8 speed tranny shudder/clunk/stutter

[RLJ10X]

If your problem is the torque converter, wouldn't you be getting the shudder in all gears?

 

[TheEnder]

If your problem is the torque converter, wouldn't you be getting the shudder in all gears?

No.

The Torque Converter (atleast on the 65RFE) locks once you get up to cruising speed, and unlocks once you let off the gas.


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[Glenn Williams]

Good day,

I have a 2014 Ram 1500 with a 5.7 also and have been experiencing the same issues. I currently have 260,000 KM on it. It started about a year or so ago. Started out not really noticeable but now it has gotten worse. Here is what I have done so far. Diff fluid change, Transfer case fluid change. Checked the drive shaft to make sure bearings are good, I changed the trans fluid pan and filter put in the dealer recommended fluid at 40.00 a liter. I have taken it to a transmission shop and had them put the scanner on and no codes at all. The last thing I did was take it to a mechanic and have them flash the TCM still no change. The next step I think is change out the transmission.

Have you guys figured the problem out yet?

 

[Maverick10]

Good day,

I have a 2014 Ram 1500 with a 5.7 also and have been experiencing the same issues. I currently have 260,000 KM on it. It started about a year or so ago. Started out not really noticeable but now it has gotten worse. Here is what I have done so far. Diff fluid change, Transfer case fluid change. Checked the drive shaft to make sure bearings are good, I changed the trans fluid pan and filter put in the dealer recommended fluid at 40.00 a liter. I have taken it to a transmission shop and had them put the scanner on and no codes at all. The last thing I did was take it to a mechanic and have them flash the TCM still no change. The next step I think is change out the transmission.

Have you guys figured the problem out yet?

I haven't yet, no. Hasn't gotten worse, but still there

 

[PoMansRam]

Yeah no idea. I watch temps all the time. I keep that screen on permanently. Purchased it at 69k and now at 86k. No highway driving either

Since my above posts in this thread I traded my 2017 Ram 1500 pentastar for my 2019 classic w/ hemi. Got the 2019 back in July 2020. For what ever reason, my hemi / 8HP70 runs cooler than the 8HP45 did in my pentastar. I rarely, if ever see ~185F on the 2019. I've driven all the way to work (40 miles) and the trans temps might get to 178F per the dash.

I do know my 2019 classic doesn't have the coolant 3-way valve. There's just an open plastic coupling in place of where the 3-way valve was on my 2017 8hp45.

 

[EdGs]

Since my above posts in this thread I traded my 2017 Ram 1500 pentastar for my 2019 classic w/ hemi. Got the 2019 back in July 2020. For what ever reason, my hemi / 8HP70 runs cooler than the 8HP45 did in my pentastar. I rarely, if ever see ~185F on the 2019. I've driven all the way to work (40 miles) and the trans temps might get to 178F per the dash.

I do know my 2019 classic doesn't have the coolant 3-way valve. There's just an open plastic coupling in place of where the 3-way valve was on my 2017 8hp45.

My 8HP70 runs about 190 all the time, and I think I have the 3-way valve as well.

I saw quite a few threads where people that had the pentastars that ran way hotter than 210 constant, which cant be good. I'm sure 190 isn't the best either, but at least it's not as hot as the others.

 

[Glenn Williams]

I picked up a transmission today at a salvage yard. 67,000 km on it compared to the 260,000 on mine. $1500.00 CDN. The plan is to swap them out on Saturday. Going to take my doorman trans oil pan with the interchangeable filters and put it on the newer tranny. I also grabbed 9 L of 8&9 Speed ATF from the dealer. Fingers crossed this fixes the problem. And while we have this apart going to change the exhaust manifolds and new gaskets to fix the broken bolt problem. A very expensive week.

 

[Mbrigh3]

I've searched and searched but I think I have a different issue than most?

Just picked this truck up. Specs on truck are in my sig.

Just had manifold gasket done, and got them to do tranny flush at same time.

Since I've bought this truck 2 weeks ago, it's had a stutter when shifting. Most noticeable from 2-3, but kinda does it whenever it wants. Just accelerating normally from a stop, it won't make noise, it just feels like it clunks, or slips. Something. Sorry if I can't describe it well. Does not shift smooth at all. Some people say with the 8 speed working normally, you almost can't even feel it shift. Well I definitely feel it shift. Almost every gear, it just bucks for a second than goes. Get a small loss of power for a moment, then picks up and goes.

Where do I go from here? No codes, 220***kms on truck. The shop also did a relearn on the tranny, but hasn't seem to help yet

Sounds like my old 14. They replaced the transmission the first time and about 3 years later the second one had the same issue. So i traded it into the dealer. Such a headache. It will eventually toss a code if it clunks into gear hard enough.

I had 3.21 gears and I cant entirely say my 35's did not contribute to the issue. I had it on the 6,7th gears.

 

[EdGs]

I picked up a transmission today at a salvage yard. 67,000 km on it compared to the 260,000 on mine. $1500.00 CDN. The plan is to swap them out on Saturday. Going to take my doorman trans oil pan with the interchangeable filters and put it on the newer tranny. I also grabbed 9 L of 8&9 Speed ATF from the dealer. Fingers crossed this fixes the problem. And while we have this apart going to change the exhaust manifolds and new gaskets to fix the broken bolt problem. A very expensive week.

Sounds like you got a pretty sweet deal on that tranny.

An expensive week for sure, and a busy weekend, too.

I wish you the best on the changeout, may it go smoothly.

