I own 2 dodge 1500 2 wheel drives with automatic trannys. One is a 97 model and one is a 98 model. I picked them both up cheap due to you know what? Yup, tranny problems. Both had the same problem, after driving them for a little while the tranny would stick in 2nd gear and wouldn't shift out. The 97 had around 90 thousand miles on it. It would shift perfect some of the time then all of the sudden start torguein out and wouldn't shift out of 2nd anymore. I figured tranny was bad due to dodge trucks in these models being nortorious for crappy trannys. I went to the dodge service department and you know what happened? You guessed it, like pissin in the wind no help, bunch of useless butt wipes. I then talked to several home town tranny shops. This is what they told me and this is what fixed the prob. To service my transmission (new filter, clean the pan out real good), and to add a bottle of LUCAS transmission additive then top it off with atf +3. And NO IM NOT A SALESMAN of this product. But I can tell you this, the 97 dodge has close to 180 thousand miles on it now and I have had no further shift problem with it. This lucas stuff really works!! I know, "additives don't do a thing for the motor or trans". But this stuff really works. Im no so called "dodge tech" like some in this forum. I'm just a guy who needed to get a tranny fixed. The 98 dodge has a 156 thousand on it and all I have had to do is put a speed sensor on it since I used the lucas on it. You can get this stuff and any advance or auto zone. It's about 10 bucks a bottle depending on where you live. And het I would rather spend 10 bucks then 2 thou on a transmission. I hope this helps some of you folks out there with your trans problems. The lucas stuff claims to clean up and fix worn out bands to, as long as the trans isnt totally trashed. I figure give it a try, after all it's 10 bucks and if it works you'll save yourself some major bucks. And as far as a dodge dealership service department goes, well my opinion on those folks is no help, just want to charge you a arm and a leg and your first born to fix your trany.

 

General Rule of Thumb: If you have warranty, go to the dealer, if not, stay as far from those folks as possible. Find a good local owned independent auto shop and frequent them. Believe it or not some transmission aditives, in combination with a clean filter and some new fluid, do help, I am not familiar with the Lucas brand however, it may be very good stuff. As far as engine additives go they usually seem, in some cases to be able to delay needed repairs for a little while, but are not repairs in a bottle or can.

 

I am curious if the Lucas trans fix or the new filter and fresh trans fluid fixed it. My boss loves Lucas stuff, while I am more of the "don't add extra crap" school.

Jeff