stock one. If I remember correctly (big if) I salvaged it from a trans that was pretty well trashed. Tore it apart and cleaned it up, but the valves may not be perfect.
 
MOPAROFFICIAL said:
Check your speedo gear.
the convertor is moves forward in forward gears. Related?
Click to expand...
No speedo gear in this one, electronic trans with a speed sensor. The TC shouldn't move forward in park or neutral? Makes noise there as well.
 
fshd4it said:
No speedo gear in this one, electronic trans with a speed sensor. The TC shouldn't move forward in park or neutral? Makes noise there as well.
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My 1996 46re has a speedo gear inside, I had to change it when going to 3.92's. Speed Sensor, sure, it wont go into overdrive otherwise , but speedo gear is still there...at least on mine.
 
I've had one with both a VSS and a speedo gear with a cable. 1997 I think, figured it was a transition thing.
 
Pump or TQ-overdrive solenoids. Next something is hitting something else since it’s rpm related (but in my mind I can’t see that happening) front or rear clutch might have been to tight (sluggish at first)
 
So I finally found my notes on this trans, but they're not as in-depth as I'd hoped. Rebuilt pump; .090" direct clutch clearance (with a stock wave snap ring); .045" forward clutch clearance; total endplay .044". I'm in the process of swapping VBs now, guess we'll see if that makes any difference. It's as far as I can go for a while, headed back to the boat this weekend.
 
Ceedawg said:
Pump or TQ-overdrive solenoids. Next something is hitting something else since it’s rpm related (but in my mind I can’t see that happening) front or rear clutch might have been to tight (sluggish at first)
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I tested the solenoids, and they passed. At least my standards, anyhow. Hopefully the pump I bought is good, probably wouldn't be able to tell just by looking at it. Before I go any further, I'm going to get/make a set of pressure gauges. Should have had some for years now, no more excuses.
 
fshd4it said:
I tested the solenoids, and they passed. At least my standards, anyhow. Hopefully the pump I bought is good, probably wouldn't be able to tell just by looking at it. Before I go any further, I'm going to get/make a set of pressure gauges. Should have had some for years now, no more excuses.
Click to expand...
Where did you get the built valve body? Would like to get one for my trans (2001) if not to expensive.
 
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