Thanks magnethead, got the brake job done, new rotors and pads on the front, no more brake pedal pulsing (great info about the pedal pulsing in another thread). I decided to buy new rotors instead of turning the old ones, now I'm glad I didn't turn them, they were messed up pretty bad. I've only got hand tools, couldn't find my 13/16th socket had to use a box end and rubber hammer. I see what you mean about the 14mm slide bolt, not much of a bolt. I didn't have any corrosion with the slide bolts (thanks to 7% humidity, 14" annual rainfall and no salt in this area). Anyway windshield wiper blades, new radiator hoses, and a new headliner left to do, then a long road trip with just my P0700 code to keep me worried. Thanks everybody for all the help, advice and info, it was much appreciated!

 

Hey everybody, just an update... transmission is still doing okay, been about 500 miles. Shifts kinda hard at 40MPH if I'm not accelerating, otherwise okay. Major restoration has been underway, removed interior and power washed, new headliner, new windshield, hoses, belt, water pump and thermostat, new interior and fog lamps, new tires. Getting water in passenger side floor, it's not coolant and not rainwater, must be AC condensation? Changed out my 2000 Dodge 3500 5.9 diesel automatic transmission filter today. Saw the solenoid and wiring harness in plain view, wish the Dakota solenoid was so evident, still can't figure out where the solenoid is.

 

There is a drain tube for the heater core unit that goes to the firewall and often leaks and puts condensation in the floor.

 

yeah magnethead, and that suckers hard to get to (there's a heat shield in the way). I read in another thread where they put a pvc elbow on it to prevent the wind blowing the water back into the cab around the fitting. I've got a 1/2" hot water pvc elbow which seems to fit over it and it's kinda jammed in there, so maybe that'll work. The foam under the carpet is soaked pretty good and it's a hard one to dry out, I found this when I pulled the carpet out for power washing. I'm gonna get a Haynes repair manual this week to try and understand the transmission set-up, maybe they have a drawing of all the components.

 

Just happened through here...So the 740 never came back?

 

The check engine light stays on, the code is P0700. I'm just continuing to drive it without further investigation, I'm afraid of getting the run around and having a bunch of money in a transmission with 175,000 miles on it. If one part is repaired (which ain't cheap) then I'm still dealing with the rest of it that's wore out. I'll just wait till it dies and then put in a remanufactured one and be done with it. I'm gonna get a manual today to find where all the components are to clean the electrical connections, I saw in a thread here where somebody did that and resolved the problem (wishful thinking)

 

knucklebuster - I just had this same thing with mine that I just rescued off a used car lot. It had 175K hard miles on it when I got it.

It was setting a 740 that kept coming back. (2) tranny shops said "it needed a full rebuild" Ended up being the torque converter. $124 from Advance Auto.

Is yours going into lock up ok? Meaning do you feel an RPM drop when it goes into OD?

Is it shifting 1,2,3,4? Do you have reverse? Then it ain't broke. And 175K ain't that many miles. Not if it's taken care of.

When was it serviced last? Were the bands adjusted to spec?

The 700 code I think just means that there was an issue with the trans. because there isn't really a separate control module for the transmission on these old trucks. That I know of. So it could indeed be the solenoid or the converter. The solenoids are not hard to change. And the service is not hard to do either. Dakota Dan where you at?

The full service manual PDF has detailed instructions on troubleshooting that trans. I have a copy of it and would be glad to share it with you. You got this. Don't give up on it.

 

P0700 means that there is a code stored for the transmission. Regular code readers can't read them.

 

Thanks Thx1138, It goes into lockup okay, at about 40mph the RPM's drop and I can feel it shift. Sometimes when I'm just kinda coasting through town and not really giving it much gas it will shift hard (noise from rear universal and a momentary pause). But, if I'm accelerating it will shift smoothly with no noise or hesitation, can't tell it except for the tach. It shifts 1,2,3,4, and has reverse with no problems. I don't really know much about the mechanical history, but looking at the cosmetics I don't think it was pampered very much. I just changed out the filter and the pan looked okay, not much metal fines and fluid smelled okay, after about 100 miles I pulled the pan off again looking for the solenoid and nothing had changed (didn't see the solenoid like I did on my 3500). I got a Haynes book yesterday, haven't had much time to check it out. I did glance over it and saw where the PCM is and I plan on cleaning all the wiring connections, just to make sure that's okay.