Hello all,

Ive recently bought a 98 durango it runs great with 160,+ my main concern is that, sometimes while acellerating it seems the trans isnt engaging fully. It will move slowly and after the rpms clime to about 2k it will shift into second gear and usiully run smooth again other times it will go to about 3rd the rpms dont go much past 2k and the sound is like a vvvrrrrrrrrrrrr not like a revving engine but a large fan. any insight would be great oh its the 5.2 ltr V8 automatic with 4x4 also what is the going price of a trans for my ride?


thanks for all the help in advance

 

if you are hearing the 'fanlike' sound on a cold start(first drive in the morning) then you are in fact hearing a fan, you are hearing the clutch fan mounted behind the radiator, it tends to disengage right around the time the 1-2 shift happens (at least that is where mine drops out first thing in the morning) this is normal believe it or not

 

Mine does that at random points even when its at its reg temp but only after a stop say stop sign etc. I do believe the fan clutch to be causing the noise because if the tranny was slipping wouldn't It slow to a stop insted of picking up speed at reduced power? Im hoping I don'. have a major issue because I love my ride.

 

the clutch fan could engage while idling if you sit still for too long, the temp would need to go up in order to engage the clutch.

a slipping transmission most often gives you a SLOW takeoff, it will still get you going just will take much longer, however it would also happen on a much more consistent basis than you seem to be describing.

 

I've been driving our 99 while my 01 is in the body shop. It doesn't take much movement of the needle for the engine to heat up to the point of engaging the fan. With how warm its been here, and the A/C on, it stays engaged more than the one in my 01, but it has the electric fan as well, which does help while stopped quite a bit.

 

It only happens when I take off its never happened while idling. Also is it "normal" for the rpms to be around 500 while at a stop NOT 5,000 lol 500. Im pretty confident it is the fan clutch because it still picks up speed rather well it just feels like the fans robing hp

 

I'm not sure about how slowly you're talking about, but my fan was holding the car back enough that when it disengaged (when it even disengaged at all) it felt like you stepped it down harder. My clutch fan was holding the engine back so much it was ridiculous. Instead of even dealing with it anymore I replaced it with an electric fan from a taurus. Again I don't know how bad yours is, but it was a night and day difference for me.

 

you probably wont hear it when the engine is idling, only when the fan speed (engine speed) picks up.

500 rpms is about the perfect place for these trucks to idle thats fine (if you put the a/c on it will bump up a little bit)

 

Unfortunately my AC only blows hot air im told its most likely electrical since the AC will not charge and I've yet to have any fluid leak but the heater works great

 

How hard is it to replace the fan? And what year Taurus or what do u recommend as a reliable replacement?