I own a 4x4 98 Ram with the 5.9 engine. Bought it a couple weeks ago and just used it for some back and forth a while I fixed up a couple things on it cosmetically.


I fully tested the 2wd and 4wd systems, doing a couple pulls in and out the driveway, and a few minutes here and there of playing in the field I can say for sure that the transmission did shift properly. One day I took it a couple miles away and was using 4x4 and first noticed the truck wouldn't shift out of 4 (light stayed on for 4). Ended up driving back in 4 and only managed to get it back to 2 by shifting into reverse and then back to drive but figured that could have been a vacuum actuator issue and carried on with the afternoon.


After doing this I found that my truck wasn't shifting through gears. 4500rpm and not shifting out of 1st. Tried varying my rpms, slow increases , fast accelerations, near redline and then slowly slack off, the same slacking off and occasionally revving it again but nothing would shift in D. If I held 3500rpm in D and bump the truck down to 2 I was able to trigger a shift sometimes but not every time.


Had to leave the troubleshooting alone for a week but when I came back I jumped in the truck and took it up the driveway and in drive it shifted from 1-2 a single time and then no more. So I figured I'd drop the pan and check things out. Bands looked good, everything looked good inside. No crazy shrapnel in the oil pan, some metal on the magnet but nothing that screams issue. The filter however was plugged so I figured that was my issue and re installed and filled with oil. This had no change to anything to do with the shifting.


Today I dug into trying to check the TC cable. And although it was a little loose once it was properly tensioned (compared to another 2nd gen that I knew was fine) and that didn't seem to change anything. Still not shifting.


Wondering if anyone else has any ideas on what to try. Oil is good, filter is good, TC cable is good, transmission isn't slipping so I doubt it's clutches, just it seems to not want to shift. I understand these transmissions have had issues with the shift solenoids but figured I'd see if anyone else an input before going and spending money on that. Or if there's any other parts I should be checking out before I re open the transmission or when I do is there anything I should be replacing in conjunction with the solenoid. I don't have access to a DRB III scanner so not sure if there's anyway to test the shift solenoid externally.


Any help is appreciated. Thanks in advance.

 

Unplug the 8 pin electrical connector on the drivers side, of the trans, about half way back. It plugs straight down into the top of the valve body, on the outside. Go for a drive, you will have to shift manually, there will be zero automatic function. (and no TCC or O/D either....) So start in first, up/down shift as appropriate. If the truck goes into the gear you tell it to, when you tell it to, replace the governor pressure sensor and solenoid. That should solve it. If it still won't shift though, then there is something else amiss, and likely needs rebuilt.

 

mine did the same thing but it was trany seals , once the seal goes it can not get enough pressure to shift

 

Unplugged the sensor this afternoon and I definitely have 1 and 3. Second is a little iffy but maybe I'm just paranoid and overthinking.

But instantly shifts when I bump from 2-3 and 3-2 just I can't say for certain if there's a difference between 1-2 and 2-1.

 

Should see am RPM increase when downshifting and rpm drop upshifting

 

So these would be the parts I'm looking for?

Transmission Control Sensor
https://www.napacanada.com/en/p/IUNT...ndex=Universal

Governor Pressure Sensor
https://www.napacanada.com/en/p/ATF1...ordInput=16832


I'm only asking because I spoke to 3 different stores and they all listed different parts and numbers and the costs varied from $80 for both to $200 each depending on who I spoke to

 

For the governor solenoid, see if you can find the borg warner heavy duty unit.

 

mine 98 started doing the same thing about a month ago. When I go to start driving it after sitting for awhile it is either stuck in 1st 100% of the time or starts in 2nd only then shifts normally into the higher gears. governer offset code too high 1762 or 3 i think. Initial incident report, I was towing a 19' bayliner 3.0 to storage and changing in and out of overdrive with the button, when putting it back in to OD going down hill coasting it decided to go into 1st and stay there. I did rebuild the trans last year and put all new HD solenoids and sensors, TC, in and the sonnax kit as well with 1 shim on the spring. It ran fine hauling and towing stuff and two trips up north. Until this happened. The engine is hella tired though and has got to run out of OD when towing even small stuff like a 17' with a tiny 15hp on it, acting like a plenum issue.

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