2004 Dodge Diesel auto transmission
Hi All: This truck has about 110k. I have done alot of work on the engine and no major work on the auto. transmission. I would like to keep using it as our tow vehicle. I have changed the transmissio...
Forum Discussion
I would suggest removing the ball check valve mentioned previously. It greatly restricts the flow of trans fluid, even if there isn't clutch debris stuck around it. I watched an entire rebuild of a 48RE (third gen Ram auto trans) valve body on utube, and at the end, the professional rebuilder mentioned the ball check valve, and said he has seen debris getting stuck around that check ball, burn up transmissions. Then he said, "Get it out of there!" I did.
It's inside the top of two transmission fluid lines, behind the driver's side wheel well. You remove the hose with a quick release tool, drill out the check ball, clean the hose, and re-install. The hose is only about 8" long. The check ball is there so that when you shut down the engine, the trans fluid doesn't drain out of the torque converter. This, so you can start the engine and drive away immediately. With it removed, after I start the truck, I put the trans in neutral for 15 seconds or more before driving away, so the pump refills the torque converter.
I also pulled the thermostat out of the OEM transmission cooler (also mentioned by previous poster), and reversed it so the cooler is never bypassed. I had found that my thermostat was stuck in the bypass position, and the trans fluid was NEVER getting circulated through the transmission cooler!
I would suggest that transmission temperatures be monitored in some way. You can pull it off the ECM with an CTS Edge Insight gauge (what I did). There are other digital gauges that plug into the OBD2 port. I used the ScanGauge II to pull trans fluid (plus anything else on the ECM, like coolant temp) off a previous vehicle. Some people use the Torque app.
It's inside the top of two transmission fluid lines, behind the driver's side wheel well. You remove the hose with a quick release tool, drill out the check ball, clean the hose, and re-install. The hose is only about 8" long. The check ball is there so that when you shut down the engine, the trans fluid doesn't drain out of the torque converter. This, so you can start the engine and drive away immediately. With it removed, after I start the truck, I put the trans in neutral for 15 seconds or more before driving away, so the pump refills the torque converter.
I also pulled the thermostat out of the OEM transmission cooler (also mentioned by previous poster), and reversed it so the cooler is never bypassed. I had found that my thermostat was stuck in the bypass position, and the trans fluid was NEVER getting circulated through the transmission cooler!
I would suggest that transmission temperatures be monitored in some way. You can pull it off the ECM with an CTS Edge Insight gauge (what I did). There are other digital gauges that plug into the OBD2 port. I used the ScanGauge II to pull trans fluid (plus anything else on the ECM, like coolant temp) off a previous vehicle. Some people use the Torque app.
