OK.... I bought the truck last June with 105K on it. Previously belonged to an 82 yo retiree. tons of service records since he had owned, came with in the glove box. truck was put up for sale because PO went into retirement home, family took his keys away. I don't see this truck having been used very hard at all, in the 17 years and 52k miles that he had it. Replaced tires as soon as I got it due to age, not wear-out (2 from 2008, other 2 were from 2011) and ball joints/aligned in 1st week I had it. 10 days later I hit a deer, replaced radiator, added factory style aux trans cooler "in addition to" running ATF thru radiator cooler. Was already noticing 1st symptom, (detailed below) for a couple of days, and absolutely no change, before/after deer strike repairs. until weather turned cold that was, Read on/

Shortly after I got it, I noticed (never seen this before, have owned/driven Mopars (only) all my life)
It starts off in 1st just fine. Hits 2nd just fine.
When it would get to a point of "almost" be ready to hit 3rd, it would "hiccup" (neutral out for a split second?) continue in 2nd for ~100-150 RPM, then hit 3rd, then 4th just like anyone would reasonably expect. Temp, or miles since left, or pulling my popup camper/(or not) etc seemed to have no effect. the couple of times that I pulled the popup, the flare did not worsen during trip.
That seemed to go away about 95% for most of the cold weather months, though I wasn't driving the 99 as much then as I have a 96 4wd Dakota as well, so I was "switching off". pretty much drove the 4wd truck any time there was a "chance" of snow/ice salt.
Over the last week and 1/2 I drove the 99 (which is the truck with the trans issue), it didn't act like it had previously, it started "neutral-flaring" when it would switch from 2nd to 3rd, especially when dead cold. would neutral flare for the 1st time, maybe 2 times thru the gears. Again 1st, 3rd 4th and R worked just fine. The one way I take to work, is largely country back roads, STOP sign ~500' from my driveway, then rt turn. About another 800' a left turn. 3 stop signs in 5 miles, left turn, then 2 stop signs next 4 miles, rt turn, 10 miles another stop sign, rt turn, 7 miles another stop sign, then cruise 65ish the rest of the way, (except that 1st 500' and 800' of course..... ) and usually getting close to that, (60-65) between the rest of the stop signs. The truck would neutral flare once, in that 1st 500 feet (very light on throttle) then once after that 1st left turn "hard", then not again the rest of the way to work. (as truck warmed up) At first, when I went to lunch 4 hours later, it would NOT flare/ but would, (hard again) the 1st 2 times thru the gears on the way home, than not again. Then by the end of the week, it would flare "hard" each time it went from 2nd to 3rd, going to and from lunch (usually went less than a mile round trip for lunch, not enough for temp needle to budge) Might have done this major flare for a week and 1/2 max, and always so far only when engine is STONE COLD. As it warmed up, even slightly, the flare would not happen.
At this point, I parked this truck (about 400-500 miles, max since "hard" flare when truck was cold, started) because I didn't feel like having to call my kid with his trailer to come after me..... stayed driving my 96.... ordered a few parts, and pulled this one. I have NEVER had any version of a Torqueflite flare between gears on me, before this one. Ever. so this is definitely weird. I have seen it on Fords especially Rangers, many times. and any troubleshooting chart I see, none specify 2nd gear issues.. things like "NO DRIVE" or "SLIPS IN ALL FORWARD RANGES" neither of which apply to this vehicle. And I know by deduction that it has to have something to do with the band, either via wear or actuation, (valve body?) and NOT the clutch packs or rear band because the rest of the gears work as they should, don't slip, and that band "only" has to do with 2nd gear while other clutch packs apply and release depending on what range it is in.


Now the one time that I dropped the shifter into "2" like the next to last day I drove this thing before I pulled it, it held 2nd fine in "low 2" and flared as soon as I put it into "Drive" HARD, before it caught 3rd. I have the clutches and steels out of the "forward" (not by position in trans) and Hi-rev clutch packs, which look new. The waffling is still there, and I can still read the stamped numbers on the original clutch discs.
The 1st steel has SLIGHT (and I do mean "Slight") scoring, closest to the "pressure plate" though there was no clutch disc between these 2 parts as I dismantled them. (which I thought was weird) No discoloration in the steels, I can see marks in that 1st steel and in the pressure plate but can't catch a nail on them. Discs and steels in Hi-Rev in same condition, I did dismantle those clutch packs and replace the piston seals within "because I have them" and "because it is out and apart". I never did put a pressure gauge onto this trans. Probably should have.

I checked fluid a few times in this stretch, always "FULL" and never a tinge of going dark. this truck does not leak a drop of ATF. Ever.

now I don't do trannys for a living, I have seen my share of welded clutch packs, busted Belleville springs, busted 3-4 servo springs, busted snap rings and fried clutches in the OD, bad output shaft bearings and such within Mopar trannys over the years..... I bought my 96 4wd Dakota, with the trans laying in the bed, got it dirt cheap because of the trans, rebuilt it myself 55K ago and I'm still driving this truck extensively, with over 222K on it... I rebuilt the one in my 01 Durango myself as well, it has even more miles than my 96 does, and it carries on just fine. (wife's daily driver) I rebuild my own when needed, don't rebuild them for anybody else any more.
Ive done 3 speed RWD Mopar, GM and Ford trannys, (years ago) but have never been past a "pan drop" on any 4+ speed/OD auto trans that isn't a Mopar. I've done Mopar 413 trannys, and 604s over the years.
I did buy the ATSG book for this particular job, looks mostly like a rehash of the FSM...for the most part. 1st time I have looked at an ATSG manual. mostly bought it out of "curiosity".