Hi All,

I have a 1997 2500 with 195K on the odo. I had the transmission rebuilt at AAMCO at 184K. In the last few days, the trans doesn't want to leave 2nd gear. First to second is fine, then it just stays in 2nd and feels like the torque converter is locked. If I let off the throttle it just stays in second. I have to shift into neutral then back into drive and it then shifts into 3rd, 4th, etc. Overdrive on/off works normally and the second gear stick happens irrespective of where the OD switch is. Now, it doesn't happen all of the time, but it's getting to the point where it happens about 80% of the time, and it gets worse every day. It seems a 'little' better if I accelerate slowly, but not always.

Anyone have any ideas?
Thanks,

 

Maybe the shift linkage is getting loose? Although the dash says its in drive, its really in 2nd. Then when you shift it to neutral then back to drive its actually in drive. Just a guess.

 

this old man would be leaning toward governor problems. that is the way a mechanical gov. will act sometimes. i think the 97 has an electronic one though.

 

The mechanical linkage was one of the first things I checked. When the indicator is in the neutral position, it is indeed in neutral. As I pull it into "D", the trans engages.

Here is another clue. Sometimes it does not shift into 1st gear after I have stopped. This is rare, but nonetheless it does it sometimes. Yesterday I backed out of by driveway, put it into "D" and it was not in 1st gear. As I tried to take off not much was happening so I manually pulled it into "L" and it shifted and took off.

I'll look into the governor.

 

I had some tranny work done on mine and it did the same thing: it got so that it would hang in second gear. It turned out to be the governor pressure sensor. I dropped the pan and pulled the sensor. It was completely stopped up with metallic shavings (my overdrive clutches had been slipping for sometime before I had them replaced). I sprayed the governor sensor clean with some carb cleaner and cleaned the shavings out of the pan then put it back together with new fluid. Worked like a charm. So, changed the fluid a couple more times to get the rest of the metal shavings out of there. Good luck!

 

Just came from AAmco - they said the exact same thing; governor pressure sensor. The tech said that he wouldn't just replace the sensor because I would just be back again with the same problem; so they are going to rebuild it again (under warranty). Guess they are concerned about some kind of internal damage that's got the sensor messed up. Anyhow, thanks for the replies. It's nice to have confirmation from a third source.

 

My 95 has similar symptoms, it won't up shift out of 2nd unless I put it in neutral and then back in drive.