What happens when your on a hill and you put it in park? Does it roll? Could it be a bad transfer case?

 

This sucks, as the car I traded for it could have easily netted me 3k.
Maybe I will just buy a scooter for 300 so I can get to class (30 min drive) come the 9th- while this POS dodge sits in my driveway.

 

Not sure on that I will try but I think it is loosing tranny fluid due to some leak I noticed..... in the front end somewhere. Will check levels once I get it started (it died while I was out of town).

One thing tho,

I noticed after the period that the engine is cool- and I can drive forward in D for say a min or so fine, in which time it starts to high -RPM and loose ability to drive, that if I SLAM on the peddle and give it an insane amount of rpm that the truck will actually start to move! (maybe at 75% peddle pressure).

WTF?

....

 

Where are you located?

Have you checked the fluid? Sounds like really low fluid could be the source of all your problems. Check in neutral with truck running.

The A518's are not great trannies but neither are trannies like GM's 700R4 and Ford had some weak ones in the early-mid 90's too. Adding OD trannies was a big change for the Big three and it took a couple of years for them to figure it out.

 

I cant imagine doing that is helping things in any way...you could be causing a lot of damage ...
And honestly, your slamming the used truck you bought not knowing its history and your complaining about failure and you havent even checked the fluid level yet!! WOW....

 

Seriously. Check the fluid level!!!

 

Just checked fluid, its within normal range while in neutral and otherwise.
Color is a dark browish but has a slight hints of the normal red.

I did some testing out in the road- Heres what I notice:

4WD - R - 1500-2000 RPM = starts to move
2WD - R - 1500-2000 RPM = Doesnt move, but jerks alittle like its trying to randomly.

Seems similar results for D with both.

Seems I am screwed as the fluid levels seem fine. Its a damn shame I love this truck.... was hoping to move stuff with it and such. Engine and everything else seems fine too.

Also putting it in park does lock the transmission preventing it from rolling on a hill, without and brakes used (someone asked).

I called a tranny place and told them they said it will prolly cost around 2200 to fix, which I don't have as a FSU student (Florida).

Any ideas... maybe a replacement from a junkyard or something? Anyone live in FL (panhandle area) who wouldnt mine checking it out for a fee cheaper then mechanics would cost?

Hoping to still get it back on the road!

Thanks all who are offering help.

 

checked fluid levels when I bought it of course -was fine. ive always done my own engine work just nothing major like a tranny rebuilt. (including new radiators, plugs, oil, tranny flush ect) just checked fluid lvls again today they are fine, but slightly dirty- so nothing has changed fluid wise.

The problem does not appear to be the fluid.
Something else was possibly causing the leak I noticed- most likely a slight engine coolant leak as the levels are low.

For now I just securely parked it and am done with touching it at all until I can find someone to look at it.

 

Maybe the torque converter went bad. sounds like you need a rebuild. I would shop around i just got mine rebuilt for just a little over $1000

 

If you drop the tranny yourself which is really easy you can save a lot on a rebuild.

FSU is an engineering school if I correct (I think I have seen them at SAE Mini Baja competitions). There has got to be someone around there that can help you rebuild your tranny. The only special tool you need is a slide hammer. When I rebuilt my trans I just had a tranny shop rebuild the OD unit (took unit in with gaskets, bearings and clutches) and it cost me $75. I think he also replaced the bearings in my front clutch retainer too. You should be able to get a tranny rebuilt for under $500.

Rebuild kit with bands and bearings - $200
Factory Torque Converter - $100 - talk to the tranny shop, they get them cheap
Fluid - $50
Rear band - $30 - again talk to tranny shop
Shop labor - $100