[[email protected]]

My 2001 Dakota with 5.9L Magnum 4WD Automatic is shifting way too soon. It shifts so fast I can't get any speed built up because it is bogging down from being too high of a gear. Now normally this thing would take off like a rocket, but it just started this. I cut one of the trans cooler lines about six months ago by accident so it does leak a little but it takes a while before it gets low. I checked the fluid and it was low but once I filled it up the problem is still there. I live in west Texas and you kind of need to be able to build some speed pretty fast if you want to drive here. I saw something about resetting the transmission control module and I tried disconnecting the battery cable and turning the key to the start position and holding it there for 20 seconds but it did not help. I did have a vehicle that did this once and it turned out to be a clogged catalytic converter, but it would not even rev up. I can sit in park and rev the engine, it is just when I try to accelerate that the problem happens. It is already in overdrive before I reach 20 mph. Anyone else ever have this problem? Thanks in advance for any advice.

 

[immattj]

Have you tried shifting manually from 1 to 2 to D and have you tried turning your overdrive off?
I am not suggsting this is the solution, but I am curious as to what happens when you do that.

 

[[email protected]]

Hey I am glad you asked, I forgot to put that in the original post. Yes I did try shifting manually and it was like it was before. I could accelerate get it up to speed quickly. I am worried about damaging the transmission so I only did the manual shifting once, but yes it was back to normal when shifting manually.

 

[immattj]

If you are going to drive it anyway, I don't think that shifting it manually will be any more harmful to it than if you put it in D & let it shift itself as rapidly as you previously described.

But to clarify: when you put it in D & start driving, you are saying that ALL of your shifts,INCLUDING 1-2 AND 2-3, happen way too fast. Is that correct?

The reason I ask is because I have a '03 with 5.9 (46RE tranny) & I went to the FSM to the tranny troubleshooting section, & there is a issue described as "3-4 upshift occurs immediately after 2-3 shift." For that the FSM offers OD solenoid connector or wiring shorted, or TPS malfunction, or PCM malfunction, or OD solenoid malfunction, or valve body malfunction. In that order.

And to also clarify, you are sure that you do have 2cond gear. Correct? I ask because I believe that if you lost your forward band you would also lose 2cond gear which might make it feel as if you were shifting into 3 too rapidly.

However, from reading your OP, that doesn't sound applicable.

I am kind of multi tasking at the moment, so give me a bit & I'll se if I skimmed over something in the FSM that is more applicable.

 

[[email protected]]

If you are going to drive it anyway, I don't think that shifting it manually will be any more harmful to it than if you put it in D & let it shift itself as rapidly as you previously described.

But to clarify: when you put it in D & start driving, you are saying that ALL of your shifts,INCLUDING 1-2 AND 2-3, happen way too fast. Is that correct?

The reason I ask is because I have a '03 with 5.9 (46RE tranny) & I went to the FSM to the tranny troubleshooting section, & there is a issue described as "3-4 upshift occurs immediately after 2-3 shift." For that the FSM offers OD solenoid connector or wiring shorted, or TPS malfunction, or PCM malfunction, or OD solenoid malfunction, or valve body malfunction. In that order.

And to also clarify, you are sure that you do have 2cond gear. Correct? I ask because I believe that if you lost your forward band you would also lose 2cond gear which might make it feel as if you were shifting into 3 too rapidly.

However, from reading your OP, that doesn't sound applicable.

I am kind of multi tasking at the moment, so give me a bit & I'll se if I skimmed over something in the FSM that is more applicable.

Yes it goes through all of the gears really fast. I am not sure if I have second, I was not counting the shifts. I wonder which transmission I have. To me it seems like it goes 1, 2, 3 and then overdrive so you might be on to something.

 

[immattj]

I am pretty sure that you would have the 46RE in an '01 with a 5.9.
I wouldn't take this site

Dodge Transmissions

as gospel, but it also indicates that.

