Hi, I own a 1997 dodge ram 1500 4wd, automatic, with the 360. Anyways, for a week or so I have been hearing this noise, and I couldnt figure out where it was coming from. So, this last saturday I was out for a drive and I came up to a four-way, and as I was slowing down the whole truck started shaking and making a loud noise. So, I make my left turn and continue about 40 feet, then I realize that I'm not going very fast, so I look and my rpm is 4000 and Im only going 10mph......so it wasnt shifting out of first gear, so we towed it home with another truck and here it sits waiting to be fixed. So what I was wondering is......am I going to need to rebuild it? or could it be something simple? my dad thinks it could be the hydraulic pump, but neither of us know enough about the insides of a transmission to diagnose the problem.

Your help is greatly appreciated!

Thanks, Andy

 

Try replacing the Governor Pressure switch and Governor solenoid.

 

Unplug the 8 pin connector on the drivers side of the trans. Take the truck for a drive. You will have to MANUALLY shift gears, as there will be absolutely ZERO automatic functions. If the trans shifts nicely when you tell it to, do as zman there says.

 

Thanks for the input guys! I will go try this, and come back with the findings.
-Andy

 

pulling the plug out sounds like a easy manuel transmission swap to me

 

Well, here are my findings.......I unplugged the connector and took it for a drive, it will shift between 1 and 2. When you put it in drive or reverese ( regardless of if the connector is in or out) you will hear a whineing sound, which is much louder in reverse.

Thanks!

Andy

 

I'm no tranny expert, but it sounds like rebuild time. Save up some money and drive it until it won't move.

 

That means you don't actually get drive or reverse? If so, it's probably time to tear into it. No drive(3)/no reverse is a front (direct) clutch apply problem. If you want to troubleshoot it yourself grab the factory service manual that's linked from the FAQ/DIY section. (It's likely a borked direct clutch spring, a shot clutch, or a valve body malfunction but you'll have to tear into it to find out.)

If it's got more than 60,000 miles behind it, you'd probably be better off just rebuilding or replacing the thing. It's a too much truck/too little transmission problem that we've all got or have had. You might think about buying a Viper or Mega Viper from PATC and being done with the factory equipment forever. Fixing one of these monstrosities that's got appreciable mileage on it is a long slow exercise in frustration.

 

Well, I got my trans. out and had it rebuilt for $750.00, and I'm glad I did because it needed it severely. The problem was the torque convertor, it exploded like a grenade apparently, and distributed large amount of metal through all of my transmission including the valve body. I got it back and now I gotta put it in. Cant wait to drive it again!

-Andy

 

Make sure when you get it installed to fill correctly, checking fluid in neutral. Also, be careful installing crank sensor as it is easy to damage.

Also, flush cooling lines out real good and cooler. The trash from the tranny will be in there also and you don't want any of it in the rebuild.