99 Ram 5.9 pretends to have turbo lag

[Sirriggs]

Dont feel bad. Went to wash clothes and washer wont do anything. I researched up and found how to use onboard diagnostic through switch. Well tried that and its so weird I couldn't get a clear reading but If i went through each motion one at a time. They work. So I unplugged for a day went back. same thing. Sent an email to GE and they have simply ignored it with NO response. They just lost another customer. It seems they have went to crap by reading reports against them. I know its not truck related but these companies just don't seem to care anymore. I dont get it?

 

[Bear_Gibson]

I dont get it?

Manufacturers, no longer care about repairing units. They want you to just replace it when it goes out. Like some transmissions that don't have a dipstick. Something else too, most people now days have no clue how to fix anything, and don't care to learn. Just replace it and move one, lazy people. Same reason you can't hardly find a stick shift vehicle anymore.

On to todays fun. So If you remember, I had tightened up the tv cable to make it downshift quicker, and hold gears longer. Tuesday it got to where it did wanna upshift until very high rpms. I ordered a sonnax tv valve kit, and new solenoids. New oil dipstick, I accidentally mashed it when I broke the dipstick and was trying to remove the tube. The dipstick was the easy part, I massaged the engine with a brazing torch till it was nice and warm. I was able to extracate it after that without pan removal. Then to the transmission, when it started acting up I backed off the tv cable to the stock setting, but that didn't help. Checking the fluid revealed that it was getting very dark. So today it got 8 quarts of fresh atf+4, which is hard to find locally. After replacing the fluid, tv valve, and solenoids it appears to be shifting right again. I have come to the conclusion that my loss of power MUST be the torque converter one way clutch. I have put out feelers, (questions), to a company asking what it would look like if the one way clutch siezed.

 

[Bear_Gibson]

I have also just discovered that it could be the intermediate shaft the one way clutch rides on. Whatever broke, was instant.

 

[Sirriggs]

Man your having about as much luck as myself here. Dodge has been put on back burner here but she runs nice. I wish you the best with yours. It stinks when you can't help.

 

[Bear_Gibson]

You are helping, talking about it gets me to thinking about it. Sometimes it isn't about giving an answer, it's jogging my memory. I knew it was trans after it started its shifting fit and burned the fluid in a short span. I was reading something or watching a video that mentioned the converter is most of the heat in a trans. Then I started looking at the inner workings of a converter. I know lock up works. I saw theres a one way bearing in a converter. Looking up symptoms of a failed stator one way bearing lead me to think that must be it. It multiplies torque at very low speeds. That was my eureka moment. Now I have to get a converter, or have one built.

 

[czervika]

Before I did all that, I'd smoke test the engine and look for leaks back by the fuel tank. My '03 leaked in one of the purge solenoid hoses by the tank and acted similarly. You dropping vacuum before wot is unusual, it would point me to a leak somewhere.

But I've been wrong before. This is what it looks like.

 

[Bear_Gibson]

I thought about that. I drove it without the vacuum lines connected. Without evap hose connected. Also without the pcv system. The thing that screams transmission is the burned fluid after 2 months. It lost power when was making a left across traffic. Felt like it shifted to another gear and never came back.

 

[Bear_Gibson]

Redid the plenum gasket too.

 

[Sirriggs]

Sounds like your making some headway. I'm just spinning gears here. I spent 5 yrs here being full time care for wife so now I'm trying to get back in the job field and it has been a complete joke so far. My job field is dead here and The last place I worked at is long gone. Companies clean no body wanting to work but yet I can't catch a break looking for one. Everything I have is paid off so I don't need a high paying job to make ends meet on everyday bills. I grant I'm not a young man but damn washing dishes isn't rocket science either.lol. Due to lack of funds. Poor old Dodge is on hold and the Ford truck I'm driving is having a issue with a parasite draing the battery down so I have went through everything cleaning all the connections Local parts stores say the can really only check to see if its charging or not but Its charging decent so I know that isn't the issue. I bought a Centech 11 function tester but I'm not real sure how to do the test for checking each fuse. I read the directions( what little they were) and did the negative cable removed and set it to ohms but it didn't show anything so I could try. Unfortunately, I'm a cabinet builder so I don't know much about electrical. I don't know anybody around here that could walk me through the basics so I could learn either. ANYWAY, It sounds like your getting a grip on your problem Bear and that good to hear. I just needed to vent my frustration more then anything.

 

[Sirriggs]

Thread been quiet. Making any headway on your issue? Hopefully the answer is Yes.

 

[Bear_Gibson]

No progress, I'm just waiting till I can afford a converter.

 

[Sirriggs]

Gotcha. Was hoping for better news. Just got working again so hopefully be back on the Dodge after I pay some bills and bank some cash up. Will do the intake gaskets due to breaking a bolt so my thinking is just replace both the gaskets and bolts so i can move forward again. Will keep a eye on your progress. I want to hear some good news.

 

[Bear_Gibson]

Between back to school and birthdays, this is a busy time of year for me.

 

[Sirriggs]

I remember those day's. lol. Mine is 24 now. She working and doing good.

 

[Bear_Gibson]

**************UPDATE**********************

Having tested and confirming that the trans was shifting correctly I assumed it must be the torque converter. A few weeks ago I had a shop look at it and they confirmed my suspicions. However, I could not afford the 1800 they wanted to replace the converter. So I called a company I have known and used many times in Evansville, Indiana called (Champ Converters). They shipped it to me. $165 for the converter, plus the core charge and shipping. When I drag raced they built the converters for my car, and have done some street converters for me too. I finished the install today and she's back to her old self. I believed what failed was the stator one way bearing. I was able to turn the stator both ways on the old converter.