Transmission replacement questions

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Mr Anderson

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Hello ive read a couple forums to help me work on my truck but this is my first time posting I have a 2013 ram 1500 SLT 4x4 quad cab with a 5.7 hemi and the 6 speed transmission. I just recently finished “rebuilding” a used 2012 5.7 hemi engine with a new cam and all new gasket and rebuilt the heads with new valve seals and relaped all the valves and got it swapped in and running with no check engine lights. I was hoping to use this stock engine and transmission for a little while longer while I can get my old engine rebuilt with forged internal. Got it to pass emissions and then of course 1 week later the transmission starts slipping in 4th and 5th gear. I don’t know if my scanner is just being weird but there are 3 different p0734 codes that come up and then 1 p0735 code giving me 4 fault codes in total. Went and checked the fluid and it was a little low. I put about half a quart of mopar atf+4 in and cleared the codes. It drove fine until it got warm and then started slipping again and the codes came back. The truck has about 159,000 miles on it and I don’t see any service being done to the transmission ever since 54,000 miles. A transmission shop quoted me $5,500 for parts and labor of getting a new transmission in or rebuilding mine. Im just leaning towards getting a used transmission online with a warranty and change the filters and fluids swap that in myself as they are wayyy cheaper and I am on a tight budget. I’m only 19 and don’t have much money to play with. All my extra money went towards the engine rebuild and some other things I put on the truck

With getting a used transmission that has been tested and is working good is there any problems I could run into computer wise??
Or can I just drop the old transmission and then put the new/used one in and the computer will learn itself??

Are there any other problems I could have come up?

Would I need something to be reflashed by the dealer? And if so could I use Alfa OBD to do that myself?

Thanks any help is appreciated. I’m younger and am still learning a lot of things on my own and from YouTube with no other help but the internet and would appreciate any advice anyone would know or have
 

DILLIGAF

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Just do the SGA 8 speed swap. Dont ever waste money rebuilding a POS 65rfe

 

Jeepwalker

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If you read up on the codes, you know there are many causes for each code. And some are simple maintenance-related items (like a clogged filter), or bad solenoid ...a common failure point on these trannys. If it were me, I'd take it to the dealer and have them look at it, and do pressure checks. That's the best way. It may be that all you need is a new shift solenoid and filters. I have a V8 Jeep which I thought the RFE tranny was going out on ...and ended up being a solenoid. And it's worked great ever since (that was ~10 yrs ago!). Now it's the kid's car.

Actually, if it was really my truck, I would just change the solenoid myself and the tranny fluid and both filters all at once ....if you don't mind doing it yourself. Because it's a real common thing. But if you don't like doing it yourself, have the dealer check it out and change/flush the fluid. There's a lot of info on this, watch videos, etc. I guess I would advocate the following before condemning the tranny:
1) Change/flush tranny fluid. I would use FCA fluid. Small rural stores often sell it cheap out of their bulk barrel.
2) Install a solenoid and 2ndary filter too (look up your exact application this is just an example).


You can get ALL the old fluid out by changing your tranny fluid/filter, etc. Then BEFORE you start the vehicle, pull off a radiator trans line and run a clear hose from the end of the line to a white bucket. Overfill the tranny a couple 2-3 qts. Have a helper start the tk, you watch for the fluid to run 'clear'. You may need to have the helper shut down the tk and quick add a couple more qts and start up again as quick as possible till she runs clear (why you want clear hose). Reattach lines, top off fluid. Usually takes about 12-18 seconds and fluid comes out quick. Things happen fast... be on your toes, and [obviously] don't run er dry.

If at that point it still slips, I would add a can of tranny miracle repair. I've seen that stuff take a vehicle that wouldn't move under it's own power to a running tranny that operated for a couple years. It all depends on what's wrong with your unit. You could actually try that first ...as a diagnostic method ...if you plan to remove and exchange all your fluid anyway. If it works, then it's probably a seal in the valve body and you know where to attack the problem. We can probably assume the bands are good, unless you somehow 'cooked' them (smell the fluid) or your truck has a bazillion hard miles on it. My money is on a high-resistance filter (that small can filter up above) and at least one solenoid. Real common on these trannys. These Jeep/Chrysler/Ram RFE trannys have been around forever. Watch videos..there's a ton of info on them. They're reliable. No guarantee a used one won't need the same servicing.

