At a loss with my RAM

[TheEnder]

Hello everyone.

Recently i’ve been looking into things @Burla has recommended for my 65RFE to build it up and make it better, and i’ve been looking into purchasing them as i just have enough saved for them. I was about to go through with the massive list i made last night before this happened.

I took the truck on a drive, all good there. Hit a highway, and **** went down. The truck started shaking horribly, vibrating, and started to act the worst thats it’s ever acted in my time of purchase.

I have to get on a highway to get back home, and as soon as i hit said highway, the RPMs jumped to redline, transmission started to SCREECH like a bad drive belt, and it shook so badly while i was doing this that i thought someone hit me. Not to mention that when i came to a stop after the highway just a block from my house it knocked like the drive belt broke off (it didn’t.)

I took off from said stop, and it barely moved under it own power, and i had to floor it from a stop just to get it to 20MPH.

The truck has no check engine lights and didn’t go into limp home mode.

I checked the fluid today, blood red. Not a HINT of black, or gray. I dropped the pan, nothing on the magnet. Nothing anywhere, so what gives? did the torque converter finally completely **** itself, tranny pump, or valve body? I’m at a complete loss with this truck and i’m just gonna move out my trailer and park it back there if i can’t get it fixed in time. If the tranny is just ****, i’m gonna bite the bullet and try to swap in a 8 speed.


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[Burla]

Well, if there is a bright side it sounds like you need a new transmission and perhaps upgrading the VB would have been throwing good money after bad. Find a local transmission shop and ask them if you can get a list of what they do to their rfe's, maybe post it here. Basically you want to be sure they rebuild the weaknesses out of the transmision, which is what any reputable shop should have available. Even if it costs more. Sounds like you should get a new TC as well.

 

[TheEnder]

Well, if there is a bright side it sounds like you need a new transmission and perhaps upgrading the VB would have been throwing good money after bad. Find a local transmission shop and ask them if you can get a list of what they do to their rfe's, maybe post it here. Basically you want to be sure they rebuild the weaknesses out of the transmision, which is what any reputable shop should have available. Even if it costs more. Sounds like you should get a new TC as well.

That’s what i’m going to do, take it on a flatbed to a tranny shop, and see what they’ll do. Scared about it, but oh well.


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[PoMansRam]

Were any of your wheels smoking hot from a stuck caliper, etc??

To me, if what you describe was transmission related, you'd have molten metal madness in the pan. You said you found nothing but fresh fluid in there.

Could this be the transfer case ******** itself? (if she's 4x4)

All this would be a trade-inable offence for me, for something with the 8spd.

 

[TheEnder]

This was exactly my thought. But no, she’s a 4x2. I was expecting the pan to have more metal in it than the transmission does entirely, but nothing. I haven’t checked the wheels, and i didn’t smell any smoking or see any smoking.


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[TheEnder]

Were any of your wheels smoking hot from a stuck caliper, etc??

To me, if what you describe was transmission related, you'd have molten metal madness in the pan. You said you found nothing but fresh fluid in there.

Could this be the transfer case ******** itself? (if she's 4x4)

All this would be a trade-inable offence for me, for something with the 8spd.

Stupid me, i forgot to quote you.


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[TheEnder]

Hey everyone. I have come back with more information.

I have a video on acceleration with the whine i am talking about.

The truck is shifting VERY hard on first start now.

Torque Converter Stall Test: 2100 RPM ***NORMAL***

Torque Converter Lockup Test: Normal

Torque Converter Unlock Test (letting foot off gas pedal while at cruising speed) Normal.

Due to the whine, i’m starting to convince myself it’s a transmission pump. Due to the hard shifting, no metal contamination, i’m also thinking it’s the valve body with a stuck valve like my friend @Brandon-w (sorry if i used the wrong @- it’s almost 4AM) was saying. Valve body is what im stuck on as it doesn’t make sense for me to have all these issues, and then to come to a conclusion it’s the torque converter when all seems fine with it currently, but there could be something i’m missing here. Or it’s just late and i’m not thinking this through. No metal makes me think that the heart of the transmission is good, but the numerous other issues makes me think valve body. A stuck valve would cause an issue like the one i have at 25MPH. A stuck valve would also cause the issue on downshift from 6 to 5.


