Hello, I am in the process of rebuilding a donor transmission for my 1994 Dodge Ram 1500 4x4 with the 5.9L magnum engine. Upon disassembling the overdrive housing I discovered a configuration to the governor that I have not seen before. The donor transmission was advertised being out of a 1995 Ram 1500 2wd with a 5.9L. The governor has steel internal and external weights, yet has two external counterweights that feel like they are tungsten.

My question is this: Is this an appropriate setup for a gas application, or is this a diesel converter that wound up in this transmission?

I have had to replace so many of the internals due to parts failures that I am afraid that I am dealing with someone's franken-transmission. I have attached pictures below to show what I mean.

Also, I have the proper 4x4 extension housing that I'm installing, I just needed the internals and the main casing from this 2wd transmission.

The two external counterweights shown in the bottom photo are to counteract the weight of the governor.

Diesel governor weights are made of brass.

Thank you very much for your help, sir. I had posted this before I spoke to you earlier. To clarify, all internal weights for Diesel governors are brass? Do the diesel governors also sometimes employ external counterweights? Cobra Transmission has the only picture of an external-counterweight governor that I could find, and it was listed as a diesel unit. That led me to erroneously conclude that I was dealing with a diesel governor.

Please forgive my lack of knowledge. Though this truck is my work vehicle and daily driver, the 1994 Dodge single cabs were always my dream trucks, and I am attempting to return this truck to it's former glory, largely by myself. So, if you are amenable, I will continue to post questions as I think of them. I do have one additional one now.

When I first tore down this transmission, the thrust bearing on top of the rear overdrive planetary gear was melted directly to it, also the intermediate shaft has deformed against the pocket in the shaft in the forward clutch. Both of those shafts were ruined, the intermediate shaft was peened over so badly that I had to dremel it round to get the aluminum gear set to slip off of it. It looked as if someone had neglected to install the three tab washer and the hardened race that fits onto the end of the intermediate shaft. My question is this: What typically causes damage like this?

It sounds like lack of lubrication to me. Trash could be stuck inside the intermediate shaft blocking fluid flow. Most typically a converter failure will fill the fluid with trash, plug the cooler and starve the lube circuit. Always replace the torque converter, and clean and flow test the cooler or better yet, replace the cooler.

Thank you very much for that advice, gentleman. I have a new torque converter from Precision of New Hampton that will be installed, model 5443HS . It was recommended as being a high quality oem replacement. Any thoughts on their converters?I will procure a new trans cooler, just in case. Is the Hayden Transaver 1402 adequate for this transmission?

I sincerely appreciate the help, and apologize for my delay in replying. My older brother just came back from his last deployment to Afghanistan, two days ago, and I've been helping him move. The old truck is limping along and still managing to haul truckloads, even with the leaking front seal. I hope to have the transmission fully rebuilt and at the shop for the local mechanic to swap out, later this upcoming week. In the meantime I just keep adding fluid.

The overdrive clutch pack is assembled, and aligned. I will be rebuilding the governor on Monday. The ATSG manual says to inspect the governor sealing rings for wear or damage. It has the teflon rings installed, and there are no nicks. Does anyone happen to have the measurement of good tolerances for those rings?

Precision makes good converters, you won’t have any issues with them.

Teflon sealing rings are pretty forgiving so unless you damage them installing them you won’t have any issues. Just make sure the grooves are not damaged, clearance is not an issue with them.

Thank your brother for helping his Uncle out, I hope he is doing well.

Thank you for clarifying the teflon ring questions. Also, I am glad to know that Precision does good work.

This transmission build has been a very good learning experience for me. I was absolutely terrified of transmissions, prior to this. Though I understand that this is almost as bare bones as an automatic gets. Trust me, I have zero ego about my abilities in regards to them. There is a gentleman who posted a series of youtube videos detailing the breakdown and re-assembly of these units, else I never would have attempted this on my own. I believe that he owns a website called TheTransmissionBench. The Service Manual and ATSG manual also have provided much needed guidance, along the way.

I did not attempt to tear down and rebuild the valve body on my own. I bought a two solenoid (with boost tube) valve body that had been remanufactured and updated with a Sonnax kit, from Central Valve Bodies, by way of a reseller. The gentleman who owns that shop is name Donny Lester, I believe. I hope that that was a wise move.

In regards to my older brother, he's doing well since he got back stateside. He has the full support of the family, and we're just happy to have him home. Thankfully this was the last deployment before his 20 years are complete. One more year and he's retired and moving onto the civilian trade world.

I have seen that these transmissions can be tested with an air compressor, prior to re-installation. Do you happen to know, off hand, what specialty gauges or fittings are necessary to test the servos on a 46rh? Again, thank you for all of your help, this has been an experience.

