Built Valve Body Questions (RFE)

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TheEnder

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Hello everyone,

Making this thread as I have questions for other people with built valve bodies and maybe it'll help other people in the future.

For starters, my CVIs were low before i installed the new valve body:

2C: 45
4C: 35
2C Alt: 52
L/R: 64
OD: 55
UD: 36

After I installed the new valve body:

2C: 51
4C: 45
2C Alt: 56
L/R: 70
OD: 75
UD: 41

These are after a quicklearn and around 300-400 miles on the truck since. The truck doesn't shift hard while going through the gears, in fact they're quite soft. But once you kickdown into lower gears it feels like you're going to die they're so hard occasionally.

Truck also seems to like running a bit hotter on the trans side, before it wouldn't hit 125 even when you beat on the truck but now it hits 150 while driving and stays steady at 170-180 while idling in park.

According to the seller, they upgraded the accumulator pistons, better solenoid plate, better solenoid switch valve (oversized), and oversized solenoid switch valve plugs. There's also a gasket separator plate.

I'm aware it probably needs a tune to bring those numbers down - i just can't do it at the moment as i just lost my job but i am planning on doing it as soon as possible.
 

jambbii

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What is done to the valve body? The temps don't seem bad at all to me. Why did you change it in the first place?
 

crackerjack1957

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Hemi 5.7...65RFE...4.56
Most built valve bodies recommend increased line pressure with tune.
I would not think this would cause a harsh downshift though.
Does it have the 7-ball separator plate with white solenoid?
 

Lyle Longboat

2011 Ram 1500 5.7 Sport CC
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Don’t think you can tune the 545rfe, idk about the 65/66rfe. 68rfe isn’t in our 1500s so that isn’t part of the question I suppose. Well what I did with my 545rfe was red eagle clutches, 2800-3000 circle D converter, billet channel plate, valve body separator plate, Sonnax accumulator pistons, transgo shift kit with thicker accumulator plate, large aftermarket trans cooler, Mag Hytech deep pan, redline fluid. Sean Powell (Hemifever) opened up the 3 gear (Tow/Haul) stays on all the time and is great. However after my
Cam Install, I Blew the overdrive clutches, however still can drive, just can’t throw down for passing. ATS stage 5 trans ordered and waiting for arrival.
 
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TheEnder

TheEnder

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What is done to the valve body? The temps don't seem bad at all to me. Why did you change it in the first place?
Changed it in the first place because I didn't wanna deal with having to replace it in the future, and in regards to what's been done with it, it is listed below.

According to the seller, they upgraded the accumulator pistons, better solenoid plate, better solenoid switch valve (oversized), and oversized solenoid switch valve plugs. There's also a gasket separator plate.
 
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TheEnder

TheEnder

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Most built valve bodies recommend increased line pressure with tune.
I would not think this would cause a harsh downshift though.
Does it have the 7-ball separator plate with white solenoid?
It's always had a bit of a rough downshift, it's started to get a bit better though. It's still stock with its original horrific 120PSI tuning, once i get the money i plan on getting a tuner and bumping that to at least 180-200PSI.

It has the 7 check ball valve body with a 5 check ball separator plate with gaskets. It's running a gray solenoid pack.

I would think if it requires higher line pressure that naturally the truck would compensate with a stock tune with just higher CVIs, but i could be wrong.
 

1dbcoleman

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2008 Ram 1500 mega cab 4x4
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5.7 hemi stroked to a 6.4
There is really nothing you can do to save the ole RFE non starter. You can throw at it all the parts you want and it's still going to fail. When the horsepower is there the transmission is not. You can tune 545rfe just depending on year because of computer technology. I have an 08 and they tuned it but it is limited.
 

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