Hey gang! Back with a brand new issue!

2000 DRV 1500 5.2L V8 with 215k miles. Trans is 46RE automatic.

TLDR: I've probably got the torque converter shudder, but don't want to believe it. Trans rebuilt 30k miles ago. What to do / try???

VLPL (Very Long Please Read):
So, I recently drove ~10k miles to San Diego for a taco and alignment. Van did great, but it's slowly developed a pretty pronounced shudder. Feels like I'm driving over rumble strips. Originally, it only happened going uphill at low RPM in overdrive. More recently it's started to happen under lesser loads and with overdrive disabled. I've even felt it down in 3rd gear a couple of times. Maybe even in 2nd but not sure? As soon as I come off the throttle, the shuddering stops. When I hop back on the throttle, it'll usually drive smooth but not always. Problem is definitely getting worse. Sometimes I'm popping off the throttle multiple times to get up a long hill.

I know there are tons on threads on here about TC shudder. Apologies. I've read them all, but still struggling with next steps.

According to paperwork from previous owner, the transmission got an overhaul in 2022 at 184k miles. Parts list includes a Master Overhaul Kit (22004GF), torque converter (CV-CR94L), OD/TCC solenoid (12420C), gov pressure solenoid (D12432A) and sensor. Plus all the assorted bands, bushings and seals. I don't know transmissions at all, so no idea the quality of parts, or of the labor for that matter. But 30k miles doesn't seem like that many on what I take to be a pretty thorough rebuild. Please correct me as needed.

Some things I've already tried include...

• New U-joints on drive shaft - no change
• New Plugs, Wires, Distributor and Rotor - no change. I use Autolite coppers.
• New Trans Fluid - no change. Although I did this at Valvoline like a dork, so maybe they didn't use real ATF Plus 4?? Work order says "ATFPLUS4 Non-Val Transmission Fluid", but I feel like I've heard people here say that most shops use some additive crap that isn't really Plus 4? I dunno. Also did NOT change the filter, so maybe even more useless?
• New Ignition Coil - maybe I'm crazy, but I did this separately from the plugs, wires, etc, and it felt like this DID resolve the issue for a week or two. I tried to recreate the shudder but couldn't seem to make it happen for a while.

I've also run a bunch of injector cleaner through it repeatedly throughout the trip. This was intended to help with a series of recurring P0306 and P0305/P0300 misfire codes, which were much more common back on the east coast, and seemed to get less and less frequent further west. Rarely get a misfire code anymore.

Soooo, what do you guys think? I won't be back with the van until end of July, but I'm trying to come up with a coherent plan for how to diagnose / solve this in the meantime. What can I eliminate that might be causing these symptoms, besides the TCC? It'll be a nightmare to get the transmission off, as my exhausts are rusted to hell. When the previous trans overhaul was done, it looks like they opted to just cut the exhausts off and weld them back on after.

Things I'm considering are...

• Shudder Stop?
• New Trans Fluid and FILTER?
• Plenum Gasket? I don't see a lot of oil looking down through the throttle body, but I haven't pulled it off yet for a better inspection. Could a blown plenum even cause this kind of shudder?
• Motor Mounts? - wouldn't it shudder under lots of different conditions, not just under load?
• Something Electrical - per the 'ignition coil fixed it for a week' hypothesis?
• Vacuum Leak?? - I've got a bit of wild vents going on that I haven't tracked down, and which get worse under load at low RPM?
• Dirty Injectors?
• PCV Valve?
• Hopes and prayers?

If you're invested enough to have read this far, I guess I might as well attach some pics of the old spark plugs that came out. They looked fine to me, but I'm not great at reading plugs. Replaced with new Autolites regardless.

Thanks guys. Y'all be keeping me on the road.


PLUGS
vvvvvvv

 

The old plugs don't look like they have been in there that long.... I see some with rounded center electrodes, and some are whiter than what I would like...... Do you have a scanner? See if you can read misfire counters, and what the numbers look like.

 

yea they arent that bad - he does have a valve cover leak

I just turned 200k and my TC started to shudder too...100 miles later it totally locked up and wouldn't unlock...

Now I have a rebuilt trans with new TC - it is pretty awesome...I was surprised (just like shock absorbers) how bad the transmission was...not all the power was going through it...it is much peppier now

You can put in a TC yourself...it really isn't that hard...just time consuming...sounds like the TC is bad...10% of all crap from China is bad out of the box...

Florida TC is 5 blocks from me - they are great and local!!!

 

@HeyYou - Indeed you are correct. The old plugs had not been in there very long at all. Do white electrodes mean lean condition? It hasn't thrown a misfire error recently, but I'll see what my scanner app can show me. Could misfire cause the shudder symptoms described??

 

Wholeheartedly agree on the 10% crap rule. That said, there have to be things worth trying before dropping the transmission. Any thoughts? Shudder stop, trans filter, motor mounts? Could vac leak from a blown plenum cause this? I don't have the tools, skill or space to do a TC myself.

And what's this about a valve cover leak? How can you tell??

 

Yeah, white like that is lean. And misfires can most certainly cause that shuddering you feel. See if your scanner will read misfire counters......

 

Thank you! Will do

 

I put my glasses on - on the skirt of the plug - is that rust?
it looked like oil...so if you have oil there, it came from somewhere

 

Hey guys. I'm finally back out west with the van, and starting to work on this shuddering issue.

Has anyone here used the Torque Pro app to view misfire counters on a Gen2 Dodge? I don't see these as an option anywhere. It will pull up CEL codes, but whatever issue I've got isn't throwing any.

Also, when I ask Torque Pro for test results, everything comes up green except for TID: $13 CID:$01, which says Not Okay. Is this an O2 sensor issue? Above or below the cat?

Thanks again!