As far as not having 2cond gear, I am actually thinking that this is NOT what is going on, but one way to find out would be to start it out with the lever in 1 and then manually move it to 2 & see if it actually shifts to 2 and will hold in 2..

I did do a re-look in the 46RE tranny troubleshooting section of my FSM, & what I listed above is the most applicable to what you described in your OP, although none of those conditions are an exact match.

Looking at that section:

"3-4 upshift occurs immediately after 2-3 shift." For that the FSM offers OD solenoid connector or wiring shorted, or TPS malfunction, or PCM malfunction, or OD solenoid malfunction, or valve body malfunction. In that order.

I am almost kind of inclined to think that since you are saying that this involves all of your upshifts, not just 3 to overdrive, you could rule out the OD related issues. If you feel like taking the parts throwing route to start out with, the TPS shouldn't cost to crazy much (especially from Rockauto.com or someplace like that) and would be relatively easy to change. Not that I am convinced that is the issue, but that would be the easiest & cheapest of those (so far) listed to eliminate.

 

[immattj]

. . . now here is another thread on another site

1999 Durango 5.9 Redline Shifting Issue

Hey guys, looking for some insight before I bring my new truck in next week to the dealership to get a full service. I just picked it up, it's a 1999 Durango 4x4 5.9L with the 3.92 LSD 165,000 miles and doubt it makes a difference but it's a California spec emissions truck. The truck is pretty...

www.dakota-durango.com

started by a guy with a 5.9 Dakota (same tranny) whose problem is too slow or won't upshift when he mashes it.

Which I know is the polar opposite of what you have described. But it still might be a helpful read in an informative way. Then again, it might not be.

 

[immattj]

[. . . ] I cut one of the trans cooler lines about six months ago by accident so it does leak a little but it takes a while before it gets low. I checked the fluid and it was low but once I filled it up the problem is still there. [. . .]

. . . Oh, and on this, I suppose it is possible that something was damaged if the ATF was low enough for long enough. Did your rapid shifting issue begin around the time your fluid level got low?

(And on edit: you did use the specified Chrystler ATF to service it with, right? That would be "ATF+4")
(And on still another edit, and not meaning to insult you, unlike other ATs I have had, the Dodge/Chrystler ATF level has to be checked in neutral.)

And if you want to fix that line, the easy way to to it is to get some rubber transmission cooler line (at the auto parts store) that is the proper inside diameter for your existing metal line to fit snugly inside of, and then to cut out the damaged portion of existing metal line & splice in a section of rubber line using good clamping technique.

That's the easy way.

The correct way would be to buy a pre-bent line & replace with that; that is doable (there is a thread on that somewhere on this site) but it is not a walk through the park.

 

[arrow]

Do the sim[ple things first. Change out your TPS along with your governor pressure sensor. Next would be your TV cable. This line going from the tranny to TB is very sensitive to the slightest adjustment. Be sure a spring in this area has not popped off.
After that its about draining tranny fluid and inspecting the shift spring mechanism in your valve body. It could have broken but its super easy to get to once you expose the valve body.
If you go this route, get yourself a tranny pan with a drain plug.
I'm not a fan of lying on my back and balancing a tranny pan full of oil. I drill the pan with a 3/8th bit and let the fluid all drain out. Then I remove the pan. They also have drain valve kits if you didn't want to get a new pan w a drain.

 

[immattj]

Do the sim[ple things first. Change out your TPS along with your governor pressure sensor. Next would be your TV cable. This line going from the tranny to TB is very sensitive to the slightest adjustment. Be sure a spring in this area has not popped off.
After that its about draining tranny fluid and inspecting the shift spring mechanism in your valve body. It could have broken but its super easy to get to once you expose the valve body.
If you go this route, get yourself a tranny pan with a drain plug.
I'm not a fan of lying on my back and balancing a tranny pan full of oil. I drill the pan with a 3/8th bit and let the fluid all drain out. Then I remove the pan. They also have drain valve kits if you didn't want to get a new pan w a drain.

