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23:59:08 - 12/19/2024
V6 Dakotas
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Tony
Dodge Dakota
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4/07/2005
06:00:39
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 Subject: Transmission problems!
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I have used this site for info for a while now, but I last replied about this time last year. I have an '89 Dakota with 3.9L V6 RWD 4sp transmission. My old tranny crapped out on me (the pump and a few other things) so I found a used tranny at the salvage yard for $400. The transmission is from a '90 dakota with 3.9 RWD 4sp. I dont know the mileage on the transmission, but they said it ran. We bolted er right up with no problems at all and it started up and moved out of ther garage. I was driving it home when I realized that it didnt go past the 3rd gear. I adjusted all of the linkage (so it will shift right) but nothing happened. It isn't getting torque-converter lockup and its not shifting into overdrive.
The distance sensor is fine, and I am getting 12v to the o/d solenoid at the connector. I was able to splice in some wires to a meter so I can see the voltage inside the cab while driving (a bit dangerous at night time, by the way). A little above 25mph, the meter reads a bit above 12v. As I slow down (past 25), it goes back to 0v. Also, the the other wire that I think controls the torque-converter always reads 0v. I am not sure how much voltage it supposed to get and when it supposed to get a voltage. The engine runs at 3000rpm @ 45mph and a little over 4000rpm @ 55mph. This scares me. My previous tranny ran 3000rpm's at 55 due to the fact that I had the torque converter lockup, but it didn't shift into o/d. It sounded like it shifted, but it didn't.
The tranny is making noises like a loud movement of fluid, and a slight buzzing or clicking noise (sounds like a diesel engine down there). I am learning so much about these transmission, and I did so much research, but I am not sure what to do. In a money slump, I can replace the tranny (which is hard cause there are very few of these in the local junk yards), or spend a lot of money on parts (ie o/d solenoid, new filter now, etc). I dont know if the o/d solenoid is easy to replace or not. I hate to drop the dang thing again, but if I do, what should I do? I will need this truck running correctly before the end of this spring. If Larry or anyone alse who knows a thing or two about these older transmissions, please reply. I need help. Thanks!!
-Tony
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Bob Lincoln
Dodge Dakota
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4/07/2005
08:14:57
|  RE: Transmission problems!
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If you are getting voltage to the solenoid, most likely it's one of two things:
1) Bad solenoid
2) Loose solenoid (screws holding it to the valve body are loose, which allows fluid to leak past the solenoid's check valve and it won't shift)
I had this problem last year. The solenoid pack was so loose I could wiggle it. I just replaced it for $50 plus tranny fluid and gasket. Try dropping the pan and tightening the 3 torx screws that hold the pack to the right side of the valve body. If they were very loose, close it up and refill, bet it works fine then.
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Tony
Dodge Dakota
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4/07/2005
14:48:43
| RE: Transmission problems!
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Thanks for replying. How can you access the o/d solenoid by just dropping the pan? I thought that everything that dealt with the o/d was on the back half of the transmission. You didn't mention anything about your truck (year, engine, etc) yet, either. I have a feeling, since this trannys o/d never worked and my old tranny's o/d never worked, that the solenoids in both transmissions were non-functional, right? Unless there is something else wrong with my truck (the wiring or the computer), which I doubt. How likely would they become loose like yours? I will probably have to get it replaced, right? I see that you had this problem sort of just happen for you. I am worried that they wouldn't have become loose on me. My truck never shifted into overdrive, and the only time I ever felt the o/d kick in was when I rode my girlfriend's '88 dakota with the same specs. So, the solenoid is whithin easy reach after you take of the pan? That almost sounds too easy. hmmm...
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Bob Lincoln
Dodge Dakota
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4/07/2005
16:10:35
| RE: Transmission problems!
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It's a b**** to replace, actually. My truck is a 92 3.9L V-6 with 4-speed auto (A500 tranny). It's really easy to drop the pan and tighten the solenoid screws or remove them and drop the solenoid pack, which sits flat against the passenger side of the valve body. But the pain is getting the connector out of the tranny housing. You have to lower the valve body enough to pull the connector inside the case, because the connector is screwed to the valve body. Then you feed the new connector (which is cabled to the solenoids) up through the tranny case, which has an O-ring to prevent fluid leakage, and mount the new solenoid pack.
The hardest part for me was removing the Park rod. I couldn't disconnect it from the back end of the tranny as recommended, so I undid the C-clip that holds it to the valve body, and spent 2 hours getting that clip back on. The whole job took 7 hours, mostly because I had never done this before, and had to undo the shift linkage, neutral safety switch, TV cable, etc.
