Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) Couple new issues!

[SnoKing]

Well the new transmission has been OK, however it was a little hrash shifting. So the other day I did what Bill at DTT has done for years. I put a bottle of Red Lubegard in the transmission. Seem strange that a small $11.95 bottle of snake oil could make a big difference, but it did.

This happen quite a few years ago also. Went to DTT to have the transmission serviced and they were out of Lubegard and I added it later and noticed quite a difference.

Kind of miss the DTT 89% TC in the unlocked mode, as it was much tighter than the new triple disc installed.

Going to tow the trailer next week. Chris

 

[JR]

What kind of fluid are you running? I had my trans rebuilt by a local sled puller guru a few years back and he told me to just run Dexron fluid, it is a "grabbier" fluid. I ran it the first service interval but went back to ATF+4.

 

[SnoKing]

I have been using Amsoild for years and put it in the new rebuild also. Chris

 

[JLandry]

Well the new transmission has been OK, however it was a little hrash shifting.

Chris,

I have to wonder how your transmission would shift using ATF+4.

John L.

 

[SnoKing]

Chris,

I have to wonder how your transmission would shift using ATF+4.

John L.

This builder was not to keen on ATF+4! Maybe some just misunderstand what it is.

I had already bought the Amsoil and was going to put it in when I changed the Pressure transducer and solenoid. Then I found the broken hard pieces. So I picked up a case of cheap fluid from Costco when I put it back together to be able to drive it to a shop.

Chris

 

[SnoKing]

Well we did our first big tow to the ocean and on the way home we stopped at the transmission shop and took Mike for a ride with the trailer attached. Wednesday they are going to pull the torque converter, send it out to install a different tighter stator. Chris

 

[Sticks]

Still not quite right huh? Bummer.

 

[JR]

This builder was not to keen on ATF+4! Maybe some just misunderstand what it is.

Chris

Can you elaborate on that some more?

 

[SnoKing]

JR I will ask him if I get a chance. Chris

 

[SnoKing]

Dropped the truck off late this afternoon. Mike has been talking to the Torque Converter guy. He acknowledges that the one installed has a stock 2200 stall RPM. That was NOT the plan going into this rebuild. Someone screw up somewhere!! At this point I am not to concerned who, as they are going to make it right. They are going to shoot for 1400-1600 with a new different Stator. I am going to call DTT tomorrow, but Mike believes the DTT unit was around 1200, and it would over power the brakes a bit in 4 low.

Truck will be ready Thursday or Friday!

We were down near the summer RV lot, so we stopped by and racked up the winter droppings and made a pile at the road for the parks maintenance crew to haul off, so we got a little extra mileage out of the trip.

Chris

 

[BarryG]

Years ago when I had my 01 transmission rebuilt by Bill at DTT he told me to use Dexron as well. I could use the atf 3 but I should not use the 4 which had just recently come out iirc. I felt that the shifting was a bit harsh or maybe better to say crisper than I liked. I subsequently changed to Amsoil not for the shifting but for the increased temp ratings of the amsoil fluid. I immediately noticed the shifts were not as crisp or harsh as with the Dexron. I ran Amsoil for years but have since switched back to Dexron. It hasn't been my dd for 5 years or so now and after years of watching the trans temp gauge I no longer saw the need to be as concerned about my trans temp and significantly less miles per year. So I saved the money. I still check the bands and rr filter and fluid annually. 200k miles on that rebuild so far and still going great. (knock on wood).

 

[SnoKing]

Barry, Bill always said to use one bottle of Lubegard Red bottle also. Once he did not have any and I drove after a service for a while before adding it myself. I notice a smoothing of "things"! I added a bottle to this new transmission after a few weeks and also noticed that it trammed it a bit also. Chris

 

[SnoKing]

Just got home from the transmission shop with a new tighter stator installed in the TC. MUCH better! I think I will be happy now. I have to get a slide out problem with the trailer fixed before I can go tow it, but I think he got it right this time. Walked in and the counter gal said here are your keys, if you want to talk to Mike is out in the shop. Talked to him briefly about the new stall speed and drove it home. Cost? A couple quarts of my extra Amsoil ATF to top it off.