Quite recently, I bought a pan with a drain plug from Rockauto for mine. Here is the one I bought.

More Information for SKP SK265827

OP, if you are interested in some more reading, here is a thread in which the instructions for checking & adjusting the TV cable are included. The OP on that thread was actually asking about a late shift, not early shift(s), but if you want to check your TV cable, that subjct is addressed here. I don't know how the OP made out with his; he never bothered with a follow up.

Transmission shift question

So my 03 Dakota has always had a hesitant shift to it even when i first bought it 18 years ago. Sometimes it acts like it doesnt want to go into high gear, but if younlet your foot off the gas and bring RPMs down a bit itll go ahead and shift. What would be the cause of that and how would i...

www.dakotaforumz.com

 

[arrow]

Quite recently, I bought a pan with a drain plug from Rockauto for mine. Here is the one I bought.

More Information for SKP SK265827

OP, if you are interested in some more reading, here is a thread in which the instructions for checking & adjusting the TV cable are included. The OP on that thread was actually asking about a late shift, not early shift(s), but if you want to check your TV cable, that subjct is addressed here. I don't know how the OP made out with his; he never bothered with a follow up.

Transmission shift question

So my 03 Dakota has always had a hesitant shift to it even when i first bought it 18 years ago. Sometimes it acts like it doesnt want to go into high gear, but if younlet your foot off the gas and bring RPMs down a bit itll go ahead and shift. What would be the cause of that and how would i...

www.dakotaforumz.com

I think that's the one I have. Won't seal worth a darn at 156 in lbs. That's with a moly $35 gasket that is reusable. Have tried 3 different gaskets w it.
Next step is aluminum pan for me.
It is fun just draining the fluid out as many times as I want with no fuss, no muss.

 

[immattj]

I think that's the one I have. Won't seal worth a darn at 156 in lbs. That's with a moly $35 gasket that is reusable. Have tried 3 different gaskets w it.
Next step is aluminum pan for me.
It is fun just draining the fluid out as many times as I want with no fuss, no muss.

So far I have seen no leaks on the garage floor, but as I typed, this was a quite recent installation. I only bought the Felpro gasket for it, and I am loathe to confess that I did not use a torque wrench for that part of the job. I will keep my eye on it.

 

[arrow]

No torque wrench? Maybe that's why yours sealed up better than mine. Maybe 12.5 ft pounds is too little.

 

[immattj]

No torque wrench? Maybe that's why yours sealed up better than mine. Maybe 12.5 ft pounds is too little.

Haha, it was probably that cheap FelPro gasket that did the trick.
But you've got me curious--one of my torque wrenches is a digital 3/8" dr ft. lb.s; I'll get underneath & see how tight I actually wound up getting it.

 

[arrow]

Haha, it was probably that cheap FelPro gasket that did the trick.
But you've got me curious--one of my torque wrenches is a digital 3/8" dr ft. lb.s; I'll get underneath & see how tight I actually wound up getting it.

That might prove helpful to me. Thanks.

 

[immattj]

That might prove helpful to me. Thanks.

I just now got out from underneath my Dak to check and firstly I will say: that there were no spots on the garage floor and nothing wet where the pan mates with the tranny (that typed, I put that new pan on only about two to three weeks ago) but I am afraid that my results will probably not help you as I was surprised to find that mine were considerably under-torqued (after reading your post, I thought that I had probably over-torqued). My digital ft. lb. torque wrench was showing the pan bolts breaking loose to turn in the tightening direction at anywhere between only 6.8 (or so) to 7.7 (or so) ft. lb.s. Which I realize is not a lot more than half the torque that is called for.

But to tell you how I got there, I used a 1/4 " dr ratchet to initially snug everything down in a continuing cross-wise sequence/pattern and then I switched to a 3/8" dr ratchet & made numerous more incremental passes until "I liked the feel" of all the bolts. (I will note that the bolts which were on the tighter side were the aft bolts, meaning the bolts that had the cross-over pipe of my nearly stock exhaust going over & across them--they were the hardest for me to "feel".)

