Howdy all.

Hey I just got one hell of a great deal on a 1998 Dodge Ram 2500 4x4. It`s a bank repo and it came with a few minor issues One being the transmission.

I did do a search on the site but couldn`t come up with anything fitting my exact issues so that`s the reason for a new thread.

Any how my transmission problem is that it goes into reverse perfectly and pulls hard with absolutely no slipping. I mean reverse is rock solid.

The fluid is on the proper level of the dip stick and looks brand new.

But, when it is put into any of the forward gears there is no movement what so ever. I have tried reving the engine past 2500 rpm and it still did nothing. No movement no shuttering I mean its like there`s no transmission in the truck.

The truck has 163 k on the clock and it had a new engine put in at 120k. The trans has never been touched to my knowledge.

Heres where I really neeed help from some one on here that may work in a tranny shop or has gobs of tranny experience from years of DIY school of hard knocks.

This truck is a 4x4 which I need badley because of where I live(in the woods).

I do not have a ton of funds to pour into this thing by replacing parts and hopping for success.

My level of experience as a mechanic is I have been an engine builder for over 40 years and have done a ton of drive line work excluding automatic transmissions.

But I really need to repair this automatic my self if possible. And I mean repair not rebuild. I first want to get this truck running just so I can test drive it for a whaile to make darn sure it`s something I want to put a lot of hard earned money into. This is where I really need some one with solid tranny experience to advise me.

I do know that by the tranny going into reverse my torque convertor is fine and there should not be any stripped of splines.

What I need to know is exactly what all the options are that will keep the 47 re from engauging in the forward gears.

Fellow truckers Any info you have from past experiences will be appreciated and I don`t care how small your offering is I appreciate it and thank you for it.

Overr the years I have heard other automatic tranny mechanics talk and I have picked up on some info.

Could this be something so simple as a stuck or broken valve in the valve body? Some on said it had about 6 or 7 electric selonoids in it and one of them could be bad. Could a blown fuse going to the tranny be all that`s wrong?

I am at your mercy fellers and need your help badley

Thank You in advance

 

There only two electrical parts in that trans.
You are describing a rear clutch failure.
Trans will have to come apart to fix,IF it isn't an issue in the VB. I have never seen a VB cause this but it is a possiblity.

99.9% of the time it is a failed clutch assembly.

If you are a 40 year mechanic you can do this yourself.

 

That`s what I call the good and bad news in one entry.

The bad news, failed clutches and a complete disassembly are not what I wanted to know.

The good news is you believe I can d it myself. That alone in my part of the country is going to save me 6 to 7 hundred bucks.

A couple more qquestions.

Is this a common sense type of disassembly and re-assembly or will I need a service manual so as to check clearances and such?

What about special tools?

Now the big one.

Being that I am already having to dis-assemble the tranny are there any other parts other than the rear clutches that I should replace while I am already in it so as to squeak another fifty thousand miles out of it?

Note; I am not hard on my vehicles and the heaviest thing I`ll probably ever haul is a small one car trailer with a car or p/u truck on it. I am pretty sure straight forward factory replacement type parts should sufice unless theres some factory weakness you feel I should address while I am already inside it.

Also who should I get my parts from and should I buy a kit or just buy individual pieces as I come to the bad parts?

j-fox I want to thank you for your quick response and advice. Btw do you own or work in a tranny shop?

 

I rebuild them as a hobby!

There are some special tools but you can make or borrow them.
Lets go to PM's to do this.

 

I am new to this site. I also have over 30 years in the mechanic world. And I just got a 95 4wd cummins with automatic tranny with similar problems. Is there any way i could get in on this?? Thanks