Opacity

Me again. Recently, my truck seems to not shift into OD. If it does, it quickly kicks out of it. Overdrive did work when I first got the truck 6 months ago.

So me being me, I decided to adjust the bands. It's a 1995 47RH trans. I adjusted the front band as described by trusty haynes, loosen 3/4" locknut, torque T-40 torx adjustment screw to 72in/lbs, back off 1 7/8 turns. Then I dropped the pan and adjusted the rear band. Loosen the 9/16" locknut, torque 1/4" adjustment screw to 72in/lbs, back off 3 turns. This was the 2nd time I dropped the pan and filter but only the first time adjusting the trans. The front band looked like/felt like it hasn't been touched for quite some time. The magnet was buried in about 1/2" thick metallic sludge and there were chunks of non-ferrous metal in the bottom of the pan. The first time I dropped the pan it was alot worse.

It now shifts GREAT up to 35mph, after that, same deal, OD might kick in if I go down a hill but as soon as it levels out it downshifts to 3rd.

And when the trans is cold, when I come to a stop, then try to move again, the trans goes in neutral and if I rev for 3 or 4 seconds it will shift into drive, without moving the gear shifter. But, if I come to a stop, put it in PARK then put it in drive when I have to move, it always moves hot or cold. It has always done this before and after the band adjustment and it does not do it when the truck is warmed up, usually after 10 mins of driving.

Any ideas? Time to sell the truck?

j-fox

Band adjustment has nothing to do with the dropping out of gear.
Are you sure the fluid level is correct?
Level ground, running in neutral, get it near the top mark.

513yj

check tps for proper voltage. i got a hell of a deal on mine and it did the same as yours, except for i didn't have any poop in the pan. i adjusted bands, cleaned and adjusted bands and it has been flawless since. altho i am ditching it for a 4500.

Opacity

j-fox, that is the kicker. The fluid level constantly changes. With trans up to temp after a 20 mile drive, idling in park for 1 min, I'll check the fluid and it will be between the hatchmark. I'll wait another minute and check it, and the dipstick will be bone dry. I then go to fill it, I add half quart, check it again after a quick drive, and it will be overfilled and bubbles in the fluid. I then pull a trans cooler line and drain it off and try again. This trans has me baffled, I've never had this problem with an auto trans before.

I drained out 5 quarts when I dropped the pan and put 5 back in. Dipstick reads different every single time I check it. What could cause this? This trans has been "rebuilt" in its life the previous owner told me.

513yj- I looked in the haynes about the TPS, because I was thinking about testing it and I was wondering if the TPS has to be calibrated like they need to be on some cars, this process usually involves an ohmmeter and feeler gauges. Does the 12V auto TPS need to be calibrated if replaced?

dozer12216

After throughly warmed up and idling in neutral for a minute I've not had a problem reading. Slightly over filled no more than .249863 inch or less is not gonna hurt anything. Frequentlly fluid will ride up the tube and contiminate the new dipstick reading.

wcbcruzer

When I pulled my valvebody I needed to add 10.5 quarts of ATF. Although, the tranny did drain pretty good over the course of a couple days. The first time I pulled the valvebody it took 8.5 quarts. I think 8 quarts is typical on a drain and refill. When you checked the dip stick, did you wipe it, put it back in, then pull it out again? Or were you going off the first reading? Cause if you pull it out right after you've been driving, it's a false reading since oil has shot up onto the dipstick.

oldblues

hi

you are missing the correct method !!!!!!!!

trany must be warm and set park brake and place trany momentarily in all gears stoping in - NETURAL- NETURAL -NETURAL- NOT park !!!!

check fluid level in while in NETRUAL !

P.S. truck must be sitting on level ground !

atf+4 only !!!

Opacity

THANK YOU OLDBLUES.

OK Haynes is FALSE. QUOTE: PAGE 1-27 AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FLUID AND FILTER CHANGE SECTION 32 STEP 14 "MOVE THE GEAR SELECTOR THROUGH EACH RANGE AND BACK TO PARK."

I dug out the owners manual and sure enough, it says neutral.

"Lights haynes manual on fire, pisses on it to put it out"

And I'm stupid, but not retarded. I wipe the dipstick, then take a reading. Of course it's on level ground when I check it also.

Thanks for the replies guys. I would be running in circles without all of you.

infidel

Better instructions than Haynes here http://dodgeram.org/tech/transmissio...TPS_adjust.htm

Opacity

Thanks infidel.

But I need more help guys. I don't know, maybe I truly am disabled. I got the truck NICE AND WARM, wasted a good amount of fuel, did the ritual, 1, 2, 3, R, for 15 seconds each then Neutral for > 60 seconds AND LEFT IT IN NEUTRAL for 10 minutes checking the fluid. Dipstick was bone dry. I dumped a whole quart in. Checked it, STILL IN NEUTRAL THE WHOLE TIME, and it was about 1/2 inch below the first dimple mark. Drove it a 5 miles. Checked it again. BONE DRY. What is happening here, no I AM NOT LEAKING A DROP. The coolant level has not changed since I flushed the coolant 6 months ago, so I am not leaking via trans cooler. I drained 5 quarts when I dropped the pan, and now there is a total of 6 quarts that I have poured in.

How many quarts does it take to fill a 47RH trans after you drop the pan? Someone said 8 quarts when they dropped the valve body, does that apply here?

I bought the truck with 5 quarts in the pan. This is why I am skeptical to just keep dumping trans fluid in it. I've flushed auto transmissions before and never had this problem, I always refilled exactly the amount I drained and everyone was happy.

Deep down, I feel some hackjob that rebuilt the trans FUBAR'd it and I am left with this unique problem.

Can a professional that does this for a living tell me exactly how much goes in the pan of a 47RH after a filter change???

Or maybe the fluid has been low its whole life and that is why I keep pulling metal out of this trans and why it slips when cold?? Can someone please enlighten me before I blow this thing up?

Please slap me wcbcruzer if you are correct.

On second thought, I'm going to go buy 2 more quarts and dump them in and if I blow the front seal on the trans I'll just drive it in a ditch!!!

infidel

I use the same method as you, measure how much comes out when dropping the pan then add back the same amount.
Can't explain why there would be a difference but when I still had a stock pan the amount that would drain varied between 4 to 6 quarts.

wcbcruzer

I think you just need to add more fluid... Just keep adding fluid till you finally get it up to spec. In the worst case, you'll have to drain some out. I hope you put a drain plug in the pan when you pulled it off. The tranny will act funny wiith low fluid level, it'll do stuff you never thought had anything to do with the fluid.

Opacity

OK!!!! Figured it out, well wcbcruzer you were 100% CORRECT ON THE DOT. THANK YOU SIR I owe you a beer!!!

8.5 quarts to a T.

Now to go strangle the previous owner, my ex BOSS, good friend, who sold me the truck 3.5 quarts low!!!

I replaced a leaking trans cooler line a couple months ago, and now all the pieces of the puzzle come together and start to make sense.

Thanks Everyone for putting up with my BS!!!

Lesson learned here is, Have faith in the DTR Forums!!!!!

wcbcruzer

Glad you got it all figured out! Don't you love it when it turns out to be something as simple as that. The guy who sold you the truck probably didn't check the fluid the proper way. Makes you wonder how many trucks out there are running low on fluid because people check them in park or with the engine off.

j-fox

Just pay for the 3.5 quarts and let it all go. Maybe have a beer- but only one.
If you strangle someone --and get caught-- you could get 20 to life. Ok???
The fluid is cheap by comparison.