Armed Polite Society
Main Forums => The Roundtable => Topic started by: AZRedhawk44 on October 10, 2012, 05:22:53 PM
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I've got a 2005 Dodge Ram 1500 with automatic transmission and 4.7L V8.
When cold, the thing will experience delayed engagement of 1st gear and high RPM's with fractional power delivered to the rear axle. After about 5 seconds of this or so, it will engage and drive normally. Sometimes, if I come to a stop (such as at the mouth of my cul-de-sac) while the tranny is acting up, the engine will take a hard dive in RPMs and come close to stalling.
Reverse is completely unaffected... only 1st gear it seems.
I've enjoyed having no car payment for the last 16-18 months. Been real nice.
However, I have seen the average fuel efficiency of this truck drop from about 17.5mpg to about 16mpg in the last 2-3 years.
I think the transmission is starting to slip, as well. I was going up Highway 260 out of Payson... when new, this truck would not disengage the torque converter in cruise control on that hill. Recently, it downshifted all the way to 2nd and did about 7000rpm to climb. Very creepy.
Nowadays, I ride my motorcycle around a lot more than my truck. Truck is for social occasions, taking the dog somewhere, or hauling stuff. I can handle having my truck in the repair shop for a week or two to undergo a transmission overhaul. No big deal.
But I want to TRUST my truck. And I don't.
Should I have the transmission rebuilt?
Should I just let it go and make sure I have AAA?
Or should I go out and proactively replace it? I really have a lust out for a Toyota FJ. And it would be a more sociable rig in general, since my truck is a standard cab and holds only 2 people. And it would be 4WD rather than 2WD like my current truck.
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Get a 4wd with a manual transmission ;)
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Miles?
2005 is not that old. I wouldn't be looking for a new car payment.
Price a trans rebuild.
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Price out replacement (how long a warranty will you get) vs. repair (how long a warranty will you get?) vs. new Toyota FJ (how long a warranty will you get?).
What are the monthly payments on options A & B vs. new car payment?
In the past 2 years how often did you need the capacity of a truck bed to haul stuff, as opposed to the equivalent of stuffing it in the back end of a FJ? How often in the next 5 years will you need the capacity of a truck bed (and how close to you is U-Haul or Home Depot/Lowes for 1-day rental)?
I know next to nothing about transmissions so am working off the theory that if it's broke it needs either replacement or repair, and that once I repair a major component that starts to go wonky I do not trust the rest of the components to not go wonky. I do know that the one time I replaced a transmission the guys at AAMCO liked me.
stay safe.
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Get a 4wd with a manual transmission ;)
Good luck finding one, and manual trans aren't bulletproof.
I'd look into having either a new transmission put in (a heavier duty one if one will fit) or rebuild it with more durable parts.
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I've had 2 automatic transmissions rebuilt. Both failed again within a year. I'm sure it can be done reliably, but I won't roll those dice again.
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Good luck finding one, and manual trans aren't bulletproof.
I'd look into having either a new transmission put in (a heavier duty one if one will fit) or rebuild it with more durable parts.
Real men know how to use lockout hubs and clutches :lol:
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Miles?
2005 is not that old. I wouldn't be looking for a new car payment.
Price a trans rebuild.
128,000 and change.
No, I definitely like NOT having a car payment.
I'm hearing $3000-$4000 for tranny rebuild. Typical warranty I'm hearing is 1 year on the tranny work.
In the past 2 years how often did you need the capacity of a truck bed to haul stuff, as opposed to the equivalent of stuffing it in the back end of a FJ? How often in the next 5 years will you need the capacity of a truck bed (and how close to you is U-Haul or Home Depot/Lowes for 1-day rental)?
I used the truck for a metric crapload of Appleseeding, camping/hunting trips, dog-hauling, yard waste hauling, friend-furniture-moving and all the other stuff trucks get used for.
An implied cost of going to an FJ is buying a utility trailer. I have one I can borrow from a friend as needed, but I'll ultimately end up buying one of my own anyways. That's been on my to-do list ever since I got my XR600 dirtbike.
However, for a lot of the stuff above, I can still get by with the FJ's capacity without a trailer.
