I know the 99s didnt get much love with their transmissions but im on the stock 3sp and a V6. I have slipping pretty frequently, I dont drive it anywhere just move it around the yard every couple of days so it doesnt sink into the ground but It has a handful of times when I shifted into 1 ran for a couple seconds then died. Im wondering if the friction plates have finally left this planet or if its a deeper issue which im hoping its not. I picked up a rebuild kit from rock auto I have to slap in at some point in the near future but Im just curious as to what others may think. I dont think its past the friction plates and the rebuild kit would do enough until I swap the motor and trans out completely. It sometimes shifts but I havent had it on a long enough road for long enough to try lately. It runs beautifully but did have some IAC-ish issues with wanting to die but Im certain that was just the transmission bogging the motor down. I havent flushed it and most likely wont, i replaced the filter about a year and a half ago and there was bits of shiny in the pan and filter so I know those plates are long past their expiration date but it does go forward and backwards still. Reverse is kinda "sticky" and jumps suddenly sometimes but all in all I can consistently drive around in 1 just fine. The first time I put it in drive recently within the last year probably but it was a week or two ago it died almost immediately and in the same way, which was the first time it had done that at all. It doesnt feel like its an issue with the vacuum or hydraulics but if I got some shiny bits in those little pathways I know a rebuild is needed which is also why I dont get it flushed to avoid forcing it to happen. I plan on gutting it and building a new motor and mount for a 400B series because lets be honest a V6 and a 3sp shouldnt be in a 5k+lb van lmao, thats just crack smoking but its lasted 230k miles on the stock parts except the water pump which kind of exploded but other than a few odds and ends the transmission is my biggest priority at the current.

 

A 3 speed? Are you sure?

Try this: Unplug the 8 pin connector that plugs straight down into the valve body..... See if the trans engages any better. It won't have any automatic function at all though, so, keep that in mind.

 

Im sure, they had 3spds and 4spds on the V6s for some god awful reason, Dodge did some questionable things over the years lol. It 100% slips and would go from 3rd to 1st in the blink of an eye when I last drove it, Im 90% sure its just plate wear and the rebuild kit would fix that part. It didnt have any issues until the slipping as far as mistimed shifts or fast shifts. It did refuse to go into reverse for a day or two but that cleared up my guess is a plate has disintegrated fully finally and is just being slapped around inside but I dont hear any audible tells that it is doing that, assuming I would be able to that is lol...but let me try the connector, im waiting on my new Haynes book currently so I was just trying to get a consensus since im more mechanically attuned to chevies and such. Oh also I should mention its one of the conversion vans so its go the incomplete vin so it was made to order lol. Its only had 2 real owners, the guy that bought it new and his grandson who got it after he passed.

 

I put a 360/46re in my old van which had the 3.9/32rh

Just FYI the 32RH is a desriable transmission. Dont let it go for free...

My 32rh died at 135k so for you to get 200+ is a pretty good run...

 

Transmissions are hydraulic over mechanical The RE's are controlled by the pcm but still it's hydraulic over mechanical. Check the pressures, If they are where they are supposed to be then it's mechanical. This is assuming the pcm/power to it is ok.

 

Dope, Im really wanting more displacement and the 400Bs apparently were modeled after the 5.9L magnums so im hoping itll fit with minimal welding of new motor mounts. Its almost cheaper to get a brand new TKX tranny than it is to rebuild the thing and Jegs stopped selling the remans i just noticed lol. Id like a lot more power pushing this thick van around and for it to sound better. Im prob taking it down the road to the pick an pull and see what theyll give me for both the motor and the trans. The 3.9 itself runs beautifully, only issue ive had was a bad alternator bc the battery went to **** and the water pump kind of exploding lmao. I got no AC or heat though which kinda sucks but oh well, those are also pretty pricey to replace and im not going used parts or ill just run into the same slipping issue years down the line and have to do this all again so im removing the problem.....Yeah mines at like 230k+ which is a miracle honestly, these mid to late 90s dodge trannys arent the best design wise

 

My hope is its just a simple drop in a rebuild kit from Rock Auto, I know the seals are very slow to drip, like after a month or two it had an inch by like 2 inch puddle but my fluid in Neutral on as level ground as i can get is just under the full. I put some stop slip in it forever ago and it helped so thats why im leaning towards mechanical. If its the hydraulic pathways thats just crap and im getting the new motor and trans and not worrying about rebuilding the Pos. Looking at the tech diagrams and blowups i can find of the thing Its more of a hope than anything lmao. If i warm it up in Neutral it shifts better and doesnt "stall", im pretty sure its stalling and not the motor just quitting but that would be a whole other thing. Automatics are literal space magic and pretty new territory for me but where are the ports for the pressure guages to hook up to? The Haynes says take it to a mechanic lmao and im not doing that when I can do it. Ill take it to a shop for the swapping though bc im not dealing with a motor swap on this van xD. I might not be remembering the length it was sitting but it still does have fluid in it but ive been putting off adding more until i pull it off. I also dont drive it ever besides forward and back so it doesnt sink into the ground where I got it now lol.