A rubber tipped blowgun with air pressure regulated down to 20 or 30 lbs. is all you need.
Listen for leakage. Some guys use real high pressure - real high will mask cut seals.

Just hit the servos to watch them actuate then the front and rear clutch.

Make sure you use a clean air source (drain your compressor of water) before using it.

Thank you again, sir. I drained my compressor today. Wow, I hadn't realized how much water had accumulated in there.

Are there any quirks to these transmissions that I should keep an eye out for?

I bought the special tools to measure for the correct overdrive shim thickness. Also, I picked up the sonnax shim kit. How critical is replacing the intermediate shaft spacer? I have the tool to measure for that, as well.

I am really happy with the one that's still in the truck. I have no idea how many miles are on it, total, but the fluid has always been bright and it's always shifted well. I can tell that it's tired and needs to be replaced with a fresh build, on top of the leaking seal, though. I've personally put almost 100,000 miles on that transmission. No towing, just daily driving. The shifts have gotten mushy, even with proper band adjustments, and there's substantial power loss, and I think occasional slipping in third, but it's hard to tell.

The intermediate shaft shim shouldn’t have to be changed unless you changed the intermediate or the output shaft.
It ultimately affects input shaft end play so make sure it’s there.

I have changed both the output shaft, and the intermediate shaft.

I basically had to build a complete overdrive unit from spare parts. The only parts that will be original (in the overdrive unit) are the governor, and the overdrive direct drum. The entire overdrive gear set came from a 46re, it's the newer 22 degree angled gear set. I bought it as a unit, and was told that as long as it's not mixed with any earlier 15 degree parts, then it will work fine.

The intermediate shaft was ruined and the front of the shaft galled and rounded back over the retaining snap ring groove.

Have I made mistakes in my calculations with these parts? Everything has fit together in the overdrive assembly smoothly, and the thrust bearings are all oriented properly. I paid special attention to that.

Biggest issue to new builders is forgetting to install the overdrive bearing on the back of the overdrive piston, or putting those bearings upside down.

Don’t forget you need to check with the special tool and select the correct overdrive shim. If the shim you need is in between two shim thicknesses, always go to the next thicker shim.

Good thing you know about the tooth angle changes between diesel and gas.

As for the shafts being replaced, you must check with the special tool to make sure you select the correct thickness shim that goes on the back of the intermediate shaft. Oil everything up, especially those needle bearings, and you should be golden.

I oiled the bearings liberally with transmission fluid before installing them. I also used Red Transjel to stick them into their respective places in order to keep the orientation straight. It helped that they only wanted to sit flush one way, and they're oriented the same way as each other. Even though I checked twice, I may pull the overdrive assembly apart again because I'm second guessing myself.

I will be taking both measurements, for both of the shims, tomorrow.

Oh, the seal on the back of the 4wd overdrive housing, should I install it with the opening (the side with the spring in it) toward the transfer case or back facing the overdrive internals?

Also, are the 22 degree angled gears appropriate for a gas application? This transmission is going behind a 5.9L Magnum.

Thank you for putting up with all of this new guy's questions. I couldn't find straight answers to these questions anywhere. Not in the FSM, the ATSG book, or in other forums.

The seal gets installed with the garter spring facing in to the overdrive unit. It keeps trans fluid in the trans. The seal on the transfer case has its spring facing in to the t/fear case. You will notice a groove cast in to the bottom of the overdrive extension housing. That is a weep hole, do not plug it up with RTV. If you see a leak from it investigate where the leak is coming from by using the color of the fluid to determine the source.

I would stick with the 15 degree parts. As for fluid I would only use Mopar ATF + 4 or equivalent. The overdrive will love you for it.

Ok, I need to order another seal because I installed that one backwards.

I've only ever used ATF+4 in it, from everything that I read, there's nothing like it for these Chrysler transmissions.

Unfortunately I only have the 22 degree gears. What will this effect in the long run?

I have heard of a few noise complaints in gas applications besides that won’t hurt a bit.

Today I began reassembling the overdrive unit to take measurements.

I ran into a huge problem. The governor key slot is different betweenthe original shaft and the 4x4 shaft I was sold. The key shown in the ATSG book is a small square whereas the key that came with the governor is a large half moon shaped.

Can you advise on whether I was sold the wrong shaft, or if I just need a different key?

It’s been too long, I don’t recall what if any differences there are but I would have to imagine you got the wrong key.

Lacking milling equipment, I don't trust myself to cut this key super accurately. Would you trust a key cut with a bandsaw and filed as true as I could get it, for an application like this?

On second thought, the words Precise Measurement and Transmission seem to go hand in hand. I bought the last 4x4 output shaft that I could find, and it will be here by Tuesday. I visually verified that it had the proper key way slot.