Transmission question, a little off topic....

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74 Dart Swinger
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This doesn't relate to our Dart, but in the past week my 1997 Dodge Ram 1500 4X4 with 5.9L / Auto trans has started having transmission issues. First, a little history/information on this vehicle. It runs 37" Swampers with an 8 inch total lift. This was done before I bought it in June 05. The gearing was never changed from it's stock 3.50, even though it should be about a 4.56 gear for best performance. While I don't off-road/mud-run the truck, I do use it as a tow vehicle for my trailer with 3 ATV's and 2 dirt bikes. I even towed this load and even more weight from Fort Irwin, CA to Fort Hood Texas 2.5 years ago with no issues. I've heard that Dodge truck transmissions are notorious for going bad, and my combination of tires and towing sure don't help. But this past week the truck started jumping RPM while driving down the street and won't "kick-down" on the highway. I'll show my ignorance with he next question, would a simple fluid/filter change help or am I looking at something major here. As luck would have it, there is only one payment left on the truck. She's my love and I get comments on her no matter where I go. Any ideas / suggestions on what I should do?

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How often does the RPM jump, and by how much? Is this the 46RE tranny?
C
 
The RPM jumps between 500 and 800 and does so once warmed up after about 10 minutes of driving. In colder weather it's not so bad. I'm not sure what my transmission is other than it has a push-button overdrive in the dash.
 
My convertor would unlock and the RPM's kick up a few hundred, mainly on the freeway. Then it seemed to be slipping when starting from a dead stop. Took it into the dealer (still under warranty); the mechanic said it was the 10 x 31.50 tires with a 318....not enough grunt to keep the convertor locked (have 3.55 gears...2 wheel drive). The slipping from a start was due to some governor going out and the truck was starting in drive 2. The change fixed the start. When I needed new tires, bought some 9.50 x 30.5 tires and the unlocking issue disappeared. Your gear ratio has to be very high with those tires.

Maybe borrow some smaller tires and try that? The governor repair was around $550, but done under warranty. I've heard the trans are notorious for braking, I change the fluid every 25K. I'm at 100k on the truck now, and will start changing the fluid every 20k...it's a lot less painful now that you can get the ATF+4 at some place besides the dealer. I might even add a deep pan this change.
 
My truck has over 162,000 miles on it currently and in the 3.5 years I've had it, I haven't changed the fluid, so I'll start with that and the filter. We'll see how it goes from there.
If there are any other ideas / suggestions out there, I am more than open to hearing them. Thanks to all.
 
Thats a good lookin truck.
I had a V10 4X4 a couple years ago.
I know that on some trucks the cooling lines on the O/D transmission have some sort of check valve in them.
Sometimes when a trans went bad a lot of sludge would end up plugging that part, effectively blocking flow to the tranny cooler.
When a new or rebuilt trans was installed the trans would wear out quickly due to lack of cooling.
If the tranny fluid looks bad I suggest unhooking the lines and flush them out also.
It was suggested to me by a trans rebuilder that it might be a good idea to replace that valve.
Hope its an easy fix for ya.
 
Button said:
My truck has over 162,000 miles on it currently and in the 3.5 years I've had it, I haven't changed the fluid, so I'll start with that and the filter. We'll see how it goes from there.
If there are any other ideas / suggestions out there, I am more than open to hearing them. Thanks to all.
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You can almost bet the fluid and filter change wont help. The governor is a solonoid in the valve body and is about $55 from an aftermarket trans store (ex. Whatever it takes). It's not very hard to change it, you don't have to drop the entire valve body just let it down far enough to change the part and bolt back up, if that's it. Is it freewheeling or downshifting or not upshifting? This would help in the diagnosis.
 
i would flush it. by unhooking the cooler lines and running the engine and shiftin thru the prndl gears. you have the end the fluid comes outta hooked to a hose so you dont make a mess and keep dumping fluid in the dipstick. you can then run it low on fluid and swap the filter. but i like doin it that way cuz it cleans out more of the fluid. i kinda think it wont fix it but it help and its a lot cheaper and easier then the tranny lol
 
renegadebuck said:
You can almost bet the fluid and filter change wont help. The governor is a solonoid in the valve body and is about $55 from an aftermarket trans store (ex. Whatever it takes). It's not very hard to change it, you don't have to drop the entire valve body just let it down far enough to change the part and bolt back up, if that's it. Is it freewheeling or downshifting or not upshifting? This would help in the diagnosis.
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When on the freeway, the truck used to drop to around 1,500-1,800 rpm when cruiseing along. Now if won't drop below 2,000-2,100 unless I pull my foot clean off the gas.
In town, the rpm's jump and fluctuate between 1,800 and 2,100 rpm, jumping around 500 or so rpm. No issues going into reverse, (yet) or taking off getting up to speed.
I baby this truck, I even wax the suspension lift components. You don't see many 11 year old 4X4's around here that are in this good of shape. About the only way I would consider getting rid of her would be in trade for a nice muscle car.

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The kickdown issue might be a front band needing adjustment. The higher RPM sounds as though the "lockup" command either isn't given or isn't followed, so look for a torque converter clutch code. The 1997 should still be able to do the "key on, key off" three times (if the odo is still analog) which will get the check engine light to flash a series of two digit codes. If I'm forgetting, and you have a digital odometer, you have to get a code reader, since the early obd2 Mopars would not read in the odo like the 99 and newer will.
 
My dash is not analog/digital. It's still the old numbers flipping round and round, (old school haha). I haven't had any check engine lights on either. Tonight I noticed it was OK pretty much of the day but once it warmed up, I was going about 20mph down the street and the RPM kept surgeing unless I lifted totally off the go pedal. I did have to put the truck into 4X4 today because I couldn't get the truck to turn around on sum very thin but slimy mud I was in at work. I was nervous about doing it but it engaged OK and I was able to steer out as opposed to my front end just sliding forwards even though the wheels were turned.
 
the "numbers going around" was what I ment by analog, don't know if thats exactly what its called. Since you have that, you have the obd1 stuff, and that should allow you to do the ko/ko codes check. You don't have trans codes because the trans is stil a 46RH, not the RE. Given that you have surging at 20MPH, I to be sure you don't have an engine issue, rather than a trans issue. But, I'd drop the pan and check for stuff in the pan. If you find small chunks of friction material, it is likely your forward clutch. If its small metal bits that look like a steel mouse took a dump, your OD unit is tossing a bearing. If you find nothing unusual, check the engine.
 
any '96 or newer car is obd2 or better. thats when they passed the laws to standerize it all. you can verify this by seeing if there is the code reader plug in under the dash by the steering column on the left side and is 16 pin.

you can have 'pending codes' so they only happened once within a certin amount of run cycles. and sometimes the 'mil' light dose not turn on if it is not emissions related. i would check that if you can.
 
I took the truck to Auto Zone and they hooked up their code tester and it showed nothing. The salesman suggested a bad vaccuum, dirty fuel filter, and even bad gasoline. I guess my telling them it was having slippage while shifting fell on deaf ears. It seems she only heard the fluctuating RPM's portion. I guess I'll have a trans shop check it out soon. Thanks to all that tried to help.
 
tyler_s18 said:
any '96 or newer car is obd2 or better. thats when they passed the laws to standerize it all. you can verify this by seeing if there is the code reader plug in under the dash by the steering column on the left side and is 16 pin.

you can have 'pending codes' so they only happened once within a certin amount of run cycles. and sometimes the 'mil' light dose not turn on if it is not emissions related. i would check that if you can.
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On the Ram, it'll be just under the ashtray to the right of the steering column
 
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