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Automatic transmissions are the work of the commie, liberal, feminist, man hating devil devil.
When was the last time you had the tranny serviced? Drained, flushed, new filter.
My 92 Cherokee got to where it would actually slip on me in low gears. Drained it, new filter refilled with new premium fluid. No problems since and that was almost 10 years ago. Regular fluid changes since and no further problems.
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AAMCO does good work and has a good warranty . . . provided you're driving a 2WD truck.
They will not offer the lifetime warranty for any 4WD vehicle. Been burned too many times by the "hold my beer" crowd.
Several years ago we had an AWD Chrysler Town & Country van. It developed issues with the front transfer case, CV, steering unit thingy, which required a number of attempts to get repaired right. My wife lost faith in it, and we traded it in for a new Durango in 2004. To be fair, the Durango has been very kind to us from a maintenance point of view (almost 200k miles with no major maint work). However, about a year into the ungodly new car payments, the wife realized that no matter how many times we had to have that front end repaired, there was no way it would have cost us more, and we actually LIKED the van. Best open road car we ever owned.
My advice, if the truck is in good shape otherwise, get the tranny fixed and add AAA to your wallet. Seriously, you don't already have AAA? You know, it only takes a single tow -- especially if it's from the boonies -- for that to pay for itself.
BTW, one of the things that can make your tranny act up is an accumulation of crud, a simple by-product of friction, in some of the pressure channels. AAMCO locally pulled that piece on mine, blew out the crud, cleaned it up with solvent, and reinstalled it as part of the tranny flush a couple of years back, and the thing has run fine since.
Engine ran rough a couple of months ago. Needed spark plugs, of all things (same engine you have).
Another thing that can mess with your power and gas mileage is the fuel injection system. The feed lines can be cleaned or replaced and that can make a real difference.
And we STILL don't have a car payment.
Car payments are evil, and must be destroyed.
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Automatic transmissions are the work of the commie, liberal, feminist, man hating devil devil.
When was the last time you had the tranny serviced? Drained, flushed, new filter.
My 92 Cherokee got to where it would actually slip on me in low gears. Drained it, new filter refilled with new premium fluid. No problems since and that was almost 10 years ago. Regular fluid changes since and no further problems.
This has been an intermittent problem ever since Pep Boys did my first tranny service, around 55k. They put fracking GM tranny fluid in it (Dexron/Mercon III), instead of ATF4+. Never acted right since... I was stumped for a couple hundred miles after the service and then looked at the work order and saw it said they put DMIII in the tranny. I flushed it myself immediately, put new filters in, and refilled with proper fluid, then 10k miles later had a dealership repeat. They even pulled codes that said "wrong tranny fluid".
Last ATF change was around 90k, about 18 months or 2 years ago.
Fluid levels are good.
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Used Toyota 4x4 pickup, with removable camper shell ...?
=|
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What kind of warranty does MOPAR give ? Don't they have the lifetime powertrain warranty?
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What kind of warranty does MOPAR give ? Don't they have the lifetime powertrain warranty?
Nope, I got the truck about 90 days before they announced their 7 year, umpteen thousand mile warranty.
They sold it to me with 3/36k. :mad:
I won't be going back to MOPAR after this truck. No Dodge or GM for me, going forward, due to bail outs.
Suspension has always been soft and weak on it, it's got a bit of wonk to a tie rod or strut up front where the thing squeaks when going over speedbumps or larger off-road obstacles, and I just in general don't have a lot of faith and love in it.
Front suspension I've replaced with bilsteins, rear suspension is currently OEM but already replaced once and saggy again. Need to put bilsteins on the back too. That's another $250 or so.
Has a city open differential in the rear, and 2WD only. I've gotten it stuck a few times. A selective rear will cost me about a grand to install.
I'm on my 2nd set of tires on this truck and have about 15k tread left on them. About $1000 to replace tires.
And doing all this work to the truck over the next year would set me back a good $4000 to $6000. Won't increase its trade-in value. I won't see that money back. And I could very easily have other drama with the truck in the form of engine problems, or something else. And it won't increase my confidence in taking the truck anywhere far from home.
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It doesn't sound like you really like the pickup.
Get it warmed up good, and see if you can trade it on a good used 4x4 ;)
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What Tallpine said.
