Archived I may have hurt my transmission

[GCurrie]

Last night I finished the transmission (Rebuilt 47RE) install on a 99 Dodge 4X4 2500 Sport. The install seemed to go well. It drove off nice and everthing seems just fine. However, there always has to be something that happens to me after a large project. I generally miss something small.



This time I forgot to tighten the hose clamp going to the Trasmission Cooler and it poped off this morning on the way to work. I drove only about a 300-400 feet (followed the trail of ATF) My first indication I had a problem was that he transmission was slipping. Once that was felt it was 50 feet to a gas station. :{



When I pulled out the dip-stick, steam (just a little) floated out the fill hole.



Looks like I ended up loosing about 5 quarts of ATF.



Once I replaced the line, tightened the clamp, and replaced the fluid, the truck starts right up and everything seems to be working fine now, but what are the chances that I damaged the Pump or something else.



Anything I should be on the lookout for?



Thanks for the help.

 

[EBung]

Do you have a gauge?If so how hot did it get? It sounds like it is probably fine but once a transmission gets to 300 degrees forget it the piston seals are toast and their is no going back. I'm sure it didnt do any good to extend the life of your transmission and all you can do now is pull the pan off and look for debris in the pan. That is what I would do for peace of mind. Good luck!

 

[GCurrie]

Gauge

No, unfortunatly that is on the list of things to do. I just bought the truck a couple of months ago, and other than the exhaust it was stock. It was when I took it in to get the transmission flushed that they found one of the lock rings for the OD in the pan.



I have to pick up a horse today, so I hope it is fine. I will drop the pan this weekend though.



Thanks for the advice

 

[RKraft]

GCurrie,

My uncle had the same problem this last fall on his 96 stock truck. One of the factory crimped lines to the heat exchanger popped off and he pumped every bit of the fluid out. He had just enough to back up to one of his field roads across from the shop I work at and came and grabbed my truck and pulled it home. Took of line and recrimped hose filled it up and been running strong ever since. He has used the truck for pulling loads and hauling lumber for his new house and he works no doubt about it. No problems that I heard of. Good luck and hope it works out for you,that sounds about the way my luck is also.



Randy

 

[Mundgyver]

You should be fine. I dumped every ounce of fluid out of an automatic years ago doing 70 mph. Took me a good half mile to stop. I was a little nervious about it, but got the line repaired and new fluid in it and it ran just fine. Drove it about 20 miles and check the fluid again and added some top off fluid. Lasted another 60,000 before I sold the rig.



If your really worried about it, just do a good power flush/fill at the local Jiffy Lube.



I think you will be ok.

 

[DJAustin]

Trans line replacement

I just raplaced all the steel lines on my 95. I used the updated Dodge crossover line with DTT's steel braded hose at the cooler end. I used the Dodge line as it had been updated with flare nuts and fittings instead of the plastic bushings and "paper clips" that were on the ends of my original- so I could put a temp gauge in the factory sensor port. This line is the pressure line from the trans- I replaced the cooler outet line with -8 ( 1/2" ) hydraulic hose. The cooler end of the hose has a female JIC swivel fitting with the other end having a 1/2" male NPT fitting. I screwed an 1/2" hose barb to this end, and doubled clamped a new 1 foot hose between this and the radiator type heat exchanger on the driver side of the truck behind the grill. I used exactly the same set up coming out of the heat exchanger behind the grill and returning to the trans. (the return side) My hoses were made 8 feet long. I have nice wide radious and smooth bends- but seven feet would do it too. I got my cooler fittings from Dodge- about eight bucks for two- but all other fittings from my local auto parts store ( I could have got the cooler fittings at the store also. ) I also replaced all my coolant hoses at this time. I tow 7000lb load often, so will change my trans fluid and rubber hoses yearly. I use Red Line Synthetic trans fluid. If you need any further details on this "fix" let me know.