My fathers '96 Ram 3500 conversion van has 75,000 miles on it and I checked the fluids on it and mentioned the trans fluid was dirty/ tarnished brownish color instead of pink. I know Dodge has a horrible history of transmission problems and I want him to get the filter replaced and flushed before his next trip (drives MN to MO frequently). He brought it to the local Chevy dealer and they ran him around and really coundn't answer his questions about trans fluid, capacity, cooler, filter, price, etc. Sounds like the guy was an idiot. Anyways how can I make sure he gets a good service? Local dodge dealer here was shut down, should I reccomend he take it to a trans shop? I mean chances are he'll be rebuilding a trans before he sells it anyways? They would give him better service and could even recomend a better valve body shift kit? Just looking for opinions I dont want him taking it to that chevy dealer again.

 

No, he wasn't an idiot, he was a Chevy man, not a Dodge one.

I would go to the tranny shop since their knowledge blankets many makes and models, not just Chevys. Besides a fluid/filter change, there are two 'bands' that are supposed to be adjusted at the same time. Failure to do so significantly shortens the life of the tranny.

 

Don't be so sure. If properly maintained, his tranny will go at least to 225K, that's another 150K. His van is 15 years old with only 75K on it which means he does 5K a year. At 5K a years that means it's going to be 30 years before he'll need a rebuild.

By properly maintained, I mean the routine fluid/filter change and the bands adjusted.

 

bands eh? Can these bands be adjusted from outside the case, in the vehicle? I'll talk to him about the trans shop it's 30 miles away though but I'd like the reassurance of it being done right.

How about a shift kit will any certain one help lengthen the life of the trans?

 

One known item to keep in mind. ONLY use ATF+4. Never settle on anything else for that tranny.

Others here will vouch and echo the same response.

 

Yes that was one of the things the service advisor at the chevy dealer had no idea what fluid they would use when my dad asked about ATF4. Dad then explained to the retard that all makes take their own special blend fluid.

 

The intermediate band adjustment is external but the low/reverse band can only be done with the pan removed.

 

For normal driving no, but if he does a lot of towing then yes.