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Have a transmission shop hook the tranny up to a computer, might just a selenoid problem.
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I have no answers for you, but would appreciate knowing what it is if you find out. My Trooper with 110,000 just started doing a slight hesitation before engaging after being put in gear. Just every once in a while and usually when cold, but sounds similar to your issue (except I get full rather than partial power). The tranny is the only weak point in the Trooper. Everything else is made in Japan. The stinkin' tranny is French.
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Out of curiousity have you ever changed the fluid and screen?
Brad
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Two schools of thought:
Trade down to an older truck that is much easier to work on. Early '80's or 70's 1/2 ton or 3/4 ton.
Older 80's Toyota if you're okay with a smaller truck.
Your next years worth of work on the dodge would probably net you good older truck to start with.
Or, a new or newer truck with warranty.
I do think that your current truck is telling you its on its last legs.
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Brad, assuming you meant me since AZ indicated that he changed his. I've had it serviced every 30K. No Isuzu dealers around here since they don't sell Isuzus in the US anymore, but I have a trustworthy shop, so am pretty confident it's done right.
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May not be so bad as needing a rebuild. Seems Ma Mopar has a real problem keeping converters full when shut off for extended periods. The 545RFE isn't the only one of theirs to suffer this symptom although to different reasons.
Anyway the 545RFE has a cooler return filter inside the pan, looks pretty much like a common engine oil filter, in addition to the typical intake suction filter. It appears this filter can develop some sort of internal leak that allows the converter to drain on extended shut off periods, such as overnight, and it takes a while for the converter to prime after start-up. This in turn causes low internal pressures and the resulting delayed engagement until the converter does prime. TSB 21-016-05 (09/01/2005) RFE Transmission- Delayed Engagement after an Extended Off Period says you should check for a particular filter number (04799662AB) in 2005-06 Ram Pickups (and a host of other vehicles) and replace if equipped but I'm thinking that I'd throw a cooler return filter at it before I got too invested in the idea of a trans rebuild regardless of what filter was actually there. And as far as it being replaced on a service, I wouldn't assume so unless it was specifically called out on the receipt because it would cost extra so it's probably got whatever it left the factory with.
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Disclaimer: I'm an engine guy, not trans.
The reputation has been that Chrysler/Dodge/Ram transmissions were poor longevity for several decades now.
So what to do about it? As Charby mentioned, it might be as simple as a solenoid. But the description lends me to think the clutches are slipping. Could be hydraulics failing to deliver pressure, or could be the clutch prematurely wearing out. Flushing and replacing the transmission fluid (hydraulic fluid) might help on that front.
Could be none of those things because I'm not much for transmission diagnostics. Take it to a good shop and see if they can diagnose the cause.
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AAMCO.
The diagnostics are free.
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Just as an FYI: do NOT replace the transmission yourself, unless you really enjoy suffering. It is hell.
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Brad, assuming you meant me since AZ indicated that he changed his. I've had it serviced every 30K. No Isuzu dealers around here since they don't sell Isuzus in the US anymore, but I have a trustworthy shop, so am pretty confident it's done right.
Missed his post where he talked about the Pep Boys epic fail. If that's the case I would be calling Pep Boys legal dept and saying "New Transmission Please".
Brad
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Just as an FYI: do NOT replace the transmission yourself, unless you really enjoy suffering. It is hell.
but if you do, rent a tranny jack. I dropped a manual transmission in a Suzuki Samuari on my chest when I was 21.
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I have no answers for you, but would appreciate knowing what it is if you find out. My Trooper with 110,000 just started doing a slight hesitation before engaging after being put in gear. Just every once in a while and usually when cold, but sounds similar to your issue (except I get full rather than partial power). The tranny is the only weak point in the Trooper. Everything else is made in Japan. The stinkin' tranny is French.
what year trooper? if i ever find out the name of the engineer who designed those troopers that didn't have an atf dipstick i'll hunt him down
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Missed his post where he talked about the Pep Boys epic fail. If that's the case I would be calling Pep Boys legal dept and saying "New Transmission Please".
