OK, the one transmission complaint I have with my truck, and it's not much of a complaint, more of a questioning, is about the 3rd/Overdrive shift. After shifting into 3rd, but before locking in O/D, there seems to be another gear. At first I thought it was in the torque converter, but the truck still shifts into this odd-ball gear when the O/D selector is off... So is it just that it's not triggering the O/D sensor, or is it in 3rd gear? I don't know. I'm not complaining about it really, just curious. Anyone else have this problem? When I tap the brakes pulling a load, it will shift down to this pseudo gear, but not all the way to 3rd, which is better than overdrive, but doesn't make the engine wrap out as much, so it's actually a nice thing some times... Anyway, just curious, any one have any ideas?

 

I take it you have a GEN 2 ram, if thats the case your feeling the 4 forward gears and also the torque convertor locking up so it feels something like a 5 speed.

 

yes, i have a 2nd gen with the 5.2L

anyway, if I understand it correctly, I have a 3-spd plus overdrive, which gives me 4 forward gears. now, if i have 4 true forward gears and and overdrive on top of that, don't I have a 5-spd?

does anyone else have this problem, or, well, symptom? or am i the only one?

 

No...if you have 3spd and overdrive, you have 4 forward "gears". You can't add overdrive to it again to get 5

What you're feeling is the converter locking up. Go over to the auto area on www.howstuffworks.com if you're still confused

 

Okay, I understand that it is the torque converter, but is it "normal" for it to lock in stages? shouldn't it just engage? Why the hesitation? And if it's not locked fully, won't that hurt the transmission? I'm curious becuase my dad's 85 van with the same drivetrain (except for the more modern electronics on mine) doesn't do that. just wondering if it needs adjusting or something. I didn't have the truck when it was brand new, so i don't know if it has done that it's entire life or not. this tranny has never been unbolted from the engine, and after 300,000 miles, something could be out of adjustment, could it not?