i just bought a 94 2500 and i have never owned a diesel before. or a dodge for that matter. i bought it to haul my 4x4 to and from the trails. i have noticed upon starting and shifting into drive it seems like the tranny is slipping. but in like 100ft it will drive right out of it. and be fine until the motor is shut off for over 4 ro 5 hours. i am sorry for such a n00b question. i looked around and couldnt fidn anything. one more thing, if i start it, and let it idle in neutral then drive it seems to be ok? is this a typical sequence?
thanks alot!

 

My guess would be you have Torque Converter Drainback. I think Later transmissions had a fix to prevent it, but it really isn't harmful. Idling with the transmission in Neutral lets the pump fill The TC, while idling in Park does not. Hence, all seems well. Just continue to idle in Neutral before you go, and your slipping until the TC is full will end.

By the way, WELCOME! This site will help you spend money on easy to add FUN! If you stick to your towing plan, I recommend a Pyrometer (pre-turbo), and a Transmission Temperature guage. These two guages will help you extend the life of your drivetrain like no other measure!

Click on the USER CP button above, go to EDIT PROFILE, and fill in your signature with the various features/specs of your truck. This helps the other members here give you tips and suggestions to your posts.

 

thanks for the reply! the pyro-meter and tranny temp gauge, is the tranny wired already, as in having sensor? can you explain the pyro meter to me?
thanks alot sorry for all the simple questions.

 

The Pyrometer is a temperature guage to measure your exhaust gas temperatures. Too high there, and you melt pistons! Watching the temps will also help you cool down the turbo properly, helping extend the bearing life. The preferred location to mount the thermocouple for the Pyro guage is pre-turbo, drilling and tapping a hole in the rear exhaust manifold port, about 1" back from the turbo flange. Do a search here for pyro installation, get a nice cold beverage, and enjoy reading for the next several hours!

I don't know about the temp sender location on a '94, maybe someone else can chime in. I followed the picture posted in Rattlinram's gallery, splicing in a brass tee with compression fittings for my sender. Worked slick, and no leaks after 1200 miles, so far. Many people buy a replacement line from Dodge that already has the port attached to it. Last I heard, it was running a little over $100, though. I spent the money on the guages I wanted, and the fittings I used cost ~$10 complete from NAPA. Rattlinram even listed the part numbers in a thread once. I copied them down, went into NAPA and they just hooked me right up!

Here they are: 1/2" brass T fitting: 3700x6
1/2" compression fittings: 68x8

You need two compression fittings.

I already had the 1/2" NPT to 1/4" NPT reducer, so I don't have a part number for it. The sending unit I got with the temp. guage was 1/4"NPT.

Hope this helps you out. I got tons of advice and information from this site which helped me purchase my truck. Now I am looking at the pluses and minuses to adding more power, upgrading my transmission, politics, and overall friendship from like-minded individuals.

 

thank you very much for answering my questions, esp about the part numbers. i am going to do the tranny temp and pryo quick like so i dont kill it already! i have been lookin into gauges and a piller pods today too.

on another note anyone have any ideas about that tranny?
thanks
reid

 

Stone,


Zulusafari is right about the tranny! Just idle the truck for a couple of seconds in neutral before driving it and you won't have any problems. If you don't know how long it has been, you should change the fluids in the tranny and other components of your truck as well. Look around here and you'll learn lots about your truck. Welcome to DTR and good luck..

 

Hey Stone...

 

Agree with above. Check Valve probably removed to allow better flow of tranny fluid (some years were mfg. w/o them)....a good thing. But it allows fluid to drain out of tranny when not in use.
Idle for 30-60 sec first start of the day! Also 15-30 sec if truck is shut down for more than an hour. Will never happen again!
RJ

 

yup! i had to find more dodge talk so i took your advice to come here!

also i took my truck to a tranny shop here in town and i feel pretty good about the shop. with the 4 guys there have over 75 years working on trannys. anyway i rode as the guy test drove it and he said it was a very mild slip as he said. and thats with the motor warm and driven. so he is keeping it overnight to see how it does when its a cold run. he seems to think i have brought it early enuf if it needs a rebuild it wont be too bad. he says nothing seems to be broken and its just nromal wear. anyway he figures about 1200 to fully rebuild. i think thats resonable considering some places in town wanted 2500!!! anyway he said i could even get out cheaper if its minor. so we will see, ill keep yall updated. thanks for all the advise.

 

Stone,

If your tranny has to come out I strongly consider looking into a shift kit and torque converter upgrade. It should not add much expense if you need a rebuild anyways. Try doing a few searches on shift kits, valve bodies or torque converters to understand what I mean. just my .002



good-luck

 

Do a little research before you spend money on just any aftermarket converter. You'll save yourself a lot of money and headaches. See my story in this thread. https://www.dieseltruckresource.com/...ight=converter
I've got it all straightened out now. Cost me an additional $700 because Prowest wouldn't give me a dime for installation of the DTT converter. They said they'd give me a great deal on any future parts I might need. The guy's delusional if he thinks I'd deal with or endorse his 2 bit company. Here's their website. Prowest

 

yeah, alot of guys here and on TDR are getting good milage out of a stock rebuild, with a good valvebody and torque convertor.

 

they guy doing the rebuild said he will give me a 50k mile warrenty. i will not put that many miles on it in 2 years. i plan on buying a new cummins by then, so then i will go ahead and put the 4k into a ats. if i had the extra money to do the converter and valvue body right now i would. bu ti just bought the truck, rebuild the tranny, and bought a tube chassis with motor for wheelin, i did all this with no loans so i am cash poor like bum right now i really wish i had the 500 for the valvue body but i just dont. oh and i still gotta finish college in 6 months so i am major broke. but thank you all for the recomndations. i will start my resarch now and get some knowledge so when i have the money for goodies i will know what i am doin! thanks again