katkinson

Hey Guys, I'm not new to this site because I've been getting info and reading forums here for awhile. But just recently decided to join. So here is what I'm dealing with.

After I sold my first dodge back in March I've spent the last 6 months trying to find a truck I really liked for a good deal. Well I finally found one. A 1996 Ect cab auto with 170 000 miles. Got it for only four grand and its in pretty good shape. It has an ATS transmission and when i test drove it it wasnt quite shifting right but the guy did tell me there was something wrong with the trans. But for the price I couldnt pass it up.Well its been fine til recently. Now it shifts in and out of over drive and sometimes wont shift at all. Happens at about 50 to 55 mph. But sometimes its still fine. I honestly dont think its a problem with the tranny itself because its fairly new but maybe a senser or something. I have a code 22 which is Engine coolant temperature sensor voltage too low. and i know this has to do with the tranny shifting bad. I spent all day yesterday messing with it. hooked it up to a scanner tried to clear it. I found the sensor in the back of the block, but All Data said that this one is a sender to the gauge and there is another sensor with two wires instead of one that is for the computer. So I'm pretty much confused and frustrated because I know its something electrical. Any help would be great because I'm at a loss right now. One thing I think might cause it is that my batteries are bad. Dont know if that matters but I read somewhere it might be it. Any Help? Don't know what to do and I need the truck.

Thanks A Bunch,
Kyle

Lary Ellis (Top)

My 96 did that and it was the TPS (throttle position sensor) The contacts wear out in them causing them to send the wrong voltage to the trans....this in turn confuses the trans on when to shift.

Easy fix only two small bolts holding it in place and it plugs in. You may also have a problem with the electronics in the tranny but the TPS often gets over looked.

greasy

my vote is TPS

I had the same problem, the TPS is a very common part known to failure and cause OD problems. Mine was going in and out constantly every second or two. wouldn't be long of that before it wore out a TC



I drilled mine and squirted electric cleaner in there and washed it out good then reinstalled. it'll still act up on a rare occasion so I'm going to delete it all together and install and adjustable reostat so I can control the speed in which the OD kicks on. If im tooling around empty and want good MPG I'll turn it down to 47-50 mph or if loaded I'll crank it up to 55-60 just depening on what I want. Right now its coming on about 47 mph, wouldn't want it much lower than that.

there is a few threads on here explaining it, I haven't done it yet so I'm not going to try to explain it.

infidel

Click> http://dodgeram.org/tech/transmissio...TPS_adjust.htm

katkinson

Thanks guys. I was thinking it was the tps first until I noticed the ect sensor code. Do you think it could still be the tps and the coolant sensor is fine? I drove it around the other day with a little obdll scanner thing my brother had in his jeep so I could see if the code went away when I was driving. Well it shifted crappy for a few minutes then I noticed the code was gone and it was shifting great. Then I stepped on the go peddle some and threw the code again. So now I know that code is what's wrong with my tranny. Just need to know how to fix it now. So you think it could be the tps even with the ect sensor code? Thanks, Kyle