Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) 2001 Trans ?????

[roller1000]

I was transplanting some 10' trees this weekend. 8 trees in the trailer= about 9500lbs 2 in the back of the truck= about 2300lbs. When I got up to speed and the torque converter locked, no problem I could go as fast as I wanted to pull the small forest behind me, but getting this load going was a little concerning. From a stop I would roll into the throttle nice and slow (this was a big load) the rpm would come up and I would slowly start to move and gain speed, and I meen slowly. I would say it felt like it was slipping, but it was throwing no codes, no trans temp light, no bad smell, no clunks or clattering. When it shifted to top gear and then again when the converter locked up I would get a feelling of being conected to the ground. This made my bad feelling from the lower gears go slowly away, untill I had to stop and do it all over again. I was keeping o. d. off untill I got up to speed 55mph then letting the converter lock. the next day when the truck was unloaded everything shifted fine. What do you think?

 

[EDembowski]

Simplified Version.

It's the stall speed of the Dodge converters. I'm sure that I will be corrected if wrong, but factory converters have too high of a stall speed for the power band on the Cummins(~2200-2400 RPM)(the stall speed is the engine speed when the converter will theoretically stall the engine due to the torque it is transferring to the transmission if the truck where held in place). In this case instead of stalling the engine, it transfers the torque and starts the wheels turning and will continue to at this RPM until the truck gains momentum then ultimately it will lock up. when in lock up you essentially have a one to one transfer of torque. I have the same gripe with mine. A lower stall converter basically starts the truck pulling at a lower RPM. Dodge factory converters aren't very efficient compared to the aftermarket converters. Some of the aftermarket converters are designed and built specifically with lower stall speeds to make the truck more efficient and start pulling at a lower RPM (in the power band). Of course it doesn't hurt to make sure you have a healthy transmission so you don't have to pull it twice. Which Converter you go with also depends on what you do with the truck now and in the future. Beware, there are a lot of opinions on this subject as far as what is best for one person's truck, however it doesn't apply to all. Have your transmission looked at, and if healthy, get a lower stall converter, and maybe a shift kit or valve body. If you plan to hotrod your truck then you may want a big $$$$ transmission.