I just bought a 1999 Dodge ram, club cab, 1500, 2wd with a 5.2 at a car auction this week. It has 107k miles on the OD. I got a good deal on the truck as it was used to smuggle illegals here in Arizona ($1350). I am a ex 63b wheeled vehicle mechanic in the army so I can swap parts like no tomorrow.

Anyhow, You can not drive the cars/trucks there only start them. Thing runs pronominal. Just the X-mission down shifts at the same point every time with out fail when driving. No slipping in gear, engages fine without any noise. With OD on it goes from first to second normal, then from second to third normal on or about 2k RPM /40MPH then two seconds later at 2200 RPMs drops back into second for two seconds until 2800 RPM and goes back into third then into OD. This is only under light duty/throttle. If I step on it no problem. With the OD off it just drops RPM at that point no down shift.

Also this past weekend I took it on a road trip to Tucson and on the highway with the cruise on at 70mph and it would jump from 200 to 400 rpms for no reason, but not all the time. The truck was used for two years by the city before it was auctioned. I checked the fluid in "N" and toped it off +4, cleaned all connetions and adjusted the front band to spec to no avail.

I fear the worst and am a past GM guru. So dodge is something new to me. I think maybe a speed sensor, solenoid, torque converter, or 3rd is lights out! I just hate to throw parts at it. If this is some software issue or someone else has had this happen please help me. Thanx

 

welcome to the site, but unfortunately i know nothign about these transmissions, but i think this was a common problem, however im not 100% sure.

maybe one of the transmission gurus here on the site will chime in.

glad you chose a dodge...even though mine randomly shuts off, i still love it. 00 1500 club cab 4x4 5.2(318)

 

The surge at highway/cruise control speed, is most likely the TPS. Chekc the DIY section here on how to test and clean it. Or just replace it, I recommend Napa Echlin or Delphi ones they sell. The BWD stuff most other parts houses sell, are poor quality.

 

This forum is filled with threads on tranny issues that can be found by doing a search or by looking over the topics. Unfortunately, the transmission is a weak spot on the 1500s.

 

Just an FYI. The TPS cleaning does nothing.

 

Welcome to the Forum,
I too found my 1500 and could not pass up the deal, but when the transmission started to go and then finally did I learned a thing or two about this area. I am not a pro but I would invest in having the fluid flushed. After I changed my filter, fluid and speed sensor it turned out my problem was the trans cooler (in the radiator).

I had the first one replaced (Insides burnt up) then the second one snapped inside (Fluid not flowing and it seized) and now my third "and final" one is running like a champ, I did install an aftermarket trans cooler.

I would definetly watch (listen) to it and a good system flush would have saved my some money

"If" this one dies before me, I am going stick

 

If anything I would change the fluid and not flush it. What happens when you flush a system, any system, is that you loosen the gunk that has accumulated and it just causes more problems than anything. You expose more weak spots and it often leaks a lot.

 

...and this is my 800th post. Just had to do it!!!

 

You said you adjusted the front bands, what about the rear band.
http://www.dodgeram.org/tech/transmi...T_band_adj.htm

Then I am no tyranny expert either. It could be what these guys are saying above.

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J415 congrats on your 800th posts! Boy do I got a long ways to go.

 

redrig, itll come faster than you think, im on here at least 4hrs a day. and you can see that i joined in august.