laptopps
Junior Member
Thanks for taking the time to read! I really do appreciate it!
I have a 2003 Dodge Ram 1500 4X4 with the 5.7L V8 and 545RFE Transmission. It has 161K miles. Purchased it a little while ago and I did not know the last time that the transmission fluid had been changed. The fluid didn't smell new (maybe a tiny bit burned) and barely detectable grit in it. It recently threw a CEL with the generic P0700 and the P0740 Torque Converter Clutch Circuit / Open. Did a BUNCH of reading in these (GREAT!) forums and dropped the transmission pan, cleaned it, cleaned the magnet, changed the 2 filters and refilled with ATF+4 to the proper level. Well.... after about 2 weeks, the same CEL came back.
Next step depends on you guys that know A LOT more about this stuff than I do. Seems like one of three things that need to be done to rectify the issue. Would prefer not to shotgun expensive options first but if that is what needs to be done, I would. What to be done first?? Do I do another transmission drain and refill (at about $45) hoping it was the dirty fluid, or change the solenoid pack and upgrade to the white plug (at about $250) or have the tranny dropped and change the torque converter?? (cost is one arm and half of a leg)
Or, is there something else that I would need to do?? I think that I have narrowed it down, but TOTALLY could have missed something.
Thank you VERY much for reading this over. Hope that you have a GREAT New Years!
I have a 2003 Dodge Ram 1500 4X4 with the 5.7L V8 and 545RFE Transmission. It has 161K miles. Purchased it a little while ago and I did not know the last time that the transmission fluid had been changed. The fluid didn't smell new (maybe a tiny bit burned) and barely detectable grit in it. It recently threw a CEL with the generic P0700 and the P0740 Torque Converter Clutch Circuit / Open. Did a BUNCH of reading in these (GREAT!) forums and dropped the transmission pan, cleaned it, cleaned the magnet, changed the 2 filters and refilled with ATF+4 to the proper level. Well.... after about 2 weeks, the same CEL came back.
Next step depends on you guys that know A LOT more about this stuff than I do. Seems like one of three things that need to be done to rectify the issue. Would prefer not to shotgun expensive options first but if that is what needs to be done, I would. What to be done first?? Do I do another transmission drain and refill (at about $45) hoping it was the dirty fluid, or change the solenoid pack and upgrade to the white plug (at about $250) or have the tranny dropped and change the torque converter?? (cost is one arm and half of a leg)
Or, is there something else that I would need to do?? I think that I have narrowed it down, but TOTALLY could have missed something.
Thank you VERY much for reading this over. Hope that you have a GREAT New Years!
