I have a 94 1500 that I bought last year for a parts truck. The guys I bought it from had replaced the transmission with one out of a junk yard. They said it shifted fine until they got about 5 miles down the road and then it locks up. Once it cools down it frees up and drives again. I know the 2nd gen engines inside and out, but a tranny for me is a different story. I never personally locked it up but thats due to the fact that as soon as i got it home I rolled it off the trailer, cut a few doughnuts in the drive way then pulled it in to the shop and robbed the front clip off of it Any ideas of what could be causing it to lock up? Im gonna try to sell the tranny but I dont want to try to con someone into buying something that I know is going to be a fail.

 

Transmission locking up but then working fine again after it cools doesn't sound like a typical tranny problem. If the truck still drives, I'd take it for a drive (with another escort vehicle) to see what it actually does.

 

I wish I could do that but the truck has no motor anymore as well as no front clip. Im wondering if it had something to do with the tranny cooler and the fluid not flowing correctly causing it to over heat and shut down. I am also wondering if putting regular fluid in it instead of the ATF+4 like it calls for could cause this.

 

It's a mechanical failure, not much else it could be. There are no electronics for the first three gears. Make sure it is the trans that is locking up though, and not the t-case, or rear diff.