I just went out and tried the durango since its warmed up to the low 40s here today already. checked fluid before starting the engine and it was as expected well above the full mark but still nice and pink and smelled like it should. fired it up, let idle a minute then put into rev...felt it bump slightly like it started to engage but when reved it gently moved a few inches then felt like it dumped pressure and felt like it just went into neutral. put it in drive, and same thing, it gently kinda bumed forward but when gassed it moved slightly then felt like it went to neutral. reved it higher and it verl slowly and gently moved a little and when reved even higher it slowly started moving forwards. shut it off and did the turn the key back and forth and read the codes. Irt showed only one code. P 0700 which when i just looked it on the the net says the following...which is completely greek to me and i have no clue.

P0700 EATX Controller DTC Present This SBEC III or JTEC DTC indicates that the EATX or Aisin controller has an active fault and has illuminated the MIL via a CCD (EATX) or SCI (Aisin) message. The specific fault must be acquired from the EATX via CCD or from the Aisin via ISO-9141. After

Anyone know what that indicates or what should be done next? ARRRGGGHHH. I hate computers especially when mixed with automobiles.

Perhaps its time to convert this durango like ive been considering since i bought it. Am thinking one of the 4 cyl cummins engines...same as the 5.9 in the trucks but 2 cyls cut off...used in the case skid loaders which i have access to some surplus engines...one of them and a 5 speed OD trans would make a real auto out of it and not need any computers to make it run and make way better fuel mileage then this 4.7 does.

 

p0700 usually means there is a fault code stored in the TCM, need a DRBIII to read those codes tho iirc

and tbh the 4.7 does not do that bad on gas in these trucks compared to the other engine options, and considering the size, weight, and (lack of) aerodynamics of them.(yes i am aware diesel would do better)

 

Ok, well whatever it is its going down the shi$$er rather steadily. Just got back from a short drive over to a friends place to ask him some questions about it since he used to work for one of the local bigger tranny re-builders. he wasnt home, but now its not settling down even once warmed up a bit and its not even cold now as its in upper 50's here today. Drove to the end of the street and when i stopped at the sign it killed the engine like it did not release in the converter. started right back up and when i went to pull out it was still slipping. Drove 5 miles over to his house and it appeared to never go into OD, and was not shifting right... hesitated to engage when starting out and seemed to slip some. Checked and it was valvoline atf+4 that i put it i n when i serviced it 1500 miles ago now. Fluid was over full by about 2 inches before i started it this morning, then even after running and trying to move it it was still about 1" over full, and had a lot of air bubbles in it...heavily aireated. After driving it over there and back i just checked it and it is between the cold and hot dots, and the air bubbles are gone in it, but its not engaging solid now....but, on the way back it was shifting into OD again at least. This thing is drivin me crazy here with the constant changing of how its behaving. It is now what i would consider not roadworthy as i would not trust it to go very far from home. gut tells me something is either wrong with the trans pump or converter. Guess my question is still just how deep does the electronics go into these transmission? Meaning, can elec malfunctions cause these types of issues...aireated oil, excessive drain back...slow pumping up etc?
Last but not least, anyone know what years and other engine combos have a interchangeable tranny. Starting to think its time to start shopping for a good used trans since i see several wrecked durangos on craigslist local. I can buy a complete durango, either wrecked or abandoned for less than a shop would want to rebuild this one, and i have never been happy with any automatic trans i have ever had rebuilt. They seem to never work like they should again. Again, this one is 4.7 and 4wd 2000 model.

 

Did you check the fluid level in Neutral? ...you will get incorrect readings in park and it will not charge the converter quickly, and if that has happened you will have an extremely sluggish take off....The TCM has nothing to do with pump input or output.....

 

#1 The TCM has nothing to do with the transmission other then inputs for your reverse lights and so forth, but nothing going into it like that.

That is incorrect. ATF+3 is a conventional. ATF+4 is a conventional, however was built to not shear like the old ATF+3 so it was built to be a "Lifetime Fill" or what the industry really is saying a 100k mile fill. They just made the new +4 better, that's all. If you want Fully Synthetic you have to find it. Valvoline is making it and I also think the bottle is for NAPA's house ATF+4.

And you are totally correct, You can upgrade from a tranny that uses ATF+3 to ATF+4. But cannot downgrade a tranny that used ATF+4 to ATF+3.


P0700 means that there is a code logged in on the Transmission Module, see not all codes are logged into the PCM, however some are. You need a OBD-II reader to access the TM and see exactly what codes are there.

