Tech Question
Wes Johnson, Winnipeg, MB, Canada, 1996 Dodge Ram 1500 5.2
I just bought a 96 Ram extended cab long box with 156,000miles on it. Truck runs great except for one issue with the tranny (46RE).As you are accelerating up to speed it REALLY hangs onto gears, even if youare accelerating very lightly. 1st to 2nd isn’t so bad, 2nd to 3rd is bad,3rd to 4th not so bad. It’s to the point that I have to pretty much let offthe gas to get it to shift. Also, when you floor it at 60 mph, it shiftright down to 1st, pegging the tach to 6000 rpm, not good (only did thatonce) . The tranny doesn’t slip, make noises, nothing. The fluid is a nicecolor, no stink, but it is very low, barely on the dipstick, could this bethe issue? Or could it be the TV cable needing adjustment? I’m not up onelectronic transmissions, but is there a speed sensor, since this is anelectronic transmission?
Wes-
While I doubt this will fix your problem, I’d sure change the fluid, filter,and adjust the bands. (When you drop the pan, 97% of what you see will beidentical to a 727).
The tranny isn’t really electronic. Only the governor is, which permits theengine controller to be “involved” in upshift and KD speeds. There’s agovernor pressure sensor which IS a known problem; it is also possible tohave internal governor problems; the history of this goes back to the early’60s. The cable can also be misadjusted (not too likely, really), also thecoaxial shift and KD shafts (where the manual lever and KD lever clamp on)have been known to corrode and get sticky — a shot or 2 of PB Blasterusually fixes that. Also be sure the return spring is in place (at the KDlever).
When the speed sensor goes, you know it right away — speedo stops workingor becomes erratic.
You really can’t overrev it — the rev limiter will shut off the fuel.
Rick
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