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JayCyr
Dodge Dakota
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7/02/2004
00:42:52
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 Subject: Tranny shot after 90k miles?????!!!!
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Ok, ever since I got my tranny flushed by the dealer about 3k miles ago my tranny is been acting up...bad. In just the past 2 weeks it's seemed to have gone downhill fast so today I went to a highly recomended tranny specialist in Salt Lake City. He took it for a test drive and came back with very bad news. He said the engine shouldn't jump up to 5k rpms when he plants his foot on the gas and that it appears that my hydraulics are all outta whack. After I stopped swearing in my head I started asking questions. What he wants to do is put it under some kind of diagnostics and open her up...for 450 bucks which would be applied to any repairs. 450...not a problem really but should I be prepared to throw down 2+grand for a new tranny or do you think it can be fixed? Has anyone had this problem and what luck would I get going through the dealer? Of course the answer to that question is for me to ACTUALLY go to the dealer but I want to know if anyone has had this problem after a tranny flush by the dealer and if making a fuss about it would get me anywhere.
I've only had one major repair on this baby and that was the rack and pinion after 45k miles...which apparently needs to be replaced again because it's leaking like a siv but that's another thread. When it rains it pours...
Anyways, it's a 2000 with the 4.7 auto trans. Thanks!
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Brian22
Dodge Dakota
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7/02/2004
04:02:43
|  RE: Tranny shot after 90k miles?????!!!!
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if you get a brand new tranny out of a box you would be spending close to 2500-3000, but a rebuilt one would only cost around $800-1500, but in my opinion.. go up to the dealer and start raising all sorts of hell with the service manager .. and if they refuse to fix it... after you get it fixed out of your own pocket... take the parts that were replaced and chunk them each through a diff window of the service building (i know someone who did that) it was funny shyt too! his was a ford though
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aj
Dodge Dakota
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7/02/2004
09:33:01
| RE: Tranny shot after 90k miles?????!!!!
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I had a dodge van that went 95,000 when the tranny went. How often did you service the thing.
And yes, if you change the tranny fluid in a bad tranny that bad trany will begin talking fast, that scenario you described is a commn problem.
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dustinthewind
Dodge Dakota
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7/02/2004
13:38:17
| RE: Tranny shot after 90k miles?????!!!!
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my 97 5.2's tranny went out at 90 sumthin to and we got a brand new installed and it doin it again, odnt say much for dodge does it, but ill give em the fact that they can tow just about anything
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go
Dodge Dakota
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7/03/2004
23:54:38
| RE: Tranny shot after 90k miles?????!!!!
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Make sure you go to the dealer and talk to the manager. There is a potentially destructive mistake that can be made while doing a trans service with a filter change. If you change the main sump filter and either do not replace the filter seal or cut the new one during installation, it can cause a trans problems due to fluid aeration. It can even destroy the trans if driven long enough. If the service manager does not try to help, then start stompin your feet and make a big fuss. They should at the least take a look at it and figure out what is causing your problems. Good luck.
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JayCyr
Dodge Dakota
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7/05/2004
15:31:58
| RE: Tranny shot after 90k miles?????!!!!
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Go....great info man, I'll see if that's the case. I serviced my tranny at all the recomended intervals so I've taken good care of it but from reading the Forums I know the reputation of the 45rfe. Question though...if the thing does need to be rebuilt is there anything I can request the dealer to do in terms of installing aftermarket parts inside the tranny to make it hold up to higher HP's and tourque from installing other aftermarket upgrades such as cams, heads, intake, etc. that will put more stress on it? In other words, is there anything I can do to avoid tranny problems down the road from other Modifications that I'd like to do to the engine down the road??
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Kowalski
GenIII
7/05/2004
17:02:46
| RE: Tranny shot after 90k miles?????!!!!
