I tryed to search but found nothing.
I drive and after a time my overdrive turns off by itself. doesn't matter if I am driving hard or babying it. I have to park and shut it down for 5 minutes then I can drive again for a time.
the time it takes to turn off has been getting shorter and shorter. It is about 20 miles now.
A few years ago I was towing a boat through PA up and down hills. It was doing real well (small boat, speeder). Then up one hill the overdrive kicked out and pressing the button did nothing.
since then, it maybe my imagination but I think normal driving the motor runs about 300 rpm higher then before I towed that boat.
It just feels like the motor is working harder to do the same work that it used to.
Also when the truck sits for a couple days and I put it in drive I have to rev it a couple times to get the transmission to kick in but after that it will work fine with out reving untill it sits again.
what could be the problem and what do I need to do to fix it?

I have a 99 ram 1500 quad 4x4 w/ 5.9l
I love my truck, bought it new and will drive it untill they stop making parts for it. 130,000 miles

thanks all

 

First, check your fluid level. You MUST check it in neutral. Checking in park will give you a false reading. Pay attention to the color, and smell.

Ever changed to fluid/filter?

Still have the check valve on there?

Any service engine light?

What about trans temp light? (do you even HAVE one of those??? not sure what year they showed up.)

It sounds like the trans is getting hot, and the PCM is disabling overdrive. Low fluid would do that. A plugged cooler would do that. (the check valves are famous for clogging up, and not permitting ANY fluid flow, thus, toasting the trans.....) Check the easy stuff first.

 

Heartily seconded! The tricky part is that overdrive is disabled well in advance of the idiot light illuminating. Lacking a scan tool, an infrared thermometer pointed at the bottom center of the pan will read within a couple of degrees of correct if the truck's not been moving in the last few minutes.

That's an expensive symptom to neglect.

 

Thanks.
I changed fluid and filter after that happend the first time towing then again about 20k later. neither of thoes times did the used fluid look or smell burnt or anything from normal. Even now almost another 10k later the fluid is still good and toped off.
IT does make sence about the over heating and the cloged cooler. I have only driven my truck short distances so it maynot have gotten hot enough to do too much harm.
I will look into that in a couple weeks.
BUT what would cause the reving before the trans kicks into gear after it sits for a couple days? should I worry about a torque converter?
What about band? what happens when they arn't torqued properly?
Thanks again.

 

First, don't tow in overdrive. That is a trans killer.

When it sits for a few days, the fluid drains back out of the torque converter. Whoever designed these transmissions had the brilliant idea that when in park, NO fluid is directed to the converter, so, if you start it up, stick it in gear, the torque converter has to fill before the truck will actually move. This is why you need to check fluid level in neutral, otherwise, you get a wrong reading.......

If the bands are out of adjustment, you either get slipping, or maybe RPM flares between shifts. (delayed shifts)