I would like to get some opinions on this.

I brought my 2005 Dodge Dakota 4x2 QC 4.7L 3.92 LSD in to the dealer the other day because I was experiencing delayed transmission engagement (intermittently for about a month or so). Example: I could place the transmission into drive and wait 10-15 seconds for it to actually engage. I could actually rev the engine while in drive and then all of a sudden wham it goes into gear (cant be good on any part of the driveline). The problem seemed to happen mostly in cold weather and after the truck was sitting for a few hours. I started getting in the habit of placing it in gear but holding the brake for 15 seconds until attempting to move. I brought it in assuming it would be under the TSB (21-016-05) for the defective cooler return filter, although my transmission was built on April 9th 2005, 2 days before that TSB is effective.

Anyway, after my engine / malfunction light came on I decided it was time to take it in, this is the first time I have been to the dealer with any problems on this truck. Here is the exact wording of their diagnosis.

"32606 P0731 / P0876 P0731 1ST RATIO ERROR. P0876 UD RATIONALITY. ROAD TEST COULD NOT DUPLICATE CONCERN. CHECKED TRANS CONNECTOR NO CORROSION FOUND. INSTALLED TRANS SIMMULATOR AND TESTED COMPUTER AND WIRING OK. FOUND NO TSBS FOR THIS TRUCK. CUST SUPPLYED TSB NOT FOR THIS TRUCK. REMOVED TRANS PAN AND FOUND SUMP FILTER NOT FULLY SEATED IN PUMP SEAL. REPLACED BOTH FILTERS AND CLEARED CODES CUST TO MONITOR. 1ST PUNCH DIAG. HAD TO REMOVE CROSS MENBER TO GET ACCESS TO PAN.”

When they say “Sump Filter not fully seated” I am thinking the transmission is having issues sucking up the oil, which is causing the delayed engagement and possibly not supplying sufficient fuild to the tranny (although I only had issues on startup). I am concerned this has possibly caused some transmission damage?

I have to say that the problem is resolved and the truck shifts just fine. I don’t understand how the sump filter just becomes “not fully seated” If it came like this from the factory I should have been experiencing the problem for the last three years. Let me know what you guys think.

-Lawrence

 

I'm not a long time Dodge guy (just got mine used in Dec. '07) but I did just change the transmission oil & filters at 33k miles so I'll weigh in. The suction tube of the main filter is a friction fit into the pump suction and was quite tight to remove and replace. The other end of the filter has a single screw to hold it up. I kinda wondered why there wasn't a retaining screw on the end nearest the suction tube but it looked like it couldn't fall far enought to come out with the pan on. I don't really know if your "loose filter" would have caused any damage but they're not going to fix anything unless it breaks anyway. I've attached two pictures to show the filter in place and the pump suction and cooler return with the filters removed. I put a support under the driveshaft and removed the crossmember/trans mountto do the service.



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[IMG]local://upfiles/81674/F124934D0BC0454B8A77862E14720C75.jpg[/IMG]

 

Hmm,
sounds like the spin on to me, that's what mine did. Ask if they checked the PN on the spin on when they had the pan off.
OOPS, just reread the post and they replace BOTH filters, I am betten on the spin on!

LB

 

ya, I replaced mine when I did my shift kit last year

 

Here's the same pictures with some labeling. I don't think the return filter would cause it because it's filtered on the way back to the sump (someone please fill me in on the "infamous" return filter issue) . A loose pump filter might cause a suction leak above the oil level which would prevent the pump from building pressure. I remember now why they don't need a screw at the pump end of the main filter; the neck is at an angle forward (maybe 15-20 degrees)toward the front of the truck. You have to push it up and forward to slip it in. To remove it you have to pull it down and back. When the screw is installed, the neck can't move back so it shouldn't be able to move down either.



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[IMG]local://upfiles/81674/AF4B5EC83D064D89AE45F4B70E4BC3EB.jpg[/IMG]

 

Here's a picture of the main filter to illustrate the neck angle.



[IMG]local://upfiles/81674/B29B5CFC13774D97ABB7C303C275AA41.jpg[/IMG]

 

You are absolutely right they are not going to replace anything until it breaks, and I am not looking for them to. I just hate for this to happen, my truck only has 32,000km on it.

Their diagnosis specifically said sump filter. Now the symptom I had was delayed transmission engagement (and seemed to be worse the colder it got outside)

I am assuming the pump was sucking air until it was able to acquire some fluid. Maybe the pump sucked the filter back up to the rubber grommet so that the amount of air suckage was minimal?

As for the “infamous” return filter issue, there were a batch of defective return filters installed in these transmissions. I do not know what fails in these filters but I would have to assume it is something to do with an anti drain back valve. I had all the symptoms in the TSB for the defective return filter. Here is a link (http://dodgeram.info/tsb/2005/21-016-05.htm)

-Lawrence

 

Ikennet*** The tranny in this truck has fluid temp and pressure sensors that are a critical falt if one activates a MIL this is why your check engine light came on finally. The principal behind the late shifting is that with a loose filter the main body of the trans will leak fluid past the filter causing the fluid that is normally retained in the main body of the trans to be low. What this means is that you had to wait for your stated 15 seconds or so for the pump to refill the main body of the trans and then bring the fluid pressur up to normal so the computer wold allow the tranny to go into gear. Having this problem theoritacly should not cause any damage to your tranny because the computer didnt allow the tranny to go into gear untill the fluid pressuer was up to the normal range. Your check engine light came on finally because the filter was leaking fluid back to the pan fast enough that the tranny fluid pressuer went below the trip point for the sensors in first gear (first gear means lower internal rpm less fluid flow). Just my theory based on what I have read in the servace manual and life time of working on cars.


Turbot_bird**** how do you like your shift kit? What did you put in and has it made a real difference?

 

I like it. I put in the reg. Transgo kit. I just need to install a tranny cooler because you can tell when the tranny gets hot racing because the shifts start to feel stock again.

 

Thanks tfowler306. I feel better knowing the tranny is smart enough to know its going to destroy itself and that the chances that any damage occurred is minimal.