Transmission drain/fill and filter change this past weekend. Used Wix filter kit. Valvoline ATF+4. 2005 Quad Cab 5.7 Hemi 545 RFE trans. Here is what I have now:

Level on dipstick reads LOWER when hot/running and checking in neutral than when checking cold while sitting overnight.

Vehicle now dies when in drive and coming to a complete stop (only before vehicle is driven for short time--after driving for awhile works completely fine). In short, acts like torque converter is not functioning properly right after startup.

I read on another thread that Wix had a bad batch of filters that allowed the torque converter to drain back after sitting for a few hours. The Wix filter kit had filters still in plastic but the box looked somewhat older. Local O'Reilly store had to have the filters shipped from the Nashville TN store. I am wondering if I got one of the bad ones.

I feel very good about the way the filters went on--and yes I did take much care when seating the oil seal for the flat filter. I used a socket and carefully seated it in place and flush with the seal opening. I took great pains to carefully clean the gasket surfaces and the pan was spotless inside and out when put back on. Absolutely no exterior leaks.

If the fluid is reading higher when cold would this not indicate drain-back?

I would really appreciate some input. Thanks in advance.

 

How much fluid did you add? Just what drained from the pan or did you pump it all out through the cooler lines?

 

Just what drained from the pan. Manual says 7 quarts for a drain/refill. This held true when checking the dipstick in the manner according to the manual. I thought I might have overfilled when I checked cold but it reads on the hot marks when at operating temp. I drained a little bit and split the difference on the marks and will see what happens tomorrow. I can't help but think the aftermarket filters are the problem but won't be sure until I go thru all the heck again of replacing them. Not to mention the $$. I read another thread where someone else with an 05 QC had the same exact problem (stalling at stops) after installing aftermarket trans filters. Said the aftermarkets were causing the TC to bog down the engine when coming to a stop. Changed to OEM filters and cured the problem. Really frustrating if I have to go back in.

 

That all sounds correct, was the spin on filter good and tight?

I have read many recommendations to use oem filters.

Hope you don't have to go that route, maybe you could pump out the fluids into clean jugs and reuse it if you do change the filters. Since that's 1/2 the cost.

 

Thanks for the input. Spin on was definitely good and tight. Have you heard anything on the Wix filters having drainback problems? I am not a transmission technician, but it sounds reasonable to me that if the filter was allowing fluid to drain from the TC that something out of the norm would take place.

 

Don't know if this helps but........4X4 filters are different than 2WD.
You don't say which you have?

4X4 filter pickups are longer than the 2WD variety, as the pan on a 4X4 is deeper.
So stick with me on this.

I remember reading that if the large flat filter isn't seated into the new seal on the valvebody, stalling out and other unpredictable tranny problems occurr like your having now.
Now I know you said that the filter is seated well and your confident of that but, if ........as in when this seal isn't sealing properly the fluid either drains back or is lost under certain applications whilst driving......if you've fitted an incorrect filter for you application, ie a 2WD filter in a 4X4, the shorter filter pickup won't be long enough in a deep 4x4 pan to suck up the transmission fluid. Especially when stopping/braking due to the fluid moving away from this short pickup under braking.
It's just a thought bud???
Al.

 

I've always used the after market ones sold at autozone with no problems.

 

Here's the deal with the filter porblem.

Originally Chrysler made filters that allowed too much drainback into the TC causing delayed engagement and even shifts.
The OLD OEM filters have an AB suffix at the end of the part numbers. The NEWER one's don't!!!
I would only reccomend buying OEM as the aftermarket knock-off market still has many batches of incorrect flawed design copies from Chrylser and there is no way of telling what's new or old with aftermarket.

 

I have used a Wix transmsion filter kit on 3 different occasions for my 4x4. No problems at all. The original stock Mopar filters gave me delayed shift problems when cold. Do you happen to remember the production date? Should be stamped on spin on filter. Also the 1st Wix kit I used was made in USA. Now they are made in Taiwan. Wasn't happy about that!

 

Thanks for all the input. Many good points that will hopefully help someone else down the road with a similar problem.

I do have a 4x4 and the filters were stamped 4/2010.

Problem solved. The issue was the sump filter.

I took the truck to the local dealer today because I did not have the time to spend the better part of another day doing the same thing. The dealer charged me 60.00 labor plus parts to go in and do a OEM (Mopar) drain/refill filter swap. I was going to buy the OEM parts from them anyway. I think they treated me right on this one. I told them the problem I was having and my hunch that one of the filters was allowing fluid to drain back into the pan. Even they doubted it was the filter at first because of the WIX brand I used.

The tech came to see me when I picked up the truck and confirmed what I had suspected. He showed me the sump filter seal which was not crimped fully on one end. He held his finger over the spout and turned the filter on its side--fluid came right out of the "seal." The filter would have had to have been inspected VERY closely to have seen this before installing which I did not do--due to the WIX brand/company reputation. Big boo boo on my part. The tech told me the reason he knew to look for it was they had a similar issue with some of the Mopar filters some time in the past and they had a TSB on the issue. I have a faint memory of hearing about seal problems with those flat filters sometime in the past but I never thought to check closely or test it before installing. I think next time I replace this kind of filter I will pour some clean fluid into the top of the filter to see if the seal is grossly misaligned or not seated properly. It would have saved me a couple of hundred dollars (including the first 7/8 quarts fluid wasted on the first go around). Good news is O'Reilly refunded my money for the filters. They were really good about this and I have nothing but good things to say about our local parts stores.

Now what exactly was taking place is a different story as to why the only symptom or malfunction was the engine stalling at a full stop. But what is certain is that fluid was draining off of the torque converter back into the pan through the bad filter seal, and the TC was malfunctioning because of it. It was probably sucking air and unfiltered fluid through the bad seal as well. Now I just hope this little episode has not reduced the life of the trans.

Thanks again!