Mine too Sometimes running along at 1800rpm/65mph it would only jump 100-125 rpms for 2 seconds It would repeat that behavior sometimes 5 or 6 times in a span of 30 seconds. Its really easy to take out the TPS and clean it out with contact spray Seems like thats a good place to start . shorty
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Engine/Transmission (1994 - 1998) auto transmision
- Thread starter vc
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shendren,
in your case where it was the tps, did the truck do it whether or not it was under a load. That is the only time mine has done - when under a load and then an additional load is put on it - as in when going up a hill when towing. And it lasts until the additional load goes away like when I'm toping the bridge. Makes no difference in the time between bridges - just whenever one comes up when towing it happens.
Since I am due for a transmission fluid change, I will also look into increasing the line pressure like Joe G. mentioned, plus I think I will slide my plate back to middle until I get a new tc and vb.
vc
in your case where it was the tps, did the truck do it whether or not it was under a load. That is the only time mine has done - when under a load and then an additional load is put on it - as in when going up a hill when towing. And it lasts until the additional load goes away like when I'm toping the bridge. Makes no difference in the time between bridges - just whenever one comes up when towing it happens.
Since I am due for a transmission fluid change, I will also look into increasing the line pressure like Joe G. mentioned, plus I think I will slide my plate back to middle until I get a new tc and vb.
vc
It's a good idea to give the TPS a shot of contact cleaner every so often (oil change time) just to keep the crud build up down.
The way the thing works is that the TPS voltage is read by the CPM. If the conditions are right the CPM will ground the OD solenoid or the lock up solenoid. In other cases it will remove one of the grounds. If there is no load on the transmission that amounts to anything the TCC lockup/unlock will just be seen as a change in RPM. If there is a load it will appear to be a shift, eg. a kick down. The affect is a little different for a 47RE like you have than it is for a 47RH like I have, but the behavior is about the same. I think it is more violent for the 47RH than the later 47RE transmission. A bad TPS tore mine up.
The way the thing works is that the TPS voltage is read by the CPM. If the conditions are right the CPM will ground the OD solenoid or the lock up solenoid. In other cases it will remove one of the grounds. If there is no load on the transmission that amounts to anything the TCC lockup/unlock will just be seen as a change in RPM. If there is a load it will appear to be a shift, eg. a kick down. The affect is a little different for a 47RE like you have than it is for a 47RH like I have, but the behavior is about the same. I think it is more violent for the 47RH than the later 47RE transmission. A bad TPS tore mine up.
I have two CTD's with 3. 55 gears and I would not pull either one in OD with any kind of load at 55 mph. In fact, I don't use OD at all at less than 50 mph. I just came back from Virginia pulling my camper for 900 miles with the stock 98 and I ran in drive any time the speed limit was 60 or below and on grades. If I wanted to tear up any automatic I would lug it with the cruise on and let it "hunt" gears.
If you get a chance to ride a Duramax Allison with any kind of load you will see it downshifts quickly to a lower gear. In fact it is down right annoying because it downshifts like a gas V8 when the cruise is engaged.
If you get a chance to ride a Duramax Allison with any kind of load you will see it downshifts quickly to a lower gear. In fact it is down right annoying because it downshifts like a gas V8 when the cruise is engaged.
I personally am sick of auto trannys in a work or tow truck. I will never buy another work truck with an auto. Currently looking for a new work truck in the 17-22K GVW range and all the various make dealers here only have autos. Sticks are "special order". Seems like most companies like autos because their drivers burn up the clutches on sticks.
I have very limited knowledge on auto trannies. With that said, I can't help but wonder if others are repeating hype. I have been reading other sites on the greatness of the Duramax Allison.
Does the Cummins cut off when horsepower is added? Due to design, does the Duramax Allison require more HP to work? Some of the Duramax Allison owners say yes to both questions
.
Just a thought to ponder.
Wayne
P. S. Row, row your Ram, gently down the road, ...
Does the Cummins cut off when horsepower is added? Due to design, does the Duramax Allison require more HP to work? Some of the Duramax Allison owners say yes to both questions
. Just a thought to ponder.
Wayne
P. S. Row, row your Ram, gently down the road, ...
tgrfan2,
when I tow I bring speed up to about 57 and then hit the o/d button to go into overdrive. The scenario above was happening with the cruise control set at 65 and at 67. At these speeds I have never had it "hunt" for gears. If it did I would just unlock it again.
As far as the tps plug and wires I'll diconnect and clean the harness and see about pulling the wires out of harness just to check that possibility. To be honest I'll have to get the manual out and locate the tps. I have an idea as t its location, but to be safe I'll double check it.
