2015 RFE transmission sanity check - P0868

[kurek]

I expect that I know the answer here but looking for a sanity check; 2015 Ram 1500 with the 6 speed RFE transmission. 41k miles. No history of transmission problems. I just dropped the pan and replaced the fluid and both filters as standard maintenance, used Mopar fluid.. have driven it about 300 miles since then and started getting a P0868 code apparent after I begin driving (after about the first 60 seconds or so of driving) . Some of those 300 miles have been towing a car hauler & car (about 6000 lb) and I was in tow/haul for that. P0868 code did not appear until after I finished that drive and returned to just driving around town. Temperatures normal, in fact I don't think this transmission's ever seen the high side of 180F and recently hasn't seen the high side of 150.

My guess is I may have cracked the plastic thread adapter between the spin on filter and the case and the filter is leaking.. but that's really just a guess.

Thoughts? Any other recommendations?

 

[smoothee]

You don't have a line pressure booster by chance do you?

 

[HEMIMANN]

Did you get the recall done for the defective solenoid valves? If not, oil change might have loosened 'em up enough to cause a fault code. Can't recall what years, but they were earlier than mine (2017).

 

[kurek]

You don't have a line pressure booster by chance do you?

Nope, no powertrain modifications on this truck unless you count recalibrating the speedometer for tires. (285/70r17 vs 265)

I think that tow/haul increases line pressure, and I did tow.. but that's what it's built to do and i was ~3000lbs below rated capacity.

Stopped to tie up those chains so I wouldn't start a fire in those barley fields.. that stuff has to turn into beer and bread! And yeah I know my tongue weight is wrong, can't pick where you mount the load on a Uhaul car hauler the straps/buckets are fixed in place.

Did you get the recall done for the defective solenoid valves? If not, oil change might have loosened 'em up enough to cause a fault code. Can't recall what years, but they were earlier than mine (2017).

I haven't had a recall for that, at least nothing showed up when I was getting other recalls done and no outstanding recalls are in place on Mopar Owners for my VIN

 

[smoothee]

Just figured I'd ask because I used to throw that code on aggressive launches. Tossed the booster and no issues since.
It's good you aren't getting any other ratio error codes or anything that would probably signal slippage. I know it sucks but I would pull the pan again and ensure that the filters are properly seated. Did you replace the gasket for the flat filter or just reuse the old?

 

[kurek]

Yeah I'm probably going to do that, drop the pan and check the filters. I pulled down the old gasket for the flat filter with a set of needle nose pliers, careful not to let them get where they could scratch the sealing surface and I pushed up the new one that came with the new filter but it's hard to be absolutely certain it "seated".

To be on the safe side this morning I ordered a metal adapter for the spin-on filter, and I think I'm just going to buy a new flat filter just so I can re-do the gasket. Sort of a waste but not as big a waste as buying another gallon and a half of fluid. Well at least this way I'm ensuring a greater % of the old fluid is getting flushed out (like what was in the torque converter, etc) .. this RFE's gonna last forever

I have a little Jeep Patriot to drive so I don't need to put miles on the Ram until it's fixed so that's good.

 

[smoothee]

Yeah I'm probably going to do that, drop the pan and check the filters. I pulled down the old gasket for the flat filter with a set of needle nose pliers, careful not to let them get where they could scratch the sealing surface and I pushed up the new one that came with the new filter but it's hard to be absolutely certain it "seated".

To be on the safe side this morning I ordered a metal adapter for the spin-on filter, and I think I'm just going to buy a new flat filter just so I can re-do the gasket. Sort of a waste but not as big a waste as buying another gallon and a half of fluid. Well at least this way I'm ensuring a greater % of the old fluid is getting flushed out (like what was in the torque converter, etc) .. this RFE's gonna last forever

I have a little Jeep Patriot to drive so I don't need to put miles on the Ram until it's fixed so that's good.

Sounds like you did everything right. I was nervous about that gasket the first time I serviced mine. Actually messed it up and had to head to the dealer for another one, lol.
But good call on doing the metal thread upgrade, may want to consider running a synthetic spin on filter as well. There's a thread on here about it somewhere, I went with Royal Purple. Just gotta knock the paint off first. And that's how I'd look at it too, the more fresh fluid in that thing the better! It's good that you have another vehicle at least.