Engine/Transmission (1994 - 1998) 47RH Transmission Problem

[LandShark]

I've never had a problem with the transmission (47RH) since new. Truck has about 190,000 miles. Yesterday it was hesitant to shift out of 1st gear. It would hold 2000 rpm and not shift unless I backed way off the power. After shifting into 2nd, it would go thru the gears, overdrive and lockup as normal.

Transmission fluid was checked and is full. No leaks anywhere. Fluid was last changed about 25,000 miles ago. Time to change, as I do it every 25k. Fluid looks and smells normal.

Any ideas? Is this trans at the end of it's life? Anything else I can check prior to taking it to a shop?

 

[ttbird]

If you've driven 190,000 miles, you've done real good. My 95's 47RH went south the first time at 70,000 miles, rebuilt under warranty. Went again at 140,000 miles. Thought it was programmed to fail every 70,000 miles. It did the same thing, not shifting right and then slipping. Had it rebuilt aftermarket, see sig. , and all has been good. There are a few good rebuilder out there so check around and talk to them all. Go with the one you feel most comfortable with. I don't want to see a trans war develop here! I did my trans first and then started the mod. bug because I decided I was going to keep the 12 valve forever.

 

[Missouri Mule]

Similar to your problem. From 96 service manual (47re)



Stuck in low gear (will not upshift)



1. Throttle linkage misadjustes/stuck.

2. Gearshift linkage misadjusted.

3. Governor/valvelbody, Governor valve stuck closed, loose out put shaft support or governor housing bolts, leaking seal rings or valve body problem.

5. Front band out of adjustment.

6. Clutch or servo malfunction.

 

[LandShark]

MissouriMule: Good call. I use my factory manual all the time, but didn't think of looking there for this problem.

Bands have been adjusted at each fluid change. Nothing has changed with the gearshift or throttle linkage, but I need to do some more checking if it ever stops raining here.

 

[KCanepari]

Hey. I've got a '95 also with 195,000 miles. not sure if original transmission or not. It was shifting fine until the other day I blew a cooler line. Nursed it home (1. 5miles), fixed cooler line, filled fluid. Would not shift out of 2nd gear. The little arm our of the transmission that the tv cable goes to was stuck open. I sprayed some lube on the cable and arm and moved back and forth until it was free, then I added a second return spring on arm. It shifts into second right away no problem, but then will not shift into 3rd or 4th unless I take my foot all the way off the trottle. Any ideas?? are you out there Joe??

 

[LandShark]

I decided to pull the pan and take a look.

The pan had the usual super fine goop around the magnet (about 1/8" thick) and about a small pinch of shiny metal particles that varied from very fine shavings to about the size of fine salt. Filter looked fairly dirty (25,000 miles). Adjusted the front and rear bands. Changed the filter and replaced the fluid with ATF4 (first time with ATF4; used ATF3 in the past).

Took the truck for a 10 minute test run and it drives just fine. If anything it may have a slightly smoother 1-2 shift. Guess I'll drive it for awhile and see.

Time to start shopping for a transmission rebuilder!

 

[LandShark]

Truck drove fine for a couple hundred miles and now the problem is back: will not shift out of first unless I run it up to 2200 rpms and goose the throttle a couple of times. Mostly normal operation after it gets into second, but sometimes now it slips out of second and back into first if I back off the throttle. Tried a front band adjust but that didn't help. Band doesn't feel quite right when tightening so I'm thinking that may be the source of the problem.

I'm leaning toward a ATS Stage I with 5 star converter.

 

[BigPapa]

Mine was doing this before I converted mine to a manual. My transmission man told me it was a bad internal seal (I think he called it a "front lip seal") that is leaking pressure and that it would have to be torn down to repair and we might as well rebuild it. He told me that it would eventually get to where it wouldn't engage in reverse and when that happened I better get it done. Sure enough, I parked nose down at the hospital one night and finally had to call my wife to come and pull me backwards to get out of the parking spot. I tried everything to get it to go into reverse for 15 minutes before I called her.



Scott

 

[KYOUNG]

No further than you are from Vancouver, I would be at DTT in a heartbeat!!!

 

[love-horsepower]

47re

try a solnoid kit from patc transmitions they make a convertion billet piece that converts to a better gm solnoid. rod

 

[LandShark]

I drove the truck today and discovered that 2nd gear is not working at all. Once it's going fast enough in first it goes directly to 3rd and then 4th; lockup works just fine. Hope this means something to someone.

 

[Extreme1]

Call the trans guys. It's time to spend some $$, do it right and do it once. The sun and planetaries in these wear out, no matter what. One thing though, on the new trans I'd run synthetic (not going to start an oil war either) and change it more frequently. Even though a high quality synthetic trans fluid will claim it can go farther, stick to the change interval in the manual. I got about 180,000 miles on my firsts replacement and that's about as good as it can get.

 

[WilsonF]

Call the trans guys. It's time to spend some $$, do it right and do it once. The sun and planetaries in these wear out, no matter what. One thing though, on the new trans I'd run synthetic (not going to start an oil war either) and change it more frequently. Even though a high quality synthetic trans fluid will claim it can go farther, stick to the change interval in the manual. I got about 180,000 miles on my firsts replacement and that's about as good as it can get.

Isn't ATF+3 and +4 synthetic?



Floyd