 

[Wild one]

I picked up a transmission today at a salvage yard. 67,000 km on it compared to the 260,000 on mine. $1500.00 CDN. The plan is to swap them out on Saturday. Going to take my doorman trans oil pan with the interchangeable filters and put it on the newer tranny. I also grabbed 9 L of 8&9 Speed ATF from the dealer. Fingers crossed this fixes the problem. And while we have this apart going to change the exhaust manifolds and new gaskets to fix the broken bolt problem. A very expensive week.

Probably wouldn't hurt to flush some new fluid through the cooler lines while you have them disconnected,and drain and refill your new/newer convertor.You might want to grab a couple more litres of fluid if you do decide to flush and refill everything with new fluid. Now might be the time to do a coolant swap,if you're swapping in a used tranny,with it's thermal heater unit,you'll have to disconnect the coolant lines off it,so that entails draining the rad . I'm not sure on a used tranny,if you need to basically marry it to the truck or not,you do with a new transmission,but i'm not sure about a used transmission,but you want to check into that end,just to make sure.

 

[Glenn Williams]

Sounds like you got a pretty sweet deal on that tranny.

An expensive week for sure, and a busy weekend, too.

I wish you the best on the changeout, may it go smoothly.

Thanks, I will post how things go.

 

[Glenn Williams]

Probably wouldn't hurt to flush some new fluid through the cooler lines while you have them disconnected,and drain and refill your new/newer convertor.You might want to grab a couple more litres of fluid if you do decide to flush and refill everything with new fluid. Now might be the time to do a coolant swap,if you're swapping in a used tranny,with it's thermal heater unit,you'll have to disconnect the coolant lines off it,so that entails draining the rad . I'm not sure on a used tranny,if you need to basically marry it to the truck or not,you do with a new transmission,but i'm not sure about a used transmission,but you want to check into that end,just to make sure.

I bought 9 L of fluid and was planning on doing just that.

How do I empty the converter and refill?

As for the coolant I just changed the water pump a year ago so I should be good there. I called a transmission shop that my son deals with ( he is a mechanic and they send all their tyranny's to him) He does not think that when installing a used tranny that this in needed. I do not trust the dealer here so I have not called them yet. Maybe someone else here can chime in and give me some insight on this.

 

[Wild one]

I bought 9 L of fluid and was planning on doing just that.

How do I empty the converter and refill?

As for the coolant I just changed the water pump a year ago so I should be good there. I called a transmission shop that my son deals with ( he is a mechanic and they send all their tyranny's to him) He does not think that when installing a used tranny that this in needed. I do not trust the dealer here so I have not called them yet. Maybe someone else here can chime in and give me some insight on this.

Pull the convertor out of the tranny and tip it on it's face to drain it,then turn it over and refill it with at least 1.5 litres of fluid. I'd definitely be flushing the cooler and lines ,especially seeing as how you were having issues with your old transmission. I don't know if 9 litres of fluid will be enough to flush the cooler/fill the convertor and do a fluid swap on the new transmission. You don't have to swap coolant,but you will have to drain the rad or else use hose pinch-offs to clamp off the coolant lines going to the transmissions thermal heater ,as i'm guessing you'll also be using the thermal management unit that should come with your used transmission,and not your original thermal unit.The thermal unit is the big ugly looking heat exchanger bolted to the drivers side of the transmission,if your old transmission had heat issues,i wouldn't re-use your existing thermal unit,as they have been known to give trouble. I'm not sure on a used transmission,and whether it'll have to be married to the truck or not,hopefully one of the dealer techs like Fast69 or Tach Tech chime in,they'll know if you can bolt it in,and drive it away,or if it'll have to be towed to a dealer for the transmission to be married to the truck

 

[Glenn Williams]

Pull the convertor out of the tranny and tip it on it's face to drain it,then turn it over and refill it with at least 1.5 litres of fluid. I'd definitely be flushing the cooler and lines ,especially seeing as how you were having issues with your old transmission. I don't know if 9 litres of fluid will be enough to flush the cooler/fill the convertor and do a fluid swap on the new transmission. You don't have to swap coolant,but you will have to drain the rad or else use hose pinch-offs to clamp off the coolant lines going to the transmissions thermal heater ,as i'm guessing you'll also be using the thermal management unit that should come with your used transmission,and not your original thermal unit.The thermal unit is the big ugly looking heat exchanger bolted to the drivers side of the transmission,if your old transmission had heat issues,i wouldn't re-use your existing thermal unit,as they have been known to give trouble. I'm not sure on a used transmission,and whether it'll have to be married to the truck or not,hopefully one of the dealer techs like Fast69 or Tach Tech chime in,they'll know if you can bolt it in,and drive it away,or if it'll have to be towed to a dealer for the transmission to be married to the truck

Thank you for the tips much appreciated. I will pick up a few extra liters today. Can I blow out the cooler lines? Yes I will be using the new thermal unit. Fingers crossed I won't need to marry the used tranny.

 

[Glenn Williams]

Well My son and I swapped out the tranny and put new exhaust manifolds on this past Saturday. Everything went well took us 11 hours from start to finish. I blew out the tranny cooling lines and emptied the TC like Wild One suggested and put in 9 L of fluid, Ran it through the gears and toped it up at around 45 degrees. Only had 3 broken studs and we used the welded washer and nut trick. First time doing that and we got them all out. The tranny shifts as smooth as silk. Just like when I got it. Drove it to work today about 50 KM. The only thing I found so far is I can no longer use the buttons on the steering wheel to manually shift gears. Not sure why that is. Do you think I will need to go the Chrysler and get it reprogrammed?