Well I just jinxed myself big time...

Put an ad on here to sell my 2015 Cummins Ram and got bit. Travelling down I-71 in Ohio last night with my 24' enclosed trailer and kicked it down uphill to pass a semi, guess what happened? Yep, the trans went freewheeling of course. It was running perfectly up until the point, don't know what happened but it is definitely toast! Got towed into a local Ram dealer, my brother in law is on the way to rescue me. I had a great 2022, doesn't look like 2023 will continue the trend...

It was only a matter of time , it has a new trans now so might as well keep it ???

i often wonder what was done to the transmission gods that they have it in for rhino ?

I should have been a factory transmission tester. Found out a trans line came off, just gotta find out if there is any damage from driving it off the highway a mile with no fluid in it.

There would be a little fluid in it...obviously depends on how quickly it was pouring out.
I've accidentally driven a Turbo400 about 1/4 mile with a bad hose leak (add-on ATF cooler) pouring out & making a big mess.
Fixed it, poured maybe 10 quarts of ATF back in, been fine since (happened 5 years ago).
I've since updated the hose/pipe setup so it can't happen again.

I blew the trans cooler line off the RE46 in my truck, dumped 9 quarts of ATF+4 onto the road, and coasted into a parking lot. I fixed the line, filled it up with ATF and it functioned, but lost OD. I should have pulled the pan but didn't. I expected the trans was junk, so I just filled up and off I went. My trans doesn't have 200,000 + miles on it though.

Loosing the OD for you would be bad. I'd probably put in new solenoids and change the filter and try filling it up, might be OK.

Didn't you just have some repairs done on that recently?

Over the years there have been so many posts about
external ATF cooler line check valves,
leaking external lines
and engine coolant contamination of ATF
on Chrysler vehicles.

If you spec an OEM ATF that can keep its lube properties at higher temperatures for longer,
many of the above “failure modes” disappear.

It might be possible to design in more external ribs on the aluminum trans casing to carry away heat without a cooler.

My gut tells me:
one transmission and differential
should outlive two engines
because conditions inside an engine are more extreme
but in the real world that has not been true for several decades.

But obviously that is not the root cause of Rhino’s trans curse.

Sometime in the distant past he thought some profane thought about transmissions,
and now the GODS of gears are angry.

A goat must be sacrificed on a mountain top.

"A goat must be sacrificed on a mountain top."


What does Pontiac have to do with all this?

“Kicked it down uphill to pass a semi”….
With your trans history why do I see you mashing your foot to the floor?

I built a 47RE for my 01 at 34k miles. Even when I sold it last year at 200k it was not even in my head as a worry. Of course I probably only had it “kick down” a handful of times, usually when one of my friends was doing driving duties and didn’t know the idiosyncrasies of piloting that set up. I preferred to not let that happen as pulling a load and having the converter unlock, make the shift, and then apply again can be a shock especially under load.

My 17 3500 has the Aisin. Love the lower 1st gear and it’s much more relaxing to drive than the 01 was.

I just had oil and fuel filters done right before the trip, never had a trans service done as I have owned the truck for less than a year and the fluid was pink and full. One question I have now, should I have the trans filter changed when they put the new cooler lines on or find out if the trans is still good then change the filter? $102 for trans fluid right now. Also, on my 2015 5.7 Hemi truck that had the trans changed at 280K miles, shortly afterwards the trans cooler line started leaking and had to have them changed. Is there a known problem with the lines?

I did not mash my foot to the floor, typical situation on a three lane highway going up hill and the semi's were jogging for position so I didn't want to lose my momentum too, so I kicked it down about 3/4 throttle to get to the inside lane and get around them. The RPM's went redline and it was tricky to get back to the outside lane and onto the shoulder. It is a 68RFE trans and I take it out of overdrive when I haul the enclosed trailer. Too many damn semi's out there nowadays with steering wheel holders driving them and very few professional drivers...

This is SO true!! There have been several several real bad accidents in this area caused by these "steering wheel holders" in recent months. I'm talking about drivers that were intoxicated, high on drugs, etc. In another case, a tanker driver went around a corner to fast and rolled his truck. He was hauling a hazardous chemical which leaked out resulting in a massive clean up mess! It took about 24 hours to clean it up. During that time, the Interstate was closed in BOTH directions!!

