On my 01 dakota quad cab with the 4.7, my transmission sometimes stutters between the 2nd and third gear shift. Its almost like it doesn't know what gear to shift into. Has anyone ever noticed anything like this before? I have checked the fluid level and it is exacly where it should be. Is this something a shift kit would help with, and does a shift kit actually help the life of the bands like some people have said?

 

My 02 does something similar, except it's the 1-2 shift under full throttle. It'll sit there banging off the rev limiter 4-6 times usually, sometimes it'll just keep doing it until I lift off a little and plant the throttle again, then it'll shift and take off. Quite annoying.

 

On mine it really doesn't matter how I'm into the throttle, hard or easy driving it seems to stutter. The transmission behind the 5.9 is quite a bit different than the transmission behind the 4.7.

 

My 2000 Dakota with 4.7 does the same thing. I changed the tranny fluid and filter early last yr,I'll do it again in a month or so and see if it helps?

 

erfigge
i had the same problem you describe
have you changed the fluid recently?
if not id suggest doing that
also something else to look for while your in there
after removing the pan and filter on the passenger side of the valve body, you will see a flat piece of steel
holding against a couple of springs with about 8-10 torx screws in it
tough to visualize but when you see it youll know what im talking about
make sure that those screws arent loose
i found that i had 4 loose ones bowing out the steel plate
PITA to tighten without removing but luckly mine were accesable with a short torx bit and a 1/4" wrench
after tightening and putting it all back together the trans now shifts like it was new
i dont know how mechanically inclined you are but i do all my own maintenece after a few bad experiences with my local dealer
hope this helps

bear

 

sorry forgot to say that i have an 01 dakota QC 4.7 and 105k

 

my 98 dakota sport did the exact same thing it would just wind out between 2nd and 3rd gears. so i took it back to my dealer and he looked at it. what he did was he poured this transmition liquid in it and its been great since. what he said was that there is a gasket in the transmision that likes to shrink on dakotas and rams causing the tranny to not wanna shift. this fluid makes the gasket swell back to what its suppost to be. i'm not 100% sure of the liquid but i'll find out here soon and post it back on here for you to try.

 

Any chance you've found out the name of this product yet?
I'm not having any trouble with mine yet, but would just like to know whay it is for future ref.

Matt

 

What a coincidence, my tranny dose something similar, kind of holding onto a gear, have to let of for a second before it'll shift proper....

... of course when I had it in at the dealership, they couldn't reporduce the problem ... go figure. Seems to be kinda of common then, eh ??