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[TheEnder]

Video Link:



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[TheEnder]

Oh yeah i forgot to mention, the truck is now delaying to shift into Drive. Takes around 5-6 seconds with a nice ol card in bicycle tire sound.


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[Anonymous007]

Video Link:



Sent from Blue Onyx

Im just here to comment on your channel name [emoji16]. But seriously, hope you get it figured out!


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[PoMansRam]

This is a really odd set of symptoms that I know I haven't heard of before.

I'd try to get it to someone that can do some more advanced diagnostics on it before I jumped to conclusions.

I would have thought even on a 2013 6spd, there would be all kinds of code setting criteria on that transmission, yet you have no codes.

If it's not getting hot, not throwing codes and the fluid is still red and debris free, this may somehow not be transmission related.

 

[TheEnder]

This is a really odd set of symptoms that I know I haven't heard of before.

I'd try to get it to someone that can do some more advanced diagnostics on it before I jumped to conclusions.

I would have thought even on a 2013 6spd, there would be all kinds of code setting criteria on that transmission, yet you have no codes.

If it's not getting hot, not throwing codes and the fluid is still red and debris free, this may somehow not be transmission related.

This is what i’ve been hearing for quite a while now, but i have no idea where to start.

Fuses are good.

I’m not sure about the ECM/TCM, and the only thing that would come to mind is that if the transmission is completely fine, the TCM is telling it to unlock the torque converter and try to accelerate that way? don’t know.


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[TheEnder]

That’s the only thing that really comes to mind as sometimes (very low possibility) the transmission shifts beautiful with no hiccups at ALL.


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[PoMansRam]

Would be interesting if this was a fuel delivery problem, like an intermittent fuel pump problem.

Another stupid suggestion, but have you measured voltage across the battery with the truck idling? If you're getting less than 14VDC, this can lead to E-throttle problems, shifting issues, etc..

 

[TheEnder]

Would be interesting if this was a fuel delivery problem, like an intermittent fuel pump problem.

Another stupid suggestion, but have you measured voltage across the battery with the truck idling? If you're getting less than 14VDC, this can lead to E-throttle problems, shifting issues, etc..

I haven’t checked that. I will in a bit, and send the results. And yes, it would be very interesting.


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[TheEnder]

Would be interesting if this was a fuel delivery problem, like an intermittent fuel pump problem.

Another stupid suggestion, but have you measured voltage across the battery with the truck idling? If you're getting less than 14VDC, this can lead to E-throttle problems, shifting issues, etc..

I found something interesting. The voltage from the battery on idle is 13.32 volts.


Sent from Blue Onyx

 

[TheEnder]

Would be interesting if this was a fuel delivery problem, like an intermittent fuel pump problem.

Another stupid suggestion, but have you measured voltage across the battery with the truck idling? If you're getting less than 14VDC, this can lead to E-throttle problems, shifting issues, etc..

Now just throwing this out there, but the whine, low voltage, etc, would put a lot of things in perspective..


Sent from Blue Onyx

 

[TheEnder]

Would be interesting if this was a fuel delivery problem, like an intermittent fuel pump problem.

Another stupid suggestion, but have you measured voltage across the battery with the truck idling? If you're getting less than 14VDC, this can lead to E-throttle problems, shifting issues, etc..

Now that i’m thinking about it, the truck has always had a weak sounding starter, like it’s very low pitched compared to what i’ve heard in older trucks than mine. Hmmmm


Sent from Blue Onyx

 

[TheEnder]

Would be interesting if this was a fuel delivery problem, like an intermittent fuel pump problem.

Another stupid suggestion, but have you measured voltage across the battery with the truck idling? If you're getting less than 14VDC, this can lead to E-throttle problems, shifting issues, etc..

You were right. It’s an alternator issue. Today the truck gave me a “Battery Low Voltage” pop up on the instrument panel, and the transmission went back to shifting like **** right after this happened.


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[bfill_rebel]

Glad to hear you seemed to find your issues. My wife’s Subaru had similar issues. Turned out to be a cracked/dry rotted ground strap. Shocked me it was the issue because the other couple grounds off the engine where fine. It was the front lower passenger one that was off. Threw all sorts of crazy codes. Even froze her speedometer and lit every light on the dash lol.


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