Engine/Transmission (1994 - 1998) sick automatic!! 1996 ram 3500 ctd.

[BBowers]

Dad is on a tight budget and has already spent 2800 bucks on a liar shade tree mechanic to rebuild his 47 RE auto in his 96 3500 club cab 4x2 with the cummins. He has 230k miles on it, dually. The "rebuild" was a series of trips to the mechanic, the first was the actual 1600 buck "rebuild" which lasted 30k miles before going back to the "mechanic". This "mechanic" had it come back for a second and third teardown and charged for each one!! Never has this truck towed a trailer!! Never has it hauled a camper!! It carried 4,500 lbs in the bed over 1200 miles twice, and that was before the "rebuild". Dad ran out of money and the 47re hunts back and forth from overdrive to 3rd. Some days it wont hit OD at all, others it will shift up and hold it properly. Dad doesnt hotrod or drive over 60, so we need help on this one!! his truck is stock and still drives good but for the transmission, the cracked dash, rusted weather stripping on the side windows(at 3 years old). Mexican poducts are soooo awesome!! Right!! Ford has a much better truck, but cummins has the best engine. All of this shift hunting is with no load, light truck!! flat ground! no wind!

 

[WadePatton]

already spent 2800 bucks on a liar shade tree mechanic to rebuild his 47 RE

What do you expect from a "liar shade tree mechanic"?



MOST transmission guys are going to build an auto back to "OEM" specs. Enquiring minds have long ago discovered that OEM spec 47RE or RH trannies ARE NO MATCH FOR THE 5. 9 CUMMINS they are often bolted to.



I would say more, but your brand bashing makes the whole post look a bit trollish.



Well, one more thing. I bought a slightly used "NAME BRAND" auto from a TDR member 36,000 miles ago for $3000. I've sled pulled it, drag raced it, done tons of brake stands, flip the lock switch whenever I want to--running well over 400hp now. Money well spent, but I did have to install it myself.

 

[McCRam]

I wouldn't go back to that guy if he won't even warranty his work. Small claims court might be necessary

 

[BBowers]

What do you expect from a "liar shade tree mechanic"?



MOST transmission guys are going to build an auto back to "OEM" specs. Enquiring minds have long ago discovered that OEM spec 47RE or RH trannies ARE NO MATCH FOR THE 5. 9 CUMMINS they are often bolted to.



I would say more, but your brand bashing makes the whole post look a bit trollish.



Well, one more thing. I bought a slightly used "NAME BRAND" auto from a TDR member 36,000 miles ago for $3000. I've sled pulled it, drag raced it, done tons of brake stands, flip the lock switch whenever I want to--running well over 400hp now. Money well spent, but I did have to install it myself.

Look, not to bash Mopars worse than I have, but let's be real, other than style differences you can feel the difference in a Ford in the interior fit and finish and the quality of the materials used. I love my 2005 3500 and paid in the mid 40's for the privilege of driving it, but head to head not including engines and transmission's, the Ford simply is better built. Also, some families in Dearborne, MI can pay their mortgages and truck notes thanks to having jobs in the USA as they assemble these trucks. I wish Mopars were still built here. I am looking for help in solving this problem ourselves, since money is tight for many of us these days and the mechanical portion of the transmission is functioning well. It doesnt slip or make bad noises and shifts well, just too often.

 

[JFaughn]

From the symtoms you stated ,I would check the brake switch it does more than brake lites, it also turns the cruse and O. D. off , when I bought mine used and on the ride home it would go out of od and the cruse would quit so I tried lifting the brake pedle on the way and found that the switch was just at the point of doing that when I ran over bumps so pulling the peddle up with my foot made it work , so when I got home I hot glued a small washer on the foot of the switch and its working fine a yr. latter. yours could be worse so find a wiring diagram and see if that circut is the problum , on the trans . I've heard that the 1st weak point is the torquconverter is what starts every thing els from going bad , this from several shops that have goten caught between the rock & a hard place[ OEM & behind Cummins] , thats if the brake switch circut is OK. good luck.

 

[Grizzly]

I know $ is an issue, but I would consider switching to a good used 5 or 6 speed standard transmission.

 

[vssman]

I guess I got a good one as my '96 was made in "Dodge City" Michigan...

 

[WadePatton]

Look at what John said above. Even if that's not the problem, you can "ride" the brake pedal and keep the converter from locking.



There's a lot of little stuff to learn about these trucks and most of it you can find here.



I have a "mystery switch" and lock or prevent lock on my converter whenever I want. Or I let it run as designed.



I AM converting to 5-speed though.



As to Fords and Michigan. I put over 300k on my last ford, drove it for 9. 5 years. I turn every bolt on my trucks--except wheel alignment.



