Alright ya'll I've searched for the last few days and found some really cool stuff. SO thank you all for that. My car is an 02' SXT Automatic. We noticed it was really rough at shifting, but would go into gears. We also noticed it was VERY loud inside the cabin. The car has 64,000 miles and rust free. This is a big plus being that I'm from Ohio and my current vehicle, a 99 accord, is totally rusting underneath. The first owner rear ended a fed ex truck and we noticed that things were just a little off. Close, but off. SRT 4 replacement hood after the 2nd owner forgot to latch the stock hood and it came up on him. The car has some scratches, the bumpers need painted. and the SRT 4 hood is red, but I like it. It's my first dodge. I gave it a shot since my brother got a job with chrysler and I feel a little more confident in them. I paid 1750.... Now.. The issues

What we experienced before work:

Loud in the car while driving
1st gear goes up to 4k before shifting. Need to let off to encourage shifts
2nd goes up to 4 k before shifting
Cruise at 45 at like 2500 rpm, but 50-59 it won't shift
Hit 70 and it will shift into OD

Hills= Downshifting- Several times I was made it to OD on the way home at like 65 and 70, but hit a hil or slowed up and it downshifts

If you are going 62 or so and get it into OD you are fine till you drop to about 58 then it downshifts.

Too much throttle at all even while cruising = downshifting

What we did:

Bought input and output speed sensors
Bought ATF +4 and a filter
Changed the Oild
Upper and lower torque struts
Fixed a couple vacuum leaks, bought a new gas tank lid

Result:

Slightly smoother shifting.
Don't need to let off for shifts as much at slow crusing (30-40)
Cabin noise is much better, but still not perfect, we did not align them because we are on such a tight schedule, we leave for Ohio first thing in the morning thats 1000k miles.
Still have some issues of downshifting. Now can run through the gears up to 40 and it will shift a little under 4k
RPM drop when stopping at stop signs or in traffic.
Found a vacuum line coming out of the valve cover but can not find anything for it? What could this be? What do ya'll think?

 

The shift solenoid could possibly be more to blame than speed sensors, but changing to fluid and filter is good to do either way. 2002 is also the worst year for transmissions. It was the first year they went to a 4-speed electronic trans so there are a few bugs with 'em.

If the torque struts were busted, there is a good chance the actual engine mount is now torn. That will cause A LOT of noise in the cabin.

 

the line coming from the valve cover is for crankcase ventilation, it should be hooked up to the airbox IIRC its the one to the little sponge filter

 

Thanks guys... Drove home from Texas to Ohio yesterday and today.. got avg of 32 mpg at mostly 75 mph.. It annoyed the crap out of me.. were a lot of times that I was cruising along and hit a smalllll incline or no incline and it'd just downshift... bugs me... but There are some vacuum leaks. we plugged one before we left because it was causing problems.. just need to get all of them hooked up and all my sensors and if that doesn't do it and the solenoid doesn't do it.. then god help me. really nervous about this deal because im getting rid of a nice 99 accord I've had for several years for what could be a better car.. or a really bad money pit.. hope it all goes well

 

good to hear you made it home

 

Is the noise mostly on acceleration? If so, it could be the hidden motor mount. It's between the two torque struts, and both my mechanics missed it. Mine was out, and it sounded like a blender crunching ice cubes every time I accelerated, up to about third gear (manual), and then when I hit rough roads. I thought it was the transmission (don't call them trannies), but it was that danged mount.

To check the mount, look inside the passenger wheel well. Just above the wheel you'll see a plug. Pull it, and you'll see a bolt. Jack the engine (not the car) up a bit, and you should see a healthy rubber bushing. If the rubber is torn or cracked or just not there, change that mount. If you're not sure about the timing belt, work that into the same maintenance, because you'll be halfway there at least when you get that mount off.

Here's a test my mechanic buddy came up with on mine. When the engine was lifted, he took a stiff rubber house and stuffed it under the mount bolt where the bushing was supposed to be, through the wheel well hole, so the bolt wasn't hitting metal anymore. I drove it around the block like that, and the sound was gone, and some of my other issues vanished, too. Wasn't a fix (though it could be for a short while, I guess), but it showed me what the problem was.

 

Autozone is p'ing me off... I asked for the engine mount.. They gave me the torque strut... I told him exactly what we did.. and he said if its not the one i need bring it back.. It was the one we already had..... So went back and they are claiming those are the engine mounts and there are only 3. The upper the lower and the transmission () ... I'm going to flip. Thanks Dark for the part numbers.

 

That happened to me. Autozone told me the engine mount was this particular mount, which was the transmission mount. The guy tried arguing with me; I'm a girl & I did a TON of research. I knoiw what the transmission mount looks like, & it's $150. The guy still said it was an engine mount.

I won

I'm having to change my transmission mount, I think.

 

That's why I put all of the part numbers up. I hate going to parts stores anymore without a number because whatever dummy is there ALWAYS gives me the wrong part.