Oo.

Chris

 

[Sticks]

I hope this solves it for you.

 

[SnoKing]

OK, this week I was going to solve the TC unlocking issue. So following John Landry advice I ordered and installed a new alternator. No Joy!

So I did the Suncoast APPS ground wires to under the dash. I took a length of number 12 wire and put a ring connector on the two ends, stretched it out doubled up and put in a cordless drill and twisted the two wires. Cut the APPS ground wire and soldered and shrink wrapped the two connections, and!!! No Joy!

Drats

With the DTT transmission the smart controller would just flash the TPS light when it unlocked. With this new transmission, the TPS light actually lights up. Do not know where to go next. I have the DTT noise filter also.

Guess I will plug in my manual override lock up switch and give that a test the next time I tow. Running bobtail things just happen to fast two figure much out and I will most likely get a ticket if I keep road testing without the trailer, as I gain MPH pretty fast!!!

Chris

 

[cerberusiam]

Remove the charge wire and ground wire from the passenger side battery from the factory harness. Only thing I have ever found that works more times than not. That is the source of most of the noise in the system though there are others. A new FPCM cures that problem also.

 

[SnoKing]

Remove the charge wire and ground wire from the passenger side battery from the factory harness. Only thing I have ever found that works more times than not. That is the source of most of the noise in the system though there are others. A new FPCM cures that problem also.

I did that rewiring a few weeks ago. Chris

 

[SnoKing]

OK, I need PCM/transmission guru help.

I towed the 5th wheel to Eastern Washington today. Torque converter still wants to unlock when I pull a grade. Flat land and it stays locked. This has been a problem for years. I wired a mystery switch before I left, and the switch keeps it locked.

Actions to date.

Timbo's APPS year ago
New Batteries year ago
APPS GROUND REWIRE recent
Alternator wiring reroute recent
New Alternator recent
Cleaned serveral grounds recent
transmission rebuild recent including governor pressure sensor and solenoid.
DTT filter for years
DTT voltage regulator for years
DTT smart controller for years

So I know the transmission temp sensor can effect lockup, but what else effects if. It appears to be a electronic issue, not a physical transmission issue.

John L. Sold me a PCM, however I have not yet installed it.

Anyone have any thoughts? Snoking

 

[JR]

Do you have a good voltmeter with you? Flip it to AC and with the truck running measure the output of the altenator it should be less than 0.1 VAC
If you are getting a higher reading than 0.1 Volts shut the truck off, pull the main altenator fuse in the pdc under the hood and start the truck up and do the AC test again. If your voltmeter is now showing 0 or very close you have found your AC noise and most likely the cause for the lock/unlock issues. You can even take the truck for a drive with the big fuse removed to verify Whether or not it takes care of the driveability issues.

I don't know if they either use cheapo diodes or simply reuse the old ones in reman altenators but a broken diode(s) will give you AC noise. What makes it hard to diagnose is most auto parts stores can't test for AC voltage and an altenator that fails an AC noise test could still pass a DC test.

 

[SnoKing]

JR, I looked at the OEM alternator for AC noise and saw little or none. Replaced it anyway with a new one, not a rebuilt one.

This condition has been around for years and first noticed it with the custom DDT transmission in fall of 2004. Seems a little more persistent with the newest rebuild. Or triple disc TC makes it feel different. Strange that it only happens when pulling or heavy trouble empty. The DTT smart controller has a throttle setting to force this. It does not matter where that is set. With the DTT build that light would flash when it happen. With the new build the light lights when it happens.

May just install a relay with the mystery switch and activate it off one of the smart controllers signals.

SNOKING