Remember in "Moonstruck", when Cher slapped Nick Cage in the face and said "Snap out of it"? This is that...

Thoughts like "I remember when..." and "too much deceit..." are "old vehicles are better..." and "I should have..." are just clogging your progress with useless mental frustration crap. Stay focused! I've been wrenching for nearly 60 years and manage just fine on my '01 D bought new, using regular shop tools, a PDF of the FSM, and common sense. It's 15 yr old tech, hardly state-of-the-art. Quit whining.

 

A tool is only as good as the person operating it. You would have to really know what you're doing to detect an intermittent short like this with a scan tool. Something you could do yourself is unplug the electronics from the transmission. This will isolate whether it is electrical or not. With it unplugged you can manually shift through 1-3. You will not have overdrive since that is electronically controlled. This transmission is basically an old 727 torqueflite with an overdrive unit bolted to the rear. The valve body is slightly different with the electronics on the RE version. The RH from 94-97 only had electronics to activate the O/D didn't control any part of the shifting like the RE.

 

Dodge called and another weekend without a car. The tech is into the valve body checking electronics and hasn't finished. He said he's getting some inconsistent ohm readings on the internal harness and that the external harness replacment job was"messy". I expect that since they didn't do the work.They must just be checking it when the have a free few minutes in between warranty jobs. They had it all day but my bill is only up to 2 hours worth of labor. It would be nice if it's just an internal harness replacement but I don't think I'm going to get that lucky.

adukart...

I don't see it as an INTERMITTENT electrical short as the P1762 code keeps coming right back after clearing it every time. The PCM will let you clear it but it pops right back. It seems to me it would have to be a pretty consistent short to keep doing that.

Jeeper Don...Thank you. You have more training in deep auto mechanics than I do so good for you! I just do bolt on and basic electrical testing work on my D'ango.

 

I mean intermittent as quick millisecond shorts at a time not a constant short. It takes someone with some advanced knowledge of scan tools to basically log and go back through and find where its shorting. But if they are finally getting bad ohm readings then they are on to something. It could be a wire with an internal break as well.

 

Goes to show the KISS method was better. Torqueflite 727 or Turbo Hydramatic 350 where you don't mix computers with transmissions was more reliable. The more complex something becomes, the more chance for failures.

 

I don't really buy into the reliability part, but 3 speeds definitely wasn't enough. You couldn't really have both good acceleration gearing with decent fuel economy where as with the 4 and 5 speeds you get the best of both worlds.

 

Well, Dodge just called. They have decided it IS the PCM, which is what AAMCO said when I had the wiring harness replaced. Now they say that particular PCM is backordered thru Mopar and they will have to have my vehicle a few more days. I told them we need it back ASAP as it is my only car. They said they will find one and expedite shipping as soon as they can.

I called back later and left the message that I feel that since it was the PCM and that was the reason why I brought it to them, that their diagnostic time should be part of the labor in the labor warranty, and if they wern't buying that, I want at least a 50% discount on the diagnostic charges.

Awaiting the return call and whining....lol.

 

They said the computer is back-ordered and they will expedite shipping and get it here as fast as they can. Meanwhile I argued the labor point with them and they said they would just charge me for a $150 tranny service and everything else will be covered by warranty so I guess I'll pay it. They're going to get the car back to me tomorrow so i will have a vehicle, and I will bring it back when the PCM is in.

Will finalize this thread when the computer is in and working.

foamhand.

 

You could have gotten 4-5 speeds with a hydraulically actuated transmission with no computer involved if you had it modded right. I preferred a standard trans with more gears if I was hot rodding around. Automatics to me are putz around town cars.

 

Well ordered a replacement PCM thru the local Dodge dealer on 8/28/16. The order was pushed back to 9/17, then 9/26, then 10/7, then 10/15 and now they say 10/21 before they can send one and that's no guarantee? This is just assanine. Called Chrysler corporate hotline, they say they are doing the best they can.

Someone suggested STAR TECH for possibly getting a new one but Chrysler Corporate said they just advise mechanics with difficult issues and don't really deal in parts.

I'm giving them till the end of the month and then I want a refund and to keep the core. I guess I'll try NAPA next.

Any other suggestions?