My father was a professional driver many years ago. Back then, when semi trucks were involved in an accident, the accident was typically caused by the driver of a car doing something stupid.

Back to the subject of transmissions, I hope Rhino's truck can be easily repaired.

all i can offer on repair advice...........if you ever get close to Brookville, Pa. Rhino, let me know and i will get my tool box ready for ya ! [just in case, of course]

Thanks, I actually stayed at the Super 8 in Brookville late last year, go that way often... Had some good BBQ at Devil's BBQ that night too!

The trans has no fluid in it now, changing the filter shouldn't add that much to the cost. The reality is, if the trans is OK, you won't want to dump the new fluid to change the filter and then refill it, one less thing to be concerned about If it needs to be rebuilt, you will loose the fluid anyway, the only extra cost is the filter, pan gasket, and whatever labor to change it. If it works, your good until the next scheduled fluid change.

He has already pre-sacrificed a firebird in a flaming garage sacrifice, doesn't that cover the goat sacrifice?

He has already pre-sacrificed a firebird in a flaming garage sacrifice, doesn't that cover the goat sacrifice? [/quote

All that did was piss off the wife. She didn't think it was funny when I said she had a true FIREbird... They told me $350 for a filter change at the dealer that is installing the lines and the mechanic thought it would be a waste of time and money if the trans is indeed smoked...

How do they justify $350 to drop the the pan and change the filter???

Kevin

Over $100 for trans fluid, who knows how much for a filter through a dealer plus the gasket, doesn't matter if it has anything in it or not. I am sure the labor is $150 on the schedule...

next time you are here, give me a shout.

Its hard to say since the trans was under a load pulling a trailer,. but on my 49, I blew that trans cooler line off twice and ran it out of fluid about 3 months apart (I've redone the lines this last time) and it still works. Both times for me the trans was cold, having just started it after it had sat for several hours.
Once the fluid level get below the filter, the trans quits functioning, and that happens pretty fast when a cooler line blows. Once the fluid flow stops, all the internal pressures go to zero instantly. The only damage that can happen is during the time between the full fluid and no fluid, maybe a few seconds. I would think mostly the hot parts loosing the fluid flow are mostly what would be damaged, but as soon as the pressure drops, nothing should be under load.

The cooler line has to be repaired either direction. if you take that expense away, how much dos it cost to take the chance? It does have a lot of miles on it, but do you feel comfortable with the place its at rebuilding or replacing the trans?

Fix the line, and dump $100 of fluid in it might work for a long time, or it might get you someplace you know and trust better, or you may have wasted $100. If your really concerned, forget the filter change (if it adds that much to the cost of taking a chance) you can do that at a different time. I suspect you have probably wasted $100 before on something. Put it in proper perspective.

Could the existing thermistor temperature sensor be relocated to a place where it would serve the dual purpose of warning of too low ATF level?

My historical experience with traditional float liquid level switches is bad.

I eventually found through expensive trial and error that “level tape” sensors worked most reliably in turbulent gritty liquids. These are sealed “tape worm” looking devices where the flexible cover gets squeezed by the outside liquid, which electrically shorts out a long resistor sealed and isolated from the bouncy hot, gritty, corrosive liquid.

The salesman who gave me the first level tape to try bragged that
“ If the Three Mile Island Nuclear Plant had used these level sensors its core would not have overheated.”

It needs $100+ in fluid regardless and they would probably charge the same labour to pour it in so the true cost is a pan gasket and filter.

Pulling the pan has the added advantage of telling you whether you need to just continue on pulling the trans.

Kevin

Well they put the lines on, filled it with fluid, and took it for a long test drive and everything worked as it should! I will get it home and do the filter and fluid, and then destroy it...

Or trade/sell it quick...

I would expect nothing less, Rhino!

I bet that broke the dealership's heart!

