54RFE no first gear

[linus2025]

I just changed the filters in my 545RFE (2003 Ram 2500) and now it doesn't have first / low gear. All other gears seem to work and everything was fine before I changed the fluid. I checked the fluid and it was fine (proper level, no smell). Ugh...

 

[jws123]

your going to need to re drop that pan make sure your filters seated correctly did you change the seals on both filters?

 

[Burla]

Stop driving this til you fix it, it is not limp mode, this can cost you a transmission.

 

[linus2025]

Yep...checked the seals to make sure they were seated, but will drop the pan and check them again. Agree Burla, its back in the garage and parked until I figure it out. To add insult to misery, when I was underneath checking for the obvious, I found the rear u-joint on the drive shaft is bad and the t-case seal is dry rotted...this truck...always something.

 

[linus2025]

Dropped the pan and don't see anything unusual. Will a leaking seal be obvious? Plan to change the filters again and check and see. If that isn't it, is there a place to check the line pressure for 1st gear engagement? What is confusing me is that I thought 1st and reverse were the same circuit.

 

[Burla]

I don't know that, it is easy to drop valve body, once out you can inspect pistons for travel and if they are seated good, that is where the psi comes from. So when you pulled the funny looking sump filter the o ring came out? And you put a new o ring back?

watch this

Product Overview: ATS 68RFE Valve Body and ATS Co-Pilot

Clint Cannon, President of ATS, describes the inherent weaknesses of the 68RFE (545RFE, too) valve body. This is a comprehensive overview of the numerous pro...

youtu.be

 

[linus2025]

Yes...I replaced the pressed in seal and the spin on filter seal.

 

[linus2025]

Replaced the filters, filled with fluid and all is well again. The filter that presses in (vs the spin on filter) must have been leaking. Nothing seemed out of place, but everything working now. Thanks for the help!

 

[Burla]

I would bet that was exactly the cause, you will know moving forward if it indeed fixed it Sometimes guys squeeze two o rings by accident (forget to take old one out) or forget oring or somehow your oring wasn't seated correctly, it happens..

Sometimes guys over torque plastic threads on other filter and those crack, same thing happens, and it has cost ram members at least one I recall their transmission. so good you fixed it. There was a case dude found a cracked almost in half plastic threads only after he lost his trans.