2001 Dodge Ram 5.9 360 Quad Cab Off-Road Package 36,000 mile
I just signed up today but I have been reading some of what everyone has been posting. Well my problem happened about a week and a half ago. I started to pull out of the median and when I gave my truck some gas it was like it was in neutral. I dropped down to first, then put in second and when the road flattened outI put it in drive and it did fine. Plenty of fluid. Sometimes when it shifts the rpm's rise it sounds like it shifts but doesn't then the rpm's rise again and it shifts. I had the fluid changed and flushed out; no metal, but not the filter. Pennzoil wouldn't change it. Any suggestions? New or rebuilt tranny? If so where should I go? E-Bay Tranny?

 

Only one thing this can be:

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The oil/filter guys wouldn't change out a filter? Odd ...

I would hesitate to get a tranny off of eBay ... what's your $$ situation?

 

Any idea on Price? Not good, in college.

 

Try changing the filter yourself. Also ... oddly enough ... make sure your battery cable connections are tight.

Might be nothing ... might be big. Try the cheap (and free) stuff first.

 

Either you are just low on tranny fluid. When you replace tranny fluid and measure it, it will show full but once you drive it for a few minutes and measure it, it will be low 3 quarts of tranny fluid.

Is this Pennzoil shop like a 15 minute oil change shop? If so, they probably did not carry tranny filter for your vehicle. I would sure bet that they have used Dextron III tranny fluid which is not recommended for the Dodge RAM 1500 on this type.
Dodge uses AFT+3 but you could use ATF+4. I would also replace the tranny filter yourself. I would not recommend flushing the tranny fluid. Just drop the tranny pan and replace the filter and tranny fluid. When I did on 1999 Dodge Ram 1500 5.9L, it took 3 quarts to fill it up and drove it for a few minutes and back and it required 3 more quarts of tranny fluid to get it at proper level.

 

I'm not able to tell from the original post if the shifting problem appeared before or after the fluid change. I was under the impression that the change was an attempt to fix a slipping tranny. Low fluid should act the same whether the shifter's in R, D or 1.

 

The truck did this before changing fluid and flushing it. Before fluid was changed, had plenty, I let it warm upand drove itthen checked it. Looking at receipt from Pennzoil 14-Dexron III ATF, 1-ATC plus additive and 1-Mercon V.

 

That fluid will screw up your trans...
That same thing happend to my old car, the person who owned it before me got the trans flushed, and I found a recipt and it was changed with mercon... 5000 miles later the trans is fryed.
I took it apart and the clutch plates, and bands were TOASTED, you dont want that crap in there.

I would go back on them, any good mopar mechanic will tell you you cannot use that fluid in dodge trannys.

I dont know how you would go about getting that out of there, no matter how much you flush some will still remain in there.
If there really is something wrong with your trans, other than the fluid I would just but a brand new one, and put it in your self so YOU know you have the right fluid.

 

No ... No ... No ... those retards. ATF+4 is the only tranny fluid approved for Dodge transmissions now (not even ATF+3 anymore).

http://dodgeram.info/tsb/2004/21-004-04.htm

You need to make them get that stuff out of there and replace it all with ATF+4.

 

Going to Direct Tire tomorrow. The manager is going to change fluid, filter and adjust the bands. I was going to let Pennzoil change front and rear end, not now, cheaper isn't always better. The manager at Direct told me the best after market tranny is fromJasper, it is supposed to fix all the problems with the stock tranny. I asked him where I could get one and he sells them. Not sure if they are that good or if he is trying to get money out of me. Checked price online $2400, glad I was sitting down. Anybody know where I could get a good one, I hate to buy an OEM and the same thing happen.