Brad
Yeah... Pep Boys oughta be forkin' over the dough for f'in up the tranny... Granted, you can't prove that the wrong transmission fluid is what caused the problem, but they can't prove that it didn't...
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Wil-co, charby.
If I can skate by and resolve this confidently for less than a grand, I'll do it.
I'd like to refinance my house while still not having a car payment. If I can somehow do that, I'm done with the student loans and remaining credit card balances a couple months earlier (April or May 2013 instead of July or August 2013).
Truth be told, I could probably let this limp by un-touched for the next year. Since I've gotten my bike in March of this year, I've put 10k miles on the bike and about 3k on the truck. Now that I'm back to an 80% telecommuting job, I'll put even less miles on both vehicles. I expect I could "get by" and only put another 2000 or so miles on the truck in the next 9 months or so.
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but if you do, rent a tranny jack. I dropped a manual transmission in a Suzuki Samuari on my chest when I was 21.
Ouch. Yeah, tranny jack is the only way.
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but if you do, rent a tranny jack. I dropped a manual transmission in a Suzuki Samuari on my chest when I was 21.
And broke the transmission? =)
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And broke the transmission? =)
Squeezed it in twain with his manly pectorals, I'm sure. :laugh:
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Squeezed it in twain with his manly pectorals, I'm sure. :laugh:
The wrath of Khan on his Trahn-smission:
(https://armedpolitesociety.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.expertcomics.com%2FBlog%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2012%2F05%2Fkhan-watchmojocom1.jpg&hash=b73dad1b44bce0e509e2202400a3f0f9f67c54e0)
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I didn't read the whole thread, just the initial post.
On my 2005 F150 a few years back, I had similar symptoms. Turned out not to be the transmission, but the rear end. 100 bucks later, I was in business.
So, you never know. Go ahead and have a GOOD shop diagnose it. It may be something easy to fix.
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what year trooper? if i ever find out the name of the engineer who designed those troopers that didn't have an atf dipstick i'll hunt him down
2000. Those transmissions were apparently GM's idea. GM had majority ownership in Isuzu USA and apparently insisted that they use these French trannys (same as were being put in some other GM products) in at least the 2000+ year Troopers. Those that were built for outside US sales had an Isuzu transmission, IFRC.
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2000. Those transmissions were apparently GM's idea. GM had majority ownership in Isuzu USA and apparently insisted that they use these French trannys (same as were being put in some other GM products) in at least the 2000+ year Troopers. Those that were built for outside US sales had an Isuzu transmission, IFRC.
2006 HHR :facepalm:
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i thought the kid that worked for me was lying when he told me about it. you have to crawl under and remove a plug to check level. usually after transmission fail. heck they should at least put an idiot light in
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i thought the kid that worked for me was lying when he told me about it. you have to crawl under and remove a plug to check level. usually after transmission fail. heck they should at least put an idiot light in
There is no "crawling under" our car - you have to put it up on a lift or at least ramps.
We just had it flushed and changed at the ex-GM dealer.
I'm sure there is a light or computer code for low atf - there is one for everything else ;/
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And broke the transmission? =)
I was in a lot better shape then, I was climbing telephone poles for a living. Still about broke my chest though.
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Just as an FYI: do NOT replace the transmission yourself, unless you really enjoy suffering. It is hell.
That depends on whether you have:
1 - the Right Tools (Transmission Jack (NO, while a normal floor jack will *work,* it really isn't the right tool and will just make it harder. Don't ask me how I know,)
2 - A GOOD workspace. On my dad's F-150, changing that $$#%$#% vacuum modulator would ordinarily have been easy, however, his driveway/carport is actually dirt based covered in wood chips. Definitely NOT a recommended work surface for ANYTHING involving getting under the vehicle. YMMV.)
3 - Patience
4 - A manual / forum post / anything with pictures that SHOW you specifically where the various wire harnesses, tubes, bolts, etc all attach and how they come off, if you're not of the inclination to figure it out on your own. Having a reference can be invaluable and can save you buttloads of time.
5 - Depending on your temperment: An open "hot" "tool throwin' wild profanity" range. =D
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Wil-co, charby.
If I can skate by and resolve this confidently for less than a grand, I'll do it.
