Recently (3Kmi ago) My tranny (5-45RFE behind a HEMI in 2005 quad 4wd)went out big time No first, no forth ect. I had the tranny rebuilt and with in 2 weeks after it was done it started to slip, But ONLY the first time I'd put it in drive or reverse for the day. Than it got a little worse were it would do it after sitting 8 hrs while I was at work. It seemed like the pump lost it's prime or something. After putting it in drive and waiting 3-5 seconds it would thump into gear. Took it back to tranny shop they noticed it chatter once but not really slip as I was discribing. They advised I let it warm up more before putting it in gear. Today I started it, put my seat belt on, turned on the radio, put in drive and nothing, put it back in park reved engine twice, put it back in drive and still nothing, so I let it idle in drive for maybe 5 seconds and than it thumped into gear and was ready to go.... WTfrick. Any thoughts out there as to where to start truobleshooting this problem????

 

Sounds like your tq converter is draining they probably put the trans filters back on wrong the spin on you need to place the seal on first then screw the filter on

 

The spin on cartridge is just that. Just like an engine oil filter.
The flat pan filter is the one where you have to remove the old metal/rubber combo seal, from the valve body.
Replace it with the new one and tap it gently into the valve body. I used an upturned socket.
Then, push the flat pan filter into position and bolt it down.
It's most important that this seal is replaced and the filter pushed into it not put the seal on the filter then push the two into the valve body. This will cause problems.
Also, 4x4 flat pan filters are slightly bigger than their 2wd cousins. Also, the trans fluid pickup on the filter, is longer as the 4wd pan is deeper. Check they fitted the correct one.
Also, check the simple stuff first. Make sure your trans fluid levels are correct.
So to the OP....you have a few things to check right there.
Hope this helps?
Al.

 

Abarmby covered it perfectly.

There are two two styles or pickup filters for that tranny plus that speical seal. I have heard of people having issues when they used aftermarket filters. They would not seal properly. The Mopar filters have the Chrysler logo on them.

Also, check the fluid level properly. Level ground, truck at operating temperature and in neutral. These trannies are very sensitive to low fluid. My truck was behaving odd after i did a fluid change and i noticed i was down less then a half a quart. I added what it needed and the truck was fine.

 

Thank you for the inputs. I will ask them to check the filter seal. The Tranny shop had talked about the torque converter draining back into the pan due to faulty check valve or something to that order. If there is anything else anyone can think of I'd really appreciate hearing it. I plan on printing this out for the guys to reference. I know they have a lot of years of experience in the shop but you never know sometimes we forget the "kiss" theory. (keep it simple stupid.) The tranny has a lot of new stuff in it and it should work like new. I hope they find it, I want to sell the truck but I can't if the tranny slips. I want it to be right for the next guy and not come back to haunt me.

 

Yea there is a check valve in the cooler return line that can go bad and cause drain back also but its usually the filter that's the culprit

 

There was a few years back a bad batch of the spin on cartridge filters which caused ATF drain back, due to a faulty check valve.
I have read of people getting one of these filters...but that was a long while back.
Al.