Transmission Temp??? Torque Converter??

jasoninatl · Dec 11, 2016

Sorry if this has been discussed. New here and there are so many topics, it could be somewhere.

I have a 2013 Ram Tradesmen, which operates fine around town. However, when on the highway for more than 20 minutes, I start to notice the transmission fluid temp rise to around 240 degrees, which seems ridiculously high considering I'm not towing anything. Around this time, the truck will jerk violently when I give it gas trying to accelerate and the engine needs to drop more than one gear (feels like it cannot find the gear, the RPM's spike, and then it slams it into gear). If I slightly press the gas to help keep speed constant up a small hill, the car will drop a gear and then a high pitched squealing sound comes from the engine (only way I can describe it)

I took it to the dealership and they couldn't find anything wrong with it, and couldn't duplicate the issue. I have a video of it now, and have sent, but when I talk to them I'd like to have some ideas what it could be. I am a car moron, so google has been my friend. Could this be the torque converter?

Appreciate any input.

Mr_Gingerbeard · Dec 11, 2016

What's the condition of the transmission fluid? What color is it? Is it at the correct level?

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jasoninatl · Dec 11, 2016

Mr_Gingerbeard said:
What's the condition of the transmission fluid? What color is it? Is it at the correct level?

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That's a very good question. Unfortunately Dodge in their ultimate wisdom decided to seal up the transmission system (only way I know how to put it), so there is no way to check the transmission fluid. Not sure what year they started to do that to their engines. 2013 may be the first year.

Mr_Gingerbeard · Dec 11, 2016

Do you have the 4.7??

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jasoninatl · Dec 11, 2016

Mr_Gingerbeard said:
Do you have the 4.7??

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No, I have the V6 version.

novelmike · Dec 11, 2016

Unfortunately Dodge in their ultimate wisdom decided to seal up the transmission system (only way I know how to put it), so there is no way to check the transmission fluid. Not sure what year they started to do that to their engines. 2013 may be the first year.[/QUOTE]

I am by no means an expert, but I've never heard of an automatic transmission not having a dipstick. How would one know if it has any fluid?

How many miles on your truck? Has any maintenance been performed on the automatic transmission?

jasoninatl · Dec 11, 2016

novelmike said:
I am by no means an expert, but I've never heard of an automatic transmission not having a dipstick. How would one know if it has any fluid?

How many miles on your truck? Has any maintenance been performed on the automatic transmission?

Yep, it's insanity, but for the 8 speed transmissions, they sealed it up and there is no dipstick to check fluid.

novelmike · Dec 11, 2016

How many miles on it? Any maintenance performed on the transmission?

jasoninatl · Dec 11, 2016

novelmike said:
How many miles on it? Any maintenance performed on the transmission?

42,000 miles. No work on tranny that I know of. It's still under warranty. Dealer had the truck for a whole week and couldn't find anything. I'm kinda wanting to march in there and demand them check certain things that may be the issue.

I mean is 240 degrees for the fluid not astronomically high for a car under normal driving conditions? I always thought 195 was about normal.

RamCares · Dec 13, 2016

jasoninatl said:
Sorry if this has been discussed. New here and there are so many topics, it could be somewhere.

I have a 2013 Ram Tradesmen, which operates fine around town. However, when on the highway for more than 20 minutes, I start to notice the transmission fluid temp rise to around 240 degrees, which seems ridiculously high considering I'm not towing anything. Around this time, the truck will jerk violently when I give it gas trying to accelerate and the engine needs to drop more than one gear (feels like it cannot find the gear, the RPM's spike, and then it slams it into gear). If I slightly press the gas to help keep speed constant up a small hill, the car will drop a gear and then a high pitched squealing sound comes from the engine (only way I can describe it)

I took it to the dealership and they couldn't find anything wrong with it, and couldn't duplicate the issue. I have a video of it now, and have sent, but when I talk to them I'd like to have some ideas what it could be. I am a car moron, so google has been my friend. Could this be the torque converter?

Appreciate any input.

Hi jasoninatl,

Did you go on a test drive with a service advisor or technician? In my experience this can be helpful when trying to duplicate an issue. If you decide to revisit your dealership I'd be happy to follow up with them for you if needed. Just PM our page with your VIN and let me know!

Andrea
Ram Social Care Specialist

Burla · Dec 13, 2016

Research ester based tranny fluid, it will run cooler and not break down like regular oil plus 30 degrees F. As a second choice Amsoil is also good. What happens is your tranny oil starts out with a visc of 7, when you run hot and sometimes just normal use depending on the oil, that visc becomes 5. If you tun Amsoil or Ester based your visc stays at 7, thus protecting that tranny better long term.

That could have been the TC or clutch packs slipping, but if you can't duplicate it I wouldn't worry about it. Changing the fluid is a good idea, drop pan change, and look at the condition of the fluid for particles. Change filters and cut them open, is what I would do.

Ester oils defy this chart, but you can see what happens to your trans when it runs hot.

Burla · Dec 13, 2016

I rarely recommend this, but as an immediate thing you could do to both clean that oil before changing it, is try running a product called Autorx. It is not the ester oil I am talking about, but it is an ester cleaner. My results with this product in slipping transmissions has been amazing. I don't like posting because of listening to the debby downers, but I have had this product cure a slipping tranny, the same exact thing your was doing trying to find a gear, but my transmission was trying to find the gear up. You just buy a pint and drop it in, it is worth a shot, no gauntness, but my tranny stopped slipping after adding this.

Hootbro · Dec 13, 2016

Auto-RX, that is product I have not heard spoken of in awhile.

Transmission Temp??? Torque Converter??

jasoninatl

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Mr_Gingerbeard

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jasoninatl

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Mr_Gingerbeard

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jasoninatl

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novelmike

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jasoninatl

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novelmike

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jasoninatl

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RamCares

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Burla

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Burla

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Hootbro

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