[boosted dak]

well here's the problem.....i went to the track last week and my trans started to act up. i did my burnout and i noticed a check engine light came on as i was staging. but i figured id go for it anyway. when i launched my truck left in 2nd gear and shifted into third slightly early. when i got on the return road i stopped and checked the fluid.......clean and full. as i drove away it was in 1st and took a long time to shift 2nd and it was a very harsh shift. after resetting the computer a few times it started to shift normal around the pit area, so i decided to race again. everything seemed normal but the truck was a bit slower than usual. i havent had problems with being stuck in 2nd gear for a week, but on easy acceleration my 2nd to 3rd shift feels sloppy. it almost feels like it shifts 3rd, hits neutral for a split second, then goes into 3rd. and i checked the fluid again and it looks fine. my truck has 29000 miles and i did a trans service around 21000 miles and used amsoil atf4 and a wix filter. i cant seem to figure this out, anyone ever have this problem? my truck is a 01 dakota 5.9 r/t. the check engine light came back on and the only code i have is P1281 undocumented code. its been throwing that code for 2 months now, usually have to reset it every other week.
thanks, pete

 

[SinCity R/T]

P1281 - Engine takes too long to warm up, reading cold coolant.

Sounds like you have a 160 degree thermostat in your truck - some people's trucks don't like them as much as the 180's and will trip a code if it takes too long for the block to warm up.

As for the transmission, you may be experiencing a valve body problem... By 28k miles my truck had already gone through two of them. The shifting would start to go south even though the fluids and TV cable and maintenance were fine. The biggest problem I faced was going to the track and having it shift from 1-2/2-3 at maybe 2500rpm, I was in 3rd gear before the 60' mark. Around town it would shift better, but if I got on it the shifts were all over the place.

 

[boosted dak]

trans update

well now my trans is really shot. my truck takes off in second gear unless i turn the ignition off and re-start the engine, but then it holds first gear till about 3200 rpm and shifts very hard. thats without stomping the gas pedal. it wont shift out of first till i rev it past 3200 rpm. i checked the code and got P1757....gov pres above 3psi in gear with 0 mph,
P1762....gov pres sen offset volts too low or high
if these are easy fix id rather do it myself because i really dont want to take my truck back to the dealer! and besides id have to spend a weekend putting it back to stock! any help would be appreciated........thanks, pete

 

[SinCity R/T]

Re: trans update

well now my trans is really shot. my truck takes off in second gear unless i turn the ignition off and re-start the engine, but then it holds first gear till about 3200 rpm and shifts very hard. thats without stomping the gas pedal. it wont shift out of first till i rev it past 3200 rpm. i checked the code and got P1757....gov pres above 3psi in gear with 0 mph,
P1762....gov pres sen offset volts too low or high
if these are easy fix id rather do it myself because i really dont want to take my truck back to the dealer! and besides id have to spend a weekend putting it back to stock! any help would be appreciated........thanks, pete

This is another relatively common problem with 46RE's - the governer pressure sensor. I don't think this is something that can be repaired easily without some moderate transmission knowledge. Try and check with the Dakota R/T forums (groups.yahoo.com/group/dakotart and forums.delphiforums.com/forum/dakotart) and see if anyone can assist with further instructions but I think you're going to have to visit the dealership.

 

[pbxr]

I just had both the gov. pressure sensor, and valve body replace on my dak. Same exact sypmtoms as you, but my tranny fluid was burnt red/brown and had a full head of foam on the stick, made me to remember to drink a brew or two when I got home. I had to take mine back a week after the replacment, due to some wire that git pinched causing no voltage to sensor. Good luck

 

[boosted dak]

ITS FIXED!!!!

i decided to order the governor solenoid and pressure switch from the dealer ($112) and try to do it myself. i droped the pan and everything was right there. 3 11mm bolts, 2 t-20 torx screws, and 2 plugs and both parts were in my hand. i changed them both put it the pan back on and filled it up with fluid and wentfor a ride. everything works good again, and it shifts so much better than it did. i did try to get a price from a trans shop to do the job and i was quoted $425 and they needed my truck for 2 to 3 days! the whole job took me about 40 min start to finish and it was fixed.
thanks!!!

 

[pbxr]

IF I wasn't in the middle of building my house, and working 12 hour days I would of done the same. Good thing about KY is labor is cheap, parts and labor to fix $200.00. The second time I took it in, FREEBIE. The bad thing about KY is, I have to drive 2 hours one way for a good paying job. I thought about putting in a shift kit if i did the replacement myself, kinda wished I did. I think the transgo kit comes with a bew valve body. Oh well just another excuse to work on the dak I guess. Good to hear your dak is up and running again, btw did you adjust the bands at all while you were there?

 

[92golfspec4]

hey guys i was reading your trans problems and i was wondering do you guys know of a shift kit thats not out rageously priced that you can do yourself? I have a 02 quad w/a 4.7 auto and I would like to have firmer shifts without relying on a chip to do it.

another Q has anyone had there comp flashed at the dealer?? and could they edit the timing etc.?? i was thinking if they could I would have mine flashed with a slight bit of timing increase (since thats how they get the power from a chip) but not advance it so much that I had to worry about high octane gas.