I'd like to refinance my house while still not having a car payment. If I can somehow do that, I'm done with the student loans and remaining credit card balances a couple months earlier (April or May 2013 instead of July or August 2013).
Truth be told, I could probably let this limp by un-touched for the next year. Since I've gotten my bike in March of this year, I've put 10k miles on the bike and about 3k on the truck. Now that I'm back to an 80% telecommuting job, I'll put even less miles on both vehicles. I expect I could "get by" and only put another 2000 or so miles on the truck in the next 9 months or so.
Offer them a comprimise... tell them you'll pay the labor if they will buy the tranny and parts. If your truck is a 2wd the swap should take no more than 5-6 hours by a mechanic that's done it before. I'd suggest using a dealer for this, one that charges by the actual hour and not by shop rate. Using a dealer also means you get a factory tranny, not some Who-Knows-What-Parts-They-Used third party reman'd unit. If if it's factory reconditioned it's still a factory unit. Plus, using a dealer means you'll likely get the right fluid this time. ;)
Brad
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OP,
Often an engine malfunction will present symptoms that, superficially, would appear to be transmission related. One symptom you related, RPM drop, seems more engine than transmission related. Before you make any major decision have it looked at by a decent shop than can pull both engine and trans codes.
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Offer them a comprimise... tell them you'll pay the labor if they will buy the tranny and parts. If your truck is a 2wd the swap should take no more than 5-6 hours by a mechanic that's done it before. I'd suggest using a dealer for this, one that charges by the actual hour and not by shop rate. Using a dealer also means you get a factory tranny, not some Who-Knows-What-Parts-They-Used third party reman'd unit. If if it's factory reconditioned it's still a factory unit. Plus, using a dealer means you'll likely get the right fluid this time. ;)
Brad
I thought I lost the paperwork that documented Pep Boys' screw-up on this one, but I just found it while looking for something else.
I'm winding up some other matters that have tied me up for the last 9+ weeks (taking care of a friend that had knee surgery recently), and I should have some freedom to finally tackle this project.
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Truck has been in the shop the last couple days. Dodge dealership here in Scottsdale.
They found low pump pressure in the transmission, some bad seals and so on. I told 'em about the history on the transmission with the Pep Boys issue after they started pointing at the tranny, and they said "yep, that'll do it."
They did a fuel injection service and replaced all the plugs (I would have rather done that myself to save money but they wrapped it all together) and semi-rebuilt the tranny in regards to the seals. Their testing indicates better transmission pressure now. I get to pick up the truck in about an hour or so. Gonna go drive it up the steepest hills I can find in town... Shea Boulevard out to Fountain Hills, there's a bigazz hill that tends to cause auto transmissions to downshift pretty good. If I can climb that at 50mph in 3rd or 4th, life is good. If it drops to 2nd, we got problems.
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2006 HHR Face Palm!
Me too. =|
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Seems to be fixed.
Reset onboard fuel economy computer as I left the dealership, drove to afore-mentioned big hill. Truck maintained 4th gear, 1500rpm on steep hill @ 50mph. Net fuel economy driving on surface streets, stop-n-go traffic to big hill and then back home was 16.5mpg. Tires at 30psi right now due to unseasonably cold temps (dropped below freezing here recently for a week straight!). Normally have them @ 35-37psi. So it will be another 0.5mpg higher with better pressure.
No highway test yet. Will do tonite. But seems like problem is dealt with.
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congrats! what did they set you back?
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congrats! what did they set you back?
$760.
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seems fair enough. hope it lasts.
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I still say it should set Pep Boys back, not you.
Brad
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Agreed, Brad. I'll be visiting them next week. Total invoice was $764, transmission related work was about $400 and change of that. I want them to pay that part. I'll give them the opportunity to pay it straight out, or I'll take them to small claims court over it if they refuse.
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I'd call their customer service line rather than going to the store. The store manager will send you back to customer service anyway so save yourself the time.
http://www.pepboys.com/customer_care/contact_us/
Brad
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I was going up Highway 260 out of Payson..
Totally unrelated from your topic but I helped build many of the passing lanes on hwy 260 from Payson to Heber in the late 90's. Also rebuilt a large portion of Houston Mesa Rd in Payson.
Great place Great memories!