if mine dies, im ordering a Viper
anyone know how much of a core charge you can get if you send your old one in

 

You get nuttin, nada, zilch.
No core required.
They have great guys answering the phone. He said there are so many 46RE trans going bad that they buy them locally so cheap they didn't want my core. Don't take my word, you should call and talk to them. It will be worth your time.

 

Its out of my comfort zone as well, but my truck fell to my #3 vehicle so I don't need it right now. I have nothing but time.

I have 30 pictures already.

I haven't opened it up yet, just cleaned it and got the pan, TQ and cover off. Still have a lot to do but was waiting for my 46re manual to come in first and UPS just brought me VW parts.

I have a problem with having too many projects at once, but unless the truck runs good I can't tow the boat or the cars.

My only goal is to be done by June, but I take my time with stuff like this, and worst case scenario, well I will still have my core.

The people who make the Ramzilla/viper that's who I got the rebuild kit from, but I saw they have more stuff for the tranny. The kit was like $330 but I want to change the bands and springs as well and anything else that is worn.

 

im not too bad of a mechanic, but an auto tranny, on my only vehicle, ill just order the PATC Viper
lol

 

yeah if I didn't have other cars I wouldn't have done it either. But also I don't want to spend thousands on this. The truck at this point almost isn't worth putting a store-bought tranny into. I had a friend who bought a 2003 for $4000, so my 1999 can't be worth much.

Then I want to learn Autos so I don't have to be afraid of them any more. The same thing I went through on my first engine rebuild.

If I can build a nice tranny for $500-800 then I will be happy, If I can't oh well.

 

I apologize for the delay in updates but I finished the install on saturday and the vehicle road-tested fine with no CEL codes (although not all problems are indicated on the CEL). The jr shift kit I installed has firmed up the 1-2 shift dramatically and the 2-3 and 3-4 only slightly. The only complaint I have is that at speeds near the 1-2 shift point (AKA city speeds) the trans tends to jump btw 1 and 2 regularily (which is more noticible now with the shift kit).
For those performing this rebuild I can recommend setting up a few temp. workbenches on sawhorses with a cardboard cover. This allows the novice (such as myself) to place the parts on the cardboard as the trans is dissassembled and the components labeled directly on the cardboard. (you can even trace the parts if you really want to be organized). I had a 4x8 sheet that I used to place and identify the parts on.
I followed FSM and dissassembly was actually quite smooth. The only tool that I didn't have was a splined pilot to assemble the O/D in the press, but I took my time and lined up the overrunning and planetary splines by using a flashlight and carefully pressing the assembly together. The intermediate shaft only required a quite firm thump of my palm to slide in (albeit after taking the unit apart and retrying). I did not have a bushing installer and very carefully used sockets of the correct dia. (Btw. my 3/8, 1/2, 3/4 and metric I was able to locate the correct size).
I found that the endplay measurement of the input was the most difficult of tasks to perform as your hands are well-coated with ATF and you only have a little better than an inch to grab onto. A mopar club member suggested to assemble the internals w/o as many components as possible as this lightens the weight req'd to lift and once the thrust washer thicknesses are determined then assemble as per FSM.
Regarding the FSM (I have the factory red colored 1997 ram FSM) I did find one error in the assembly directions of the valve body(I decided to follow the assembly directions and did not think to correlate them with the dissassembly directions). So fellow novices take note; where the VB assembly step indicates to install the converter clutch valve is the error since this step is indicated AFTER the VB is assembled. I checked the dissassembly and this valve is removed when the VB is in three pieces near the end of teardown. So I had to take the VB apart again to correctly install the retaining clip.

In closing, my hat is off to those of you who were able to document the process pictorially. I managed to get a few pics up to about the geartrain removal before my camera was overwhelmed with ATF. A helper would greatly reduce the time if they were dedicated to picture-taking (read: clean hands) I will say that the process is very well documented (although with drawings) in the FSM. The entire process took me 34 hrs, I am confident I can cut this significantly with my next 46re (I am eyeballing one that has been sitting a few years with a busted trans)

 

Just an update, The 2-3 shift was the culprit (not 1-2) as I incorrectly indicated above and that led me to the TV cable. I had called the transgo people and they were very helpful. They informed me that the easiest way to determine if the TV cable is correctly adjusted is when the o/d is off and at 45 mph the trans does not perform the 3-2 downshift at WOT then shorten the cable a bit. I did and now the unit does this correctly and is no longer erratic. (the only thing I found in the manual was to make sure that the cable is free, motor and trans both at idle position and both move with acceleration pedal, mine did all this and still was shifting erratic).
Secondly the 2 7/8 turns back from 72 in-lbs on the front band was to sluggish for my taste since the transgo really firmed up the 1-2 shift. Transgo recommended that only 1.25 turns back from "snug" (I know, a little vague) and now my trans is shifting near perfect.