Question for y'all with stock automatics

[dpuckett]

To those of you with stock autos, I have a question, but first some background. My mom has a 92 D350 with an auto and 3. 54 gears. Just got the pump and injectors redone, and I had the shop flow me (ok, her, but I did the R&R) enough fuel to make around 200-220hp at the flywheel. I realize it wont get up and run like the 5speed in my sig, but it still seems lethargic.



transmission was rebuilt about a year ago by a local guy with a good reputation, and lots of recommendations. No one had a bad thing to say about his work. But then, only one of about a dozen of said references was a 1st Gen Dodge CTD. transmission was completely worn out (265K, with 190K towing heavy), and got ALL new internals- clutches, planetaries, etc, etc. TC was a stock reman from some outfit in St Louis. I tried to talk Mom into an aftermarket TC (didnt know Hughes and TCI were decent upgrades, but from my reading, a rubber band would be an upgrade), but it "cost too much. " I dont think it is any better than it was before, save the shudder at 20mph- still sluggish til you get up some speed, then you ahve to hold your foot down farther than I think you ought to to keep, say, 65mph. I havent tested the top end since the pump rebuild, but I'd guess it isnt much over 90mph. It would do 100+ bewteen Laramie and Ft Collins when I first got it.



So, how do other 1st Gen autod drive? This thing is totally different from my g/f's 04 Dakota (no real surprise, but it is SO much more responsive). One other thing that bothers me is that when coming up to a stop, you have to come to a COMPLETE stop for a second or two before it will downshift into 1st. Otherwise, it stays in 2nd if you are rolling. SOmetimes, if you just roll into the pedal, staying with slow traffic, it wont go into 1st. Is this normal? I bought it about 7 years and 140K ago, but I dont honestly remember how it behaved then. Dont remember my ex's C6 Ford diesel behaving this way, either. Other than these two, my diesels have been manuals.



(Current) girlfriend even commented on it being a pooch, and she drives a V6 Dakota.



Daniel

 

[Makaio]

Daniel,



I swapped in a Suncoast VB about 3 yrs. ago along with a Mag-Hytec double deep pan. Prior to this installation, it drove kinda sloppy. I wouldn't say it knocks seconds off my 1/4 time but, it made a dramatic improvement in shifting and I actually feel just a tad bit more throttle response. The Suncoast VB increased line pressure and it also keeps the TC charged even in 'Park'. I'm guessing this increase in line pressure improves efficiency somewhere in that A518. I have nice solid shifts. Check your adjustment on the TV cable. The FSM calls for a . 180 gap.



Aloha,

Matt

 

[Greenleaf]

D



Your description is not anything like how my transmission(s) feel... and I have a 21 cm housing on one of the engines.



To my knowledge, both trucks have the OEM trransmission and convertor.

 

[cerberusiam]

Sounds about right for the 518 with a sloppy TC. I would guess your remanned TC is where the problem is at. Sounds like it just is not up to the task of handling the TQ or the flow at higher rpms.



Remanned is just plain scary. You never know what they put in there for a stator or how careful they were about checking specs.



As far as not downshifting to first, thats pretty normal too for a stocker. The shift to second happens pretty quick under light acceleration so it doesn't take much roll for the governor to not let it downshift. You really don't want 1st anyway as it is fairly low and with a low rpm TQ motor 2nd is more in the power band.



Top end sounds low as I know mine would do well over 100 with minimal tweaking on the pump. I suspect it is the TC once again that is just not hooking up for speed and causing you to have to give it more pedal.

 

["Mad Max"]

Concur with Alan, GL, and Matt.



There's two issues in question - transmission upshifting/downshifting, and the converter. Your transmission sounds exactly like every stock 1st gen A-518 I've driven. I am always manually downshifting my auto when driving around because I like having the engine up in the rpm range a bit before rolling on the throttle. Without manually downshifting the truck feels like a dog and will just putter along before the kickdown linkage does it's job and downshifts on its own. This is actually one of the main reasons I am converting to a manual transmission. If you adjust the kickdown linkage you can make the auto kickdown with less throttle travel, but you will still have to hit the go pedal for any kickdown to occur.



While you're upgrading things, pry out the 1st gen column shift lever and replace it with one from a 94 (2nd gen) with the o/d button at the tip. You'll love that mod.



