Burnt fluid is a good indication the trans got hot, and hot transmissions don't last long.

If you want a tough automatic you need to look at the Viper by PATC, I think the MegaViper would be overkill..

http://www.transmissioncenter.net/dodge.htm

There's a chance fresh fluid, a filter, and band adjustments could give you more time but it may only prolong the inevitable....

Also, have the transmission people or whoever is doing the work, remove the Check Valve if there's still one there.

Some of the problems in your first post just don't sound like transmission issues, but that doesn't mean your transmission isn't bad....

If you can't afford the Viper a basic rebuild with upgraded clutches, maybe a shift kit, etc... would help.

 

If you cant afford a Viper and you can rebuild or know someone who can,
start reading at post #57 of this thread for a list to rebuild the tranny with some upgrades
https://dodgeforum.com/forum/2nd-gen...fo-only-6.html

Dave

 

one of the questions when ordering the new transmission is stall speed, I assume that has something to do with the torqe converter but im not sure what it really means, what stall speed do I want to choose?

 

That first post doesn't sound like a tran problem, one of the statements is idling rough. Even with the tran fix, I would think you will still have the first problem.

 

I'm gonna agree here...... Unless the trans is binding internally..... you have more than one issue.

 

im not sure what you mean by binding internally but the problem got so bad it wouldn't even go into gear at all. when the problem first started I was driving pretty slow on a back road and I heard a popping noise and it got real sluggish all of a sudden but got better once the rpms got higher and it just got worse from there.

 

You have all the symptoms of a badly blown plenum, and a clogging cat. That would account for the bad gas mileage, and the engine being down on power, and running like crap. It would NOT account for the excessively hard shifting though......

Your trans is evidently trying to chew itself up internally...... (the aluminum shavings) if the 'pop' was something breaking, and jamming up the works, (binding internally) that *might* account for being down on power, and the hard shifting, but, it should cause the engine to run rough.

I think you have more than one problem.

 

So the big question, what does one fix first?

My vote, transmission.

 

I am going to go with maybe water in the fuel or maybe a blown head gasket

 

I gotta tell you, don't sound like a bad Trans to me. I have 206,000 miles on my truck and have never had a problem with my 01 5.9 Laramie. I'm going with these guys with blown plenum, clogged cat, o2 sensor. If the o2 sensor is overly adjusting fuel to air, and timing the it WILL shift hard. Also if a bad plug then it WILL miss and it kinda feels like a hard shift. I would start by seafoaming the hell out of it first. Change plugs and wires. See if it improve after that. Also clean the Throttle body really well along with the IAC and throttle position sensor. Pretty much do a really good tune up and check/repair the plenum gasket. If it fixes it then HECK YEAH!!! If it don't then the truck needed it anyway.