2014 ram w/8speed trans

[etuke]

Just bought a 2014 ram that has the 8 speed tranny and coming from a 2011 with the 5 speed I really hate the way the 8 changes gears.The 5 speed was smooth and shifted at what seemed to be the right RPM.The 8 speed will be in 4th gear before I get 100 ft.It seems to shift way to early and cruises around town in 7th.Also when going down hill it will downshift and bring the RPMs up(no hill decent option on this ram).Combine it with the ECO mode and it gets harsh sometimes.In Alphaobd there is an option to reset adaptive values,would this be good to try?

 

[Wild one]

Just bought a 2014 ram that has the 8 speed tranny and coming from a 2011 with the 5 speed I really hate the way the 8 changes gears.The 5 speed was smooth and shifted at what seemed to be the right RPM.The 8 speed will be in 4th gear before I get 100 ft.It seems to shift way to early and cruises around town in 7th.Also when going down hill it will downshift and bring the RPMs up(no hill decent option on this ram).Combine it with the ECO mode and it gets harsh sometimes.In Alphaobd there is an option to reset adaptive values,would this be good to try?

See that little button with -/+ on it, on the steering wheel,get in the habit of using it,bypasses 90% of what you're yelling about.
Quit driving it like Grandma too,lol.If you're hitting 4th gear in a 100ft,find the skinny pedal and use it a little more aggressively,the worst thing you can do to a Hemi is drive it like Grandma would,drive that thing like your 16 again You can pull the negative battery cable off,step on the brakes for a minute or so with it disconnected,then reconnect it,and go drive it like you stole it,to relearn your driving habits.

 

[etuke]

Cant drive like I stole it with gas at $1.60 per ltr.

 

[crackerjack1957]

I would say tune it but you are complaining about gas price so........ they make vehicles that get better fuel economy.

 

[etuke]

Just wanted to know if the adaptive values reset would be anygood to try,didnt want driving lessons or to spend money on tunes,just a simple question.

 

[Wild one]

Just wanted to know if the adaptive values reset would be anygood to try,didnt want driving lessons or to spend money on tunes,just a simple question.

Not gonna do squat if you're still going to drive it like Grandma,your only option is to get in the habit of using the buttons on the steering wheel to shift it when you'd like it to shift. Relearning it,isn't going to change the way it shifts,unless you change your driving style.The 8 speed has the capabilty of learning your driving style,and if you baby it,it'll short shift,and go into the higher gears faster then you want,but you can bypass that by manually shifting it,even if you still drive like Grandma

 

[Bigskyroadglide]

Listen to the advice given above, take battery cable off, step on brake pedal wait awhile, step on brake pedal, then put cable back on.

Let the truck learn your driving habits. Not previous owner.

In addition on startup, given it 30 seconds or so to fill the lines and converter with fluid. If any leaks back into the pan after previous shutoff, then this will address that issue.

Next Until the Trans hits 120 degrees or more it will shift different as the fluid needs some time to warm up.

My 14 RT, shifts different before 120 than after 120 degrees and I'm tuned both engine and transmission as well as highly modified.

The 8 speed is a solid Trans, it just has a few quirks.

Last, the harder you drive it, the better it will learn your habits.

PS, nothing I've mentioned cost $$.

 

[jws123]

Just bought a 2014 ram that has the 8 speed tranny and coming from a 2011 with the 5 speed I really hate the way the 8 changes gears.The 5 speed was smooth and shifted at what seemed to be the right RPM.The 8 speed will be in 4th gear before I get 100 ft.It seems to shift way to early and cruises around town in 7th.Also when going down hill it will downshift and bring the RPMs up(no hill decent option on this ram).Combine it with the ECO mode and it gets harsh sometimes.In Alphaobd there is an option to reset adaptive values,would this be good to try?

I was the same way i kept my 2011 til it died at 230k You get use to it its diffrent for sure Also if you disable MDS it will be Alot better on the up side its very good with towing and MPG is better i got 19mpg on a recent 9 hour trip where was my old truck got 12

 

[DILLIGAF]

Zip Kit and get Flyin' Ryan to tune it. Voila a perfect shifting 8 speed

 

[Wild one]

Zip Kit and get Flyin' Ryan to tune it. Voila a perfect shifting 8 speed

Ryans got a post up,he's not taking on new tuning customers for awhile.
Seeing as the OP's on the rock/Newfoundland,and sounds like he drives it like Grandma,tuning the transmission isn't probably something he wants to do,and being a 14 he's pretty well limited to using HP to tune the transmission

 

[DILLIGAF]

Ryans got a post up,he's not taking on new tuning customers for awhile.

