47RE issues!!

[CKimball]

i want to start out and say... GREAT FORUM!!... I am a "reformed" ex power stroke owner!!... I recently (last week and 643 miles ago) bought my new 03 HD dually... what an engine... . oh and the truck aint so bad either!... my question is everything shifts fine until i want to get on the fleeway and it wont shift into overdrive or lockup unless i let my foot off completely and then it takes about 3 seconds to shift!!... is this something anyone else has experienced and if so... what is the fix?...



thanks

cameron

 

[davidclark]

Same here, it's annoying as all get out!!! It's like the shift points are in the wrong places for those gears, but I assumed it was for towing heavy loads. I hate it, but that's the only thing I hate about my truck... I wonder if a reprogramming of the shift points is possible...

 

[Steve M]

I think you're going to find out it's the kick down cable adjustment. Mine is the opposite. I need to adjust mine so it'll stay out of O/D a little longer. My '01. 5 was like you describe and I liked it. It never dogged down into O/D when I didn't want it to. Once you get used to letting up on the throttle, it'll become a habit that you'll like. But that's just my humble opinion.

Cameron, I missunderstood your e-mail. I thought you had the O/D too soon like I do.

 

[CKimball]

Steve... no it just wont go in under heavy throttle... and now that you mention it... right when the engine feels good it shifts... ANNOYING!!!. . so an adjusment on the kick down cable huh??. . wouldnt that cause it to shift later??... actualy that might work cuz the overdrive and tq lockup are not cable adjustable they are speed sensored... somebody correct me if i am wrong... hum... I know what I am gonna do when I get (if it stops raining arrrgg. . its california... it doesnt rain in so cal!

cameron

 

[Steve M]

It's a combination of line pressure, rpm and throttle position via the kickdown cable. If you take the cover off of the throttle arm on the engine, you'll see the bottom cable goes to the transmission. This cable should be just relaxed with the throttle in idle position. It's adjustable to adjust shift points and downshift sensitivity. Mine was too relaxed and therefore shifted to O/D too soon. I adjusted it a little and will check the results next time out. I'll probably have to adjust it a couple of times until I find a setting I like.

If you want to adjust yours, remove the two plastic screws and screw inserts on the cover, remove the cover, pull forward on the black cable end to remove it from the throttle arm ball, squeeze the two retaining clips top and bottom of the bracket retainer and slide the cable out the back of the bracket. Move the white locking clip out and adjust the cable housing out for more sensitivity to throttle or in for less sensitivity. Note the visible notches on the cable so you know how much you've moved it or if you want to put it back where it was. Snap the locking clip back in and put the cable and cover back on. Give it a try and see if you went too far or not far enough.

 

[Prairie Dog]

Welcome Cameron, I'm just curious - did you check out the 6. 0 PSD and what drove you over here to the dark side?

By the way, it smells like victory doesn't it?





Scotty

 

[CKimball]

Steve M... . thanks. . I am gonna try it tonight... . towed my fith wheel (10k lbs) for the first time this weekend and it is WAY different than my chipped up 97 PSD. power is way low and felt great UNTIL it saw a hill in o/d... . really surprized that it bogged down... kick it out o/d and it pulls but at 2700 rpm!!. (i dont like that... It is weird in asmuch as when pulling from a stop it shifts at 2000 rpm and pulls AWESOME but it wont pull as hard once in o/d (i have only 800 miles on it so maybe it will change. )



Prairie dog,,, I have had many diesels (MBZ's VW's Ford PSD's etc) and I always liked my Ford trucks (but have to be chipped to get out of there own way!!)... I had ordered an F450 with the 6. 0 and the only reason i backed down is the calif. DMV needed more cash for them to to spend than it did for a 1 ton or less vehicle:--) the 6. 0 cackles when cold and is way noisier than anyother diesel when cold. it is very powerfull and smooth when warm but I didnt want to be the teething ring for ford ,,maybe in a couple of years! the Dodge had a higher GVCW than anyone else and it was 3800 LESS than a Chevy and 2 grand less than a Ford. this is my first cummins and it is way smooth and quiet. . i must say this is probably the best DODGE vehicle ever built (please read that correctly... . the best DODGE ever built i am not saying better than chevy ford etc so keep your defensive skirts down guys!!)

very well built, very tight... the only thing i miss about my 97 was that it was paid for and 4wd... other than that... I dig it!

 

[Steve M]

At 2700 rpm in 3rd you must be doing about 55mph with auto/4. 10 ratio. Peak HP is at 2900rpm. 55mph in O/D is about 1750rpm. Good for cruising and mild hills but on the steep hills I have to downshift too. Even when I had my '98 5spd/4. 10, the hills would call for a downshift if I was running 55mph. When I'm running 65-70mph on the interstate, the rolling hills aren't a problem. They aren't as steep as the hills on the two lane state roads and at 65mph, I'm up over 2000rpm and running in the sweet spot. Best mileage is at the lowest rpm you can maintain speed with some power to spare. Best power is between peak torque and peak HP. Taking the bull by the horns is at 2900rpm. Since we only have 3rd and O/D to choose from at highway speeds, it's a big spread between best mileage and pulling the hills. 2900rpm isn't a problem for the Cummins. It's rated for it and will run there all day loaded if need be. And this one does it quietly!

