ok, done a half azzed search on here but unfortunately I've not found anything using the search feature. so I am gonna ask here.


Background. 2001 dodge ram 1500 quad/4x4. Trans went out last winter. located a used trans (jasper unit with less than 20k on it. but it was from a 99. swapped out the electricals that needed swapped. got truck back together. trans shifts flawlessly right out of gate, but will not drop to 1st gear at a stop light(depends on amount of time at light, sometimes it gets all the way back to first. I can manually pull into first and it works the majority of time. on the highway the upshift down shift work fine. its just dropping into first. the majority of time it only gets to 2nd. I do have CEL on, I don't remember the number off the top of my head, I'll run again tonight.


anyone experience this? other than not dropping down to the lowest gear it shifts out beautifully. not sure what others get mileage wise but at 60 on a flat road with cruise the overhead read out says 16-18 is this normal as well?

 

Check fluid level. In Neutral. Not park....

Find out what the code is.

 

fluid is fine, its done this since day one of the trans swap

 

Any warranty on the trans? Did you do the install, or pay someone else to do it?

 

I did the install on the trans, it was out of a wrecked truck. Trans was super clean and literally had only been in the truck for 15k miles when he wrecked it. it sat for a year and the guy I got it from bought the truck and parted it out and put trans on shelf. When I picked it up I inspected pretty much everything I could. like I stated really clean unit. After pulling my old trans I switched electronics out (new trans was out of 99, my truck is an 01)


** for the record there are fundamental differences in the exterior of the 99 to the 01 particularly the bottom side of bellhousing**


my original trans failed due to TC failure. I really think one of my solenoids is plugged and not allowing the pressure drop needed for the trans to make the switch, it will drop down to 2nd the majority of time, sometimes only down to third I did not have time to run codes but if I remember right I am getting the governor pressure code


on a side note, when cold and just starting out, the shift from 1-2 is short and firm

 

Governor pressure code? Hhhmmm..... how old were the electronics in your trans?

 

they were probably the originals

 

Prolly wouldn't hurt to replace at least the governor pressure sensor and solenoid...... (with the heavy duty BW parts.)

 

yeah that is my first change. just curious if anyone has any stories of failed governor solenoids and how they act up

 

The dodge units aren't self-cleaning.... so, they can plug up with crap, and simply stop playing nice. You get all sorts of odd behavior...... There is probably a test port on the trans you could screw a gauge into.... to see what's up, but, I have no clue which one, or what pressure should be in first gear.