After getting my tranny fluid changed before my trip, after coming back, the damn tranny don't want to start off in 1st gear. So I check the fluid level in neutral gear and noticed it was low. The fluid was touch just below the ok mark. I initally added about 1/4 of a quart of ATF+4. Fluid level did not change. Went to store and bought a full quart. Then added more fluid a 1/6th of a quart at a time. The fluid level never changed after dumping a full quart from the new bottle I just bought.

Now the question; is this normal indication telling me that I still need to add more tranny fluid until the fluid level reaches the OK mark? I don't want to risk overfilling my fastman tranny and blow it.

If I cannot resolve this tranny, I may just have to get rid of this truck and go with something else as I seem to have nothing but bad luck with tranny's in dodge vehicles.

 

it takes about 6-7 qts to refill the trans after dropping the pan and changing the filter.
keep adding fluid until you get it full.

you didn't say how your fluid was changed. reckon what fluid was used ?

 

I did mentioned ATF+4. That is what is required for my tranny. At least that is what it says on the tranny stick.

It is just a simple tranny fluid and filter change. I had the problem when i initially got my tranny replaced with the fastman tranny. Fluid was a little low so I added some fluid until it reached the OK mark. But that first time, I added about 1/2 a quart and the fluid level did move. This second time around, I added 1 and a 1/6th of a quart and the fluid level did not move. This got me worried and I don't want to simply add more and accidentally overfill and damage my tranny.

I just hope that the tranny is just sucking up the fluid and simply needs more until the it gets enough and starts to move up on the stick until I reach the OK mark on the stick.

If memory served, when I had the fluid changed, I think I used around 5 quarts. So this may explain why I added over a quart of fluid and the fluid level did not move on the stick.

If anything ever happens to this fastman tranny, I will forever wash my hands of dodge products due to my bad luck with their tranny's. My 85 shelby charger (orig owner), I got rid of it after the tranny blew out the 2nd time. The stupid tranny on my charger blew out on me after I spent a ton of money restoring it. Thus how I ended up buying my 2000 Durango R/T. Now the curse seems to come back to haunt me again. If I have severe tranny problems which requires an overhaul the 2nd time around on my truck, I will have to part with it and not buy another dodge product again.

 

you probably already know this, but just in case...
when i check the trans fluid in my truck, the dip stick goes into the trans pan at an angle, and the one side of the stick shows a lot more fluid than the other. i always go by the lowest dry mark as the fluid level, and bring that up to the full mark. the higher side of the stick will read much higher.

if it was me - i'd keep adding fluid.

 

Yah, I finally added up to 2 quarts of fluid to finally get the fluid level on the stick to move to the OK zone. But what I am worried more than anything at the moment, it did not address why when slowing to a stop, it will not go back to 1st gear. Rather it wants to launch in 2nd gear. I have to manually shift to first as I start off and then back to drive to shift properly from 1st gear from a stop. I am going to take it back to the shop that did the fluid change for me to check to see what is causing this problem. I hope it is nothing more than a simple adjustment or something or possibly the filter kit may be causing problem. I just don't want to hear the news of possible rebuild. This tranny is still relatively new but not under any warranty.

 

How old is the MS? What happened again to the stocker?

If it is a Martin Saine now, it's not a Dodge trans, thus not Dodge's fault to blame a bad trans on I would think. Nevertheless, if you were 2 quarts low... ouch! One should ask why and how on being that low.

Can't move in 1st is usually a band issue. Since you need to drop the pan to adjust (or have adjusted) the bands... how much fluid you have in there is little relevance now. It's coming out on the pan drop.

Drop pan, adjust bands, refill with real ATF+4 (not a shop blend of their own they claim is as good as), replace filter with a Mopar only replacement filter (not a shop version of their own they claim is as good as) and you are done.

Lack of first is nearly always a band issue needing tightened.

IndyD

 

Indy,

It is not a stocker, it is a MS tranny now. I am not faulting Dodge in anyways. I have been a loyal Dodge owner of vehicles since 1985 (my first shelby charger). I am just stating a fact that I may have some kind of dumbfounded curse or something about Dodge vehicles and the trannys failing in them. That is what forced me to depart with my 85 shelby charger. I love my Durango but would not spend anymore money to repair something that was recently fixed. As this repeat repair is too costly.

I pray that you are correct and it just needed a band adjustment or something. I will take it to the dealer to see what they find when they drop the pan. I am hoping possibly faulty tranny filter that was put in. But whatever the end result, I just don't want to pay to rebuilt the tranny again.

 

Possible band adjustment but running 2 quarts low is not good. Hope you didn't burn em.

When a transmission is low on fluid it sucks air and this is what is giving you the false reading. It's air bubbles! The problem is the shop didn't add the correct amount of fluid and ran it short thus creating the problem. The second problem is you didn't check it before your trip.

Rule number 1:

NEVER trust a shop. Always verify!


Make em fix it!

 

Yeah, I know. My trusted friend and mechanic that serviced all the major work on my truck hung up his hat and uniform to pursue a different line of work. Another friend of mine that I trust recommended me to see his friend that owns a shop so I took it to him. I just assume his shop did it right based on my friend's recommendation so I did not double check the fluids before my trip which was just a week away after I had the fluids changed. My first time, and possibly last time based on the outcome of this problem. I usually take my truck to a dealer to have everything serviced, but the past last year, everyone nowadays have to really pinch their budget. I hope nothing is damaged by this.

 

Don't have the dealer service the trans. Too expensive there and they are jack-of-all-trades. Go to a transmission shop They specialize in transmissions and related stuffs. Here is the perfect prescription:

Go to dealer. Buy 2 gallons ATF+4 and the Mopar Trans filter

Go to parts store. Buy 5 bottles of 75W90 Mobile1 diff oil.

Go to trans shop. Instruct them to NOT flush anything except their toilets. You want the trans pan dropped, the trans filter changed and ALL of the trans bands adjusted. They will want to use their own ATF+4 equivalent and their own filter too. Tell them you are supplying the parts and fluid and they are just doing the labor. Remind them to adjust the bands. If they tell you that you don't have bands... you are at the wrong transmission shop.

Service the trans in this fashion each 2 years or 36,000 miles.

While in there for trans service, that is the perfect time to have the drain and refill (a simply servicing) of the front and rear diffs. This is where the 75W90 comes in. If you have the limited slip rear end, when at the dealer getting your parts, add $9 for a bottle of friction modifier for the limited slip rear. Have it added to your rear diff at time of servicing.

A transmission adjust with parts and fluids at the dealer costs near $600. Using this method, you have all the parts AND get the differentials serviced (missing from the $600 dealer rape job they are pulling) all for under $300.

At the trans shop, have them review the transfer case and it needs servicing, have it done too while you are there. Some trans shops do it automatically, some don't touch it unless told to do so.

HTH,

IndyD