I played around with my kick down cable and found a happy median. It's shifts smooth with normal driving and holds the gears a little longer with "moderate" throttle with O/D lockup at about 55mph. Traffic hasn't allowed a full throttle acceleration yet. Oddly enough it was when I unlocked the cable, reinstalled the holder in the bracket and just pulled the slack out of the cable and pushed the locking clip back in place that it felt best. I think that's probably how it should've been set up from the factory with everything at idle position.

 

[CKimball]

SteveM... . I got home late last night and fiddled with the cable ... I was able to pull the cable out and the white clip out but for some reason wasent able to move the cable adjustment... . dinner bell bell rang and had to pick the kid up from baseball so I had to button it up without adjusting it... I will be able to do it tonight ( no wife or kids to bother me)... when you adjusted it did it make the shifts firmer under heavier acceleration?. . mine shifts almost firm and I want it to kick just a little harder to help with transmission life!... My assumption and please correct me if I am wrong is that the edge and other performance mods do nothing for the trans... is that a correct assumption??... I can get away with adding some mods without the CFO finding out but a valve body o/haul is out of the question... . I want to able to drive my truck... . if i did that... well... I would be dead riding in that nice new long silver bed!!!:-{} ... your thoughts... also Steve... what is the weight of trailer loaded again??...

Cameron

 

[Steve M]

Just a little bit makes a big difference with the kickdown cable. Tighter will firm up the shifts and hold the gears longer. If you go too much it might be annoying waiting for it to shift while making normal accelerations. After you get the white clip unlocked, hold the cable in one hand and the black block in the other. Then you can pull it one way or the other. It feels like it has a light spring in it. If you unlock it and put the block back in the throttle bracket, you can pull back on the cable jacket to take the slack out of the cable, give it just a little more tension and you'll probably be where you want with shifts and firmness. It doesn't take much.

Our 5th wheel weighs 10,400 lbs with the 65 gallon fresh water tank full.

I don't know about the Edge box and others. I've kept my trucks bone stock. Even the air filter.

 

[sag2]

Mine holds the 3-4 shift at times. I have noticed if I just hold the throttle and let the speed come up, it will ALWAYS shift at 67 MPH. I have 3. 73's so it might be different for 4. 10's.

According to the guys at the DC training center, they included "anti hunt" software changes to the PCM to keep the trans from shifting up and down, especially when driving in hilly country where you keep cresting a hill and then pulling up another one. I did try calibrating the APPS several times and it seemed a little better for a while. Other than that, it shifts great, so what the heck.

 

[BLanders]

delayed shifting

Mine also has the same problem. Contacted the Service manager and he call the MOCO. They said that the transmission is doing what it is programed to do. Well I was not satisfied with that so I called another Dealer and talked to the Service Manager there. He was quite knowledgeable. when I exlained what my problem was he told me that it is mostly happening to the 4X4's. The MOCO is working on a flash as the 2X4 and 4X4 use the same computer program to control the transmission. Well the 4X4 is heavier and sits up higher so it has more wind resistance so the TPS and the computer are having a conflict. The MOCO is working on a flash, but it has to be sent to the Gov't for an ok to make sure it does not affect the EPA setting of the engine-trans combination. He told me it could be anywhere from two weeks to two months before it gets passed. He also gave me a number 1-800-992-1997 give them the VIN and mileage The MOCO will start a file and let you know when the flash becomes available.



For what it's worth I hope it's soon

Very Irritating

 

[CKimball]

SteveM... . got it... made it shift better but i couldnt check to see if it still hold 3rd gear due to it SNOWED here last night (IT NEVER SNOWS in SO CAL!!. . I am 12 miles as the crow flies from the beach and we got at least 2 inches!)and the roads and the drivers are dangerous!!. . I am taking my fiver in for warranty work today so we shall see



Blanders, Sag... . thanks. . i am calling that number and wait for them to find a fix... . that anti hunt program makes alot of sense... lets hope they can reflash it and still keep that program installed... i just passed 1000 miles and it is waking up... mileage is still low 16 in town 18 highway but man what a powerplant!... i must say the fit and finish on this model is way better than my old 94 1500 that i had... you can see a little MBZ influence on the build quality...

 

[CKimball]

SteveM... . great call. . it shifts way better... still have the hold out going to overdrive BUT... it doesnt slide into overdrive (under lite throttle) like it used to with the slide-rattle combo that it had... now the shift points are just about right... and you are correct... just lifting the clip off put the adjustment at the correct spot... thanks... ... this works guys. . try it!!. .



on a related note... emailed DC about the reflash and they responded that they cant diagnosis my complaint with out going to the dealer... called DC and same thing... take it to the dealer... well... . i guess they just dont want us to know how to fix their stuff!!...

Cameron

 

[CKimball]

ok... I posted this last month and went to the STUPID dealer yesterday... they were too busy to go for a testdrive when I arrived so I had to leave it... . snitty little service girl(and a KNOW IT ALL TO BOOT) couldnt and WOULDNT understand what I was telling her so I simply said just have the tech call me when he gets the truck... she got all testy and wouldnt listen... long and short of it... they coulnd find anything wrong and said that I am hearing the fan... . (this was told to me at 5. 15 after the techs had left... . thank YOu DOdge for wasting my time... . guys... any of you found a fix yet?... I cant leave my truck with these morons only to waste my time (and cost me $$)..... can ya tell I am a little PO'ed??:-{}



Cameron