Hello all, firstly I just want to thank you all for taking the time to post the vast amount of knowledge on this site. I have learned an awful lot.
After 50000 miles and $4000 to a tranny shop that rebuilt my 46re (in my 97 2500 5.9 magnum) when it failed after the truck was stolen at 70,000 miles in 2003, the truck refused to move after I stopped at a stop sign. There was no warning of this failure prior. I limped in 2nd gear to the same tranny shop only top be informed that I need a new tranny. Keep in mind that I took my truck back every year just to "check" things in order to avoid any future problems. Well after hearing this crappy news I told them to button it back up and I limped home thinking that I don't need to spend thousands of dollars on a crappy build, I can build a crappy trans all on my own.
After I tore it apart I found that I could still read the part #'s on the disks so I am thinking that nothing really burnt? The oil was very dark and smelled terrible and there was alot of bronze dust in the oil. when I removed the pickup there were alot of larger metal pieces (the size of large pepper flakes) on top of the pickup close to the pump intake. It almost looks as if the filter was plugged from debris.
My question is this; I found that the accumulator piston only had one spring from the bot. nothing on top like the FSM shows. Was there a TSB on this or did the tech forget something here?

 

The accumulator has two springs, a short fat one on the top (outside), and a long skinny underneath (inside).

See the attached PDF for the accumulator section of the 46RE manual.

I just rebuilt my 46RE myself 2 months ago. If you have any questions, please let me know. I'm putting together all the pics I took in a manual. Hopefully I will have that ready soon.

 

mines in the shop right now for a rebuild and the tech i was talking to told me that he replaces the accumulator springs whether they're broken or not because the dodge springs are known for breaking and as far as it not wanting to shift it sounds to me like one of the bands didn't want to let go (not sure which, but i think rear. it controls 1st/reverse). keep in mind that i've got limited knowledge about these trannys, just what i've been reading the last couple of weeks. that guy also told me that the stock transmission cooler in the radiator has a coating inside it that flakes and clogs up the transmission and filter and causes problems and every time he rebuilds a 46re he puts an aftermarket cooler on it. so since you're putting money into it anyway you may as well head down to advance and get one for 65$ or summit or jegs or even ebay, i only looked at the price on advance's website but i think summit has them for close to the same price.

 

Thanks gobbell1 I see the pic in the FSM, so you also have not seen a TSB to indicate that the smaller spring should be left out? If so then the last rebuilder forgot to reinstall it (or it was missing from factory).
Thanks sheriff420, the previous rebuilder installed a external cooler but placed it inline with the stock cooler. They also placed an inline filter after the factory cooler to catch debris but never serviced it in my subsequent visits.
I just pulled the pump apart and the debris in there looked the size of asphalt shingle pebbles! I can break the pebbles with the force of my thumbnail so your theory on the stock tank coating has me thinking! thank you guys the research continues.

 

I read threads like this with great interest. My tranny has been going out for years, but even now is not so bad that I can't drive my truck. I just have to release the pedal at 3500-4000 to shift out of second. Though the other day I was moving a car and it wouldn't shift at all with the strain so I decided to pull it out.

Its been fun, hardest parts were (for me) were removing the CPS sensor and getting the thing from under my truck. Even at the highest my 6-ton stands go, I couldn't get it from under the truck while on my HF tranny jack. Had to get a high-lift jack and crank the front up really high.

So now my tranny is hanging from a chain in my garage with degreaser rags on it.
It is just covered in grease, looks like it had a leak from a gasket in the top middle, and the seal in the front was just pouring out fluid.

Definitely going with an aftermarket cooler, heard a lot of good about doing that.

Going to steam it and lightly pressure wash it tomorrow, and then put it on the table. Still waiting on my manual to come in but I do have a FSM for the truck, I just wanted the 46re book.

I am pretty confident that as long as I take my time, and stay very organized I can do this.

 

Well after looking things over some more, I think the overdrive bushings were the source of copper color in the oil, so I will get a bushing kit. The clutch disks and steels look near new, I can still read the part # on the disks from front, rear and direct clutch packs and the steels look very good. Only the OD clutch disks showed some wear as I could not make out the part # and they were smooth (unlike the other three which still had grooves like a brake rotor).
I was originally thinking of changing over to red eagles and kolene steels to improve towing capacity but after seeing the condition of the stock disks I'm not sure I should since I only tow a heavy (12,000#) trailer a couple of times a year for a few hours otherwise I only haul 6000# trailer one week a month.
I will replace the inline filter after the stock cooler (to control debris from the coolers that did not get flushed) and the giant debris in the pump appears to be from the torque converter lockup clutch (I'm guessing since I do not know where else this could eminate from) so I will need a new TC. The clearances on the pump checked out very good so I'm fortunate the TC did not ruin the pump.
All in all the damage was quite minimal IMHO. My hypothesis is that the TC plugged the pump which starved some (the furthest ones) bushings and gave the oil a copper glitter. The terrible smell of the oil must have been from the TC lockup clutch burning before failure.

 

Thanks for taking the time to write about your trans.
Here is a gift for you. https://dodgeforum.com/forum/2nd-gen...-spring-s.html
The inside spring is not necessary.

 

I had got a $300 rebuild kit with Red clutches and all, but it didn't come with any springs or bands. I have found a site(linked somewhere on here) that has carbon and red bands.

I'm not even sure yet what all I have to replace, but I don't want to skimp. If anyone has any ideas on what parts should be replaced that don't come in a master rebuild kit, it would be very helpfull.

Boy having never been inside an Auto and getting the parts bags with all those seals and O-rings my first thought was "what have I got myself in to?". I made a nice work area this morning and am going to start the teardown. Gonna take a lot of pictures to hopefully help someone else who tries to do a backyard rebuild.

 

There have been several others promising a trans rebuild DIY with pics, but nothing yet. You could be the first!
I will eventually be forced into rebuilding my trans, hopefully after someone does a DIY with pics. Taking it apart now is waaaayyyy out of my comfort zone.

 

+1 on the comfort zone. thats why the trans shop has mine right now.