TylerW
Well-Known Member
Hey guys:
In my never-ending quest to make as many questionable vehicle purchases as I can before age 60, I bought a "cheap" 2002 Ram 1500 single cab 4wd with a 360 Magnum. It's a solid southern truck which would be a nice rig if it was usable. I wanted one of these 3rd gen trucks ever since they came out but had to wait 20 years before |I could afford one.
Anyway, this truck is an oddball, since it's a 5.9L/46RE in a 3rd gen instead of a 4.7 or a Hemi w/ 545RE. It was sold as "runs good, no reverse". No reverse doesn't scare me since this is essentially a 727 with an overdrive stuck onto it. The broken parts are in the 727 side of it, at least most of them. Things went downhill when I started digging into the trans and discovered that "someone" had swapped in another 46RE out of a '99 something or the other. The issue here is that the 2002-03 Ram and possibly the Ram Van used a different version of the 46RE that utilizes a 5-pin range sensor at the trans to operate the electronic PRND2L display, and ostensibly tell the PCM what position the trans is in, and to operate the reverse lights. The governor pressure sensor is also different. I think the goal with that was to make the trans more responsive to road conditions.
The same someone had inexplicably connected the "new" trans' 3-pin nss/backup light switch to 3 random wires out of the 5 and cut the other two. I disconnected the entire thing since it doesn't interface. Disconnecting the wires didn't change what I am about to describe. Here is where things get really strange. I don't understand it yet, but I'm pretty confident that this is related to the PCM not seeing the right transmission.
1. Truck starts and run good in Park. If you drop it in reverse, even though there is no longer an actual reverse, and step on the gas, the engine cuts out, cuts up, loads up, pops out the exhaust and most of the time dies. This is not revving it to 5500 to get it to move and hitting the rev limiter. I mean as soon as you put pressure on the accelerator. Every time. I've seen other owners describe this mystery "runs like crap in reverse" issue with Magnums, with no resolution.
Out of curiosity, I completely disconnected the transmission electrically and tried it again. Same thing. The only difference was that the trans defaulted to 2nd since there was no longer an electrical input. So, I'm certain this truck is smarter than I, so where is it seeing reverse if the trans is disconnected electrically? Is it because even with the trans connected, the incorrect electronics are screwing with the PCM? It actually works decent in the forward gears, but there is no lockup and no OD. The shifts are slightly late but smooth.
2. This thing will start dropping out in drive at idle when it gets hot. If you hold your foot on the gas pedal slightly to keep it running and moving, it does this lumpff lumpff lumpff thing, then will die immediately when you let off. Starts right back up. Sometimes it doesn't do that at all. Up to about 170 degrees it exhibits no idle issues in drive.
There are no codes serious enough to trigger the money light. It does set a P01899 for the missing range sensor.
Anyway, just wanted to pick people's brains about a really strange symptom. I'll track down the correct trans for it and build it. Thanks for reading.
In my never-ending quest to make as many questionable vehicle purchases as I can before age 60, I bought a "cheap" 2002 Ram 1500 single cab 4wd with a 360 Magnum. It's a solid southern truck which would be a nice rig if it was usable. I wanted one of these 3rd gen trucks ever since they came out but had to wait 20 years before |I could afford one.
Anyway, this truck is an oddball, since it's a 5.9L/46RE in a 3rd gen instead of a 4.7 or a Hemi w/ 545RE. It was sold as "runs good, no reverse". No reverse doesn't scare me since this is essentially a 727 with an overdrive stuck onto it. The broken parts are in the 727 side of it, at least most of them. Things went downhill when I started digging into the trans and discovered that "someone" had swapped in another 46RE out of a '99 something or the other. The issue here is that the 2002-03 Ram and possibly the Ram Van used a different version of the 46RE that utilizes a 5-pin range sensor at the trans to operate the electronic PRND2L display, and ostensibly tell the PCM what position the trans is in, and to operate the reverse lights. The governor pressure sensor is also different. I think the goal with that was to make the trans more responsive to road conditions.
The same someone had inexplicably connected the "new" trans' 3-pin nss/backup light switch to 3 random wires out of the 5 and cut the other two. I disconnected the entire thing since it doesn't interface. Disconnecting the wires didn't change what I am about to describe. Here is where things get really strange. I don't understand it yet, but I'm pretty confident that this is related to the PCM not seeing the right transmission.
1. Truck starts and run good in Park. If you drop it in reverse, even though there is no longer an actual reverse, and step on the gas, the engine cuts out, cuts up, loads up, pops out the exhaust and most of the time dies. This is not revving it to 5500 to get it to move and hitting the rev limiter. I mean as soon as you put pressure on the accelerator. Every time. I've seen other owners describe this mystery "runs like crap in reverse" issue with Magnums, with no resolution.
Out of curiosity, I completely disconnected the transmission electrically and tried it again. Same thing. The only difference was that the trans defaulted to 2nd since there was no longer an electrical input. So, I'm certain this truck is smarter than I, so where is it seeing reverse if the trans is disconnected electrically? Is it because even with the trans connected, the incorrect electronics are screwing with the PCM? It actually works decent in the forward gears, but there is no lockup and no OD. The shifts are slightly late but smooth.
2. This thing will start dropping out in drive at idle when it gets hot. If you hold your foot on the gas pedal slightly to keep it running and moving, it does this lumpff lumpff lumpff thing, then will die immediately when you let off. Starts right back up. Sometimes it doesn't do that at all. Up to about 170 degrees it exhibits no idle issues in drive.
There are no codes serious enough to trigger the money light. It does set a P01899 for the missing range sensor.
Anyway, just wanted to pick people's brains about a really strange symptom. I'll track down the correct trans for it and build it. Thanks for reading.
