2001.5 Six speed shifting problems

[REllerman]

When I use my truck for the first time each day, When going from fouth to fifth the acts like the gear is not in syn and feels like the gear is grinding. This only occurs when the transmission is cold and normally only once or twice. Then the transmission shifts normal for the rest of the day. The teck who looked at my unit says that CD says that is occuring on lots of but they don't know what is causing this so for now they are considering this normal. Has anyone else had this problem? and has it gotton worse? or found a cause?

 

[SKelly]

I have the exact same problem in my new, 1,342 mile, 2001. 5. The first shift in the morning from 4 th to 5th has a slight grinding as it goes in then all is fine the rest of the day. I have not brought mine in yet though. I figure it needs to be broken for the tech to figure out what went wrong.

 

[DAWG-1]

TSB befor winter?????

I spoke with the service manager and a tech (I trust) about my transmission grinding cold shifting from 3rd to 4th. They were told it will be worse in colder climates. Dodge is working on different fluid and that will produce a tsb.

 

[Neal Cassady]

Never had a 4 -> 5 grind. I did have a slight 2 -> 3 and 3 -> 4 grind when the transmission was cold for the first few shifts. Either I learned to drive it better or the transmission has broken in at around 4K.



Dave

 

[Texas Diesel]

I dont have any problem with 3, 4 or 5 engagement. But sometimes I can feel rough engagement of 1 or 2, doesnt grind but you can feel the gears mesh. Anyone else with this?

 

[SKelly]

Coming into work this morning I tryed rowing through the gears at a couple of stop signs. It seemed to help as I did not experience any grinding going into 5th once I was up to speed. I am alittle concerned with the comment on colder climates causing the grinding though. I live at 10,000' and it sure gets cold here.

 

[JJW_ND]

Two out of four new HO 6sps we got grind in 3 and 4th. Was much worse during winter. Has all but disapearred now. I was told it was syncro material problems. I think it is fluid related. My 5sp shifts allot better.



We will have 15 - 25K on these 4 new trucks and if they gring this winter... ... NEW trans time. There is plenty HO 6spes that shift fine. You know when you have one.



These new transmissions should NEVER grind unless you are shifting clutchless. Not even when 30 below. DC has relaced many but seems to be holding out lately for a better fix. I will try anything they offer as long as it includes total replacement if problem never goes away and truck runs off warrenty.



THe spacing in the new 6speed is great for pulling and Ebraking. Just want the smooth shifting to be included.



jjw

 

[Shelby Griggs]

Rumored Solution

A tech at my dealer, who seemed to be shooting straight, says that they have been replacing the syncros with a new design, they have only done 1 or 2. Sounds like new internals, the syncros are re-located to a different shaft???? That's what he said. The newer ones are supposed to be this way from the factory. Any transmission guys heard of someting like this, or is he blowing smoke? Anyway sounds like a 1-2K job. Better have it done under the 3/36, eh?



I, for one, would like to see a better shifting 6 speed. Not too bad, I have driven worse crash boxes, but would like better. I guess if they were all like this, I would accept it as a heavy duty truck transmission, but it seems some shift smooth as silk.



Shelby

 

[Pete Peterson]

Grind......

REllerman, When I bought my 6 speed last year it would grind a little going from third to fourth for about 10 miles if the temp was below 40 degrees. Took it to a real 5 star dealer(National Dodge) and they put in a new transmission, never even talked about rebuilding it. New transmission is as smooth as butter!! It seems to shift better with a heavy load than empty but either way its still smooth. Talk to your dealer, if truck is fairly new see about a new transmission. Park it at the dealers overnight so they can verify the problem... ... . Pete

 

[justme]

My truck was an early production year 2001 truck (Feb. 00). I have had no problems with the transmission, engine or the truck in general.



I purchased the TRUCK as a HD truck, not as a racer to take on Powerstokes, Duramax’s, Mustangs or Camaros. The shifting is not near as smooth as my wife’s BMW or as my first car (1976 Pontiac Trans Am w/455 cid and a M-22), but I did not purchase it for the smooth shifting characteristics of the transmission. I bought a 7700 lb. beast to work hard and put up wet. I maintain her myself, and she has been loyal to the bone.



Remember that you are dealing with a TRUCK and not a sports car or luxury car! If you want a luxury truck then go see the GM boys and buy a cowboy Cadillac with a gas engine.



Easy now, I had to get this off my chest. We all bought our trucks to be our work and play trucks. With that in mind, remember that the transmission was designed for and what it is sitting behind. This is not a Richmond or Muncie transmission, it is a New Ventures Gear 5600;a WORK transmission to work and abuse.



Flame if you wish!

 

[JJW_ND]

Should not Grind!

Some of us get to drive dozens of NVG transmissions. They should not grind. Never happend with NVG4500 most NVG5600 do not grind. If it grinds it is a problem and it will NEVER get better. You might just start putting up with it.



jjw

ND

 

[DHawthorne]

I have a model year 2000 3500 with the 6speed. It shifted rough

from second to third when I first got it. Spent two months in Mass

doing a job in New Bedford during March and April. It seemed to be more noticable when it was cold. I have no problems from fourth to fifth. Truck has 47k on it now. Mine seems to almost stop between gears just for a second to allow the sycros to line up when your in a hurry to shift. It reminds me of my 69 Dodge Superbee, did the same thing. I think yours will get better with some mileage. Like the other guy said it an't a t-10 or a crash box. Its a heavy duty gearbox made for working. My smoothest

shifts are around 2000rpms. Hope if works out for you.

 

[Blair]

Mine has started grinding going from 6 to 5. I'm waiting for winter to see if it gets worse and then I will wait as long as I can so I get the best possible replacement if thats what it needs.

 

[forr]

My 2001 6spd gave a noticeable grind from 4th to 5th four or five times last winter. Each time it happened to me, the days were colder than 30F and with less than five minutes idle after start up (truck sat in the work parking lot all day). Truck had less than 10,000 miles at the time. After a successful sixteen hour trip in the early spring to pick up a 10,000# tractor with my fifth wheel trailer - presto - no problems since. Was it simply a matter of break-in? Who knows? I never had the problem after warming up the transmission (10 miles or so). Does bumping the throttle once to shift smoothly on cold mornings help - you bet. And it's cheaper than a transmission rebuild.



Regardless, if the problem continues to get worse - see what your dealer will do under warranty.

 

[Jemiba]

I had the same problem with grinding in the mornings, 2nd to 3rd,3rd to 4th. I was told to put more miles on the truck. I told them this isn't right. I had just traded in a 2001 3500 ETH/6 speed and told them I did not have that problem. They were told from DC to change the 3rd gear cluster. When the took the transmission apart, they found that it had not be put to gether right, nuts were loose and clips were missing. Everything is now fine.

 

[Ragin Ram]

After driving my shops' dealer loaner 6sp. truck, I ordered mine the same day! I ended up trading in my ZF 5sp. Powerstroke for it. The NV 6sp. sold me on the Dodge. I have owned several different manuals including: SM 465's, NP 435's, Muncie M21 & M22's, Ford Top Loaders (one of my all time favorites), as well as others. The NV IMHO is the smoothest shifting of all of them, even shifting clutchless (which I try not to do very often , but I'm lazy sometimes). However, the shift pattern can be tricky on the 4-3 downshift. I suppose it can't be perfect anyway.



I would encourage anyone having difficulty shifting to take it back to the dealer and not settle for any excuses, because these are not typical characteristics of this gearbox.



Good Luck!