I got a lot of hours behind me on Google by now to try to resolve this timeless question and not surprisingly, I can't find a definitive answer.
Can I swap my bad the 545RFE tranny in my 05 1500 4x4 5.7 with a 545RFE tranny from a '03 Durango 4x4 with a 4.7?
Using a couple of notable resources, I am getting a conflicting answer.
1) Rockauto says "yes", using the same tranny part number that is used in several vehicles including the two that are in this equation.
2) A Dodge tech from a website says "no", only from a 04 or 05 with the same engine, which corroborates with what the upullandpay website says for interchangeable vehicles.
Does anyone know the correct answer?

And to complicate the question, I have found plenty of information that suggests I can even use 45RFE (which I have found from a 02 Dakota 4x2) and that the only physical difference is the 545RFE utilizes an unused "4th" gear used for kickdown only in the 45RFE, and the final overdrive gear ratio is a little lower in the 545RFE.

It would be a dream to resolve these questions apparently considered esoteric knowledge.
Thanks in advance!

 

 

My gut says yes, as they are the same transmission. They operate exactly the same. There is literally no difference between the two transmissions. None. So yes they can be