If overdrive isn't locked out, it's 1-2, 2-3, direct to overdrive, and finally converter lock. With overdrive disabled, it's 1-2, 2-3, TCC lock. Locking the converter clutch before shifting would greatly reduce the lifespan of the clutches.

Just mash the button at startup, or do the overdrive button invert hack to avoid the need for it. Problem solved. Or there's another problem, but we don't want that so we won't talk any more about it.

 

It should be higher more like 45 at normal throttle/driving conditions. May want to check tv cable adjustment.

 

Shouldn't hit O/D until 45mph...... with your gear/tire combo, you should still be running pretty close to stock RPM for shift points and such. Is your speedo accurate??

 

My 98 1500 hits TCC at 40-45mph depending on how warm the transmission is. So 45mph when its cold in the morning and 40 after 4-10miles depending on ambient temp. I was used to my durango with a 5.9 shifting in the pattern 1-2-3-4-4TCC and thats how my 98 ram shifts as well the points are different since the durango had 3.92s. One thing I noticed is when I had my 2000 1500 is when accelerating it would shift as follows: 1-2-3-3TCC-4TCC. I had considerable more "power" when accelerating in the 35-50 mph range since it was in 3TCC. Both trucks were sport qc 4x4's with 3.55's and 265/75-16 tires. But in 2000 is when they went to the governor pressure transducer set up instead of the governor pressure solenoid.

 

They used the sensor/solenoid setup starting in 96. In 00, they changed the signal sent back to the PCM for whatever reason. Basically the same system, just different info.

 

I found that out when I put a tranny out of a 2000 ram in to my 98 durango. Put the 98 valve body in the 00 tranny and it worked fine. I distinctly remember that 2000 sport I had though accelerated in 3TCC instead of shifting to 4th. That 2000 was all factory too, I bought it from a work friend who is a chrysler tech (yes I work at a dealership) and is very against any form of modification. This is purely speculation on my part but I think that they switched for 2000 to the transducer is because of how quickly the solenoid set up failed or that it failed without obvious symptoms maybe even costing them money in failed transmissions under warantee.


For the op - A crazy notion would be if you could get a computer from a 00-01 to work in your truck and a valvebody for a 00-01 so that you had the 1-2-3TCC-4TCC shift pattern. Because that will hold 3rd much longer than the 98 will, at least that is my experience.

 

I'll have to get a video of the tach or something

It shifts into third and then after third gear there are two more distinct rpm changes

The first one is smaller ~300 or so rpms and the second is the big one where it drops ~500 more or so


Maybe I'm crazy lol

 

I might just be picky, but when I'm cruising at light throttle it shifts into OD right at 40-42 according to a GPS speedo


It just feels way better in third right there then OD, right after 50 OD has the rpms in the sweet spot but before that it's just too low

 

Yeah, I agree. If my engine put out 300ft/lbs of torque at 1200 RPM, it would be fine, but, it doesn't, and it's not.

 

What about a lock up switch like the Cummins guys do?