When cold, my 1st-2nd shift either slips badly (engine revs a little and no acceleration) or goes shift-jerk-slip-shift. It gets better when the tranny warms up, but it still slips. 2-3 and 3-OD is fine. I bought the truck about a month ago, and it seems to have gotten worse. I've moved the kickdown cable back about 1/8", and the other shifts are firmer and a little later, but it didn't affect the 1-2 slippage.

The fluid in the transmission looks and smells new. The level is a little high, I noticed. I've been trying to figure out the best way to get some out.

Any ideas about this? Is it just an adjustment thing (bands) or does this sound like something failing in the xmission?

BTW the truck has 87k on it. 1999 5.9L auto 4X4.

Thanks!
Chris

 

I would adjust the bands and change the fluid ASAP! Before there is more damage that might require a trans rebuild, if it's not too late already.

 

Fortunately I bought an overpriced extended warranty on it... so if it's a rebuild it'll cost me 50 bucks. Any clue how much the pan drop/fluid change/band adjustment should cost? Reading the procedure it doesn't look complicated but I don't have a garage and it's snowy/cold here in the tundra now.

 

Cost me $120.00 about 3 months ago in Illinois.

 

The front band is the one that controls the 1-2 shift correct? I read through the AT band adjustment TSB (http://dodgeram.org/tech/transmissio...T_band_adj.htm) to get an idea. My 97 RAM has the same issue, much worse when cold. To my knowledge the bands have never been adjusted, and my only noticeable issue is the 1-2 shift. Thanks for the help guys!

 

I ended up having a rebuild done-- the transmission went to hell after I was stuck in some snow drifts and was trying to get out. Reverse went out and forward gears were slipping badly. The transmission shop said that the internals were in bad shape, but that it was going out before I killed it dead, and it was just a matter of time.

The aftermarket warranty suddenly paid for itself 2x+ over.