Thanks again.
vc
when I tow I bring speed up to about 57 and then hit the o/d button to go into overdrive. The scenario above was happening with the cruise control set at 65 and at 67. At these speeds I have never had it "hunt" for gears. If it did I would just unlock it again.
As far as the tps plug and wires I'll diconnect and clean the harness and see about pulling the wires out of harness just to check that possibility. To be honest I'll have to get the manual out and locate the tps. I have an idea as t its location, but to be safe I'll double check it.
Thanks again.
vc
just pull them out of the main harness back about 2 feet, retape them and put them in their own loom... ... ... .
tps location:
http://dodgeram.org/tech/dsl/Facts/12Ve_locations-l.gif
tps location:
http://dodgeram.org/tech/dsl/Facts/12Ve_locations-l.gif
65 to 67
vc,
On both my trucks, I call 65 to 70 no man's land. My 98 will try to "hunt" and if in drive will cycle in and out of lock up above 60 depending on load. This could be the 100 or so rpm you are seeing. I try to stay above seventy in OD to keep the rpm in the mid to upper range of peak torque. One thing is for certain, whether in "D" or "OD" if the torque converter is unlocked the fluid temperature will spike very quickly. The last time I pulled Saluda mountain with my 95 I had to back off a little in "D" to keep the trans from unlocking and running too hot. I topped the mountain at 55 with the trans temp at 190. My friends DMax/Allison will do the same climb at 65 in fourth gear at wide open throttle. I feel like we have similar power, but he has definitely got the transmission advantage.
vc,
On both my trucks, I call 65 to 70 no man's land. My 98 will try to "hunt" and if in drive will cycle in and out of lock up above 60 depending on load. This could be the 100 or so rpm you are seeing. I try to stay above seventy in OD to keep the rpm in the mid to upper range of peak torque. One thing is for certain, whether in "D" or "OD" if the torque converter is unlocked the fluid temperature will spike very quickly. The last time I pulled Saluda mountain with my 95 I had to back off a little in "D" to keep the trans from unlocking and running too hot. I topped the mountain at 55 with the trans temp at 190. My friends DMax/Allison will do the same climb at 65 in fourth gear at wide open throttle. I feel like we have similar power, but he has definitely got the transmission advantage.
Hmmm. Seems to be what's happening with my '98 auto. HEading uphill in D at, say, 25 MPH, TC locked, I've been seeing about 125 RPM increase in engine speed starting around 1400 RPM.
But, on the way home last night, I was noticing a *lot* more slippage. After rounding a couple curves on VA-311 and having the trans do weird things, the dawn finally broke over Marblehead. Yup, the fluid was low. I filled it back up and it seems to run better, but it still slips a bit.
Also, last night, I played with the throttle a bit, and found the slippage stops when I push the go pedal further to the wood. (Heh, heh. He said 'Wood'. Heh,. heh. ) So tghe throttle valve does seem to be doing its job by increasing the pressure as the TV position is increased.
So, the question. Does a slipping TC always shudder or just sometimes shudder, or never shudder, depending on how 'damaged' it is? Could the slippage be some other clutch slipping?
Mind you, I have all of 172 RWHP (215 injectors and fueling is otherwise stock). I'm using Amsoil ATF; it has about 28K miles on it. I only noticed the slippage after I installed the injectors and the Amsoil ATF at 92K miles (now at about 120K).
Should I bite the bullet, work for a couple weeks, then install a DTT, ATS or Goerend trans? If time hadn't been so short, I'd've swung through Dave's corner of Iowa last week, since I was near there anyway.
Fest3er
But, on the way home last night, I was noticing a *lot* more slippage. After rounding a couple curves on VA-311 and having the trans do weird things, the dawn finally broke over Marblehead. Yup, the fluid was low. I filled it back up and it seems to run better, but it still slips a bit.
Also, last night, I played with the throttle a bit, and found the slippage stops when I push the go pedal further to the wood. (Heh, heh. He said 'Wood'. Heh,. heh. ) So tghe throttle valve does seem to be doing its job by increasing the pressure as the TV position is increased.
So, the question. Does a slipping TC always shudder or just sometimes shudder, or never shudder, depending on how 'damaged' it is? Could the slippage be some other clutch slipping?
Mind you, I have all of 172 RWHP (215 injectors and fueling is otherwise stock). I'm using Amsoil ATF; it has about 28K miles on it. I only noticed the slippage after I installed the injectors and the Amsoil ATF at 92K miles (now at about 120K).
Should I bite the bullet, work for a couple weeks, then install a DTT, ATS or Goerend trans? If time hadn't been so short, I'd've swung through Dave's corner of Iowa last week, since I was near there anyway.
