Shifting issues one day, fine the next...

[ramirezcf619]

I have a 2003 with 5.7L 2WD and recently it started doing some scary stuff. One day, the tranny started slipping. From a stop, I accelerated and 2nd gear went in a little rough then when it tried shifting into 3rd, it just reved up and gear would try to go in but revs just kept fluctuating. I pulled over shut the truck off and turned back on after a little and as I pulled away, i did same thing. Luckily, I was close to home to took home and parked it and left to work on other car. 10 hour later got home and took truck out on test run to see if it was electrical issue, and truck ran fine. Ran great, smooth shifting, for like 6 days and today it did it again.

If it was a mechanical tranny issue, I believe it would do it all the time, but I'm no expert. Same thing with CATs. Any ideas, sensors to check, TCM? Any appreciated.

 

[HemiLonestar]

Has it thrown any codes?

 

[ramirezcf619]

Has it thrown any codes?

I just got diagnostics and got a p0700, p0732, p0733, p0734, and p0735.

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[ramirezcf619]

Could this be caused by solenoids or the pressure sensors? It's doing it more often but I'm driving it now and shifting fine....

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[HemiLonestar]

I just got diagnostics and got a p0700, p0732, p0733, p0734, and p0735.

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Oooof...so:
0700 = generic trans fault
0732 = gear 2 incorrect ratio
0733 = gear 3 incorrect ratio
0734 = gear 4 incorrect ratio
0735 = gear 5 incorrect ratio

So, you may luck out and have a malfunctioning speed sensor, if they don't match it causes errors. Normally the kiss of death is 0734 & 0735 (OD clutches gone).

 

[ramirezcf619]

Oooof...so:
0700 = generic trans fault
0732 = gear 2 incorrect ratio
0733 = gear 3 incorrect ratio
0734 = gear 4 incorrect ratio
0735 = gear 5 incorrect ratio

So, you may luck out and have a malfunctioning speed sensor, if they don't match it causes errors. Normally the kiss of death is 0734 & 0735 (OD clutches gone).

I'll try to speed sensor and see if it goes away.

But if OD clutches are done, would my problem be intermittent like it is now or would it cause my symptoms everytime o drive it?

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[HemiLonestar]

When it happened to me the first time, it was intermittent at first, then pretty much the only way to move the truck was to turn OD off before putting it in gear. Then it worked fine as a normal 3sp auto lol. Second time I was away from home so within a couple hour time span I lost 5th, then 4th, then 3rd. 2nd held out long enough for me to get home. Not fun with 4.56 gears and a high stall converter.

 

[ramirezcf619]

What did you have to do to fix it? New tyranny? Rebuild yours?

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[HemiLonestar]

What did you have to do to fix it? New tyranny? Rebuild yours?

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First time I got a replacement trans from someone I actually trusted who sand dragged a 392 4wd. It was his spare trans. Lasted maybe 30,000 miles lol and that's with a deep pan and and a 1 ton cooler up front. What we long term more than stock 3rd gen owners have discovered is that it's cheaper to just find a low mileage junker and pop that in, you'll get about the same amount of miles out of it lol. So that's what I did the second time, found a 20,000 mile pull out and threw it in. So far so good 5yrs later.

 

[ramirezcf619]

First time I got a replacement trans from someone I actually trusted who sand dragged a 392 4wd. It was his spare trans. Lasted maybe 30,000 miles lol and that's with a deep pan and and a 1 ton cooler up front. What we long term more than stock 3rd gen owners have discovered is that it's cheaper to just find a low mileage junker and pop that in, you'll get about the same amount of miles out of it lol. So that's what I did the second time, found a 20,000 mile pull out and threw it in. So far so good 5yrs later.

And when replacing it, is it a straight swap or is there reprogramming needed? I dont know any trustworthy transmission shops in San Diego CA and just want to know a little more before I take it in to a shop.

Thank you for taking time on Christmas eve and replying.



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[HemiLonestar]

And when replacing it, is it a straight swap or is there reprogramming needed? I dont know any trustworthy transmission shops in San Diego CA and just want to know a little more before I take it in to a shop.

