Drove my 98 Durango (smaller V8 engine SLT) new off the lot Nov 97 and am very attached to it. Just under 160,000 miles after 20some years and no real problems other than a frequent need to top off oil and coolant until a road trip last week. Topped off both day before trip but 3 hours into trip noticed temp over 210 and frequently approaching 260 but never hitting red. I turned off A/C and slowed down a little and managed to get off highway without overheating but next day it went to red quickly on short trip from vacation place to a gas station. Able to coast into parking lot and add coolant and left it overnight. Got it to closest garage next day and they found a "weeping" spot on radiator.so I ok'ed new radiator cuz I didn't want another hot trip home (2 overheated dogs in car too). Overheated again 30 minutes after leaving shop. They towed it in free and replaced thermostat. Hadn't done thermostat first cuz they saw new hoses and I told them my shop back home had put a new thermostat in but I couldn't remember how long ago. Drove around town for 2 days (short trips, low speed) prior to highway trip home. 2 hours into trip tried to accelerate to 75 and didn't feel right. Happened again before I realized rpm's flying up. Slowed down and seemed fine but after third or fourth time my car didn't feel right (I know I was clueless) I found an exit but it was Sunday, nothing open. Had to try multiple stations so drove lots of slow short trips and seemed to shift normally. Found help and open Walmart. Added 1.5 bottles transmission fluid to get reading on dipstick but didn't see obvious leak. Did shop drain it? Drove another hour and same problem again. Stopped again and found help. Roadside repair guy immediately noticed back of radiator wet and both lines that run transmission fluid to/from radiator leaking. He tightened both and had me put it in reverse, idle fast ,etc while he checked it out. then he added another 1.5 bottles of fluid and said I was good to go. It was 100 degrees, no shade, midday with 2 dogs and myself close to heat stroke so I just hoped he was right and drove 2 more hours home. He said as long as it's shifting gears I'm ok. It did fine on highway but I intentionally stayed under 65 afraid of that top gear. Noticed every shift after exiting. Didn't feel like my car at all but Sunday night, exhausted, just wanted to get home, didn't stop and check fluids during 20 minute drive thru town. Talked to my shop next day. they said that shop probably killed my transmission and a rebuild would be close to 1700 and didn't seem to really want to deal with it. Said I should check with that shop (5 hours away-not an option to go back) so I called them. They said I should be fine since I only lost a few quarts but have it serviced and "see if there's any metal in the pan" Told my shop that and they said bring it in and they would drive it and see. They added 4 quarts and "hooked it to the computer" and didn't get any readings so "it was OK." They also cleaned it for me, said there was so much oil under there I was lucky I didn't catch fire. He couldn't believe I didn't smell it, but I didn't. Now I'm wondering if it leaked more after the roadside repair. Not sure what to do. Already spent so much money. It shifts gears but it's rough in the low gears, goes in reverse ok, haven't tried highest gear. Do I take it back to my shop or find a transmission shop? and ask for what? I don't want to keep driving it if I'm doing more damage. Does it need to be flushed? I got the impression all they did was add fluid.

Sorry for the long story but I really hate being this stupid/helpless so I'm hoping someone can use all the details to figure out 1) what I can do now to keep my Durango going (I can't put another 1700 in it!) and 2) what I did wrong so I can stop rethinking this ad nauseam. Any and all feedback is greatly appreciated!

 

Recheck fluid level, check it in neutral.

Did you shop find anything odd in the trans pan when they dropped it?

 

now you see why I feel so stupid, I didn't ask. He only said it's ok and checked out on computer so I'm thinking they didn't even "drop the pan," just added fluid. He made a big deal of how much fluid was all over the bottom and they had to clean it with their "purple cleaner" and that was mainly what they were charging me for. I believe them cuz the back hatch door and window of the Durango is still slick and greasy. This shop has been taking care of me for 5 years and knows that I'm trying not to spend a lot of money (they have a strong reputation for not trying to sell/charge extra services like another local shop) so it could be he decided not to do a transmission service to save me money??? Maybe it drove fine to him and no codes from computer so done deal??? I will have to call tomorrow and ask. He's not a big talker. At this point, I feel like i put the car through a lot and it got me home so I want to spend money if it will save me from a dead transmission a few weeks from now. When the roadside service guy was first under the car looking for the leaks, he held out a small piece of metal to me and said "here's a sensor' as if he found it just loose somewhere, but he was on his back on the pavement at the front of the car under the radiator so I don't think that came from a pan (again, sorry I'm clueless) and I assume he connected it back where it should be. I have his business card so I could call and ask him. Seeing a pattern here. I don't ask enough questions, just take the info they give me. I'm concluding that I still need someone to drop the pan (if my shop didn't) and just look for metal?

will check fluid level (warm engine, parking brake, in neutral) before driving (only driven it home from shop so far) can't get to it until late today. will update. thanks for response!

 

If there going to drop pan should ask them to adj the bands

 

This. Definitely. If you don't recall the last time it was done, it's time.

 

this is great, thank you. I hate walking into a shop and not knowing what to ask for.

I checked the trans. fluid level and it's still above min and below max but I noticed a wet spot under the car. maybe from running the a/c??? but so suspicious of everything now.

have no memory of any transmission service since maybe back in the early years when I still went to the dealership so will ask my shop about dropping pan and also adjusting bands. If he is still hesitant to do any work, I will look for a transmission shop.

 

If it was me...
Gasket, filter and ATF+4 - Walmart is fine. Other types are not!
Front band is an outside adjustment - affects a lot of shifting, look at it while open to make sure parts are aligned.
There is technique for a forward flush, with a couple of fill/dump bottles, could do at same time to finish.