AppelH,

With the 5.2L you should have the 44RE trans in there. Not a bad one as long as its kept up with regular service and not given a beating on a regular basis. I would recommend when you get it serviced this weekend, having it filled with a Synthetic ATF+4. I personally use Valvoline ATF+4 in mine and notice a world of difference in it. seems to shift alot smoother and seems to be less heat from it. Make sure when they change the fluid that they also adjust the bands, that could also be some of the shifting issues.

If the service still does not correct the issues then i would look at replacing the speed sensor on the tail of the trans. These trucks have 2 speed sensors and both are know failures, i recommend replacing both as there fairly simple to do.

HTH

 

Thanks for your input. I will be servicing it myself this weekend. I already have a case of the Valvoline ATF+4, but i think I will need a little more based of the instructions for purging written by Hydra I believe, or maybe it was just under his sticky. I was a little leery about the four hour drive to get it home where I have a shop, since I have been noticing a faint smell after driving it. Unfortunately I really cant describe what it smells like, except that its not fuel and I am pretty sure its not antifreeze.

 

I called the junkyard and got all three of them shipped for under $100. Props to you Sooper, you just saved me $70

 

No problem at all. I have been saving money with salvage yard parts for a long time. I might have saved you more if a salvage yard were closer, but the the only closer ones to you were charging $50 - $75 each and you're back to no gain. I was hoping for one in driving distance to you with a good cheap price but alas, it was a successful project after all. Take pics and post them for future searches so they have pics of the process.

 

Mine takes just a tad over 8 quarts to bring to full.. if you have extra, keep in mind that the transfer case takes the same juice! you could always use it there...

 

Well after the service I learned a few things. Apparently someone has done a motor swap recently and did a terrible job at it. There are nuts and bolts missing from various places and components left out altogether. The tranny service did not help the "thump" that occurs when I let off the throttle at around 25mph. Now I dont know if its normal or if there is something else I should be trying. Unfortunatly most of the tune up components I had planned on replacing are fairly new, so I wont be getting a mileage boost like i was hoping for from a service.

 

I figured I would bring up this thread because I finally figured out where my rough shift was coming from and was able to fix it. While doing further service to my rig, I saw that the little clip that held the throttle cable to the throttle body was broken. The clip, IIRC, is right were the cable comes out of the plastic jacket then connects to the butterfly on the TB. Since the clip was broken, it was not holding the cable in the right spot which somehow caused my rough shift described in this thread. after using zip ties to hold it in place (temporary fix), I took it for a drive and noticed my rough shift was gone. Now everything shifts nice and smooth (Other than the big clunk shifting into reverse, but I am still unsure if thats even abnormal). I have never come across anyone with this clip being broken, but maybe it will help someone in the future.

 

Big clucks when put into a gear are usually a sign on a worn universal joint. Normally if you have a strong transmission you will hear a slight cluck but, its usually so soft you don't notice it. Over time is the joints wear it allows there to me more space, hence more room to move creating the louder clunk. If the universal joints have never been replaced in you truck they most likely will be a PITA to get out, if they where you will probably be lucky and the won't be too bad.

Good Luck!

 

You know I checked my U joints when I was trying to diagnose a different issue, but they seemed fine. What would be your technique of checking them? I may have done it wrong, they are probably original.

 

If I might make a suggestion, replacing the rear drive shaft U-joint is preventative maintenance pure and simple. If it's original, it's certainly worn considerably. Maybe not to the point of failure, but it will eventually and it's clock it ticking.

Joints are cheap. I think for the Ram, it's around $30. You CAN do it yourself with a vise, a brass punch, and a ball peen. I use Emory paper or a small wire wheel in a cordless drill to clean out the bores before installing the new joint.

If you have never done a joint before, there are TONS of threads on various forums, as well as tutorials on Google and You Tube. Not to mention there are a few hundred of us on this very forum that can walk you through it.

Buy yourself the joint, set aside a Saturday morning, chock the wheels, remove the drive shaft, and just change it. It'll be a good experience and like I said you are preventing a failure by performing the maintenance now.