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Since you've been reading the forums you've learned the 45rfe is a very tough tranny, a few of which have had a problem with the valve body or the problem mentioned above. Its strong enough that they're also putting it behind the 5.7 hemi; it doesn't have bands like the other trans that are subject to wear. I wouldn't worry too much about building extra strength into it unless you're going pretty radical; mine's still working great with performance mods and plowing and towing usage.
Lead, follow, or get out of the way
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go
Dodge Dakota
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7/06/2004
00:21:23
| RE: Tranny shot after 90k miles?????!!!!
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I agree with kowalski, the 45rfe is built to withstand more power than the 4.7L can deliver. The only difference between the trans in your truck and the trans behind the hemi is the trans controller software which amazingly adds a fifth gear without any mods to the tranny! The Jeeps have had it since 2002 and the dakotas got it in 2003. One of the only problems the 45rfe had in its earlier years was the plate that holds the shift solenoids would sometimes pull the bolts out of it resulting in the loss of some gears-usually third if I remember correctly. The dealership that I work for rebuilds/replaces one 45/545RFE for every 100 44/46RE transmissions. That should give you an idea of how strong they are. They will put our rear drive tranny guy in the poor house! Some may argue that the reason for the increased reliability is due to the torque management software, which pulls back engine power during shifts, but this feature has been around for a long time in the minivans and cars and, as you may have heard, have been unrelaible until recent revisions have been made. An RFE failure is a freak rather than the norm. I forgot to mention that a misadjusted shift cable can cause a clutch failure in RFE tannys, although it is rare it has happened. Sorry for the long post.
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GraphiteDak
GenIII
7/06/2004
02:06:12
| RE: Tranny shot after 90k miles?????!!!!
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Damn that sucks. I think go about said it. I'd make the DEALER look and find WHY it broke. And don't foget to mention your plans about having a second opinion by ANOTHER dealer, etc if they screw you around LOL! That should scare them into at least looking at it I would think.
So, Kowalski. There are NO bands in the (5-)45RFE??? I haven't exactly taken mine apart to look inside yet LOL! How many clutch packs are they using then and is there a online site to see an exploded view??? I am curious.
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Kowalski
GenIII
7/06/2004
17:25:43
| RE: Tranny shot after 90k miles?????!!!!
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Planetary gears, no bands. Not sure about the clutch packs - someone posted a great link a couple years ago in a thread here, read it and saved in favorites but lost it when my old computer died. Lots of great info, must be in one of the older 45 RFE threads if you want to try to search for it.
Lead, follow, or get out of the way
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Kowalski
GenIII
7/06/2004
18:10:36
| RE: Tranny shot after 90k miles?????!!!!
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Graphite - way too many posts on this tranny to easily find that link again; but if you go to search on the general board and search 4RFE -RFE? you'll find an interesting discussion of how the clutch packs work.
Lead, follow, or get out of the way
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Good Thread
Dodge Dakota
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7/06/2004
18:13:05
| RE: Tranny shot after 90k miles?????!!!!
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http://www.dodgedakota.net/boards/gen/3424.html
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GraphiteDak
GenIII
7/06/2004
22:17:46
| RE: Tranny shot after 90k miles?????!!!!
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I read that post. Doesn't sound like anyone agreed on anything!
I watch mine shift, and I'm most certain that it upshifts thru all 5 gears NOT counting lockup as one of them.
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RadioMan
Dodge Dakota
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7/07/2004
14:34:12
|  RE: Tranny shot after 90k miles?????!!!!
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You sure the *dealer* put the right fluid (ATF+4)
in your tranny?
I'd do some checking before sticking a lot of
bux in it.
Was it a Chrysler dealership?
Good luck
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Kowalski
GenIII
7/07/2004
15:13:51
|  RE: Tranny shot after 90k miles?????!!!!
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Graphite - since you have the newer 545RFE, yours should shift up through all five gears. The 45RFE only shifts up through 4; some people get confused because both transmissions have a gear called 2 prime, a different 2nd gear that is caught on the downshift. That should clear up most of the confusion.
Lead, follow, or get out of the way
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