1997 Dodge Ram 5.9L engine

We rebuilt the engine on this truck and finished it about a month ago. The engine runs great. Last week the transmission started acting up - it will not shift between first and second gear (about 30 mph). The check engine light is not on. Checked the fluid and it was low by almost a quart. We filled it with the correct fluid but the problem did not correct.

Read on the internet that it is in "limp-in" mode. We reset the computer by turning it to start and back 4 times. We did that and the transmission was working fine for about 2 miles and then it went back to the "limp-in" mode. We tried it about 4 times and it repeated the fix but only for a few miles. Brought it in to a transmission shop and they ran a scan and said there were no codes. We thought maybe an oxygen sensor or Governors Solenoid. The transmission mechanic was not in so we called the next day and he said with no codes, they will have to drop the transmission which will be from $1600 to $1800. Didn't sound right to us.

Today we changed the Speed Output Sensor and reset the computer figuring that was an easy and cheap thing to try. It did not make any difference.

Any ideas on what to try next? We thought of dropping the pan and changing the Governors Solenoid and Sensor but wondering if that could be it because it does not have any codes coming on. Another thought was possibly the computer itself? We put a 98 engine into it because the old block was blown through. Thought the 97 computer may not be reading right.

After putting all that money into rebuilding the engine, we hate to have to get the transmission rebuilt on it and it doesn't seem right that it would work on and off if the transmission was shot.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Thought it

 

first things first: climb in there like a garden snake, contort into some sort of gumby man, or use mirrors and flashlights- whatever, but get a look at your wiring harnesses.. make sure you didn't pinch anything putting that rascal back in there.

next- use the manual shift to see if you can shift in that manner..

 

and.....

search the faq section for TV adjustment, and make sure that's right.

 

May sound like a dumb question but how do we manually shift it properly? Do you start out in 2nd or shift it to 2nd while driving?

 

heheheheheeeee-- bwah!!

well, ahem.. I had to ask the same question on here several years ago- when I first had tranny issues.. and glory be to allah it was under a different screen name. :-)

drop it to first- go- just like a manual, when you reach speed/rpm where you should shift- reach over and shift it to second.. same thing to third/drive..

If it shifts well THAT way, you need to look really close at your sensors and your harnesses.. I'll reiterate: those wires are easy to pinch, and they are easy to fray and ground, and they are brittle on aging trannies and break..

I'm starting to lean toward TV cable adjustment now though, that I've had a chance to think about it.. Find it in the FAQ section and go ahead and do it anyway.. It can't hurt- and it may be your issue.

 

Thanks for the quick reply. It is my son's truck so as soon as he gets back I'm going to have him try the shifting manually and also the TV Cable adjustment. I'll update with what we find.

 

I just re-read your original post..

somebody else will have to take it from here, but the spot-light, in my mind- is dead on the years of parts involved.. I don't know, but I think something happened between '97 and '98 on trannies.. that could very well be your issue..

I'm a little perplexed on how it could work well for close to a month and THEN act up, that would lend more credence to wires or solenoids..

The TV could easily slip out of adjustment, especially if the little lock wasn't secured down on it.. and the governor solenoid could have easily become clogged too in that amount of time.

If you have to replace the solenoid, don't goof off with after-market parts.. go get that one from the parts counter at the stealership.

 

If you only changed the motor to a '98 and nothing else you should be fine. The Magnums are pretty much all the same. You did use all the sensors off the '97 though right?

I have never heard of resetting the computer with the key on these trucks. Have you tried disconnecting the battery?

Hard and soft parts of the tranny are probably fine. You have a computer or sensor problem.

I doubt its the O2 as that should not put you into limp mode even if the sensor is disconnected.

 

That was all we changed was the motor. We did not use all of the sensors from the 97 but they were the same part numbers. We had a problem at first because the 97 engine had 2 temperature sensors and the 98 had only 1 sensor. We drilled another hole for the sensor and hooked the old harness up and the temperature gauge was working again.

The resetting of the computer was found on a website (can't remember which one) but you never know if they have a clue what they are talking about. I will have him try disconnecting the battery and see if that helps. He was a little low on fluid when the problem started happening and adding fluid did not seem to help at all.

I'm going to have him try the manual shift method and see what happens and also do the disconnect battery. If that doesn't work, I was thinking to go for the Governors Solenoid and Sensor since they are relatively inexpensive, easy to change, and seem to be a problem on these transmissions. If that doesn't work, I thought of bringing it to the dealer and seeing what they say but I hate to do that because they are worse in my opinion than transmission shops.

Thanks for the advice and hopefully we can find the problem with that. It just didn't sound right to me that the transmission needed to be dropped and rebuilt for this problem. If it is a computer problem, would that be the TCM? Would we buy one for the 97 since that is the transmission that is in there? Maybe the truck just doesn't like having the new transmission filter, gasket, and fluid in it.

 

it's my opinion that 9 out of 10 transmission shops are crooks.. I think it's part of the curriculum in transmission class- something to the effect: always recommend rebuild, always..

That isn't to say there isn't some good shops out there.

You most likely don't need a rebuild.. well, not right now anyway.

The governor pressure solenoid likes to capture all the sediment in a tranny- and clog.. They can be cleared on occasion, and can be rebuilt at home according to several members here.. You can take your chances with that, and likely find success, but swapping with a new OEM part gives more peace of mind.