I suspected that would be the outcome. A long run on low fluid would probably be a different story because the trans slowly looses pressure and heat builds, but a fast dump like a cooler line breaking drops the fluid pressure pretty much instantly.

Good to hear you get to kill the trans on your own terms!

That is good $ news.

Considering all that has gone before transmission wise,
consider spending modest $ to “watch over” the health of that particular transmission.

Would it be crazy to buy one of those “back up cameras” but put it under the truck aimed at the trans, or trans+engine?
water and grit splash might present challenges

Maybe hire a trans-woman AND trans-man to say daily prayers for the life and health of your trans.

"Maybe hire a trans-woman AND trans-man to say daily prayers for the life and health of your trans."



that's the best advice i have ever heard for Rhino's problem, bar none !
too bad it took so long for someone to think of it !

Went to Ohio today with my 4x4 gas truck and open trailer to pick-up the pickup. Decided to put the gas truck on the trailer and see just how the trans would work on the 364 mile drive home through Chicago traffic the last 90 miles. Seemed to work fairly well, but noticed a bit of slipping though I noticed it before the trans line blew, so nothing has really changed. Think it is still worth changing the fluid again and the filter? Anyone know the adjustments on a 68RFE trans? Everyone I talked to won't touch them..

I feel bad for Jim as he broke down on the way to a transport pick up for me. But he delivered my truck exactly when he said he would and communication was always immediate. Thank Jim!! (I'm the bald guy)

Oh, and:

My beard gets whiter by the transmission...

Fools rush in where Angels fear to tread......

I may be opening up a can of worm {gears} but...

If a high mileage automatic transmission is slipping in some load conditions should a gearhead reread the SAE paper in Chrysler/Lubrizol ATF and consider switching to.a ATF that test equipment found had a higher clutch hold capacity ?

I think I once did the opposite:

My high mileage 46RH was “bump downshifting” while coasting to a stop.

I had been using ATF+2 with the addition of Lubegard “Red Bottle” additive.

It was also time for a filter change.

I bought the new “improved” ATF+3 that I knew was nearly all synthetic
an official Chysler 46RH filter
dropped the pan
changed the filter,
refilled the trans with ATF+3,
and decided to not add Lubegard Red Bottle (yet).

The bump downshifting was totally gone on the next drive, and for 3 more weeks.
I did not add Lubegard Red bottle because “well enough should be left alone.”

Then i began a 800 mile trip over mostly level Interstates to Florida,
and the Torque Converter lock up clutch began slipping at about 650 miles.

you should be the bald guy Rhino !
my hair falls out by the clumps when i have to deal with stressful conditions i can't solve.
but being 70 years old may have something to do with it ? .....

you should be the bald guy Rhino !
my hair falls out by the clumps when i have to deal with stressful conditions i can't solve.
but being 70 years old may have something to do with it ? .....
[/quote

I have hair for days, but my sister is losing her hair...LOL..

i'll bet she is a bit "perturbed" about that.

The amount and color of hair is way to high of concern to way too many people (says the guy that is loosing his gray hair at a pretty fast pace).

I had a bald guy with a very gray beard tell me that being bald was a sign of having a perfect head that shouldn't be hidden, and gray hair was a sign of wisdom.

I believe the gray hair is caused by children, I've never seen anyone that had (or were near) children that their hair didn't start turning gray soon after. Loosing hair is caused by being married (or trying to be). Some say both traits are natural, but I don't believe them.

Oh yea, the transmission... Change the filter, the fluid, and adjust the bands. My transmission (RE46) with only 44K miles on it had a pretty clean pan, but the filter was getting dirty already and the magnet had a little fuzz on it. I changed both about 1,000 miles after the cooler line failure transmission flush. I added a trans pan drain plug at that time as well.

That is what I am thinking, best to change it and adjust than leave it alone at this point. And you just explained why my hair still grows and is mostly brown, I HAVE NO KIDS!

"Baldness is caused by the brain expanding beyond it's boundaries as the result of excessive creativity and contemplation." [author unknown]


oh, wait........this is supposed to be about transmissions..........
i just started taking that stuff advertised on tv that is supposed to help ones memory.
unfortunately, i can't remember what it's called..............