Searching for some Dodge truck tranny info

bigcrunch

Member
Nov 4, 2013
96
Athens Ga
Boat Info
1987 Sundancer 268, 2x 4.3, Onan generator, AC\Heat, radar.
Engines
two Mercruiser 4.3 HO
I have a 99 Dodge 3500 4x4 diesel with the 47RE automatic. Pulling my boat from Detroit to Athens Ga. gave me an insight wrong tranny in the truck, I found that out between Cincinnatti and Knoxville sometimes it would lug down to 40mph on some hills\mountains. The diesel is detuned from the factory to accommodate the tranny weakness, I want to add a electronic power tuner to give it another 20-30HP it def needs it. Question is without doing a major trans rebuild what mods can I make? truck has 56k miles on it never been abused.

thanks,
 
Look to see if B&M or the like has a shift kit. Some aftermarket tuners also have "plug in" shift kits. can't think of any names off hand. Bully Dog?
 
Join the Turbo Diesel Register. Tons of info on there. My trans in the 01 3500 was rebuilt by a diesel performance shop in Mass.

Don't waste your time with shift kits.

Take it to a shop that is experienced with the Dodge diesel trans.

My trans rebuild cost me over 6k back in 02. At one point I was putting out 600hp. They are a lot of fun to drive if built correctly!


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I tried the diesel forums, mostly info I received was spend a lot of $ on the trans for the 600HP + I just want to add 20-30HP. I was told to install a switch to disable torque converter lock up in overdrive while pulling on hills, anyone here know if reliable to do that?
What I had to do when i pulled my 268 down south was let off the accelerator hit the OD button on the shifter so it would kick out of OD and unlock the torque converter it gave a drastic increase in RPM it was an uneasy feeling but it would make it up the mountains. It never shifted out of OD on its own even luging down to 40mph approx 1200rpm. Truck has 4.10 gears and is quad cab weighs 6800 dry.
 
the 47RE is crap, and I'm not sure there's a whole lot you can do about that without spending a bunch of cash. My first one went out a 64k, nearly all highway miles, the second one went 14,000 later, and it had pulled no trailers in that time, and the third time it was going I pawned it and bought a GM. No tranny problems ever since.

Probably not what you want to hear, but I have very strong opinions about Mopar transmissions.
 
If you unlock the TC, you're going to start building up heat... fast. Do you have a tranny temp gauge? That would probably be a really good investment. 1200rpms is pretty low if you're into the throttle, I'm surprised it didn't down shift or unlock. Have you owned this truck since new? I wonder if something has already been done to it (programming). I don't what's involved with Dodge programming, but when I had my ECM reflashed the new programming also dealt with transmission - line pressure, shift points, etc. Maybe that's all you'd need to do?

It's funny, from that era of diesel engines the Cummins is a great engine, but the tranny's suck. The GM 6.5 is a lesser engine, but the tranny is great.
 
If you unlock the TC, you're going to start building up heat... fast. Do you have a tranny temp gauge? That would probably be a really good investment. 1200rpms is pretty low if you're into the throttle, I'm surprised it didn't down shift or unlock. Have you owned this truck since new? I wonder if something has already been done to it (programming). I don't what's involved with Dodge programming, but when I had my ECM reflashed the new programming also dealt with transmission - line pressure, shift points, etc. Maybe that's all you'd need to do?

It's funny, from that era of diesel engines the Cummins is a great engine, but the tranny's suck. The GM 6.5 is a lesser engine, but the tranny is great.

I owned it since new, my wife has only driven it twice and I can count the number of times it has pulled any trailer. Only mod I have have done recently is added the DNJ solenoid to the trans to solve issue shifting 2 - 3 when cold other than that as stock as it gets. I can rebuild trans so if I have to change some hard parts no problem I do C6 and power glides all the time.
 
This is why I have always shook my head at people with diesel pick up trucks with automatic transmissions. Spend fortunes to make power just to piss it away thru a torque converter. Not to mention diesels like to lug. The automatic trans wont allow that so it downshifts and revs the engine past its power curve.
The best tow vehicle is one where the driver makes the decisions on how to operate, not the truck. Standard transmissions are always the best, toughest and driver friendly way to tow. Now if the wife uses the 1 Ton to go shopping, thats another story.
 
Yes I know I bought it 15 years ago, back then I only had gas burners and didn't know better. My current 93 F350 4x4 460\5spd will out pull my dodge but it is not setup to pull trailers long distance.

