I recently installed a 1996 46re 4x4 transmission from a 1500 ram sport into a 2001 dodge 1500 ram sport 4x4 both had 5.9l but now i have no overdrive the 01 had overdrive button on the shifter the 96 didnt can anyone help me out on what to do everything else shifts perfect

 

You need to change the electronics in the transmission. Things changed in 00. You will also need the correct retainer for the governor stuff, which you can swipe from the original trans. (or, barring that, you can likely order one from the parts store.) You can get all the stuff you need for around 200 bucks or so from various sellers on Ebay.

 

I replaced all the solenoids and sensors in the 01 they are brand new are you saying take them out of the 01 and put them in the 96 sorry to sound retarded but ive had hell with this swap out I did it by myself and Im 61 so I just want to make sure before i go in again

 

Nope, you want the sensors and such that match the year of the truck. On the 97 and older trucks, the O/D off button was on the dash. Doesn't really matter though, regardless of location, the do the same thing, send a voltage signal to the PCM to turn off O/D. It will remain off until you either press the button again, or, cycle the ignition. (it defaults to 'on' when you start the truck.)

The retainer for the governor stuff was different on the 98 and up transmissions, the wrong retainer won't have the governor solenoid seated properly, and you get shifting issues. However, since yours works fine, just no O/D, gotta be something else going on. According to theory, O/D won't engage until trans temp reaches something like 108 degrees. I don't really believe that theory though, as both my trucks, (96, and 98) will shift into O/D shortly after I get above about 40 miles an hour. Regardless of trans temp. (I seriously doubt the fluid is up to temp when I drive less than a mile, and it shifts into overdrive, even in sub-zero temps.....) PCM will also disable O/D if trans temp is too high, but, that temp is still below the temp that the PCM will turn on the trans temp light.

Are you getting any trans codes? (they won't necessarily turn on the CEL) Is the "O/D Off" light in the dash on? Does it work? Does pressing the button make any difference at all? (turn the light on/off? feel a shift when you turn it off?)

 

no difference when you turn button on or off on the shifter but the current transmission is a 96 and the voss sensor is in the tail shaft where as on the 01 its on the rear end the 96 voss isnt hooked up it is a 3 wire the 01 voss is hooked up does the current 96 transmission have to have power for the overdrive to engage

 

engage the light does go off and on just makes no difference i was told the voss has to have power 8 volts keyed hot does that engage the overdrive in a 96 im just lost all other gears work fine just no overdrive no codes i did replace the wiring harness to transmission all good connections now that solved all of the codes and transmission started working great except overdrive

 

So, as far as the PCM is concerned, everything is hunky-dory, and it simply doesn't want to shift into O/D..... Need to find out why. Unfortunately, I think you need a fairly high-zoot scanner to read the appropriate data, to see why the PCM doesn't want to shift. It may be trans temp related, or, it may be some other variety of failure. Trick is going to be, seeing what the PCM thinks is going on, and if it is even attempting to command O/D..... (which doesn't appear to be the case.)

Your truck is 00 or newer though right? with the correct year electronics inside? If that's the case, the VSS in the tailshaft simply doesn't matter. It has nothing to do with the trans really, all it did on the older trucks was send a signal to the PCM, and Instrument Cluster, about vehicle speed. Your PCM gets that from the rear wheel speed sensor. If the speedometer works, then the PCM knows how fast you are going. It *should* try and engage O/D above about 43mph, and low to mid engine load..... I have absolutely no clue why it isn't.