hi all:
having a transmission problem with my 1999 dodge grand caravan. Picked it up a few months ago (cheap) with 175000 miles on it. 3.8L, V6, 4 speed.

PO said that there was some rough downshifting occasionally when coming to a stop. Said that he changed the filter and fluid and it went away. But he said ti had been happening for a few months.

I drove it for about 3,000 miles, and there was some annoying downshifting clunking. not all the time, maybe 10% of the time it stopped. doesn't matter if it's warm, cold, whatever.

So, i started having this weird problem like a week before I had to leave on this long, 1,000+ mile trip. I live at the top of a hill that's a few blocks ong, and i started to notice that if I started my van up and drove away, when I got to the bottom of the hill, my van wouldn't move. like I would get to the stop sign and stop, and then as I hit the gas, my van wouldn't move. it would rev, but not go. If i let it sit for a bit (like 10-20 seconds) it would work again. Or, i noticed that if I revved up pretty high, it would all of a sudden jerk into gear and take off but I would only have to rev for like 3 seconds.

It started off doing it maybe 1/4 the time, by the end of the week it would do it all the time. But only the first or sometimes second hill, after driving for a but it would be fine. (still jerk on downshifting to a stop though)

Then I left on my trip, and drove the 1000+ miles. Definitely brought lots of tools and extra cash in case I got stranded! on the trip, it started doing this even on flat. Like if I took off after leaving it overnight, it would usually take off out of the parking spot, but then the first time it had to stop (like at a stop sign) it would not want to move from the stop.
Or, if I had to reverse out of a spot, I could reverse, but when I had to stop it to put it in drive, it wouldn't move from the stop. once it was stalled, it wouldn't go in reverse or drive until it either sat for 20-30 seconds or i revved it and it jerked into gear. And the duration of the problem got longer, as well. It used to only do this at my first stop, then the first two stops, at this point it will do it for my first 5 or 6 stops.

I noticed that if I let my engine warm up for about 3-4-5 minutes, i wouldn't have the problem. it seems to be temperature-dependent.

So, a few questions:
first, the obvious: what's going on?
and then, the second obvious: what's the fix?

If it's transmission work that needs to be done, I think i'm going to do it myself. I've never worked on an automatic transmission but i've been wrenching for 15 or so years... can rebuild almost any engine out there, have rebuilt manual transmissions (much less intimidating). I have no problem believing that if I get a manual and follow the directions step by step, I can get it done. THat being said, is there a manual that's better for transmission work? haynes? chilton? other?


Is there anything else I can or should check first, before pulling the transmission? I sure hope so! I've done a little research, but would like some separate opinions from you experts. I've read that flashing the ECU firmware could help, or replacing the output sensor, etc. Any thoughts?


Any input would be greatly appreciated. Even things that might not be compete answers but that might get me going in the right direction...

thanks!

 

Sounds kinda like what mine did when it went out. Junkyard transmission would probably be your best option. Mine had peices of the planetary that had ground off that tore up a pressure seal and its seat.

 

just out of curiosity... why is this a better option that a rebuild? I feel like they are both about the same price, and maybe the rebuild could even be a little cheaper (depending on the junkyard, I guess... but probably). with a rebuild, can't I expect it to last for ~80k miles? and if I get one from the junkyard, I feel like I just put a time bomb in my van. There's really no way to know how well it's been maintained, or how long I can expect it to last before it goes out (although it will probably be sooner than a total rebuild), etc?

I must be missing something
are there pros to salvaging from the yard or cons to rebuilding that I am not considering?

thanks for your reply!

 

Here's 13 pages of pictures of what you're getting into: http://img.betchuk.com/thumbnails.php?album=10&page=1

 

It depends on your plans with your van and your financial situation. If you can rebuild yourself then you can go that route. For someone to do a bench rebuild is probably in the range of $500-1500 depending on how much they charge and what hard parts are needed. I got the transmission for my Caravan for $200 at the junkyard with 60k miles. New filter/fluid/cooler/hoses I had about $350 in it.

True you may get a longer life from a rebuild but my original trans lasted 170k miles. Its at 180k now so this transmission will probably outlast the van or at least the time we have the van. If you pull the speed sensors at the junkyard you can get a decent idea as to the internal condition. If there is any shiny metal on the sensors pass on that transmission. This thread may help you? https://dodgeforum.com/forum/dodge-c...smissions.html

Just a heads up every transmission I have had bench built has ended up costing more than I was originally quoted. From different builders too. I don't think it was intentional, it's just they get in there and there is more stuff torn up than what they expected.

 

awesome, thanks for the advice. I have some thinking to do it seems.

However, before I decide to either rebuild or replace... can anyone help me figure out exactly what the problem is or shoot some suggestions of things to check before I totally drop my transmission? I'd be ecstatic if it turned out to be a sensor or something, or something easy...
thanks!

 

Mine was the pressure seal in front of the planetary.