1st gear Dakota 5.2L
 

Hey everyone!

Im having some trouble starting on 1st gear, if I try to move in 1st it pops out, the shift just pops ! ! so I have to move on 2nd with no problem... What can be going on?

HELP! ! ! :eek:

RE: 1st gear Dakota 5.2L
 

My transmission had that happening when it was brand new. The 1-2 shift fork was bent and the 1st gear detents were all boogered up. Had to have 1/2 the tranny rebuilt (Dodge didn't wanna put a reman in a truck w/only 7K on it). Ran real good fer about 40K after that, then the whole tranny burned up. The reman replacement (service contract footed the bill) has been running great for the last 110K+. Anyway, not very good news, another part of my own diagnosis, can you put the transmission into 1st gear while coasting to a stop and everything is just fine? Mine would only kick out like that if I tried to put it in 1st at a dead stop, put it in while rolling and all was good.

RE: 1st gear Dakota 5.2L
 

Well I cant use 1st gear at all when Im trying to move from a complete stop... Ive used it maybe 2 times without a problem and that was before I even got used to it.. when Im moving and coming to a stop if I put it on 1st and step on the gas, the tach will not even go to 1K when the shift is poping on me and it makes an ugly sound. SO I havent even tryed to move it on 1st I have to start on 2nd and everything is fine, it gives me the same mpg on fuel and it doesnt force itself at all on 2nd. Ive heard that probably it might be something with the acceleration and timing chain... what do you think???

RE: 1st gear Dakota 5.2L
 

sounds like the first and second syncronizer is going bad.[ul]

RE: 1st gear Dakota 5.2L
 

I'd say it's got to be an internal problem with the transmission. The problem with starting in 1st all the time is wear on your clutch, you have to slip it a lot more to get rolling in 2nd than you do in 1st. Plus you'll be really hurting if you want to tow or haul anything. I'd get it into a tranny guy. A local shop may be able to rebuild the thing cheaper than getting a reman, or you could search for a low miles used one.

RE: 1st gear Dakota 5.2L
 

Well actually it doesnt even hurt when I start in 2nd.. and I really dont think it could be a transmition problem it would be giving me hell by now... right?

RE: 1st gear Dakota 5.2L
 

Whatever it is, the only sure way to diagnos it is to have a tech look at it. Get it to the Dealer/local shop, whoever you trust more. Since this happens every time you put it into 1st they should be able to figure out what's causing it quite quickly.

RE: 1st gear Dakota 5.2L
 

Yeah I will.. so I'll let you know what happens...

Thanks! ! ! ;)

RE: 1st gear Dakota 5.2L
 

You have MORE mechanical advantage starting in first versus second - the clutch slips less in first. If second requires less slip, might as well start in 5th because it wouldn't require any slip at all. [:-]

Seriously though, 1st is the easiest to start in if your tranny is working properly. Some trucks you can side-step the clutch in 1st without any throttle and it'll start going fine.



I would highly recommend taking it to a Tranny shop. Call a few independant mechanics and inquire who they use. Dealer labor is typically more expensive and they don't specialize in trannies.

RE: 1st gear Dakota 5.2L
 

Whoops, I meant 2nd there.

"you have to slip it a lot more to get rolling in 2nd than you do in 1st."

That statement was what I was really saying, the previous part should have been:

"The problem with starting in 2nd all the time is wear on your clutch"