My husband was driving home a couple of days ago and overdrive went out on the truck. It shifts fine up to the point where it should go into overdrive. I searched through the threads and found out to check the TPS (where is it and how do you check it?), the brake switch (make sure it isn't being pushed when the pedal isn't being touched, right?) and the Overdrive solenoid (how do you check that?)

Does anyone have any ideas to add to those? Could you answer the questions I put after them also? Then I can send him out into the rain with clear instructions on what to do.

Thanks!

Mary

 

They need a little more info. Can you post the year and model of the truck?

 

Is it not making the shift or is it making the shift and not having a gear ( like it goes into neutral)?

 

If its not going into overdrive check your OD lockout switch, check the sender at hot line or try jumping a resistor across hot line to force into OD. I'm not an auto tranny guy, so I'm probably not much help.

 

It just doesn't make the shift. It keeps on driving with no problems it just never shifts into the higher gear.

 

have you checked the torque converter i had the same problem with a 97 dodge dually it was a bad converter

 

how will a bad converter not give you overdrive? It will not give you lock up or no movement at all, otherwise if it moves at all it can't be the converter. If it is not making the 3/4 shift it is more than likely the solenoid, but it could also be the wiring, tps, govenor pressure, speed sensor,valve body, computer, or a mechanical problem. Shy of putting the solenoid in a test machine, replacing it with a known good part is the only true test. You can electrically test the solenoid, but that will not test the mechanical part of it.

 

What he's saying is: maybe it's shifting into OD, but the converter is not locking - feels the same at lower mph with the slushy stock oem converters.

Prolly should take it to Dodge, get a scantool on it.

 

Different truck (see signature line) but similar issues. The OD shift is vague to the point of un-noticable, at least when not under a heavy load. Hubby is saying it does work - just not very well.

I have parallel questions to MaryinMt; where is the OD solenoid? I found a vacuum "something" down on the crossmember on the passengers side of the transmission housing, Two plastic lines, red and black, coming out of the RH top of this thingy-bobber, with rubber nipples to attach to the unit. It "looks" like a big vacuum pot, but is not mentioned in the Haynes manual I picked up. There's a picture of the dang thing in the brakes section, so perhaps the book is bonkers.

I have a ton of questions, most related to "where is that?", as I do not have a service manual and this is the first totally useless Haynes book I've had to this point. ZERO info on the turbo side of the engine, like it wasn't even there!

BUt I digress.... need info on the OD things for this thread!
Thanks guys,

 

Go to Geno's Garage for Ram\Cummins service manuals - clear, concise, and to the point

 

I'm having the same problem. I can manual shift through the gears 1-2-3. Once in 3rd I can feel the TQ conert lock up. It's almost like the O/D off button is pushed. It doesn't matter if the O/D button is on or off. It does the the same thing. With the O/D off when I turn it back on you can feel the converter unlock and then it locks back up, but doesn't shift into O/D. There is a way to hook up a toggle switch and manual force it into O/D, but I dont know how to do it. Someone has to have instructions.

 

If the 3/4 shift solenoid does not work you will not be able to force the shift. The computer grounds the solenoid, if the solenoid is good and you tapped a wire into the ground circuit for the 3/4 shift solenoid the you could toggle it on and off. If the solenoid is bad this will not work. Did you check for codes?

 

The OD solenoid went bad on my 95. The trans would shift to 3rd and then TC would lock. The solenoid is located in the pan. I had to remove the valve body to replace it. The solenoid was about $40 at a trans parts house. I spent less than 3 hrs replacing it. Try doing a search here for procedure to straight wire the OD solenoid for testing.

 

You shouldn't have to remove the VB to change the solenoids.
Pretty straight forward to change them just drop the pan and there they are.

 

Does anyone actually have instructions for wiring the solenoid. The search function isn't working the best.