Driveline/ shudder?

[SFord]

Ever since I installed my EZ the truck wants to shudder right before shift points. It usually occurs from second to drive but only when my foot is planted in the go pedal. My EZ is set on the go power #3 setting. I have not payed enough attention to my boost psi's but I know they are in the range of 18 to 20 when this occurs. Is my wastegate taking over or is it trans related? Should I try medium #2 go power setting? Also in the EZ box came a 90 degree restictor fitting with a barbed end, will this work on my truck or do I need it. Any suggestions will be appreciated, Thanks in advance.

 

[Steve Campbell]

SFord, a number of issues here. That shudder you are talking about could be excessive play in your carrier bearing, midway between the transfer case and rear diff. I "wedged" a piece of 3/16ths flat bar in above the rubber grommet to eliminate some of the exsessive play I felt I had. The elbow will give you more boost (if the screw is left in the factory position) and actually exaserbate your problem if the afforementioned problem is yours. Moving the "clip" to one of the other positions will give you less fuel at the lower boost levels. I think #2 is full fuel after 10 lbs of boost and #3 is full fueling after 20 lbs of boost. Your problem was described "just before shift points" and is on the other end of the "box" so moving the clip wpuld not have too much effect at the top end. Hope this helps.

 

[SFord]

S Campbell, Thanks for the reply but I do not have a carrier brg as mine is a short bed. What do you notice if anything in a stock truck when the wastegate reacts? Is it a continuios thing or does it pulsate as it relieves undesirable psi's?

 

[Batman]

SFord

I had a similar thing happen to me after installing Edge EZ and DD2's. I was told that it was probably TC slippage. Well, anyhow, after I had DTT TC and VB installed problem was solved so diagnosis to me was acurate. Maybe someone else will chime in on this and correct me if I'm wrong.

Good luck

 

[Mopar-muscle]

2 to 3 is not TC slippage .

how many miles , when was your last trans service ? front band needs adjustment ??? or you could have a front drum with the hi gear piston inner seal that is machined to deep and your shift is holding back do to leakage ??? is this at WOT , or just aggresive foot travel ?



also 2001 auto has HY35 and hardlined wastegate , elbow is no good to you . you aren't getting as much power increase with your wastegate dumping at 20 psi .

 

[Batman]

Hey John

I knew you'd correct me if I was wrong, thanks.

George

 

[WadeMetzinger]

Me Too!

I experianced the same thing after installing my EZ. It was magnified when I was towing(8k lbs). The shuddering was so bad that I had to keep my foot out of it to the point that I was getting less performance with the EZ than I was stock. At stock I could put my foot into it and it would go without shudder.



I think the other posts are correct, you need a Torque converter and a Valve body and the problem goes away. I don't have the $1,200 for the part and whatever else it will cost to have them installed so I pulled mine out after towing with it just 2 times. It was great while not towing but it wasn't worth $500 just to have a little more pep while running empty so I sold mine to a friend. He has a 2001 1 ton and he has the EZ and the Blue chip box installed with no other mods and has run a 15. 20 or 15. 40. He's happy and I'll be happy untill I can afford to buy a TC & VB and I'm willing to become my own warantee for my transmission. Even bone stoke, my Ram does everything I need it to do. I will miss the 2mpg improvement in gas milage but it will take many many miles to pay for a $3,500 transmission if it breaks before I get a TC & VB.

 

[Mopar-muscle]

not really wrong batman ...

your problem may have been different , the TC clutch is not in play on the 2-3 shift . the shudder is more that something is trying to slip and can't .



sfords problem is internal trans related and could be the tip of the proverbial iceberg if not attended to NOW . the EZ shouldn't really be enough to cause trans to slip so i think he has a misadjustment elsewhere .

 

[WadeMetzinger]

I disagree, mine would shudder between 2 and 3 shifts. It would shudder as it got close to the point of making the shift which sounds like the same problem sford had.



I had less than 30k on my transmission and I just changed the fluid last weekend and it looks fine so I just don't think the stock trannies can take the EZ while pulling a load.

 

[SFord]

Mopar-muscle, I have 7500 mi. on the truck and have changed the trans. fluid and filter when I installed the Mag-hytec pan. I used ATF+4 purchased from a Dodge dealer. I feel like the problem is trans. related but dont know in what area. This is happening during a heavy throttle as I have not done a WOT for fear of creating a major problem. It just seems like something trying to slip. If it is a sealing problem how would I approach Dodge on a warranty repair due to the fact it only does this with the EZ. I was told by Power Edge that the EZ alone would not cause a TC slippage and this is the reason I bought this box. I love the power increase and drivability of this box but definitly do not want to harm the trans.

 

[Mopar-muscle]

how to approach DC ???

good question , i really can't say as you have to be able to duplicate the problem , one thing it could be is your govenor solenoid , mine just bought the farm , no 2-3 shift under WOT unless i lift , but how do i go to DC with this without debombing ? plus i'm on extended warranty now so for a few bucks more than my deductible i'll fix it myself .



but i can tell you this i had 275's , a hot pe and a van aaken on my BONE STOCK 2000 auto trans for 26k miles , did 14. 94 in the quarter , no shudders or slips ( ok i may have slipped the TC a couple times ) . now i can't dispute wade and his towing issue , but i'll tell you that the EZ shouldn't make your trans slip unless something is really wrong with it . shudder is something trying to slip , and i feel the +4 fluid is enhancing that chance to slip things that shouldn't slip .



sford , disconnect the EZ , find a lonely road and do a wide open throttle test , note the rpms it shifts at and report back . i'll take it from there .



either that or call DTT , Bill will have an answer , besides his trans components . he at least will give you a sympton to tell the dealer .

 

[Patriot Diesel]

shudder

I have to say that with the EZ or the Comp. I had both, but not at the same time. I had the exact same shudder which was amplified when towing. Just had the DTT TC/VB installed. All gone, what a difference. The DTT stuff performs incredibly well under WOT !!

 

[SFord]

Mopar-muscle, I'll get back to you on that but I probably wont be able to do any testing untill the weekend. I will send info back.

Thanks for replying to my post as well as all others. Steve

 

[WadeMetzinger]

Another bit of information that may be helpful. I don't remember mine shuddering under WOT, it was during acceleration with a load but not WOT. I actually tried it WOT and I think it actually worked fine which tells me that it is a line pressure problem. Since it did fine under WOT when the line pressure was at its max but shuddered at 3/4 throttle when line pressure isn't at its max, that may be the problem.



I know BD sells an external add on that gives you max line pressure at like 1/2 rather than waiting till WOT which would probably resolve the shuddering problem, I just think that device would void the warranty and I don't want to pull it off every time I take my truck in for service. I am sponsored by my local dealership, for my drag car, and it includes all the service on my truck, that's why I take it to Dodge for servicing.



This Line Pressure device is much more affordable than a TC & VB so that is probably you best bet if you want to keep your EZ and don't want your transmission to shudder.

 

[Mopar-muscle]

ok , i have a bit more insite after talking to bill k. , this is NOT TC related , here are 3 possibilities . misadjusted TV cable , thats why i want the WOT shift rpm should be around 3100 , 2 is misadjusted front band , if its to tight it will hang the shift , meaning its not releasing fast enough , 3 is the inner lip seal on the 3rd gear (high gear) apply piston is collasped .



oh and i forgot , it is not recommended to install a pressure lock without a shift kit or replacement modified VB ( of course a DTT VB does not need a pressure lock).