greetings all, This is my first topic post really. Been a lurker for a while even before i was a memeber.

cheers!

Like everyone else my 46re is dying, Im trying to determine if its worth working on, or if i should just give up. Here is what were dealing with

bought 2001 dodge 2500 with the v8, 290km on the clock, engine runs very smooth, not burning oil so the plenum is still good.

• Ugly dark transmission fluid
• abs and parking brake light is on all the time
• pulled p1740 code (tcc solenoid or overdrive solenoid below performance)
• feel a wobble at idle, its not the motor i dont think
• poor shifts
• locks up in overdrive almost never
• wont shift into overdrive often, seems to hit od better when cold
• feel slippage in 2nd (i think 2nd)

Heres my plan, I need this thing to hold together till spring, I live up north in the yukon and anything I do will be outside, no heated shop for me. (hence why i need this to last till spring)

• drop pan, change fluid, put in a pan drain plug
• new filter
• new oil
• front and rear brand adjustment
• lucas oil additive
• possible solenoid replacement if needed (dont want to play with the valve body laying in the snow on my driveway if i can avoid it)

I rent a room in my house, the guy is a mechanic. ford for 8years and now at dodge for the last 2, he swears the lucas stuff actually works/helps.




Opinions, options? is this going to prolong anything? or am i just pissing money away?. Are these things worth doing or should i just run it till it dies.


I really need this thing to last the winter, Its my work truck. Its all I have for now.


Thank you alll for your time and help. I find these forums are better than anything else for information and advice. IF theres anything you guys can think of, please do tell. Im very mechanically inclined.

 

The best thing i cant tell you is to look at the transmission thread by montec which is posted as a sticky at the top of the thread list. Be warned though that many people have advised against adjusting the bands when the trans is already on its way out...not sure why but it seems to lead to faster destruction. Do the fluid and filter change but don't waste your money on that lucas stuff...I think montec addresses that as well but i don't think its good for the dodge transmissions. Try to baby it as best you can til the weather warms up but save your pennies for a rebuild. Also, REMOVE THE CHECK VALVE IN THE PRESSURE LINE

 

I don't really know much about the inner working on the autos, but others will step in.

However that Lucas oil tranny additive stuff worked for me/us.

Whenever dad got the truck however many miles and years ago, less than a 100k milles it didn't shift right. He always puts that stuff in all his vehicles and it's been good since.

Remove the check valve, and if you tow or haul a lot get a aux cooler if you don't ready has one

 

better plan -

drop pan, change fluid and filter, use ATF+4 only, do NOT put in Lucas. if you feel the need to put in an additive, use only Smart Blend Red.

adjust bands very carefully. 72 inch pounds, NOT foot pounds.
install a drain plug in the pan.
drill out the check valve in the pressure line. its near radiator at the frame rail.
(this only changes about half the fluid)

drive it for a week or two and see if it's any better.
better or not - drop pan a second time and change fluid and filter again. if its still having problems, replace solenoids and/or gov pressure sensor/solenoid.

be careful on cost. at 6-7-8 bucks a quart, each fluid and filter change can cost $50-75 and the solenoids are not cheap either, but - you can reuse them in a rebuild later.

 

Thank you,

today I'm dropping the pan, change filter, adjust bands try and find that smart blend red.

Take pictures of what i find..... should be interesting.

 

i started reading it, alot of good info in there. And for the bands, I cant see how setting them for proper tension/clearance could ever be a bad thing?

I couldn't find the red stuff vaughan recommended so i went with the lucas, Mechanic roomate has used it in any/all his old vehicles with great results as well. Ill be adding a cooler in the future with temp gauge and aux fan, for now Im in an up to -50c winter climate and I never haul anything to heavy.




I dropped pan, it had 1/4inch of metal silt. and the magnet looked like a sea urchin. Filter was so full or garbage it couldn't even drain the oil inside it back out the pickup hole. Its minus 15c in the garage with a bit of wind. My truck wont fit all the way in so i cant close the door. not fun.




TIP: Whoever at dodge came up with the square headed bolt on the rear band adjuster should be shot. I spent 2 hours trying to find something that would fit, IF you guys want a cheap easy tool to-get this done. Take a 1/4inch drive 9mm socket and smash it into an egg shape. worked perfectly



Mobil 1 aft+4 to replace the old fluid
new filter
adjust rear band.
lucas additive

The good

• puts power to the ground 100x better
• shifts better
• goes into OD now
• less slippage in 1-2
• feels like i swapped in a different transmission
• tc locks in OD below 70kmph

The bad

• To cold toget front band adjustment done
• to cold toget check ball removed
• TC won't lock up in OD above 70km
• still slips a little bit
• black gasket maker didn't seal well and its leaking
• forgot to put magnet back in the pan.

Once i nut up, or find a warmer place to work Ill get this list taken care of.



The change after what Ive done so far is night and day, I was pissed about the pan leaking but after a 20km test drive I was smiling. It actually accelerates like it should now, and i still have more things to work on. There is hope this transmission will stay in for as long as it need it too. Im also going to try and find a proper rubber gasket, I hate this make a gasket goo crap.


Any ideas about the TC not locking in OD above 70k. It locks and cruises below 70kmph but unlocks once i speed up. Once or twice it would lock and cruise at 90-100km but now it won't.


Any/all input welcome.

 

Test the throttle position sensor. That's the usual culprit for wonky TCC behavior.