It`s a `98 Dakota, 3.9, 42RE AT. She drove it to school yesterday morning & it did fine. When she got home, she said it wouldn`t go but 20mph & was tach`n 2 grand. It Is cold here at present time & I know from my `Rango(same year), mine doesn`t like to go into 4th `til she`s warmed up a bit. So, I put some cardboard in front of the rad., warmed it up then took it down the road..it would Not leave 1st gear. Got down to where I was going to turn around, put it R & it didn`t do Anything for 3-4 seconds. It Did finally back-up so drove on back home, left it in N, checked the fluid & it was about 3/4 in. higher then full(so much for it being low on fluid like I`d hoped!). Any ideas/info to help this is Very Much Appreciated!! GAS

 

I`ll add that theres a "growling" noise, infact I checked the power steering fluid because of the sound. Thanks in advance!

 

Try letting it idle in neutral for 30 seconds or so before shifting into gear. I may be wrong, but I think on these transmissions, the fluid pump isn't engaged and circulating fluid while in park.

Also, try manually shifting from 1 to 2 and see what it does.

 

the 4xRE have engaged pump in P/N. Not sure about the newer electronics trans (RFE and such)

It sounds like what mine was doing when I parked it. It's just about terminal. I lost 4th, then 3rd, then 2nd. Now if i try to go more than about 100 feet in first (drive or manual 1), is makes an awful grinding noise.

 

sounds like a retaining clip that hold the packs in place... thats what happend to my parents 46re.. lost gears, then grinding..

 

Thank you folks for the comments! I`ll admit I`m a shadetree mechanic & right now its in the teens here And my tree has snow under it..lol. magnethead, REbuild or phone calls to junkyards?

 

If bomrat is right, it should be rebuildable. Mine is in the truck a full year after i parked it, but it's now a project/race truck so it doesn't really count anymore. I did have mine rebuilt the first 2 times though. first time buy a shady place, second time by a legit one.

 

The pump may be engaged in park, but it's not moving enough fluid. All of the valve body shift kits I have looked at have a fix for it by drilling out the separator plate.

It's also mentioned in the 42re rebuild thread here: http://mallcrawlin.com/forum/showthr...4-42RE-rebuild Post #4

Mine makes a helluva groaning noise when cold and in reverse only.

I start it up and shift into neutral. after 30 seconds or so, it doesn't do it anymore.

It also has a delayed 1-2 shift but only when really cold.

 

Daughter came home from church last night, said someone asked why she wasn`t driving her truck, she explained about the tranny. Something was said of a `94 being available. I told her lastnite that I Really didn`t figure w/it being 1st gen. So, I just looked on Napa`s site..hmmm, they showed a 42re! Should we More pursue this `94? Thank you All for the looks & advice!

 

94 would not be a 42RE I dont believe, it would still be a 904 back in those days as I best recall (or a 42RH ). Still, it would not have the electronic sensors you would need.