Hi
New guy here . my 2001 Ram van v/6 with a 3 speed 32rh tranny was rebuilt but they could not fix an ambient temperature related issue.
Any help before I start tearing into the tranny would be greatly appreciated.
In cold weather it shifts normal untill it warms up. After aout 15 minutes of driving the 1-2 shift won't happen before 23 mph. 2-3 shift will be normal but if I ease off the gas pedal it will downshift to second. If I step on the gas and go faster it will up shift again and the whole thing keeps on repeating itself.
On very hot days it will not upshift to second after 2-3 minutes of driving same as described before and the downshifting issue will stay the same.
I installed a tranny oil cooler, put in a new radiator, fluid level is ok, I am using atf+4 fluid.
The guy that "rebuilt it" gave me a bunch of BS to get out of trying to fix it. Not worth talking about it.
A couple of buddies in the trans busines have suggested that I replace either the governor or the valve body or both.
They say they have never come across this issue claiming that this is an uncommon tranny.
Regardless, I will be taking a governor pressure reading as indicated by chrysler diagnostics before I start changing parts.
Thanks

 

An 01 van with a 3 speed hydraulic trans???? That doesn't seem quite right. Should be a 46RE, or, at worst, a 44RE.....

 

Yeah
I get a lot of that but it's a conversion van and it is a 32RH which is a later version of the A904 . Only major difference is that it uses a lock up converter. The oil pan gasket and filter is the same and it uses a throttle cable just like a 904. It shows up on Mitchell on demand as such.

 

I would be real tempted to run your vin on the Dodge website, (equipment listing link) and verify that. So far as I know, all the hydraulic transmissions went the way of the dodo back in 96.

 

Hi Hey you
This is a partial list of what was in the EQ report when I ran my vin in Dodge.com ( 2b6hb11x21k561xxx )
I also ran an governor pressure test . I waited till it warmed up and the pressure is proportional to psi between 0 and 20 with a little fluctuation. After 20 fluctuation begins to grow and after 25 it swings wildly . about 12-15 psi to either side. At 30mph its swinging as high as 50psi and as low as about 20. Didn't want to push it further with the wheels of the ground. Tomorrow I will be rigging my go pro under the car to monitor the gauge as i drive it both cold and hot. I don't know how to post a video here. Maybe some one can point me to a thread oh how to.
Thanks
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Light Group Exterior Appearance Group Van Conversion Appearance Group Conversion Equipment Delete Group Convenience Group Power Convenience Group 3.9L Engine(EHC)/3Sp Auto Trans(DGG) 136 Amp Alternator 750 Amp Maintenance Free Battery Power Seat Riser Module Easy Entry System Seat Delete Pass Airbag On/Off Switch Side & Rear Doors Trim Delete Front Floor Mat/Carpet Front Knocked Down Door Trim Panel Slush Mats w/Jeep Logo 3-Spd. Automatic 32RH Transmission Lock-Up Torque Converter All Engines 3.9L V6 SMPI Engine

 

Wow. That's actually a 32RH...... That is truly bizarre. I am real curious what Chrysler was thinking there.....

In any event, your wildly swinging pressure is most certainly a concern...... Wonder if the governor has a worn gear, bad springs, or something along those lines.

 

Thanks HY
So in your opinnion the test with the wheels in the air is just as good as a road test ? And do you also think that the valve body could not be responsible for the oscillating pressure in the form of a bad check valve or something else? Its weird either way because the delayed shifting is temperature sensitive . Something to do with the oil being thicker when cold. And one last question. Can the tail housing be removed without dropping the pan to get to the governor? ( fooling with the parking paul rod )The reason I'm considering doing it myself is because none of the trans shops I have been to want to mess with it or they want me to get a used tranny.

(im still going to road test it w/go pro on but I'm having trouble attaching the cam)

 

I don't know a heck of a lot about the older hydraulic transmissions... (or the newer ones either, for that matter.....) Being temp sensitive, I would wonder if something isn't getting warm, and expanding enough to start bleeding off pressure. One would think it would still be stable pressure, just low...... which isn't the case here. It's *possible* that testing under no load conditions might skew the results, but, back in the day, the techs would be doing pressure tests on the rack on a fairly regular basis...Don't see why yours would be any different.

 

Thanks HY
I ran the road test with go pro mounted. I could see that the governor pressure was rising up to 20-22 fairly steadily with my foot barely pressing the gas pedal and the speedo was keeping up with it in proportion but at 15mph it should have shifted for sure with shuch light throttle pressure. Today it would not do a 1-2 shift till after 22 mph from first take off at 80 degrees ambient temp. I started it and immedeately began moving slow to see if it would shift at low mph but it wouldn't. drove it for 15 minutes and at times the pressure would stay very steady on the gauge at 40 for a minute while in 3rd and then would shake again +- 10lbs. A couple of times it shifted quickly from 1-2
so there seems to be no rhyme or reason for the issue. it also did the 3-2 downshifting even at 40 mph when I took my foot off the gas and went back to 3rd with just a little more pedal pressure. While this happened the gauge was shaking at 40lbs. The pressure never realy falls or stays evenly low. So i figure that I am goin to start with the easiest possibility and take out the governor and inspect it . my only doubt is why it wont shift at 15 if governor pressure is steady up to 20?

 

Check the TV cable, make sure it is adjusted properly, and isn't binding anywhere.