well I bought my 96 a month ago and was sick to my stomach when I drove it ten miles and then i had no drive only first and sometimes second and i had to feather the gas to even get that..... thats when i read that these trannys are all electronically controlled . In fact you could take it to an autostore and have them throw it on a code reader and it should display a tranny error if anything is screwed up with it...(I believe my error was 1741 with my harbor freight code reader).

 

Auggie, is it this thing?

http://www.autozone.com/autozone/cat...dName=Duralast

 

I had the same problem with shifting in my 97' RAM 1500 after it sat for a month. It just would not shift into drive, well any way I troubleshot it down to the output shaft speed sensor at the rear of the tranny, It had sat just long enough for the microscopic metal in the fluid to accumulate on the sensor tip, which is nothing more then a magenet, not allowing the the sensor to change states thus keeping the DCM from knowing the speed of the shaft and not shifting the tranny. It will make a bit of a mess but pull the sensor and clean it off before you buy a new one. Do you know how long it my have sat before you bought it?

 

Good advise. I know it sat for 14 or so months they said. If it doesn't sell this weekend that is on my list as well.

Thanks,

Todd

 

yes i went there and they want way too much the same part is $49 bucks at transmissionparts.com..... even the dealer was only like 70 bucks for that.....keep in mind it could also be tthe governer pressure sensor or the speed sensor mentions earlier.... code reader should help diagnos the problem.

 

Looks like a trip to the zone and their reader is in order then. Really wish I had brake light, brakes, or directionals to get there....

 

I am sorry if I sound rude but, why did you buy this truck? Got a picture? You have to be real careful with old 4x4's no matter the make, I have grown up in Idaho where at least one rig in the driveway is a 4X4 truck. As I am sure you have noticed there is alot of Buck and Skeeter modification suggestions here that will F*#$ up a truck. If you can work past the bugs you will have a hell of a truck, I love mine, but its 12 years old and needs a few things from time to time but it ran for at least a year with a bad water pump. Sorry your first RAM expierince has been so bad. I paid 8500 for my 97 but it had been the parts truck for a Dodge dealership the first 9 years of it life so all the dumb stuff was fixed when I got it. New engine and tranny. Best and first thing you could do is get a repair manual if you keep it.

PS.
My wife hates it when I spend money on my truck too but it is ok to get a new couch or dumb stuff like that, Its not like we are spending money on hookers and beer.
If she ever drives it tell her how hot it looks, works for me.

 

Hey there,..new member from Canada here!...been reading about your troubles. A few responses back I read that you test drove the truck on the highway at 60 m.p.h., @2400 r.p.m. or so... that my man, tells me you're in "D" all the way...especially if you have 35" tires under your belly! (can't ever recall booting down the road in low 2 doing over 60 clicks on mudder tires @ just over 2-grand on the tach..... can U?). I also remember reading your 1st statement on this thread,.."don't hold back..I'm TOTALLY mechanically inclined"! ... so,..a $2000 4x4 needs a lot of TLC. Change all fluids, checking 1st for/repairing leaks...total! tune-up!, ..brakes, electrical...BUY THE "HAYNES" MANUAL!!! (p.s. I'm not bust'in 'ur chops,...all the best to you,..but 4 mechanically inclined?....should have checked it over a bit closer if you weren't ready 4 a winter project).

 

I'm not sure if the first owner changed the gears or not but I can tell you mine at 65mph is exactly at 2000 rpm.(in od).... can anyone tell my if thats normal with 35" tires on a truck if the gears havent been changed?...I really would like to know what gearing I have because it seems to still have plenty of pickup to me....

EDIT*** well I used the search feature and it appears I have 4.56 gears installed....SWEET! no wonder its got so much pickup!

 

he should have a 3 speed plus overdrive?....if he has stock gears with his 35's he should be closer to 1600rpms at 60 (1800 at 70) in od and somewhere around 1700 in drive at 60...from what I've put together from other threads...