The Dodge never downshifted once. I have used my Dodge to pull my 70's F100's around Ashville NC area never a problem, trailer 3k and F100's 5.5k. My 268 and trailer must be approx 10k.

thanks for the info all.
 
If you unlock the TC, you're going to start building up heat... fast. Do you have a tranny temp gauge? That would probably be a really good investment. 1200rpms is pretty low if you're into the throttle, I'm surprised it didn't down shift or unlock. Have you owned this truck since new? I wonder if something has already been done to it (programming). I don't what's involved with Dodge programming, but when I had my ECM reflashed the new programming also dealt with transmission - line pressure, shift points, etc. Maybe that's all you'd need to do?

It's funny, from that era of diesel engines the Cummins is a great engine, but the tranny's suck. The GM 6.5 is a lesser engine, but the tranny is great.

Can it be run in 3rd and TC lockup?
 
Can it be run in 3rd and TC lockup?

I can only speak from a GM4L80 standpoint. But, with the 4L80, yes, I can run 3rd locked. In other words, I don't know if the programming in your tranny will actually allow that, or not. I'd be surprised if it didn't - but that's just a guess. Now, if you're just asking if it's "OK" to do it - yes, absolutely.

My boat is right around 10K, too. l I have 3.73 gears and it locks around 49 if I'm light on the throttle (3rd or 4th). I would imagine you would be a few MPH higher.

EDIT... sorry, meant "a few MPH lower". But then it also depends on your drive ratios and how close they are to the 4L80. For me, 3rd is 1:1.
 
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I know the.mountains you speak of and they are no joke. I drive a tractor trailer for a living. But as for your truck, how many times do you make the trip? Is any modifications justified if you arent gonna do that again?To me the average pick up truck owner, even is he tows alot, is towing less that 5% of the miles put on it. If your issue is loss of speed on the hills, I wouldnt worry about it. I mean where does it stop. You could just buy a Peterbilt and fly up with a 600 Caterpillar, but that would be silly. So where does it get silly?
I have many trucks. They are old and very capable. I have a 30` travel trailer that I tow with either a 75 Ford F250 with carbureted 360 and standard 4 speed or a 1991 Chevy 3500 with a throttle body injected 350 and standard 4 speed. Trucks and trailer weigh 14,000 lbs. My motorhome, towing my Cadillac is just under 17,000 lbs. That has a 1977 Ford E350 van chassis. 460 and a C6 automatic trans that I hate. I don't like to rev the big block. Yes it is not that fastest up the hills, but made it from my place in Wisconsin, to Pennsylvania to get my sons and then to Key West Florida, and then return.
Remember they made 1 ton trucks back in the teens powered by 4 cylinders. In the 50s with 6 cylenders. The point is and I am problably the most knowledgeable as I do this for a living. The power of the engine is just a luxury. To tow any load safely, is the ability to handle and most important to stop.

Add a transmission cooler, shift manually if you don't like the way it wants to drive, if it will let you. To spend buckets of cash to make big changes for the handfull of times it may be desired to me is silly.
 
I'll make that trip more than the average person thats why I acquired the 268, 8'6" beam, sleeps 4, bathroom, AC, generator, etc. It made me realize my Dodge is a bit under powered due to the trans. No looking to turin it into a smoke blowing hot rod. Just a some real world guidance on what mods to do.

Jitts3, On another power issue know anyone that can flash a 97 3406E? Freightliner did a "courtesy" re-flash without my knowledge now it won't pull up the hills either, only weigh 52k.

thanks,,,,
 
Check out www.smartypower.com

For the Dodge...

I has the early version of this installed when it first came out. It was an awesome upgrade. I believe the new one has towing options built into it.


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Personally, no. I usually take my Pete to a Caterpillar dealer. They don't pull crap like that.
 
What do you mean by factory detuned? There is no way a stock big block ford should out pull your cummins. I have a 94 12 valve 5 speed slightly turned up that pulls as well as my 05 Duramax. One of my employees has a 2000 dodge that pulls nearly as well and it's stock. It doesn't seem like your tranny is functioning properly, although not slipping. At 1200 with your foot to the floor it should have already downshifted on its own. I don't know if the torque converter control is 12volt or data. If its 12 volt you could put a switch in the truck and control it yourself and manually shift the tranny as someone else said. I would focus more on getting the shifting right than increasing power. If not happy after that's done, either sell the truck and buy a manual or plan on money into the tranny.
 

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