My O/D and lockup did work most of the time, but my brother, who sold me the truck, told me that occasionally the TC would not unlock, and O/D would not engage. This became more frequent until I couldn't get either to work at all.
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Tony
Dodge Dakota
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4/07/2005
17:20:07
| RE: Transmission problems!
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That does sound like a pain. hope the instructions come with pictures. Now, I was wondering what year my transmission is. See, I was looking at the Hanes manual(which isnt good at all for transmissions) and I was curious to see if the crank posision mod would work for my '89 (or '90 according to the year the junkyard said my tranny was). I found that only '92 and newer magnum engines had this. I saw a U-shaped hole on the edge of the bellhousing like the newer ones had to hold the crank position sensor. It even contained the u-shaped rubber grommet, but I removed it. Could the owner of the 1990 truck that this tranny came from actually had a 1992 or newer transmission in it? The junkyard only goes by the trucks year, I think.
I was curious about this because not only do I want to know the actual year of my tranny, but I want to know if it will have the o/d solenoid it the same place as yours (even if my tranny is older).
My torque converter doesnt appear to lockup. Does this mean my TC is messed up, or is my wiring or something else electronic not working? Should I get a new TC? Should I take the new TC I had from my old '89 transmission and use that? The thing is, the old tranny with the new TC is at the junkyard (but I can get it, I think) and the part that slides into the pump on the transmission is slightly keyed differently (instead of two flat spots there is two notches where it keys into the tranny's pump). Would there be a problem there? Does the torque converter lockup have anything to do with the overdrive? Should these things happen at the same time, or is the TC separate and it locks up at a certain RPM on its own?
One more thing I am not sure about is the noises that the tranny is making. I dont know if it will be a concern or not. thanks.
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Bob Lincoln
Dodge Dakota
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4/07/2005
19:04:54
| RE: Transmission problems!
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Well, many of these questions are beyond my experience. I just went by the factory service manual for my 92. But the solenoid pack is a dual unit, one for O/D and one for the torque converter lockup. So if the wiring is bad, or the pack is loose against the valve body, neither one may work.
It did not come with good directions, I'd buy the FSM, or pay a garage about $300 to do it, if you feel unsure.
I don't have the experience with newer automatics (beyond A904/727) to tell you your vintage, since I've owned manual transmissions for the last 20 years. The truck is my first automatic since then.
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Tony
Dodge Dakota
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4/07/2005
20:17:24
|  RE: Transmission problems!
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Well thanks anyway. You were of great help, Bob! Actually, the next post on here will probably be questions for even another transmission! I will use this information that you gave me for my next tranny. I had just got gas here in Ohio and my truck drove pretty good for the lack of o/d. On the way home it was the same when I applied a bit more to the throttle to raise my speed up some when something that felt like overdrive or torque converter lockup kicked in. I was pretty darn excited, but then my engine revved really high and the gear slipped completely, forcing me to stop the truck. That is when I heard those noises again, but WAY louder. The truck would shift into 1st, then 2nd, then abruptly shift to what felt like neutral. My pump is definitely gone, along with the torque converter is probably messed up. We will look around for another tranny and try to get our money back. If you, or anyone else, would see or hear about a transmission out of a 3.9 RWD 4sp, could you reply to this (anytime). I got it home after letting the thing sit for a few minutes every part of a mile. Good thing I live near town. I shouldn't have moved it any and instead, left it for dead, but I just couldn't (a lot of $$ in the audio and special lighting). I am so frustrated!
My last transmission was making clacking noises, so we got a new TC and a new flexplate on it. The last person didnt tighten anything on it and only 2 loose bolts were holding the engine and tranny together through the flexplate, and only a few bolts for the bell housing. After we got it up there, the flexplate (universal) wouldn't turn sice it was too big (our fault). We fixed that and put it back up when the truck wouln't move, due to the pump's keys were shreaded and it wasnt working. We got a new pump put in, but it didnt work right either. The guy who checked the tranny out said it was just trashed. Now this is happening! No fair! Oh well. Thats what you get for trying to do it yourself all the time and buy used parts. Again, thanks! If anyone hears of anything in the Ohio region (transmission), please reply anytime or email me at gyloc@yahoo.com. Good luck with your dakota...
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nicole
Dodge Dakota
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5/10/2013
15:28:08
| RE: Transmission problems!
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Message:
tranny pump not holding fluid and is buzzing... help
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Betty
Dodge Dakota
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5/14/2013
18:32:03
| RE: Transmission problems!
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Are you sure your not smoking weed, a buzz is normal then.
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