Well Ill give you a little background on the truck. Its a 1996 Dakota v8, ext cab, 4wd and automatic. I bought the truck for 1.1k about 2 years ago. About 5 or so months ago, it spun a rod bearing and started knocking really bad. I could never figure out why the truck ran like total crap and was extremely hard to start. I figured it out when I went to install the current motor that the old motor never had a coolant temperature sensor plugged in. I figured this out after I put the new motor in with the CORRECT intake manifold and saw an open sensor that WASNT on the old motor, plugged it in to the only open plug I could find on the wiring harness and BOOM, threw a code for the C.T.S. I installed a new one and the motor runs like new now. Ok, Now on to my problem. I go to drive the truck and it feels like it wants to start in second gear, doesnt downshift when you give it full throttle and wont go into over drive. I can get it to downshift if I manually do it into second gear. Here are the codes I pulled. 12, 21,45,47,42 and 37. I know 3 are codes for the trans. What boggles my mind is, before I parked it, the trans drove like new, no problems what so ever. When it was really cold out and sat for a long time it would take a second to upshift into 2 but once it warmed up it ran just fine. Any clues would be GREATLY appreciated!

 

If you post up code it would be good to post up what they stand for so we don't have to look it up. Here is the list of the codes. https://dodgeforum.com/forum/1st-gen...-96-codes.html

12* Direct battery input to PCM was disconnected within the last 50 key-on cycles (normal)
21** 02s sensor does not detect rich or lean condition (signal stays at center)
37* Torque converter clutch solenoid CKT or park/neutral switch failure
42* Fuel pump relay control ckt, Auto shutdown relay control ckt, No ASD relay output voltage at PCM, Fuel level sending unit volts out of range, Fuel level unit No change over miles
45* Transmission OD solenoid circuit short or open condition detected
47** Charging system voltage too low

Being it is a 96 it is OBDII so you can get a OBDII code reader and check the codes which will get better descriptions of what is going on. Also in 96 the transmission is completely controlled by the PCM.

I'm assuming it is just some connectors disconnected or wires pinched. Also try resetting the PCM to see what codes come back.

 

So where do you think I should begin. I really was leaning towards something electrical seeing as how it was just fine before the install of the new motor.

 

Start by checking ever connector is plugged in tight and every wire looks good and clean. ALL EVERWHERE inside and out.

 

Ok, ill see what I can come up with after I get off work today. Thanks for the respones, keep em coming, every little bit helps!

 

Well I think that the trans is fubar. I took the pan off to find one, one inch chunk of what looks like a circular band, not the clutch band but smaller in size along with many pea sized chunks of metal. I would say its safe to say its fried.

 

Damn that sucks. Rebuild time or manual transmission swap time.

 

That is baaad luck Scott, how does the heck does the trans go just after you put in the motor? Don't forget that the '95 and older trans doesn't work in the '96's.