Fest3er
fest3er,
Yep, you've got the symptoms. Mine did just what your's is doing. I'd say start thinking about another transmission with a good TC.
What I did was just keep on running it until the time was convenient to just change out the whole transmission for a Goerend one. If you're gonna have your's rebuilt, then you probably shouldn't let it go too long.
Good luck,
Blake
Yep, you've got the symptoms. Mine did just what your's is doing. I'd say start thinking about another transmission with a good TC.
What I did was just keep on running it until the time was convenient to just change out the whole transmission for a Goerend one. If you're gonna have your's rebuilt, then you probably shouldn't let it go too long.
Good luck,
Blake
Nope. Never got around to installing a mystery switch.
Being careful, I can usually get it to lock up around 25, and stay locked down to about 23. I think is pretty much unlocks around 1050-1100 RPM.
Possibly the reason it stays locked is I almost never push the pedal past the breakover point. I've found the rail slips back a little if I do and power decreases.
It has never shuddered. That's why I asked if a TCC sometimes shudders, usually shudders or always shudders when it slips... .
Fest3er
I GAURANTEE I know what your problem is...
Shendren, I would never let you diagnose my truck. I have burned up two torque converters (before swapping to a 5 speed), replaced 5 TPS, replaced a bad brake switch and regularly have to clean the connector plug for the transmission temp sender. What I am saying is that I have "felt" the effect of each of these failures, and the symptoms can be very similar. In paticular, the TPS and transmission temp sender will give almost identical symptoms. (I was fooled once, but got smart the second time). The brake switch would usually drop the TCC out of lockup and not re-engage until the brake pedal was "tapped", sometimes several times.
Based on vc's description, I tend to lean toward a failing TCC because the problem only happens under higher than normal load. That being said, remember that the throttle is most likely operating in a different area of the TPS's range (more fuel to pull more load) and that may be where the TPS is "noisy" and causing the computer to unlock the converter.
My plan of attack would be to first check the transmission temp sender and clean it. If the problem dissapears, good! If not, the next thing I would do is find a fellow TD owner and swap TPS with him for a day and see if the problem disappears. (These rascals are spendy and I wouldn't buy one unless I was sure it's the problem) If neither of these efforts fixes the problem, I would be confident that the problem lies in the torque converter. (As a side note, I had a BD converter, and have helped 2 friends install the ATS Triple Lok, and the Triple Lok is hands down the better converter--if I had would have had one of those, I probably would not have switched to a manual).
Bottom line, Shendren, is that you would be making good on your "guarantee" that you had the solution if it were my truck. I never guarantee anything, I just suggest possible culprits and how to check for them.
vc-- take these opinions for what they're worth...
Shendren, I would never let you diagnose my truck. I have burned up two torque converters (before swapping to a 5 speed), replaced 5 TPS, replaced a bad brake switch and regularly have to clean the connector plug for the transmission temp sender. What I am saying is that I have "felt" the effect of each of these failures, and the symptoms can be very similar. In paticular, the TPS and transmission temp sender will give almost identical symptoms. (I was fooled once, but got smart the second time). The brake switch would usually drop the TCC out of lockup and not re-engage until the brake pedal was "tapped", sometimes several times.
Based on vc's description, I tend to lean toward a failing TCC because the problem only happens under higher than normal load. That being said, remember that the throttle is most likely operating in a different area of the TPS's range (more fuel to pull more load) and that may be where the TPS is "noisy" and causing the computer to unlock the converter.
My plan of attack would be to first check the transmission temp sender and clean it. If the problem dissapears, good! If not, the next thing I would do is find a fellow TD owner and swap TPS with him for a day and see if the problem disappears. (These rascals are spendy and I wouldn't buy one unless I was sure it's the problem) If neither of these efforts fixes the problem, I would be confident that the problem lies in the torque converter. (As a side note, I had a BD converter, and have helped 2 friends install the ATS Triple Lok, and the Triple Lok is hands down the better converter--if I had would have had one of those, I probably would not have switched to a manual).
Bottom line, Shendren, is that you would be making good on your "guarantee" that you had the solution if it were my truck. I never guarantee anything, I just suggest possible culprits and how to check for them.
vc-- take these opinions for what they're worth...
well DD, you would not have even come close to fixing my problem with all of those parts you're replacing. Bill Kondolay told me to pull the wires the very first thing. no cost solution. i didn't and put in 2 tps', trans temp sensor, press solenoid, etc... ... so go ahead and replace parts..... cummins engineers have told me repeatedly that the tps rarely fails. i believe them. good luck
Shendren
I agree with you. What you told me fixed the problem. Nuff said
I agree with you. What you told me fixed the problem. Nuff said
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Subscribe
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