I posted this on another Mopar forum, but figured I'd post here and see what you guys think too.


1997 Ram 1500, 5.9 auto 4x4.

So.......I am riding down the turnpike yesterday and I notice that at 65mph, the rpm's are about 2-300 above where they usually are. I am saying to myself, "You should probably replace the TPS tonight when you get home".

A while later the trans shifts out of OD and I see that the "OD Off" light is on. I make a u turn at the next exit and start heading home real easy.

Then the "Trans Temp" light comes on and I pull off and call a wrecker.

With my wallet $288 lighter, we drop it at my mechanic. Now...he hasn't had a chance to look at it yet but I was just wondering if this has happened to anyone else and any ideas what I might be looking at.

****Now today I stop by the mechanic and he says the truck runs fine and he has driven it several times during the day. Scanned it and it had no stored codes. He was unable to get it to act up.

I told him to keep it another day and to use it for chasing parts or whatever he needs. I also told him to throw on a new TPS just because it's cheap and easy.

 

Your trans overheated. The first thing it does is disable overdrive, when the temp gets high enough, the little lite comes on. If you were just driving, and not towing/hauling anything, get rid of the check valve in the trans cooler line. (little round metal feller in the line, close to the radiator, in the line that goes to the lower fitting. Have a look, it will be obvious.)

If you were towing/hauling, don't use O/D for that..... good way to eat a trans.

I would have him do a fluid and filter change anyway...... Or, if you are game, you could do it yourself. Not difficult, just messy.

 

Was not towing or hauling anything. Just going to work. I'll bet you are right and that frigging check valve got some crud in it. Ok, so that'll go and a trans fluid change too.

 

I am DONE. I went for a ride after cleaning up the ground wires and resetting the pcm. Seemed like it was ok. Went for a 10 mile ride on Rt80 got off and tried to make a u turn and get back on and truck wouldn't move in D. Dropped it down to 1 and it moved. Had to shift it manually to make it move.

Took it to a independent trans shop. Owner took me for a ride in it. According to him the "sprag" is shot and the trans needs to be rebuilt. He told me I could continue to drive it by manually shifting the gears but it needs to be rebuilt.

I brought it home, cleaned it out and listed it on ebay.

If any of you trans guys wants a 74,000 mile '97 Ram 4x4 to try your hand at....email me ( stukaguitar AT yahoo DOT com ) and I'll send you the link to the auction. I AM DONE!!!!!!!!

 

Haha, wasn't hard to find on ebay when you give all the info. btw, cool license plate

 

That happened to mine on the way home from the dealer on the day I got it. A new torque converter fixed it and it ran for 50,000 more miles before all the abuse (pulling too much weight and towing in overdrive) got the best of it and I had to get the transmission rebuilt.

 

THis is just the torque converter not locking up. I had the same thing. Driving to work, no towing, and the trans overheated. New torque converter and solenoid fixed it.

 

So you expected that cleaning the ground wires and resetting the pcm was going to solve the issue?

 

Of course not. I was just following advice I have gotten along the way. My mechanic took the pan down BEFORE I did that and there was no broken parts or abnormal stuff in the pan. He than eliminated the check valve, replaced the filter and refilled the trans.

It seemed to drive ok except the TC was not fully locking up at highway speeds.

I THEN (following the advice of another forum member cleaned up some ground wires and the TC did lock up at highway speeds although it did make some moaning noises.

After driving for a while it seemed to be ok until I came to a complete stop in D. The truck would not move unless manually shifted "1-2-D" and downshifted "D-2-1". Banging and moaning the whole time.

I am simply at my threshold of pain on this truck. I have been having to work on it or send it to the mechanic shop since the day I bought it.

That is why I am done. I am not throwing any more good money after bad. Like I said, if anyone thinks it is a simple fix they are more than welcome to bid away. They will then have a solid 74,000 mile truck that they could possibly fix on the cheap.

 

Bring it to a tranny shop or regular shop that has a scanner capable of checking the Governor Solenoid pressures. At 30 mph the pressure should be within 2 or 3 lbs of 30. At idle , it should be 0.