Stuck in South Carolina...HELP

[jasperjacko]

Need help from one of our transmision gurus please. I just bought a 99 3500 Ram van. Transmission won't shift automatically up or down, and won't go into overdrive. Any help? Thanks.

 

[slant6billy]

A guy on the mopar FB page had something similar to this. My 94 Jeep ZJ (Grand Cherokee with a 5.2) was transmission handicapped and required manual shifting. I noticed it worsened when hot. Starting cheap, changed the fluid to a mopar fluid and check the level in NEUTRAL not Park. You may have done this, so I apologize if that is redundant. According to my trans shops, the OBD2 trans still uses the conventional means to up shift when in "D". Now, the TV cable can be adjusted incorrectly or never / not at all. My 97 Ram SS/T has never been adjusted and shifts like a long throw dump truck, so I manually shift it. I got good at column shifting with my dad's old 68 chevy C10. As for the OD problem, it may be shot unless the fluid takes care of it.Try removing the transmission relay from the relay bank and swap it with the AC relay. Otherwise check connectors and make certain the overdrive "Off" is not engage. Lastly, was it serviced? it may have been done wrong. I just drop 650 on my 95 3/4 ton ram van in august for a trans job. Mine was just leaky, but shifted like no tomorrow. Try that for now.

 

[lowbudget]

Is your overdrive controlled by your throttle position sensor? My 95 Cummins is. There is a cheap fix of drilling a hole in it and shooting contact cleaner in it.

 

[slant6billy]

I don't think the OBD1 mod will work on the van, since it is OBD2. In 99 the trans OD and lock up Torque converter are managed by the PCM.

 

[jasperjacko]

Well, I made it back to ohio, but had to leave the van in S.C. I will give the long story later, but for now the dodge dealer says it needs a new pcm+ $1000.00 ouch! I think I'll shop around for that.

 

[Jack Meoff]

Ouch.

 

[jasperjacko]

I forget this thread, and never gave the rest of the story.
I bought this van for a work vehicle because it was rust free and one owner. I asked very specific questions about maintenance, oil consumption, service records, check engine light, tires, brakes, suspension,etc.,etc. The guy gave me the sad story of needing the money up front because of sad story, you know the kind. And yes, I sent him the money. Doh! Any way, when we finally meet I discover the only thing he was honest about was the color! Brakes? shot. Tires? bald. Suspension? done.Engine light? shining brightly. Transmission? not shifting. Oh yeah, and a dead short to the rear window defroster that would kill the battery after being shut off for 15 minutes. With all those problems, the muddy footprints from his kids all over the roof and the inside smelling like a homeless family of twelve lived in it didn't seem so bad. After stating my displeasure with his less than honest description, and his good fortune that the mere presence of my family prevented him from becoming my personal mop, I drove to the nearest autozone and began to spend the first of several thousands of dollars and almost a year later before I had my van on the road. Gotta love people!

 

[slant6billy]

Yep. It don't mean no shame to people. The world is full of the sellers who have not the good conscience. There is honest folks and then there are folks that have the alternate universe of what their clunker is worth. I was selling my 95 Van almost 2 years ago. I knew it's sins and the good points. I was all about the big sin of rust. I have a second crossmember for it. All the electronics worked. I had the electric fan / thermostatic relay working. Optima battery. I got very worried when folks called asking about the van and talked like it was like a 5 year old van verse the 20 year old it was. I had a lady ask if it would make it to Florida? I said sure, but then I asked how many times would she be driving the trip? She said, "oh just once..." I suggested she then rent a van. I had a weird feeling she was going to try some type of scam to force me to refund her money. I finally kept my answers to, "Well it starts and drives today..." or "everything works today". Luckily for my van it had the Non overdrive trans and I just had it redone in 2014 with new gaskets since it leaked , but shifted great. I kept lowering the price and finally did the ultimate sin and just traded it in on a recertified Honda. I hate life every day I drive the honda. I'm no salesman, but there is some real junk out there. I'd rather sell it as "perfect for the scrap yard" than "it is show room condition" . I've seen too many people expecting to get a Hemi cuda for 250 bucks, then get pissy. So I'd rather head it off right away. I'll tell all the sins and then ask if they still want to drive it.