Questions on new-to-me '04.5

[Billy Diesel]

I have some questions about the '04.5 I recently purchased. It has about 167k miles on it. The PO said everything was stock (and I took that with a grain of salt....).

When I am at near WOT unloaded, such as getting on the interstate, my auto will shift 2, 3, 3-lockup, 4 (breifly), 4-lockup. It was my understanding that a stock 48re will not lock up in 3rd, correct? Does this mean the PO installed a controller, and where would I look to find this?

Also, is the solenoid on the firewall in the pic below stock? I am guessing no, but there is some shaky wiring elsewhere that I am trying to eliminate so if this is stock I would rather be working on the speaker wire that is feeding power to something......

Thanks,
Will

 

[Prairie Dog]

No, the solenoid isn't stock nor is the thing that's just to the left of it zip-tied to the harness. Sometimes people use those solenoids to cut power to the charge wire at the 7 pin connector when the ign is off.
Can't help with the trans stuff.
Good luck and enjoy the new truck.

Scott

 

[Billy Diesel]

The zip-tied item is a battery tender. That is an interesting thought on the solenoid. It looks like the wires head back under the cab so I will see if that is where they go.

Thanks.

 

[spin05]

Strange. I have that same solniod in the same spot. Thought it was not stock either.

 

[rscurtis]

My stock '03 will use the same shift pattern. With 3.73 gears, it will lock up in direct at 47 MPH, and in OD, at 49 MPH.

 

[SnoKing]

Looks like the original owner never once washed under the hood. That is charge isolation solenoid for the trailer charge lead. Chris

 

[JJPage]

Stock 48RE will lock the TC in D(3rd) under normal driving conditions, mine will not lock up in OD until 55 mph(when @ operating temp), and that is very consistent. I do have a modified valve body, however I do not remember the stock trans shift pattern behaving any different.

Good Luck with the new truck. I always enjoyed "cleaning" up a newly purchased used vehicle, sometimes it's a real challenge trying to figure out what/why the PO's had done.

 

[Billy Diesel]

Thanks for the help guys. I like the truck, although the auto is taking a bit to get used to. And like JJPage said, there is a fair amount of "cleaning" that needs to happen!

 

[Ozymandias]

It even shifts with closed lockup 3>4.

 

[Wayne M.]

Good luck with the rig! Still loving mine. I'm sure there are as many cleaning techniques around here as there are screen names, but I've had success with using 409 out of a garden sprayer (buy the gallon @ costco) and after it's decently clean, or with alternating uses, I use good 'ol gunk engine brite to leave some sort of protective petroleum film behind. Use domestic water only- never pressure wash!

 

[cerberusiam]

The trans will lock in 3rd gear uder certain conditions and then the lockup is pulsed on the 3-4 shift to maintain power. It feels like it never unlocks but it does very quickly and slightly to make the shift. All built into the TCM and controlled by engine load, crank speed, output shaft speed, wheel speed, and crank rpm.