Signs of a tranny going out
Thread Starter
|
Professional
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 148
Likes: 0
From: Southport
Signs of a tranny going out
What are some signs that a transmission is going out?
I bought the truck about 7,000 miles ago and don't know if it has ever been worked on.
I am pretty sure it is 46RE
5.9L V8 4x4
I bought the truck about 7,000 miles ago and don't know if it has ever been worked on.
I am pretty sure it is 46RE
5.9L V8 4x4
Hall Of Fame
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 12,204
Likes: 10
From: Gainesville, Ga.
your 98 is a 46RE.
the only thing you can do for preventative maintenance is change the fluid and filter regularly and adjust the bands (if you have the right tools and know how). also - very important - install a cooler, drain plug, remove check valve in the cooler line, and never tow in overdrive (internal cooling problem).
problems that might arise are finding large metal parts in the pan (band anchor, pieces of snap rings), shifting problems, and no-go problems.
you can read through MonteC's transmission thread for the full horror story of individual problems.
if your transmission fluid is very dirty and sludgy, with a blackish gray coat of sludge on everything, then change your fluid at least twice in a row, one or two or three weeks apart. why - pan drop only gets out about half the fluid, and the new fluid puts all that settled out sludge back into suspension where it can clog up the new filter.
also - most people avoid transmission shop flushes. it can be overly expensive, and there's a fear that the machine might create too much pressure in the wrong place.
you can get more fluid out by disconnecting the pressure line (lower one) at the radiator and letting the fluid pump out into a bucket. if you do this - do NOT let the transmission run dry - so you have to pour in new fluid while you pump out the old.
the only thing you can do for preventative maintenance is change the fluid and filter regularly and adjust the bands (if you have the right tools and know how). also - very important - install a cooler, drain plug, remove check valve in the cooler line, and never tow in overdrive (internal cooling problem).
problems that might arise are finding large metal parts in the pan (band anchor, pieces of snap rings), shifting problems, and no-go problems.
you can read through MonteC's transmission thread for the full horror story of individual problems.
if your transmission fluid is very dirty and sludgy, with a blackish gray coat of sludge on everything, then change your fluid at least twice in a row, one or two or three weeks apart. why - pan drop only gets out about half the fluid, and the new fluid puts all that settled out sludge back into suspension where it can clog up the new filter.
also - most people avoid transmission shop flushes. it can be overly expensive, and there's a fear that the machine might create too much pressure in the wrong place.
you can get more fluid out by disconnecting the pressure line (lower one) at the radiator and letting the fluid pump out into a bucket. if you do this - do NOT let the transmission run dry - so you have to pour in new fluid while you pump out the old.
Last edited by dhvaughan; Apr 8, 2011 at 11:53 AM.
Thread Starter
|
Professional
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 148
Likes: 0
From: Southport
How do you install a cooler and about how much do they cost? When you say "do not let the transmission go dry" what exactly do you mean? I get what your saying about letting the trans fluid flow out of the lower radiator hose but what do you mean fill it at the same time? Sorry I'm new at mech work.
Hall Of Fame
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 12,204
Likes: 10
From: Gainesville, Ga.
when the engine is running and the transmission is in neutral, then the transmission pump is running and its pumping fluid through the cooler line.
so if you disconnect the cooler line and drop it into a bucket, then when the trans is in neutral - it will pump fluid into the bucket at a pretty hard, fast pace. in order to prevent the transmission from pumping itself dry within about 1-2 minutes, then you must either shut off the engine, or shift the transmission to park.
you MUST NOT allow the transmission to pump itself dry, as that will severely damage it.
you can pour new fluid into the dipstick filler at the same time you are pumping out old fluid, but you must be very careful to "keep up". to me, this is too hard to do, so i just drain/replace it twice as often.
here's how you install a cooler.
https://dodgeforum.com/forum/2nd-gen...ter-added.html
so if you disconnect the cooler line and drop it into a bucket, then when the trans is in neutral - it will pump fluid into the bucket at a pretty hard, fast pace. in order to prevent the transmission from pumping itself dry within about 1-2 minutes, then you must either shut off the engine, or shift the transmission to park.
you MUST NOT allow the transmission to pump itself dry, as that will severely damage it.
you can pour new fluid into the dipstick filler at the same time you are pumping out old fluid, but you must be very careful to "keep up". to me, this is too hard to do, so i just drain/replace it twice as often.
here's how you install a cooler.
https://dodgeforum.com/forum/2nd-gen...ter-added.html
Grand Champion
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 5,011
Likes: 6
From: Meeker, CO
If you're going to be towing or driving a lot in stop and go traffic, I recommend getting a temperature gauge so you can keep an eye on transmission temperature. Never let it go above 210F in the pan or 240F in the hot side of the cooler line -- not even once, not even for a second. (It might be that ATF+4 can actually run a little hotter without varnish forming but I haven't seen any documentation of it so it's best not to take chances. Their primary temperature concern when developing ATF+4 was its cold viscosity.) If you hit those limits (210/240 depending upon where it's measured) it's time to replace the ATF just as soon as possible.
Other than that, the signs that one's on its way out are sloppy shifting, engine RPM flaring during shifts, harsh shifting, failure to shift, radically different shift points, slippage under load, and/or torque converter shuddering. Shuddering is tricky, though, because an engine misfire will also cause a shudder that appears worst when the torque converter clutch is engaged. Another common cause of TCC shudder is using the wrong ATF. Use only ATF+4 in a 46R.
The good news is that at least as often as not these things can be caused by easily replaced components -- the odds are better with proper maintenance.
You'll get a lot further down the road if you keep up on the maintenance schedule that's appropriate for your truck and how it's used. Grab the factory service manual if you don't have it, figure out which schedule is right for you, and follow it religiously.
I always recommend replacing the anti-drainback check valve with a remote filter. Remote filters trap smaller particles than the internal filter can, which is a big win for the life of the transmission, and the anti-drainback valve inside the filter brings that feature back so you don't have to worry about drainback. Just be sure to plumb the thing correctly because if it's backward that valve will be forced closed and you'll lose transmission cooling immediately.
Other than that, the signs that one's on its way out are sloppy shifting, engine RPM flaring during shifts, harsh shifting, failure to shift, radically different shift points, slippage under load, and/or torque converter shuddering. Shuddering is tricky, though, because an engine misfire will also cause a shudder that appears worst when the torque converter clutch is engaged. Another common cause of TCC shudder is using the wrong ATF. Use only ATF+4 in a 46R.
The good news is that at least as often as not these things can be caused by easily replaced components -- the odds are better with proper maintenance.
You'll get a lot further down the road if you keep up on the maintenance schedule that's appropriate for your truck and how it's used. Grab the factory service manual if you don't have it, figure out which schedule is right for you, and follow it religiously.
I always recommend replacing the anti-drainback check valve with a remote filter. Remote filters trap smaller particles than the internal filter can, which is a big win for the life of the transmission, and the anti-drainback valve inside the filter brings that feature back so you don't have to worry about drainback. Just be sure to plumb the thing correctly because if it's backward that valve will be forced closed and you'll lose transmission cooling immediately.
