Transmission upshift issue

[Karter]

2006 Ram 2500 4x4 QC Auto trans. Approx 170k miles. This is my first Ram and first diesel, and I've had it about a year or so.

Since I got this truck, I've always thought the transmission shifted strangely, often times "hunting" for the right gear, but I never deemed it a big problem, and some of the stuff I read on here said that the transmissions on trucks like mine, tended to shift somewhat oddly. Today, however, something clearly isn't right. It doesn't want to shift up from 1st to 2nd gear, unless you really push it. Once there, its fine. This isn't every time, but just about. I thought I heard some type of pop or clunk, that sounded like something letting go, while I was driving it to my shop, but the condition didn't change, for the better or worse.

Also, checked codes and there are none.

I've read about Bands, Regulators, Solenoids, etc...but I'm not sure where to start, other than this forum. Any advice? Thanks.

 

[Karter]

An update...After more research and dropping the pan.

There were some small chunks in the pan and it looked like the front band was "crooked", or at least not in the right place. I didn't go any further, since I was already over my head. Is the band broken?..or is the piece that the adjuster goes into broken? Is it easy to drop the valve body so I can get a better look at it? If the band is actually broken, I assume that the trans needs to come out? Thanks

 

[cerberusiam]

If the front band was broken you would not have 2nd gear. What frequnetly happens is the band anchor will break a side out of the pocket and allow the band to be skewed in alignment, this will cause flaky shifting issues. The bands will also break the rivets that hold the band ends straight and you get the same result.

Replacement of the band anchor and strut with billet pieces is highly recommended.

Replacing the accumulator with a billet piece, replacing the fornt servo cover with a billet piece, and addign a shift kit is the typical fix for a lot of issues.

Dropping the valve body is pretty easy if you know the steps and tricks. A front band can be replaced with a slip in band to negate trans removal for just that problem.

 

[Karter]

I'm pretty confident that the Band anchor is the problem. I do have second gear yet, but its sketchy. Kinda like you really need to feather the gas to get it to take. If I drop the valve body, am I going to have check balls bouncing all over, or does everything more or less stay in place as it comes down? Thanks for all the help.

 

[PWong]

If I drop the throttle body, am I going to have check balls bouncing all over, or does everything more or less stay in place as it comes down?

No check balls bouncing all over.
A spring and a piston would fall down. Just pay attention to that.

 

[cerberusiam]

Nope, the only thing you need to watch for is the accumulator spring falling out and rolling under a bench making it impossible to find for 3 years.

The hardest part of the whole process, remove\install the VB, is getting the parking rod in and out. That requires being able to rock the trans output shaft back and forth to get the pawl to drop into a notch. A helper rotating on tire that has been lifted off the ground is a big help.

 

[Karter]

A quick follow up on what actually had happened.

The band anchor had broken where the adjuster screw goes into it. Those were the chunks that I found in the pan. The anchor had wedged itself against the band. I was able to remove the broken anchor, straighten the band back to where it belonged, and install the a new anchor. Unfortunately the only anchor I could get on short notice was the OEM one, but I'm planning to replace all the recommended parts with billet ones in the next month or so, when I can get back at it.

This shifting on this trans has always sucked, so I'm going to do as everyone has recommended and do a shift kit too. Any recommendations on a good shift kit source or a list of part numbers for what I should be replacing? Thanks in advance. And thanks for the previous help.

 

[cerberusiam]

Standard replacement\addition:

Shift kit - Superior (easier to do and you can go back to stock from the install and tweak operations, TransGo is good but there is no going back to stock and tweaks can lead to unknown results)

Billet Band Strut

Billet band anchor

Billet Accumulator

Billet front servo

There are other things to enhance sealing and shifting but it requires partial or full disassembly of trans.

 

[Ozymandias]

I like my TransGo Shiftkit, works flawlessly and installing is straight forward.

 

[GrantP]

Cerb - What modifications are done with the Transgo kit that won't allow you to return it to stock? I don't think I would ever want to go back to stock but just curious since I'm considering installing this kit.

Thanks.

 

[p-Bar]

probably drilling the valvebody out. Let's see if I'm right

 

[cerberusiam]

probably drilling the valvebody out. Let's see if I'm right

LOL, close enough.

The TransGo has you drilling passages, plugging others, and modifying circuits in ways that cannot be undone. It is not so much the can't go back to stock as the modifications are not conducive to other mods or tweaking. The FairBanks I put into a 47RE had better shift quality than the TransGo in mine, but, that was a different truck. I am doing a superior in my sons 05 with some other tweaks for better shifting because it can be done without fear of messing up something else.

The TransGo instructions are really scattered in their logical order, they tend to bounce around too much and you really have to follow closely or something could be missed. It would be a better experience with better more ordered instructions.

 

[promisedland]

thanks for the info, folks! i have a 48re [04.5] that i want to do service/rebuild work on. wasnt sure if i will do a shift kit or valve body....

 

[p-Bar]

thanks for the info, folks! i have a 48re [04.5] that i want to do service/rebuild work on. wasnt sure if i will do a shift kit or valve body....

Very happy with Georend valve body

 

[promisedland]

Very happy with Georend valve body

Thanks! That valve body is on my wish list! Im waiting till the trany shop guy calls me w/his input. if he dosnt like Georend,...i just might look around.

SOUTH EAST PA.... ANY TRANS SHOP RECOMMENDATIONS??? [i'm looking into bench tech trans.]

 

[p-Bar]

Thanks! That valve body is on my wish list! Im waiting till the trany shop guy calls me w/his input. if he dosnt like Georend,...i just might look around.

SOUTH EAST PA.... ANY TRANS SHOP RECOMMENDATIONS??? [i'm looking into bench tech trans.]

If you call Goerend tell them your location and they will refer you to a shop they sell to parts