Good luck! Let us know what is was.
 
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Jeepwalker

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BTW, if you have AlfaOBD, you should be able to cycle the solenoids. But, for the $$ you might as well replace it/them ...unless you're just bent on replacing your tranny. If your DIY, you should get AlfaOBD and a cable.

Unless you just asked for a shoot-from-the-hip replacement $$, be wary of diagnosis w/o pressure and electric/solenoid/computer checks. Some shops like to pull the ole trick where they bring up a metal pan with some aluminum parts in it and say, "Sorry to give you the bad news Mr Customer ....but we found this in your trucks tranny oil pan." And you're thinking, "Gee wizzz, why does that pan have a year's worth of dust on it!" :D Some shops have that line down so well... they should give dramatic acting tips to Brad Pitt!

OTOH, a good tranny shop can add a bunch of 'fixes' and more robust parts in the common failure areas. Is an 8-spd swap the way to go? Probably best to go drive a couple Rams with them in and see if you like them. Probably pick up a mile or two in mileage too.
 
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Mr Anderson

Mr Anderson

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Thanks for the replies. My column shifter started to not want to go from park to any of the other gears. I’d have to let it go and then pull on it again to get it to go into gear. so I got a shifter solenoid and got new filters and mopar atf+4 and swapped everything it did okay for a little and then while I was driving to the tire shop it started slipping again. I put some Lucas transmission fix in just as a lost shot to see if it’ll help. The tire shop is keeping it overnight since they lost my tires so I’ll see how it is tomorrow, at first it didn’t seem like it helped it but maybe I didn’t let it cycle through everything long enough yet. But if that doesn’t work then I will probably just invest in doing the 8 speed swap if it’s not to expensive. Is there a good forum on here that lists everything I would need for it that someone could point me too. I’ve looked at some but the ones I saw don’t list everything
 

JW2 Innovations

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My experience is that once you fill fluid up to the right level after swapping the fluid and shifting it through all the gears it typically works right if all is well with it.

Sorry but don't have details on 8spd swap or would share
Thanks for the replies. My column shifter started to not want to go from park to any of the other gears. I’d have to let it go and then pull on it again to get it to go into gear. so I got a shifter solenoid and got new filters and mopar atf+4 and swapped everything it did okay for a little and then while I was driving to the tire shop it started slipping again. I put some Lucas transmission fix in just as a lost shot to see if it’ll help. The tire shop is keeping it overnight since they lost my tires so I’ll see how it is tomorrow, at first it didn’t seem like it helped it but maybe I didn’t let it cycle through everything long enough yet. But if that doesn’t work then I will probably just invest in doing the 8 speed swap if it’s not to expensive. Is there a good forum on here that lists everything I would need for it that someone could point me too. I’ve looked at some but the ones I saw don’t list everything
 

TheEnder

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Thanks for the replies. My column shifter started to not want to go from park to any of the other gears. I’d have to let it go and then pull on it again to get it to go into gear. so I got a shifter solenoid and got new filters and mopar atf+4 and swapped everything it did okay for a little and then while I was driving to the tire shop it started slipping again. I put some Lucas transmission fix in just as a lost shot to see if it’ll help. The tire shop is keeping it overnight since they lost my tires so I’ll see how it is tomorrow, at first it didn’t seem like it helped it but maybe I didn’t let it cycle through everything long enough yet. But if that doesn’t work then I will probably just invest in doing the 8 speed swap if it’s not to expensive. Is there a good forum on here that lists everything I would need for it that someone could point me too. I’ve looked at some but the ones I saw don’t list everything

You are going to need the harness from SGA to do the 8HP swap, and that’s 1K.

You are going to need to source the screws, nuts, bolts, etc for everything too. I think someone posted a link to a thread on it earlier here. You’re also going to need to source a new driveshaft and a new transmission, along with either a floor shifter or a dial shifter. I wish you luck with whichever option you choose.
 

TheEnder

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You’re also going to need to tap cooler lines on the tranny, etc.
 
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