Hello all,
I need to know, and I'm running out of time before I lose my rig, is what tranny's can i make work with the 5.9L engine? I have a 2002 Dakota 4x4 5.9L and it has the 46RE with that ****ed up 5 pin connector. I've done so much reading and tearing **** apart, getting told this, getting told that, I just need to know what will work so I can get it done and get my truck outta where it's about to be towed and scrapped. I don't care what I have to do as far as changing electronics (but what electronics?), making it a manual shift into 4 wheel drive (what will I need to do it?). I was in the process of rebuilding the original but found out I need the bearing and planetary for the OD and I can't afford that right now. Luckily my local junkyard has a bunch of dodge vehicles and have to get it going ASAP, so any and all help is a blessing. Thanks, cweklund

 

Find a 46RE with the 5 pin trans range sensor, from a 4x4, and it should bolt right in, hook right up, and work, right out of the box.

 

Yep no dice, that's the only one I can't find.

 

So isn't there a way I could make the tranny work out of a 2000 durango 5.9L? It's stilll a manual shift but there has to be a way.

 

The transmission case itself changed.

The 97-00 case is threaded for a 3-wire Neutral Safety + Reverse Lights switch
The 01-04 case is bored for a 5-wire digital switch.
The round solenoids connector and the solenoids/sensors themselves are also different between the two groups - they are electrically incompatible as a cake-topper to the whole 3/5 pin switch issue.

A 4x2 case can have the 4x4 tailhousing bolted on, but you have to change the output shaft with the tailhousing, which involves the OD box, which is sounds like is what you're having issues with in the first place.

With that said, The 46RE is the same between a 01-04 5.9 Dakota, 5.9 Durango, and a 5.9 Ram/RamVan.

And no, the automatic transmission PCM won't let you do a whole lot if that 5-pin switch isn't in exactly the right spot for a given set of commands. That switch tells the PCM what gear the transmission is in, so it can send the correct signals to the solenoids inside it. Manual swapping an automatic PCM is not fun..... I have the stock 46RE valve body zip-tied to my driver frame rail and several splices in the factory harness to keep the PCM happy in my race truck, which has a fully hydraulic transmission.

In a pinch, you can make the 44RE from a 01-04 5.2 Dakota/Durango/Ram/RamVan work. It won't exactly be right, but it will be functional.

Also, the 5.9 never came with a manual transmission, only the 2.5, 3.9, 4.7, and 5.2 . all of those are internally balanced while the 5.9 is externally balanced, and an externally weighted flywheel/pressure plate combo was never made. Gerko makes one in the aftermarket but it's big money.