Then I got a St. Louis Dodge and now I have a Satillo, Mexico Dodge (I have 4 2nd gens in my immediate family--getting a '98 for my wife next ). First, I find absolutely no difference in the level of "quality" from fomoco and DC. They're both good in some areas and crappy in others. I've never heard any serious discussion about the difference in Mex/US Rams on HERE. I believe because there ain't any. When I was coming up, Detroit was putting out CRAP--a ten year old imported Japanese or German car/truck was WAY better than a 2 year old domestic product.



I can't really speak for 3rd gens. I'm a 2nd gen only guy, less valves and mechanical injectors rock!



Sorry for going off topic. But if you want transmission help--search, ask, post--we'll help. But don't bring that with a big attitude against the mark. Post that over at Diesel stop or at least start a different thread.







Done.

 

[jkh]

check the throttle position sensor(TPS). with that many miles it probably needs to be taken off and sprayed out with electrical contact cleaner. That is the main symptom of a bad or dirty one,hunting from O. D. to drive.

 

[BBowers]

How come Dodge couldn't test either the brake switch or TPS when he took it in? Are they all idiots now? If it doesn't come up on on a star tester I "guess it shore ain't broke mister" or something.

 

[jtwcummins]

Most hunting issues are a flakey TPS. Good cleaning can fix it. As far as mexico built my 97 was built Jan 9, 1997 and still doesn't have any rattles. Only issue is exterior paint, started peeling at 8. 5 yrs old. See both Ford and GM products with similar problems after that long outside

 

[RDelissen]

does he also have rpm jumps (small ones, like 200-300 rpms), because then it might very well have to do with the TPS sensor.

It doesn't even necessarily have to be bad, it might just be dirty on the connector (clean it with QD di-electric grease) and you might have to turn it a bit towards the front of the engine (when you look at it counter clock wise) and tighten it good

 

[BBowers]

Not the tps, he replaced it first and it did nothing. I tno longer goes into OD at all when it is up to temperature/ hot. Help!

 

[BBowers]

update on sick auto transmission in 96 3500 ctd

Tried this today, the brake pedal trick, and it still won't work. TPS was replaced soon after the problem started. Won't even shift up into OD at all when the engine reaches full temperature. Shifts up and down when first started up before engine gets hot. torque converter is oversized above stock and has so much grip it drags the idle speed down! It was put in 40K miles ago and works great.

 

[KennethS]

You must do your home work on transmission here,I did

After reading this form on trans and asking questions I learn one thing. Trans shops around here are a joke which you found out there. It going to cost you 3 grand or so to get the trans the way you want It. I traveled 800 miles out and 800 miles back to get my trans repaired the proper way. If I had to do It over again I would but hope I don't. Start asking questions on this forum and you will learn a lot. I did. :-laf

 

[Canadian Cummins]

I think you hit it when you say it wont shift with transmission HOT!!!

check the threads here on trnay temp sensor, add a 500 ohm resistor in the line ($1. 10 @ Radio shack) and you should be shifting up ok.

CC

 

[JFaughn]

I'm having a simlar problum with the cooler temps [ about 30-45 now] it will not shift into sometimes 4th & always not O. D. until it warms up and that takes longer now that I made a tee at the trans. cooler line near the trans. where the OEM sensor is, to put a sensor for the gauge. I have a stock trans. as far as I know , so the idea of putting the res. in for me, I don't want to do becouse these trans. are a week point and the stock trans. seems to need all the help they can get . but my idea with the brake switch is more than just holding the pedle up [ thats just for a sw. thats just a little out of adjustment , if its not working the pedle lift will not tell you anything conclouseive , you need to find witch wire from the sw. that takes the T. Q. & cruse out or off and see with a meter if its working ,to be sure thats not your problum. I keep on this becouse I've see so many $$$ spent on a bigger ticket item and the cause was something that cost just a few bucks , I guess my main point is find out for sure through testing whats wrong and replace that , if you have to through parts at it [ and thats what the best info will tell us sometimes ]try the cheapest part 1st . also you may find a cause of a failure els were , like if yours is like mine was the sw. throughing the T. Q. in and out on every bump that ended up taking out the new T. Q. and they never found the sw. problum. same thing with the not always starting problum they put in a new fuel shutoff solinoid , I guess thats why it went to the dealer auction and I ended up with it and found that the start problum was burned contacts in the relay and I filed them , its been almost a year now and both symptoms are gone for no $$$ hot glue a washer on the sw. foot for the O. D. and file the points for the start prob. The they I spoke of was the dodge dealer. Hope the cheap fix works.