Hello, I'm new here and recently pick up a 97 dodge 4x4 club cab 3500 cummins with about 193,000 miles. I got the truck from a family member that bought the truck at auction with a trans problem. From what he said the trans wasnt shifting. He took it to a shop and had it rebuilt but when it returned the trans still didn't shift.

He then basically gave up, I now have the truck and have been doing a little searching on the site. The truck goes into reverse fine and goes into drive but seems like its in high gear. If you drop the truck in first it will drive a little more normally. The truck also dies sometimes if you let off the gas sometimes.

The tach is not working either and the overdrive button is not lighting up when pushed.

I plan on getting a service manual since im not very familiar with diesels, but i would like to know if it might be a simple fix or do i need to take to a trans shop. Thanks

 

Also when I was poking around under the truck I found this connector that plugs into the trans right above the pan, most of the wires were badly corroded and some were even burnt thorugh. Could this be related to the trans problem and what sensor is it for. Also were can it find a replacement plug with some slack in the wire so that i can reattach it?

 

With the tach not working it sounds like the pcm might not be powering up. If the pcm does not see a tach signal it wont "turn on" the computer. I would check out that issue, also is there any trouble codes? That plug should be fixed anyway, problem or not.

 

Whats the best way to pull the codes? I know on alot of gas engines I have delt with many have a way to get the codes from the ecu without a programmer.

 

Get a FSM, That sure looks like the Transmission wiring plug, look near the shift quadrant on the trans, bet there is nothing plugged into it.

You won't have any electronic control over the trans. Get a plug and wire it in.

Tach is either the ESS ( Engine Speed Sensor ), on the front of the crank, or its wiring, a fuse, etc.

FSM on Disc is 30 bucks at Genos Garage.

 

Ok thanks, the plug was connected but the wires were barely connected to the plug. With that plug dissconected will the truck go into drive and reverse but wont fucunction properly?

 

Rks1 if your 97 is like my 96 2500,, to check codes, turn the key off and on 3 times fas, leave key in OM position and then watch the check engine light, Count the flashes, it will flash you any codes

 

Yep, the 47RE is mostly mechanical, but pressure is controlled electrically as is TCC and OD.

You are in this truck way cheap, go to Genos and get a service manual for it.

 

Ok, thanks for the help i will order the manual this week, also does anyone know where I can get that plug from?

 

Sorry, I cannot find a part number in my books, doesn't mean they are not available though.

Check with a reputable dealership or junkyard, perhaps the 42RE from a gasser might be the same? I know a V10 should be.

 

Thanks for the help,ill start checking the junk yards for one and also could the problem of the truck dying sometimes when you let off the throttle be related to the non-working tach or trans problem?

 

Yep, the plug is definitely the first thing you want to repair. Get a new one from Dodge, if it's available, and get a mirror and check all the pins in the transmission's mating connector for corrosion. Be very careful splicing the wires together to the new connector pigtail, make sure the splices are all sealed well with shrink tubes, and use some dielectric grease in the terminals, after you clean them up.

Your stalling problem sounds like the idle is just set a bit too low. Easy fix. Should be about 900 RPM warm in park.

 

The one, two, three shifts should be normal. If not I would suspect the transmission cable adjustment. If someone messed with the idle they could have the cable out of adjustment as well.

OD and CL are electronic as stated above. The transmission plug should have power on the center terminal when the key is on. Sounds like it shorted the PCM with those bad wires. It may be a fuse. The OD light should light when pressed unless the bulb is burned out. I think it is on the PCM fuse but would have to check.

You should be able to find a plug on a 1500 or Dakota.

You can check the trans by applying power to the center terminal and running the other 2 wires into the cab. Put a 1 amp fuse on the power wire to be safe. Ground each of the 2 the wires when driving 35MPH and you should feel OD on one wire and CL on the other. Ground both wires for both OD and CL. Unground them before you slow slower than 35 MPH. I bet the PCM fuse is blown so if you replace it and the OD light works you should not need the above test.

 

Thanks Im going to try that out.

 

Looks like the PCM is on fuse 9. Fuse 9 also feeds the OD solenoid.

It also feeds the A/C clutch relay, shutdown solenoid relay, fuel heater relay and intake heater relays.

10 amp fuse

Check the fuse first. then check for power on one of the 3 wires where your bad plug is with the key on. The wire that feeds power to the OD and CL solenoids that we are looking for should be LG/BK

The CL is OR/BK

The OD is BR