Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) Valve body replacement, now transmission dead

[BroncoMarc]

I put in a DTT valve body so it would hold up to my new Edge Comp. While dialing in the voltage regulator for it I noticed my alternator was whining when I hooked had the wire hooked up. Took it out for a test drive and it seemed like it was slipping alot.



It sat for about a week before I got time to work on it again, then it would barely move. We pulled the valve body back out and looked around for electrical problems because of the alternator whine. Didn't see any problems with it, so we put it back in... Then we noticed that the first inch of insulation was missing on the PCM side of the connector that goes thru transmission case. Some of the wires were touching each other.



To fix that the end was cut off, heat shrink was put on the wires to insulate them and the conenctor was put back on with butt connectors and heat shinked.



After this was done we hooked the voltage regulator back up and the whining was gone. Everythng seemed ok until we tried to take it out for a test drive. Put it in drive an almost nothing. Tested the line pressure and it read 70 PSI, what DTT had set it at.



Anyone know what the problem could be? Any suggestions of what to test?



Thanks,

 

[klaybus]

Trans

Call Bill at DTT. He will surely be able to fix you up. Sounds like it might have gone into "Limp Mode".



Clay

 

[BroncoMarc]

I've been working with Bill for the last week or so to get my truck running again. He's gone out of his way to help me out. He's a really nice guy. . even after over a dozen calls from me and my friend about this problem!





We pulled the valve body back out and this is what we found on the connector that plugs into the transmission from the main wiring harness:



#ad




Has anyone ever seen this happen before? Just curious what could have caused this.





Apparently when I put it back together the first time I didn't notice this and I must have squezed the wires together and made them short out to each other. I tried to get a new connector from Dodge, but they couldn't find them on their own. . only on the main harness. Luckily they went thru a box of used harnesses they had and they found one in good shape!



So far I've replace all the electronics in the transmission (about 300 bucks!). That got rid of one of our codes, but there is still 1 code. We also still have governor pressure when in drive with the ebrake on. According to the shop book we should only have 3 psi and this will make it start in 2nd or 3rd gear. I'm using resistors right now in place of DTT's voltage regulator to get to the right voltage level for these tests.



We've tested for continuity on all 8 wires on this connector from the solenoids in the transmission to the connector that plugs into the PCM. All test good (less than . 5 ohms).



Unfortunately this leaves 1 thing left that could be wrong... . The PCM ! Bill is shipping me one to test out. Hopefully that will fix it.



Bill said the one he is sending me is a California emissions PCM. What's the difference between that and the one I've got now?

 

[SEmerson]

I had the same thing happen after I had a vb out. I drove me nuts. The problems I had after had nothing to do with what I did to the vb. Any way Bill pointed where to look and I found the problem. Oo.



Bill is AWSOME.

 

[Chipstien]

Wow, that is strange. It almost looks like the connector had a faulty connection to the transmission and got hot. Of course, from there it just went up the wires. The thing is though, I didn't think there was enough current from the PCM to cause a melting issue. Keep us informed.

 

[SEmerson]

On mine it seemed that the rubber had rotted or softend from something. I did have a brake flues leak so maybe that damaged the rubber.