Recently, my tranny has been acting strange. It feels like its slipping. It just doesnt have the get up and go that it had. It feels like the motor is defueling on takeoff, but I know its not the motor. I also have been having what I believe is called flair up.

When it shifts from 2 to 3, the motor seems like it wants to go, ie.it revs higher, then shifts. Its hard to explain. The truck has 40K on it and I had the tranny serviced at 25K (flush and filter). I do run the Smarty Jr on sw2 most of the time and 3/4 of the year it has a trailer behind it daily (bout 6K). I dont race and I dont "abuse" it. Also, since the issue has come into play, my tranny gauge is showing that it is running hotter than usual. On the highway, it runs around 140-145..in stop and go traffic, it will shoot to 190+..which is unusual.***(temp sender is an accu-temp sender...it clamps onto the hot tube)***

The truck just feels like a turd now with this issue and its not as fun to drive as it was. Can anybody help me out and explain what issues I may have. And by the way, warranty is GONE.

 

Couple of things could be the problem, either way you need to address some things to see if you can fix it or decide if a rebuild is in order.

The 2-3 flare shift is common when 2 things are present, the front band is looser than it should be or you have a leak in the front servo assembly.

If the front band has never been adjusted start with that and see what happens. It could just be it was out a little form the factory and the mileage has now taken it beyond what works. Check the threads showing on the adjuster bolt before and after the adjustment and compare. If you are down to 1 or 2 threads showing after adjustment the band is about gone, or, you have a bent band strut or possibly bent tangs on the band itself.

The other issue thats usually gets the 48RE is leaks in the front servo assembly and the low line preessures. Raise the line pressures and don't fix the leaks and your in the same position. If its a simple broken ring on the servo then its easy to fix. Otherwise, and updated servo piston and billet cover may address the problem. Both are relatively easy to install if your handy.

If the pressures have been low enough for long enough it may have started to burn up the direct clutches. You won't know that until you loose drive or some other problem shows. You can get an idea by dropping the pan and checking the amount of black stuff in the pan and sitting on top of the VB. A little like a light dusting is normal, a heavy concentration means either the band or clutches or both have been slipping and eating themselves.

If you catch it soon enough and want to go the route of a shift kit the trans can still be salvaged and last a long time if things are not too badly worn. You won't know that until you drop the pan to check and make some adjustments. It may last quite a while or it may only last a short time until you start loosing a quick shift to drive. If that happens and you have to baby it into drive it has probably cut or worn the clutch apply seal and its time to tear it apart.

Good luck, it could be a simple adjustment and you are good for a long time yet.

 

Thanks for the great info....unfortunately, im not an auto tranny guy and alot of the above is a foreign language..got the auto so the wife could drive it if she had too.

Ill print it out and let my buddy look at it

 

Is it ok to adjust only the front bands and not the rear ones? Or will that cause more issues?

I dont want to drop the pan, but I'd like to try and adjust the front.

 

It will be just fine to adjust only the one band. They work completely independently of each other, and you only seem to be having trouble with one.

 

Sounds like you may be starting off in 2nd gear, lack of get up, this would be indicative of a governer pressure transducer failure. Changed lots for this problem, dodge has a service bulletin that addresses this, frt band adjust is usually the only one that needs adjustment as the rear only actuates in manual low. Turn in till just snug not tight, spec is 78 in/lbs, the turn out 1 and 3/4 turns and lock in place.

 

Ok, Im going to try this tomorrow, as its snaining right now. I have a torque wrench thats about 1'- 1 1/2' long. Will that work for me or will that be too long to fit where it has too? Also, can somebody tell me what size torx bit I will need to get to adjust the screw?

 

78 inch pounds is only 6 1/2 foot pounds, so just snug it up and then back it off. It's kind of tough to get at. I used a torque wrench set at 6 ft/lbs and I think I got it too tight. I don't believe my torque wrench is very accurate at those light readings.

It has some play, just snug it and back it off.

 

Good news...at least for me...I backed the TQ setting on the JR from 3 to default and the tranny is acting like it used to. It doesnt feel like its slipping anymore and the flair ups are gone....May have bought me some time.

I guess my truck didnt like the higher TQ setting!?!?

 

The stock transmissions don't like the TQ or extra HP wihtout slipping somewhere, for all the reasons I listed. Shift kit and fix the front servo and you will be able to exploit the full Smarty range of settings.

 

Im just gonna baby it for a couple of months(and I dont tow during the winter months) and then just do it right and buy a built tranny. Thanks for the help.