I just bought a 1995 dodge ram with the 5.9 in it. The truck shifts fine through all of the gears, but has trouble going in to overdrive when acclerating normally. When you gun it it shifts perfect through everygear into overdrive and if you accelerate from 50 mph to 60 mph it alos shifts perfrect. What could be the issue? What could possibly resolve this issue without replacing the whole tranny or rebuilding it, thanks

 

if you're talking about it bogging down under normal driving when it hits OD range, that's "normal". Get a good tuneup and some performance mods.

 

On a 1995 46RH automatic trans
it is not supposed to go into overdrive
during anything but the mildest acceleration.
When you back off the throttle slightly in 3rd
gear it should shift to overdrive.

It also won't go into overdrive until the engine coolant gets over 147 degrees, which can be awhile in very cold weather.

If the truck is new to you
it is always a good idea to drop the pan, change the filter, inspect what is in the bottom of the pan and sticking to the magnet in the rear corner of the pan, and refill with fresh 7176 ATF (+3)

 

I also noticed though now in second gear too it has a harder time shifting from second to third. the rpms just stay up there until you let off or gun the throttle all the way. Would the solenoid cause this problem or could it just be bad fluid?

 

A delayed shift from 2nd to 3rd is more likely this problem:

http://www.specialtytrans.com/specia...r_problems.htm

 

Well it actually shifts alot better as the tranny gets warmer and on that page it says that it shifts worse and worse as the truck gets warmer. This is the opposite the warmer it gets the better it shifts. It sounds like the same symptoms where the truck hangs in the higher rpm's and doesnt want to shift until you let off. There any other suggestions?

 

Could just be a filter clogging up. If it gets better as it warms up, I suspect that's the case ... hotter fluid is thinner and passes through the filter easier. Drop the pan, change the filter andreplace the fluid you remove with ATF+4.

 

While I believe Chrysler that the ATF+4 is a better fluid,
let me pass on a warning I found on my 1995.

About 1,000 miles after I switch from ATF+3 to ATF+4 (9602)
the friction material on my torque converter clutch came loose
and I lost all converter lockup,
and got a CEL.

This might have been just 'old age' on my torque converter clutch
or it might be that the ATF+4 might have somehow 'dissolved' it or made it weaker.

My advice:
stick with the ATF+3
and maybe add a bottle of Lubegard 'red bottle' from a Napa Store to help with the old seals.

 

Why would DC issue a TSB requiring ATF+4 for ALL years of transmissions ... even those that used ATF+3? Seemed kinda odd but I figured they knew what they were doing.

 

I actually just changed my filter and added ATF+4fluid on my 01 5.9L and my truck shifts so much better. I've only owned the truck for 4 months and who knows if the filter and fluidhad ever been changed, but the filter looked pretty clean. So I would have to say at least change the filter and use ATF+4.

Can the bands be adjusted on these transmissions or are they electronically controlled? One person at my local dealership said I should get the bands adjusted, so I set up an appointment but was then told by another guy there that it's all electronically controlled.