On the converter, aftermarket is the way to go. Lots of good units, and the two I have used are the TCI and the DTT - both rock. Before installing a good converter, crusing at 60 mph flat and level, then hit a decent hill and the truck would rev its heart out trying to maintain speed - engine stayed at 2000 rpm while the truck just slowed and slowed and slowed all the way to 45 mph - it sucked. Accelleration sucked too - off the line it'd rev on up to around 1600-1800 rpm up and the truck would literally catch up to the engine - almost no rpm change - crappy torque transfer to the tires. I thought the transmission was toast, but it just didn't feel like the transmission was slipping so much as it felt like the truck had a 2000 stall converter in it. I ordered a TCI unit (in my first truck/RIP), and a DTT unit (in my second/current truck), spent 5 hours installing them, and smiled all the way to the speed limit because of the night/day difference. The engine actually changes rpm nice and healthy now, and the truck is moving based on the engine rpm.



Your truck is not broken or dying, just sounds like there's a crappy converter in there. Change that out and I bet a case of beer it completely changes the way the truck feels. Your transmission line pressure may also be low, but from everything I've expereinced, the converter is pretty much 'everything'.



I can't wait to feel the difference in my rig after I get the stick.



- M2

 

[dpuckett]

Thanks, guys. That is what I had figured, too, just needed some reassurance. Like cerberusiam said, you have no way of knowing what stator is in there, but then arent most convertors reman to one degree or another? Goerend Bros actually said she didnt NEED an aftermarket convertor, that a stocker would be ok for her use Oh well.



There was a marked improvement after the pump/injector rebuild, but it still isnt as responsive as I'd like it to be. I also dont like having to mash the throttle to drop into 1st, then let up as I get around the corner. I guess it is similar to shifting to 2nd in mine, though; I just creep around the corner in 3rd, then EASE into the pedal. But, it IS my mom's pickup, and as long as it will tow her horses and the mower for her job, I dont think she'll care. I see no reason not to get 17-18mpg hauling her horses (3 smallish horses, and a 14ft stock trailer), and 20-22 empty.



DP

 

[cerberusiam]

but then arent most convertors reman to one degree or another?

Uh Uh, no way, and don't ever make that mistake! The stator is the heart of the beast and if it is not done right, well, a dead horse is more fun to beat. :{



For a bone stocker I can see Goerends point, but, he was proabably referring to HIS stock stator and HIS specs on them. THAT can be a huge difference in how things work cuz Dave knows his stuff like no other. He more than likely throws away stuff others use. :-laf



Did I ever mention I worked in a volume commercial shop rebuilding transmissions and converters for a couple of years? DTT, ATS, Goerends, etc, take this to whole other level of finesse than what you get in a run-of-the-mill gasser oriented shop.

I also dont like having to mash the throttle to drop into 1st, then let up as I get around the corner

Be a good son and buy her a good converter for whatever event you like. Good deeds are returned in multiples.

 

[dpuckett]

I thought no good deed went unpunished. I have farrier school coming up, and g/f is buying a second house, so we will be busy, busy, busy, and BROKE. Maybe this X-mas.



DP

 

[MPalmer]

i have a stock auto in my '91 and i dont think its ever been out of the truck and now its got over 300,000 on it and im pushin ALOT of power thru it... it down shifts just like the '98 12v that my old boss has... off the line i dont need much throttle to get up to speed and when i hit it off the line you better hang on cuz it takes off like a bat outa hell and alot of smoke... the boost shoots up and stays at 36 with the stock turbo and 21cm housing... when its at 36 where did all the cars go??? im sure they are #@$%! at me... but anyways i was told it was used to pull a race car before i got it and now even with me pullin a gooseneck with 11 round bales on it it dont take all that much to get moving i can get up to 30-40 with less then 10psi of boost

 

[TBurow]

my old 727 with stock tc pulled way better than my 47re with reman dacco converter, i used to be able to smoke the tires just by stomping it, with the dacco i had to stomp it just to get it to move 55 mph, i took it out and threw it away and got an aftermarket with a billet cover and now it moves even better than the 727 ever could, just goes to show that not all rebuilt tc's are good, dacco are supposed to be good but this one sucked.