And BTW, there is no transmission temp sensor on a 92 Dakota. The PCM doesn't allow O/D until the coolant temperature reaches 60F, and doesn't allow lockup until the coolant temperature reaches 140F. So if you don't have a good coolant temp sensor (the 2-wire sensor next to the thermostat), neither function will work properly.

 

Thanks for that info! I'll be pulling the pan later this week, so I will check that out. My manual says that there is supposed to be a transmission oil temp sensor on the line close to the radiator; but I'll check out the coolant temp sensor and make sure it's working properly.

 

You will only have that sensor if you have some variety of heavy duty, or factory towing package.

 

Ah. Thanks! I'll let y'all know what I find out later this week.....

 

Well, I wasn't able to get to pulling the pan until today. So, I pulled the pan (Why, oh why don't they put a drain plug on a transmission pan?? What a mess.) and removed the solenoid assembly. When I attach positive to the common wire and negative to each of the solenoid wires, I can hear it click, but I thought I'd see the solenoid plunger move. There is no plunger. If there is, it's inside the end of the solenoid through the little hole. I poked a wire in there and held my finger on it loosely, connected the wires, and I could feel a tiny bit of movement, but that's all. Maybe a millimeter or less. How do I test the solenoid once it's off?

 

So, I don't know if any of y'all are still seeing this thread, but I replaced the OD solenoid today, and it works!! Thank you everyone who responded with helpful stuff!

 

Good job!

 

I just swapped out the trans in my own 92 because other than leaking in a spot that is a royal pain to access while in the chassis, (where the shift linkage passes thru the case) its OD was flaky, it worked when it wanted to and I never knew when that would be.
That, and I had a fresh one ready to go just collecting dust sitting here. One that I rebuilt about a year ago "just in case".... I will now rebuild the one that I removed, possibly to go into one of my '70s cars.
My truck just passed 204K miles, I now have 700 miles on the trans job, OD now works fine, every time. I think that I know exactly where within the trans my issue will be found.
Along the way I put in a TF-OD-jr shift kit, a product I have used and been happy with more than once in other transmissions, and for some reason it didn't work in this one. I will have to go thru that valve body and recheck the adjustments and see what went wrong.
I wound up taking the valve body out of the original trans and swapping it into the fresh trans about 150-200 miles after I put it in the truck, and once I played with the throttle kickdown cable til I was happy with that, it now shifts fine. This valve body that came out of the original trans, still has its original solenoids on it, I did not swap solenoids with the ones out of the rebuilt trans. If nothing else it verifies that the solenoids from the original trans are good, and that the issue is within the original trans itself, like I originally thought it might be..... in the tailshaft section ("overdrive unit") I debated pulling that off of the original trans and just rebuilding that and putting it back on, with the trans still bolted in the truck.... I've done that before... on the original trans 1,2,3 and R worked great.

 

I know this thread is over a year old but I'm hoping someone will see it and be able to help me. I have a '92 Dakota LE, reg cab, long bed, 2wd, 3.9l, auto, that was given to me. 98,000 and the body has zero rust. Paint, not so good. Interior is flawless. Both previous owners were elderly so no abuse, no strenuous duty.

TC Lockup does not work, OD does not work. {Cruise control doesn't work} Replaced: solenoids(changed fluid and filter tightened valve body bolts), VSS sensor, neutral safety switch, TPS, CTS and PCM. No luck.

Any ideas? This is a good truck, it needs the TCC and OD to function properly.