Trying to get a neighbor some transportation. 1995 model 1500, 318 engine, 46 RH tranny, 130,000 miles. When slowing down, trans locked up at about 10 MPH. Code for solenoid (I think it was 37) had been on for a while, and RPM would go down to 450 when coming to a stop. When going back and forth from forward to reverse, output shaft has only a few degrees of movement, even with accelerator partially down. I dropped the pan, oil was dark and some sludge in pan, along with three very small metallic particles.


Ideas on what is broken, or how to troubleshoot would be appreciated. I can pull tranny and do some looking, but I have never taken apart a Dodge tranny.


Thanks in advance,


Ken

 

Pics?

 

There is a three wire connector about halfway back, on the drivers side of the trans, unplug that, and see if the trans frees up.

 

I hope there is a picture here. It is my first time to try it. Particles were not magnetic.


I think the three wires mentioned are for the overdrive and torque convertor lockup. I had the 37 code before the problem. I have the pan off, any thing I can do to check the solenoids outside of just a continuity check?


I will work more on it this afternoon.


Thanks for the responses.


Ken


Nope, no picture. I will try again

 

Ya might drop the valve body, look at its innards and the goodies above it, and do the air pressure tests called out in the factory service manual while the valve body is out of the way.

In my book, the price of a fluid fill and the bother of doing it twice is enough to make it worthwhile to just shotgun suspicious solenoids. On the other hand, these transmissions in stock trim aren't necessarily up to truck duty and tend to give up the ghost between 140,000 and 180,000 miles so in a well funded world the better choice would be to rebuild or replace the unit now anyway. No one ever wants to hear that, but there it is for your consideration.

 

Here is an update. I adjusted the bands, and forward band had to be tightened quite a bit. Checked the three wire connection and confirmed the green (OD drive) and blue(TC lockup) wires were continuous from plug to solenoid. They are not grounded to tranny case. Put it all together with new filter and started it up. I could not get tranny to free up going back and forth from forward to reverse. I tried it even at three fourths throttle. I tried unplugging the three wire connector based on the advise of HeyYou, and the tranny freed up when I put it in reverse at about three quarter throttle. I drove it for several miles and the shifting was strange, but it kept moving! I am a little reluctant to hook up the three wire connection, as he can use the truck now, but I would appreciate any ideas on what this all means. I did not replace the solenoid and I assume I still have the code 37.


Does this sound like I just need to replace the solenoid?


Thanks for any comments.


Ken

 

I suspect the TCC solenoid has seized, and the TCC is staying locked. It will act a lot like a manual trans when you come to stop, without stepping on the clutch. It that sounds familiar, replace the solenoid set. (they come that way anyway.) *should* take care of it.

 

HeyYou, thanks. I will try it. I drove it before it locked and I noticed the engine would die once in a while when I came to a stop, so it had the symptom you described. He is going to drive it for a week, then I will get it back, change it out and report back.

 

Update on the tranny problem. I replaced the TCC solenoid today and it now shifts like it is supposed to! There is a video on youtube showing how to do it.


Thanks again for the help. I really thought it would have been a lot more expensive.


Ken

 

Yee Haa!

Excellent. This is what forums are all about.

Glad ya got it fixed, and it wasn't an arm and a leg.