DaveHess
TDR MEMBER
Here is the Readers Digest version. The transmission (48RE) in my 2003 started hanging up in 2nd gear. Not shifting to 3rd unless I stopped and shut the engine off and restarted it. Then it would straighten out for awhile. I ordered a new GM Solenoid and housing for it along with a new transducer from my local dealership. Replaced both along with gasket, filter and fluid in April and it worked great. Fast forward to last week. We pulled our 2005 Jayco Eagle from Bismarck, ND to Hill City, SD via Rapid City. Our gross combined weight is 17,080 pounds. For those who have pulled through Rapid City, Hwy 16 through rapid on your way to Hill City is a long uphill pull that starts out with a lot of traffic lights in Rapid. The ambient temperature in the city that day was showing 91F on my overhead. The water temp was a tick over the 200F mark and the trans temp was showing about 195F (my probe is on the outbound fluid line) as we made our way into the city. By the time we started to climb, the trans temp was about 220F and within about 5 miles she skyrocketed to 280F. I was towing with the O/D off but could not get the converter to lock-up. Having nowhere to safely pull off we continued on up the grade at about 45 MPH. When things leveled out a bit, the converter locked up and the temp started back down. The rest of the pull was uneventful. Two days later (no trailer!) while on the Needles Hwy, the trans hung up in first but eventually shifted to second. I was again driving with the O/D off. This highway has some 400 turns and curves and ups and downs and eventually the trans temp began a steady march back into the red again. Eventually it settled down when the road settled down and trans was able to go to 3rd and lock up the converter. On Sunday we drove back to Bismarck and the trans performed flawlessly with temps never breaking 200F. Most of the time hanging between 180 and 200F. At this point I had decided I was going to do another fluid change when I got home just because of the two 280F readings. After placing the Jayco in storage and pulling the pickup away from the trailer, the trans again hung up in 1st gear. This time though the RPM went to about 2200 RPM and it felt like the transmission literally dropped itself into 2nd gear. It did the exact same thing shifting into 3rd and 4th. The converter locked up as normal. Nothing like the smooth shifts I normally experience. It did this same behavior at every stop light. Even downshifts were extremely pronounced. I have never experienced that before and I have owned this pickup since new (11 years). I took it straight to my shop and parked it. I pulled the stick and checked the fluid while it was running in neutral and it was right at the full line and although I know it is not an indicator like the old days, the color is still red on my skin. I did not state this above but I have read posts about bogging the engine so usually at 55 MPH (approx. 1600 RPM), I turn the O/D off when towing. Once I get the speed back up about 60 MPH, I will turn the O/D back on. I don't know if this practice is necessary with the 48RE or not but I read too much sometimes. Also, the check engine light never lit. Neither did the transmission overtemp light! Not a peep from the dash at all. BTW, the Smarty Jr is set on tow.
So, I am wondering what you all thought. Given the two overheat conditions I induced, I was wondering if the transducer is no longer functioning correctly and is causing my harsh shifting now? Any ideas would be very helpful right now before I start throwing money at this problem.
Thank you for your time. Sleepless in Bismarck.
So, I am wondering what you all thought. Given the two overheat conditions I induced, I was wondering if the transducer is no longer functioning correctly and is causing my harsh shifting now? Any ideas would be very helpful right now before I start throwing money at this problem.
Thank you for your time. Sleepless in Bismarck.
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