The 3-2 and 2-1 downshifts seem rough. While coasting (read: no brakes)there is a clunk noise during downshift and what feels like a more noticeable decrease in speed than there should be during the downshift. This does not happen all the time either, which I know makes things more difficult to diagnose.

Less than two weeks ago I dropped the pan, changed both filters and filled back up with ATF4. It took nearly 7 quarts to get the fluid back up to proper levels, which I feared was too much after reading in the manual it only needs 5; but I have checked the fluid so many times I'm certain that when running at temperature the fluid level shows just more than half way between the 2 hot bubbles. Also, everything looked good under the pan, magnet had some goop on it but nothing that felt solid.

Anyone have trouble after a fluid change? Any thoughts or suggestions on where I should start? There are no trouble codes.. I do have a superchips tuner and could do some data logging if that would help.

 

I had this same problem after I had mine changed. Turned out I was 2 qts short on fluid. My level is about 1/4" above the second hot hole on my dipstick when its warmed up.

Make sure youre checking the fluid level while the truck is in neutral (engine running), on level ground, with the parking brake set.

You're next step could be resetting the PCM. I've also found that tuning the truck back to stock, driving for a few hundred miles on the stock shifting, and then retuning with the SC can help with weird shifts.

 

How much total did you use after the additional 2?

 

I had a shop do it so I couldnt say. Searches are showing somewhere between 6-7 qts when you only drop the pan, so thats about right.

I'd try doing a relearn by resetting the PCM. These transmissions have electronic learning so it might just be the new fluid causing it to have issues, and doing the relearn could help.

 

Does a battery disconnect also get PCM or is that separate?

 

Yup, disconnect the battery for an hour and that should do it. I personally disconnect the positive terminal and ground it to the frame, and reconnect right away. It's a method that has been "frowned upon" by others, but it's the way alot of Ram owners do it. You can then reconnect right away. Regardless of which method you choose, the idea is to discharge the system for it to loose all of the learned habits.

 

I had the battery disconnected for several hours while doing the fluid change. Are you saying to reset it again?

 

That shouldve done the reset then, so doing it again probably wont yield any different results. Sorry, should've asked if you reset it yet .....

 

Any other thoughts? Would I be able to extract any useful information with regards to the downshift issue with the data logging?

 

Fill it right to the top. Had a new guy start in the shop with us this week. Just came from a Dodge dealership. Got chatting with him about my Dakota and he commented that the tranny dipsticks don't read correctly on some of them and in some cases he had to overfill them slightly or they shifted like crap.