1998 ram 1500. 318 with the 46re tranny. It occasionally stalls when changing gears. And sometimes i have to rev it up quite a bit to get it to eventually slam in to gear. It also whines going down the road it doesnt do it sitting still. Overdrive doesnt work either. I've fixed the plenum gasket with the hughes kit (also changed the injector o rings at the same time). Changed spark plugs, wires, IAC and TPS. It also threw a P0171 system too lean (cylinder bank no. 1) near the end of a 4 hour trip getting roughly 8 mpg. I dropped the trans pan and replaced the filter and filled it up with some fresh +4. The magnet on the bottom of the pan had around a 1/4 inch of metal particles on it. Im clueless as to where to even begin any help would be appreciated.

 

The good news is that you now have an excuse to install a Mega Viper. The bad news is the same. But it's like getting a ruined gall bladder out -- you'll feel much better afterward despite the unusual pooping.

 

Well a mega viper is wayyyy out of budget right now lol. I found a used transmission with low miles from a pull a part. But they want $850 for it.

 

Get some pressure readings done on it, It will give you a better idea whats going on.

http://www.atraonline.com/manuals/se...0/2000_154.pdf

 

Recheck your fluid level. Gotta check in neutral.

 

It has been a while, but $850 for a pick and pull tranny seems high. Especially since you do not know the condition. How many miles on used tranny? Warranty?

 

Getting back to the P0171: Stuff to check:

First, exhaust leaks between the cylinder head and the exit of the catalytic converter. If you've got a leak, it's letting exhaust out during the passage of high pressure exhaust pulses and sucking air back in during the passage of low pressure behind those pulses. That shows the upstream oxygen sensor less exhaust and more oxygen than is supposed to be there, which will result in that code being set.

Second, vacuum leaks. Blown plenum gasket, a stuck open PCV valve, broken or missing hoses, a cruise control that stopped working right when the fuel economy plummeted, that sort of thing.

Third, fuel pressure. You have to have 49.2 +/- 5PSI at the injector rail. If it's low, it'll get a lot lower real soon. Also, it'll make your fuel injected engine run lean at moderate to high RPM because with the lower pressure the injectors can't get enough fuel out in the maximum time they're allowed to do it.

It's usually one of those things that makes that code happen. Sometimes it's a flaky MAP sensor or something interesting like that. It'll always clobber fuel economy because the PCM wants to throw enough fuel into the holes to make that lean condition go away.

PS: If/when you go for a replacement transmission, make darn sure to get a torque converter with it, and make double darn sure that you flush the ever-lovin' out of the transmission cooler or coolers and lines. Transmissions dying the horrible death of the slam and bang usually poop in the pool like they're your sister's stepkids. Which is to say that lots of nasty stuff gets into the fluid and it likes to stick in small passages, cooling lines, and coolers.

 

What would the pressure test tell me? Like if its too low or too high? Thats new to me i apologize. And i checked the places web page and it said between 60,000 and 120,000 miles. I have an exhaust leak where the cat connects. Looked like a **** poor welding job. Im thinking i may have messed up the map sensor when i cleaned up the throttle body some. And is there a trick to get the PCV off? It doesnt want to come out at all. Im saving up to have the transmission rebuilt with a rebuild kit from PATC. Could anyone recommend a heavy duty torque convertor that will last a while?

 

It'll tell you if you have a leak and if so in which circuit. It can also tell you if you have a bad governor or pump.

That's a candidate to be the cause of your P0171.

Run the engine until warm, and shoot some silicone lubricant around the valve to slick up the grommet. Then cuss a lot. Oh, and get a new grommet because the old one's become unfriendly and you don't want to go through this next time.

Get the billet converter that PATC sells to go with the Mega Viper. It's one wicked stout piece, and purty too. It seems a shame to hide the thing.