Evening! I have a '93 Dodge Dakota, picked it up for $500 and put about $2500 into it since March. The transmissions I am 80% sure is basically ready to crap out, with also leaking about half the antifreeze. It has to sit for the next two months anyways due to some poor choices on my end but this gives me time to either fix it or transmission swap.
The truck starts up no problem, its when your driving it, the gears almost lag on shifting into second and the engine/tranny revs and then its fine after that. The idle isn't the greatest either going from a crawl to a complete stop. I may not be a mechanic but I do have a passion for particular hobbies in my life, so I know my way around my truck. Im looking for any and all advice is what Im saying.
Cheers

 

Welcome to the forum. Unfortunately I have no experience with the automatic Daks but I am pretty sure that a healthy number of other members here can offer excellent advice on that problem and whether a junkyard tranny or a rebuild is in order.

 

I love an automatic most of the time, but they generally develop problems sooner than a manual, and when they do, I usually end up swapping them because I don't want to fool with rebuilding them. If the problem is low fluid, a solenoid, linkage adjustment, something like that, then you have a chance of correcting it. But if the internals are shot, your wallet is generally going to determine whether you want to find a rebuilt one with a warranty, or take your best shot on a used one, preferably low mileage.

It sounds like you're describing slippage, or maybe just delayed shifting. When the engine revs during a shift, does it feel like its going into gear but slipping, or does the engine rev momentarily before the transmission goes into gear with a bang? Have you checked fluid level (trans should be warmed up)? How many miles?

 

Check out the FAQ page it has some stuff right at the top that may be helpful. You should also look for a Factory Service manual on ebay or amazon. They are usually $30ish There are a couple on the FAQ page for 95 and 96. If is isn't the TV cable or fluid I'd say band adjustment.

 

My 93 started doing the same thing. Then it got to the point where the rpms had to be up in order for it to even move a little bit.
when its cold tho. There is no problem. It will move without the high rpms.
but if its worm then you have to rev it up to get it to move.
i got another tranny but am finding it hard to figure out what tranny it is. And if it will work in my truck.

 

What model and year truck did your replacement tranny come out of? It must be same drive train (2wd or 4x4) to work.