I have a 1997 Ram 1500, 4x4 Laramie with 94k miles and 46RE transmission. Truck is solid and in very nice shape. I use it to run around in the woods and haul my dogs and their gear for search and rescue. It does not haul trailers etc. Its is not my primary rig, so it can sit for a bit while I figure out that is wrong with my transmission as I am at my whits end. The primary issue is once I put it in reverse, back up, then put it back to drive, it will not shift out of 1st gear. Now if I put it in reverse, back up, then put it in park, then to drive all gears shift fine. When in reverse, sometimes it makes a whining noise. When I first got the truck about a year ago with 91k miles, I changed the ATF fluid and put new filter/gasket and added Lucas Oil Transmission Fix. It seemed to help for a bit, but would revert back to not shifting after reverse once it warmed up. The ATF fluid was not burned and no metal shavings present on the magnet during the service. I have had the transmission pan off like 3 times already trying to figure this out. Yesterday I changed out the governor solenoid and pressure sensor, reinstalled gasket and put fresh ATF fluid and filter in it. Still no burned smell or metal. It almost made it worse as now it shifts hard from first to second and other times it shifts smooth and reverse is still doing the same thing. I got both sensors from my local O'Reileys. Today I ordered a complete solenoid kit off amazon that contains both solenoids again, pan gasket, metal and plastic filter, 3-4 accumulator spring, governor transducer, governor solenoid gasket, lockup overdrive solenoid, and output speed sensor.

Now, reading on here, I saw info on Sonnax sure cure and was curious if I should do that as well. However, I cannot pull the transmisison to install the complete kit so was curious if it is something that can be done just by pulling the pan? I can do valve body work, just not complete gear rebuilds etc. Also, would installing a bigger pan help? I am also planning on doing the trans valve check delete and later planning on installing a bigger transmisison cooler. Any info helps. I've done quite a bit of reading on here, but could not find a thread with this same problem.

Thanks!

Big Red

 

Try this: On the drivers side of the trans, about halfway back, is the 8 pin connector for the trans controls. Unplug it. Go for a drive. You will not have any automatic function though, so, you will have to shift gears like a manual trans. You also won't have TCC, or O/D. So, go for a SHORT drive..... up/downshift as necessary. If the trans goes into the gear you tell it to, when you tell it to, its just an electronic problem. If you still have issues though, likely time for a rebuild.

Welcome to DF!

 

Well, I installed the Sonnax zip kit and changed out all sensors, installed a bigger pan. Now I have no reverse. Truck shifts to park and drive great. No clunking noises or grinding noises. I also adjusted the bands. Any ideas as to what could cause no reverse

 

May need to check pressures, and see what is happening.

 

How do I do that? I’m totally new to transmissions. Can find my way around an engine, but this is a lot different.

 

took the valve body out and took it to a transmission guy. Apparently i put a check ball where it shouldn’t have been, but according to Sonnax instructions I was supposed to put it there 🤷🏼*♀️ he said that would cause no reverse 🤦🏼*♀️ so he will double check the rest and I should know tomorrow if there’s anything else wrong