There could be a check valve on the cooling lines as they go from metal to the rubber fitting on it's way to the radiator. At this junction there is a check valve, but only one on one side. If you look at these fittings (about under the fan) and one is longer then that middle piece is the check valve. Now I know this is correct on the RE transmissions, I just don't know on the 45RFE and 545RFE.

The correct way to check your transmission fluid level is to have the engine running, and shift through each position and leave it in each gear for about 2 seconds. Now shift to Park (On the 4.7L you can do this) or Neutral and check the level. The pump must be flowing when you test the level.

One thing you said was the trans fluid was "heavily aerated" and this can happen if there is too much fluid in the trans, and thus can cause it to not operate correctly. It is also a sign that the filter isn't installed correctly, and with this I mean the flat filter, your transmission has 1 flat and 1 spin on filter.

I would drop the pan again and save your fluid. Check the flat filter. When you plug the filler neck into the pick up orifice there is a O-ring, and sometimes a insert that you have to remove from the old flat filter before the new filter will fit in correctly. If you don't' remove this it will cause this issue. Get an new set of filters from the dealer and install.

Now filter your old fluid through some cheese cloth and put it back in. Make sure you don't overfill it this time!

 

close, but not 100% hydra, on the 4.7 the TCM is called a 'smart controller' and controls the shift points based on your particular driving style (it will adjust to your driving over time unless you have multiple drivers for the vehicle) and which gear the transmission will max out in, however this should not affect the fluid level in any way (it also controls the light signals as hydra stated above)

 

How was the transmission shifting before the repairs? And when you did replace the filters and I hope you didn't do this. There is a threaded valve next to the spin on filter. Tell me you didn't try to adjust that valve? You do know you have a 45RFE/545RFE transmission. Before you drop the pan down, I need to know what codes you have in the TCM/EATX controller.

 

Master tech, no i did not mess with anything other then changed out the filters.
Hydra, i will look and see if there is any sign of the check valve you describe. As for the filter seal, im pretty sure i made sure everything like that was swapped over before installing the new filter. The weird part is if i did miss something like that when cervicing the trans, i would expect its issues to have started right after. We took it on a 700 mile sorad trip a few days after i serviced it and it worked perfectly the entire trip. It was a couple days after we got back that it first started not wanting to engage in the morning...only on first start up of the day, then worked fines the rest the day, and then it just got worse each time i started it cold after that.
I have been reading on the net and found a site that had a few people post with issues similar to mine and the experts there said something about these things having a "limp mode" which is what mine seems to now be in, other then still not sure why or how that would cause the not wanting to engage at all when having been sitting off ...originally over night and now about any time. But, mine now usually does not have OD and when really acting weird like that i finally figured out it is trying to take off in like 3rd or drive even. Engine labors and tranny slips heavily when taking off and has no signs of shifting into OD once at speed. Weird part is, i stopped to visit a buddy on the way back that last trip out with it and when i left from visiting him and hit the road it shifted thru the gears and had OD again. Tjhis is the part thats most baffling to me is how sometimes it kinda works, other times it dont. Seems to me if something internal was bad or worn out or broken, it would just not work any more. This back and fourth crud is whats still giving me hope it something electrinic giving false info to other parts. Been busy at work last couple days so have not had time to mess with it being dark when i get home of the eve. First chance i get, i think my next action does need to be to find a place that can read its internal codes and hope it tells me what needs replaced first. I will report back here what i learn from it. Thanks again guys for your valued input.

 

Went to orieleys with it last night...and took note of what it was doing on the way. Did not want to even move at first, but with reving and coaxing it did and after about a mile it was going ok other then it had only 2nd and drive and reverse. It would take off in drive unless i manually shifted it to 2nd, but would not go to 1ts or into OD. Plugger in the code reader and it showed four codes. P1784 P0733 P1732 P0734. I had it clear the codes and thanked them for the use of the reader and headed back home. The check engine light was now off, and it shifted and worked just fine thru all the gears inc OD. Made a couple stops at various places on the way back and it was back to working like it always did before these problems arouse. Have not gone out anbd tried it now this morning after sitting over night, but when i got home i parked it level and checked fluid level. By this time i had traveled all total about 25 miles. It was dark out so had to use flashlight and headlights but fluid was about 1/8" above the full hot mark and was not full of air bubbles.
Anyone able to tell me what those codes mean in english and maybe what needs replaced or caused them to happen. So far the only good news here is the tranny is not completely shot as it will shift right when the dang computer will let it, but need to see if it will move today now still as i dont see how the comp can cause that issue just yet. thanks in advance for assistance.

 

pm master tech