My previous 92 Dodge with a Cummins had the same problem and the dealer added an up date that kinda helped.

My 2001 often sits for as much as a week with out starting, when you start her, up you wont have forward or reverse gears until I am guseeing the pump re-primes the transmission.....why? Isn't there a check valve on the trans cooler to keep the converter from draining back?

 

My truck sit a good bit also and I have had the same problem. All I do is put the trans in neutrel while I let it warm up and that fixes the problem. I was told by a trans guy that its best to pull the trans into neutral every time to let the trans build up pressure slowly as this is better on the seals. Works for me

 

Thanks for the reply,

My first diesel truck, 92, this happened often enough that I lost the transmission, fortunately it was just barely in warranty. I was told by Dodge that the trans cooler sits high enough that over time it siphons the oil from the converter and front pump. When you start the engine the pump and converter are dry and have to re-prime, eventually this lack of oil destroyed my trans & converter. Their fix was in a factory bulletin that requested check valves to be installed in the cooling lines. This truck is out of warranty and I just dont want to buy a trans for it.

 

I'm not convinced the would destroy the trans and converter, unless you start up and throw it in gear!
Put it in neutral and let it run for 60 sec. After sitting for several days, a little warm up is called for anyway!
And you get better flow without a check ball in line!!

RJ

 

I worked for a local Dodge dealer in the early '70's and they had this problem then. When I went to their trans. school we discussed this issue. It happened on new cars on the lot if they had been sitting for a few days. We were told at the school to have the sales people to start the car and put it in neutral to let it circulate the fluid. After a few seconds they could drop it in drive and it worked fine. It wasn't a very good selling point to start a new car, drop it in gear and nothing happened. Never heard of failures from this but they said that the fluid didn't circulate as much in park. I think that they have installed check valves over the years to try and correct the problem and it might be the problem if not working properly.