Hello I'm new to this forum. I'm looking forward to gaining knowledge from all of you and sharing mine.

I have a 1997 dodge ram 2500 that i use for commercial plowing. At the end of my last run I was in second gear and all of a sunnden dropped down to first and then hasn't up shifted since

So I'm stuck in first gear,
Transmission doesn't make any abnormal noises, it just downshifted

I've seen stuff about goverener pressure but not sure what do do with that. I do have a scan tool with live data so I can look at it.

Also I have no codes for the transmisson

 

See what governor pressure is, while slowly speeding up. There is a relationship there, but, damned if I can remember what it is at the moment... but, in any event, pressure should increase proportionally with speed.

Wonder if you lost a band strut..... How many miles on the trans? Last time it was serviced/bands adjusted?

 

Bought the truck in October from my uncle who said it had a new tranny put in not to long before the truck was taken off the road. Who knows though he's sort of a wack job.

I Hope its not any hard parts.

I have a hard time believing it is a hard part because there are no abnormal noises whatsoever.

I am fixing the power steering tomorrow and was planning on taking a test drive and reading the sensor afterwards.

Off topic from the shift issue but do you have any tips for replacing the power steering pump? Seems pretty straight forward but its always nice to talk to someone who has done the job before.

 

Lots of odd and strange things can happen.... if the bands are too far out of adjustment, the struts can fall out.... so, no more band apply. Also, one of the accumulator pistons is plastic.... they are know to break, as are the springs.

If you are feeling particularly adventurous.... Unplug the electrical connector on the drivers side, about halfway back. (8 pin connector) Take the truck for a drive. You will have to shift manually, as there will be zero automatic function, and you won't have TCC, or O/D either..... but, if it shifts when you tell it to that way, it's just an electronic problem. Drop the pan, replace a couple parts, and you are down the road.

 

Ok i will try all of that out. if it isnt electrical and is a band issue how intensive is the job at that point?

 

This is a good tip I'm going to lodge in my memory bankz.

Thx HeyYou

 

Governor pressure solenoid
Front band
Valve body malfunction

My guesses in order .

That is a neat test Hey You . Thanks for sharing

 

depends, one of the bands can actually be replace with the trans still in the truck. The other one.... gotta tear down the trans. If the electrical test doesn't give you a clue, drop the pan, and see what you find. Might still be easy....... if you are lucky.

 

Well I hope I'm lucky because we got snow in the forcast for the weekend