Thank you for taking time on Christmas eve and replying.

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No problem, not doing much else but sitting on my ass waiting for my brother to get here lol. There's no programming, you but you have to perform a quick learn. What this does is reset the CVI (Clutch Value Index) numbers in the TCM so it can shift the trans properly. Requires dealer level software or similar to perform (I have a DRBIII). Scanner has you start the truck, hold the brake, put it in gear, then it cycles through all the gears back to park.

 

[Logan Klein]

Dodge transmissions are...well...dodgy. My 230k mile truck is still on its original transmission.

 

[ramirezcf619]

No problem, not doing much else but sitting on my ass waiting for my brother to get here lol. There's no programming, you but you have to perform a quick learn. What this does is reset the CVI (Clutch Value Index) numbers in the TCM so it can shift the trans properly. Requires dealer level software or similar to perform (I have a DRBIII). Scanner has you start the truck, hold the brake, put it in gear, then it cycles through all the gears back to park.

Ok from your experience, would you say I'm throwing away money if I replace speed sensor, pressure transducer, and solenoids to see if it fixes the issue before going and looking to replace my tranny?

I was reading other posts on here and a guy replaced the tranny with a reman one and problem didn't go away...

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[HemiLonestar]

Dodge transmissions are...well...dodgy. My 230k mile truck is still on its original transmission.

Other than how much power it sucks up, it was ok trans and very advanced in it's day; the problem was always the oem tuning, plus they put it be hind a strong V8 that only got stronger over time. 4.7 was never strong enough stock to give an RFE fits. Enough full throttle downshifts to 2 prime with a hemi and that trans isn't gonna like it lol. What I have discovered over 13yrs is if you leave it stock, no power mods, the trans survives just fine. 345hp/375tq was pushing it as it was and then they put 390hp/410tq in front of it. Best thing they did before getting rid of the RFE was to turn it into a 6sp, placing 2 prime as a selectable 3rd gear (only manually) instead of a kickdown gear. One of the best things you can do to an RFE besides keeping to cooler is to retune it so that 2 prime can never be used.

Ok from your experience, would you say I'm throwing away money if I replace speed sensor, pressure transducer, and solenoids to see if it fixes the issue before going and looking to replace my tranny?
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I tried the speed sensor because it was cheap, like $10-12 from the store back in 2012. I wouldn't go as far as the transducer and solenoids, those get expensive quickly just throwing parts at it, plus there's the fluid full (a whole lot of ATF+4, which also isn't cheap). If it's cheap enough the speed sensor might be worth it, but considering the list you have were I you I'd take it somewhere with diagnostic capability. I can't put my DRB on your truck so I can't really help you from the other end of the country lol.

 

[ramirezcf619]

Other than how much power it sucks up, it was ok trans and very advanced in it's day; the problem was always the oem tuning, plus they put it be hind a strong V8 that only got stronger over time. 4.7 was never strong enough stock to give an RFE fits. Enough full throttle downshifts to 2 prime with a hemi and that trans isn't gonna like it lol. What I have discovered over 13yrs is if you leave it stock, no power mods, the trans survives just fine. 345hp/375tq was pushing it as it was and then they put 390hp/410tq in front of it. Best thing they did before getting rid of the RFE was to turn it into a 6sp, placing 2 prime as a selectable 3rd gear (only manually) instead of a kickdown gear. One of the best things you can do to an RFE besides keeping to cooler is to retune it so that 2 prime can never be used.



I tried the speed sensor because it was cheap, like $10-12 from the store back in 2012. I wouldn't go as far as the transducer and solenoids, those get expensive quickly just throwing parts at it, plus there's the fluid full (a whole lot of ATF+4, which also isn't cheap). If it's cheap enough the speed sensor might be worth it, but considering the list you have were I you I'd take it somewhere with diagnostic capability. I can't put my DRB on your truck so I can't really help you from the other end of the country lol.

You've very helpful, thank you. I'll try the speed sensor and go from there. Merry christmas!

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