I know that this method is hardly scientific or professional, & I guess that I will only say in my defense is that I like being able to "feel" those particular bolts torquing into the aluminum, and with any of my larger ft. lb. torque wrenches, I lose the ability for that "feel" (and of my inch lb. torque wrenches, the only one that I trust only goes up to 100 " lb.).

So while I was under there just now, I did go ahead and torque all of them to a uniform 9 ft. lb.s which I realize is still officially under torqued.

I am wondering if the pan you bought may have been warped on delivery? I imagine they are all manufactured in China, & if quality control on them was inconsistent it would not surprise me even a little bit. From reading your posts you are conscientious, so I am thinking you made sure that your gasket didn't roll up or anything in one of the corners (I had that happen to me once, many many moons ago). Did you get your pan from Rock like I did, & if so, was it recent enough ago (I am thinking that it probably wasn't) that they will still warranty it? My experience with Rock is that they have always been good with that if within the time window.

 

[arrow]

I just now got out from underneath my Dak to check and firstly I will say: that there were no spots on the garage floor and nothing wet where the pan mates with the tranny (that typed, I put that new pan on only about two to three weeks ago) but I am afraid that my results will probably not help you as I was surprised to find that mine were considerably under-torqued (after reading your post, I thought that I had probably over-torqued). My digital ft. lb. torque wrench was showing the pan bolts breaking loose to turn in the tightening direction at anywhere between only 6.8 (or so) to 7.7 (or so) ft. lb.s. Which I realize is not a lot more than half the torque that is called for.

But to tell you how I got there, I used a 1/4 " dr ratchet to initially snug everything down in a continuing cross-wise sequence/pattern and then I switched to a 3/8" dr ratchet & made numerous more incremental passes until "I liked the feel" of all the bolts. (I will note that the bolts which were on the tighter side were the aft bolts, meaning the bolts that had the cross-over pipe of my nearly stock exhaust going over & across them--they were the hardest for me to "feel".)

I know that this method is hardly scientific or professional, & I guess that I will only say in my defense is that I like being able to "feel" those particular bolts torquing into the aluminum, and with any of my larger ft. lb. torque wrenches, I lose the ability for that "feel" (and of my inch lb. torque wrenches, the only one that I trust only goes up to 100 " lb.).

So while I was under there just now, I did go ahead and torque all of them to a uniform 9 ft. lb.s which I realize is still officially under torqued.

I am wondering if the pan you bought may have been warped on delivery? I imagine they are all manufactured in China, & if quality control on them was inconsistent it would not surprise me even a little bit. From reading your posts you are conscientious, so I am thinking you made sure that your gasket didn't roll up or anything in one of the corners (I had that happen to me once, many many moons ago). Did you get your pan from Rock like I did, & if so, was it recent enough ago (I am thinking that it probably wasn't) that they will still warranty it? My experience with Rock is that they have always been good with that if within the time window.

Thanks anyway Mat
Put mine on about a year and .5 ago. First thing I did was to put a straight edge on it and it was true.
That yours is holding at 9 ft lbs means it isn't the bolt pressure as much as the seal and mine with a $35 gasket yet. Sumpin is screwy.
You are apparently better at sealing this pan than I.

 

[immattj]

Thanks anyway Mat
Put mine on about a year and .5 ago. First thing I did was to put a straight edge on it and it was true.
That yours is holding at 9 ft lbs means it isn't the bolt pressure as much as the seal and mine with a $35 gasket yet. Sumpin is screwy.
You are apparently better at sealing this pan than I.

I don't suppose there is any chance that it is leaking from the dipstick-tube seal/o-ring & dribbling down and congealing around where the pan mates to the tranny? I had that happen on my GMC.

 

[arrow]

I don't suppose there is any chance that it is leaking from the dipstick-tube seal/o-ring & dribbling down and congealing around where the pan mates to the tranny? I had that happen on my GMC.

IDK. I'll look. Thanks for the tip