Ok, I just bought a 1997 Dodge Ram with the 46re transmission. Guy I bought it from had put in a transmission a few weeks ago (used tranny, not rebuilt ), he sold it to me cause he got a good deal on a diesel. Come to find out, he put the walmart generic Automatic Transmission Fluid in it, and it's Dextron and Mercon compatible, so it's not ATF3/4 spec, which is what the Chrysler 46RE needs. I know that I need to change the fluids to get the proper stuff in. I know that if I were to drop the pan that I'd only be getting 5-6 quarts of the wrong fluid out, leaving 4 quarts in. Should I drop the pan and drain it that way several times, or should I have it flushed and suck out all the fluid (not a fan of that, but I don't want the wrong fluid type to kill my tranny)?

If I drop the pan and do it that way, is it a good idea to replace it with a deeper pan?

 

I'm going to answer this as a 97 owner. If it were mine, I'd flush and get ATF+4 in it. K. Jolly............you have to get it out of the torque converter.
A good dealer will use a flush machine (not quickie flush) to include dropping pan and doing filter.

 

Thanks TinCan! I'll do that tomorrow!

 

I have had many trans builders say you can use dextron fluid with a bottle of lubeguard or mercon 5 fluid and that is just as good !

 

If you flush it your just asking to desteroy your trans. I'd either do two or three changes, or see if you can get them to just suck the old stuff out.

 

Here aere some options to getting that fluid out.
http://www.allpar.com/eek/atf.html
Methods start further down on the page.

Dave

 

Ham Bone, i'd rather drain it and change it myself 2 or 3 times, but what's the difference between having them flush it and refilling it, and just having them suck it out? They would use the ATF+4? I don't like the idea of a flush either. The current fluid is just 500 miles old.

 

Old school takes into consideration the high mileage, the detergents from the new fluid and what it'll shake loose a couple of weeks after a full dealer flush, panny drop and filter change. My concern was the crap your PO put in and now has 500 miles of run time. Dealers have good flush machines that handles it including the TC, have them drop the pan, check it and change the filter.

Probably Ham Bone's method with several drains is the conservative approach. Considering you don't know how your PO used or abused your truck coupled with new good detergents cleaning stuff out, this approach might be the better route (I'm not sure how that other Walmart stuff will react with the ATF+4, which is why I said flush). Hope Ham Bone comes back and adds (he's pretty good at this stuff). K.

 

Thanks TinCan! I think I'm going to go with Ham Bone's suggestion of draining it 2 or 3 times. I feel like that would be safer.