The FRP Sauce is popular I see

 

[Wild one]

The FRP Sauce is popular I see

These days there's as good a tuners as Ryan,so you're not really limited on tuners.
Sounds more like the new warehouse is the issue,and where he's making the most money,the tuning seems to have taken a back seat to flogging parts,same as Greene,there's more money in the parts end,then the tuning end

 

[crash68]

In Alphaobd there is an option to reset adaptive values,would this be good to try?

Yes there is an option in AlfaOBD to reset the transmission adaptive values. As mentioned by other don't drive the truck like an old geezer trying to save pennies, it will just compound the problem when the trans "relearns" your driving pattern.
If your concerned about fuel economy, it's the spark plugs...as in you have them and missing a turbo... LOL.

 

[crash68]

the tuning seems to have taken a back seat to flogging parts,same as Greene,there's more money in the parts end,then the tuning end

Any tuner has to have something legal to fall back on for money in when EPA starts cracking down on gas tuners also. Those parts better have a California EO # if needed or the EPA won't like them either.

 

[Wild one]

Any tuner has to have something legal to fall back on for money in when EPA starts cracking down on gas tuners also. Those parts better have an a California EO # if needed or the EPA won't like them either.

I think the majority of his and greenes sales are outside the US,where US regulations don't apply.Last time i talked to Jay,he said his US sales were just a drop in the bucket to what he sold outside the States. The worlds alot bigger then the good old US of A

 

[etuke]

I take all the helpful comments with gratitude,thank you.another question as to the trans learning shifting patterns.If I use the manual shifter buttons and shift where I think is a good rpm range will the trans learn that habit and adapt this pattern to automatic shifting?

 

[crash68]

If I use the manual shifter buttons and shift where I think is a good rpm range will the trans learn that habit and adapt this pattern to automatic shifting?

Those are the Electronic Range Selection buttons, they just limit what gear the transmission will shift up to. Most likely the transmission ignores any manual commands for its adaptive shift learning. Put a couple thousand miles after resetting the adaptive shift learning before trying to manually control the transmission. These 8HP transmissions are smarter than the average bear when it comes to knowing what gear to be in. Keep in mind they react more to torque demand,not so much just rpms.
Only true method of altering the shift pattern will be to have the TCM tuned. Here is one that even gives you the option of manual hear shifting: https://greendieselengineering.com/product/ram-1500-hemi-transmission-tune/

 

[Wild one]

I take all the helpful comments with gratitude,thank you.another question as to the trans learning shifting patterns.If I use the manual shifter buttons and shift where I think is a good rpm range will the trans learn that habit and adapt this pattern to automatic shifting?

Usually it won't,but give it a try and see how it pans out.As crash stated they limit the gear it'll upshift to,but they work good for manually upshifting below the 5600 rpm threshold where it's programmed to upshift if you have it floored. Do the battery disconnect,then i'd drive it using the buttons to manually upshift it where you'd like it to upshift,as i don't think doing the battery disconnect and then leaving it in drive to learn your driving style is going to change anything,if you still drive it with a light foot on the skinny pedal,that usually only works if you drive it aggressively after the battery disconnect,and continue to drive it aggressively.BTW you're not doing your 5.7 any favours by babying it,even with gas above a buck and a half a litre

 

[Dusty]

Just bought a 2014 ram that has the 8 speed tranny and coming from a 2011 with the 5 speed I really hate the way the 8 changes gears.The 5 speed was smooth and shifted at what seemed to be the right RPM.The 8 speed will be in 4th gear before I get 100 ft.It seems to shift way to early and cruises around town in 7th.Also when going down hill it will downshift and bring the RPMs up(no hill decent option on this ram).Combine it with the ECO mode and it gets harsh sometimes.In Alphaobd there is an option to reset adaptive values,would this be good to try?

What axle ratio do you have?

My 2014 with a 3.91 was a quick shifter also, noticeably quicker that my '19 with the 2.93.

Also, the ZF 8-speed is a learning transmission that will adapt shifts to the driving style. If the previous owner was an old fogey like me it probably adjusted to their style of slow-poke driving.

Regards,
Dusty
2019 Ram 1500 Billet Silver Laramie Quad Cab 2WD, 5.7 Hemi, 8HP75, 3.21 axle, 33-gallon fuel tank, 18” wheels. Build Date: 3 June 2018. Now at 119281 miles.

 

[etuke]

3.92