Yesterday after I had been driving for about an hour on the highway towing my ATV with small trailer, I went to get back on the highway after a very brief stop. When I was getting up to highway speed my O/D would not engage and I was revving high (2500-3000). I quickly pulled over and ran it through the gears and tried to drive again and it worked fine...until today.

On my way into work after about a 20 min highway drive the same thing happened again but this time it was accompanied by a grating noise. Noise sounds like its coming from the bottom of engine or *sigh* transmission. The noise is not present while in park idling. But in any gear, including reverse it is there and gets louder with speed.

This is my DD and I cant spend a lot of time pulling out solenoids and such. I'm hoping this doesn't need a rebuild, as cash is tight. If I were to bring it to a local trans shop, what should I be asking about and making sure I don't spend money on?

note: Yes I know my trans has a lot of miles on it and may be due for a rebuild. I just don't want that to be the case! Haha

Edit: I have read over 100 pages of threads on that code (Torque Converter related) and MonteC's trans corner. No symptoms talked about matched mine exactly.

 

From what I've found the code is Torque Converter Lockup Malfunction. I know nothing about transmission's, sorry I can't help further.

I'm sure zman or HeyYou or someone else with more transmission experience will be along shortly......

 

Sorry but I'm no tranny expert. But it sounds to me like rebuild time. All I can offer, is the question of whether or not the check valve has been deleted. But if it's grinding. I'm afraid the news may not be good.

 

I do not know if the check valve has been deleted or not. It was my fathers truck and hes a "run it stock" kind of guy, so I would guess that it wasn't. Called around to get quotes for a rebuild...$2100. This comes at a bad time.

 

Rebuild is closer to 1200 here, but may be significantly more costly there. Maybe a used one for JY will save some money, but reliability could be suspect. If OD solenoid is bad, it will prevent lockup. This solenoid is not expensive or difficult to install - - if that is the problem.

Check this - it is all of the solenoids - OEM....

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/DODGE...item35ae09baa0

 

Is there ever a "good" time???

It might be as simple as a failing solenoid, or bad electrical connection. Check the easy stuff first, make sure everything is plugged in nice and tight, and connections are clean.

May wanna drop the pan yourself, and see if you find anything interesting in there.....

 

What you could do is look for a Junkyard transmission from a loweish mileage 5.9 and hope it works. Thats the cheapest route. 225k tho on your tranny is pretty damn good id say.. I would love to have my Jeeps 5.9 46re last that long, it only has 125k right now

 

You are right about there never being a "good" time. I do have an issue with my RWS sensor. Keeps tripping my ABS and park brake dash lights. Im getting that fixed today (had the apt for a while now) is that a possibility?

 

I've already checked the jy's in my area, not a 5.9 to be found. The jy in town wouldn't even sell me an intake manifold off of a 5.2 because of different part numbers. I'm willing to bet that even if the 5.2 had a trans that would work, he wouldn't sell it to me. Good on him though for liability reasons.

 

Had the shop drop my pan this morning and oil is dark and burnt and clucth pieces everywhere. Rebuild is now certain. Thanks for the input fellas.

I remember seeing a parts list for a trans rebuild in on of the threads. think it was MonteC's Trans Corner. Would that list be appropriate for my trans? A518 as the trans shop in town calls it. (46re?)