Hey folks. I've browsed this forum many a time in the past for issues related to this hunk of crap (err... I mean truck) of mine, but browse and search as I might I haven't found a good answer or even a case that matches my circumstances well.

I have a 2001 Ram 1500 5.9 4x4. Governor Pressure Sensor and Solenoid were replaced about a year ago after going bad, throwing a code and sticking it in limp mode.

About 2 months ago my check engine light randomly came on with a P1740 code. Truck ran fine until about a week ago I was driving home from work and it wouldn't shift up from 3-4. I threw it in Neutral, back in Drive and it shifted smoothly.

Gradually over the past week it's gotten worse to the point it will fail to shift every gear almost religiously.

Important points to note:
-It only gives me problems when it's warm. From a cold start until it fully warms up it shifts like it was brand new.
-No noises or anything out of the ordinary.
-If I'm at 4k RPM and it isn't shifting, if I take my foot off the gas, throw it in neutral and back into drive it will shift smoothly into the next gear every time.

What I've already done:
-Replaced governor pressure sensor/solenoid.
-Replaced filter and fluid with a bottle of Lucas Transmission Fix
-Adjusted rear band to spec
-Adjusted front band as well as I could (Process was a little complicated...) (Front band was WAY out of specifications when I checked!)
-Adjusted the kickdown cable and test drove in almost every position possible. It changes shift points (earlier/later) but does not fix the failure to shift issue.


Any help / ideas would be greatly appretiated... Even a step to take in diagnosis would be amazing. I'm stumped... I don't think the problem is with the transmission internals because when it DOES shift it's smooth as butter and makes no noise. I feel like it's something stupid like a solenoid or something but have no idea where to start.

 

Broken 3-4 accumulator spring. Google images for a pic - new one can be had for about $9 on ebay. Buy a filter and a pan gasket while you're at it. Takes about 2 mins to change after the pan is off.

 

Just did the filter and pan gasket about 2 days ago :P Would this broken 3-4 accumulator spring also cause it to fail to shift 1-2 and 2-3? It jams up in every gear about the same.

 

It is a likely scenario.
It is also might be possible that the internal VB strainer is clogged by excess friction material silt rubbed off of that front band you said was way out of spec.

The mind melting symptoms you describe was what made me drop pan and poke around on My own 46RE.

Needless to say I got myself into a lot more than I bargained for, and what what going to be a basic band replacement turned into a total overhaul due to one find after another, and in the end became getting a junkyard 46RE to gut and use a replacement Main case. I would grudgingly go through hell, and another $600 to do a total AT rebuild myself the ever consider buying a Reman or taking it to a shop where the fees in both cases are larger than the current KBV of the truck.

Symptoms started as 3K late shift which turned into a 4K late shift.
The 4K late shift turned into NO 3-4 shift without dropping into N and back to D and that was the point where it went up on stands before it caused the engine to g'nade from the high RPM values.

Aside from a balded front band discovery that began the rebuild, other damages included my accumulator spring being in 3 pieces. The spring collar/retainer on the rear servo plunger was ripped clean of and was floating loose around the actuator arm.
(This is one of those things depicted as extremely common/more rare to not be broken...DODGE is at fault and made it of aluminum...recommended upgrade with billet steel).
The blown main case was due to either negligent seating or total failure of the circlip retainer for the reverse annulus/planetary set on the intermediate shaft....it walk forward and the sprag/one way roller clutch came apart shelling the rear main case support structure.
Due to the amount of rust removed with copious amounts of PB Blaster and a wire cup brush on my grinder the pan was micro perforated in several places and was replaced, but of course not before having already degreased and repainted it and then installing it to find out it leaked to beat hell.

 

You, sir... You clearly know more about transmissions than I. I wrenched for 7 years after going to trade school but the closest I've gotten to the internals of a transmission is the filter. I wish I trusted myself to rebuild this thing because I probably would make a weekend project of it...

So I mean I found that spring for $12 shipped, is this internal VB strainer something I can get to easily after I throw the spring in?

 

Not really, it involves the obvious pan pull and drain, and the removal of the VB as to not lose any of the little springs or bearings that act as pressure switch valves.
it also involves splitting the valve body open to get to the aforementioned strainer. I can't lie, I was nervous from transmission failure horror stories that had one line or another about "well; you see,the idiot who rebuilt it..."
There is enough room to make mistakes with the small components, but all the Big sh*t is as idiot proof as anything ever could be. So I suppose having a sharp memory to remember what hole what bolt came from without any doubt is the best asset other than a bunch of masking tape and a sharpie. Being completely asinine about how when and where you take it apart, how long is stays apart, who goes near it while it is apart helps a lot.
Taking apart a VB versus dropping the whole thing should be cake compared to dropping and gutting out everything from the pump to the output main seal for replacement of every clutch disc, gasket, metal comp ring, ceramic comp ring, rubber o'ring, and screen or filter.

A BIT OFF TOPIC:

As for trade school or wrenching for years......EVEN IF I am well learned by experience and those "whoops-WTF" moments. I Sir, am not as smart as I may seem to You. I am not attempting to be modest, sarcastic, or clever either.

I have never been Formally trained anywhere. Just taught by two Men that knew what the names "Chopper" and "Lead Sled" REALLY MEANT and worked on cars that most of the known world has forgotten existed.

See, My ole man worked at a used car lot/repair shop for a couple of old heads and I was simply the hang around that got handed tools at the age of 7, and sent out into "the Yard" to play gopher to get at parts the adults often couldn't (old wrecks sitting on old RR timbers) or just didn't have the time to.

That turned the ignition in my little head had been turned and the rest was curiosity fueled madness. If it works--then how and why? If it is Broken Why and can it be fixed?
That all lead into many years wrenching at bicycles as a hobby and a ritual of breaking ALL the traditional rules of "you can't do that, it will never work".
Bicycles gave way to an interest in small motors, those primitive clangers lead rapidly into old pre-1975 Motorcycles, and since I have always learned best using my own eyes ears and hands.......it has been a wild ride, especially after picking up Google and Ebay along the way as Mah co pilots.

 

I'm not 100% certain because I have not studied the hydraulic circuit diagram for one of these transmissions, however I do suspect that when that accumulator spring fails and allows the piston to bottom out in the bore - that it also opens up a small port that allows fluid pressure to escape. This reduces line pressure and can cause all sorts of other silly **** to happen. I am convinced it's what resulted in the eventual failure of mine.

I don't consider myself to be a transmission expert by any means, I'm just one of those guys that just 'gets' how things work and can take anything apart, fix it and put it back together with a good success rate most of the time. lol The skill was picked up mostly out of necessity when I was a young man...because I was dirt poor and couldn't afford to pay anyone else to fix my ****.

 

Ya, I can relate to that... I'm thankful I have a mind for mechanics. I can deduce and fix an engine or suspension problem all day but for some reason the thought of cracking open a transmission scares the **** outta me. Basically just because I know if I **** something up I'll be without a vehicle for a long time because I don't have money to drop at a trans shop or on a new truck.

Even this spring... $12 for the spring and I gotta spend another $40 on the fluid to replace again... I suppose it's worth it if it fixes the issue. I'm gonna give it a try and pray.

 

In these situations, I just drill a hole in the pan and catch all the fluid via funnel into clean containers and re-use it. Then I install a permanent drain plug in the pan. Usually I just use a 5/16" bolt and nut - spot weld the nut inside the pan and use a copper washer under the bolt head for a seal. I don't re-use 'old' fluid, but if it's a situation where I just changed it and I need to go back in - no way I'm wasting that ****. lol

 

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