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95 Dakota V8 auto. shifting problems!

niceolddart

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I have a 95 Dakota R/C 2wd with the 518/46RH tranny. The trans. doesn't slip, but won't always shift into 3rd or reverse when its not well warmed up, or it revs to about 3500 rpm's (1500 rpm's to get reverse) I changed the fluid & filter, added Lucas transmission fix & it's better but still not right. I guess I'll try band adjustments next. Any ideas what might be causing this. It is my 3rd V8 Dakota but first w/auto trans. I love this thing. I runs great, handles great, stops great & I haven't modded it yet. It's still bone stock, un-molested, w/ 3:92 anti spin rear & all. Any advice on this truck would be a +. Thanks
 
First and reverse have a relationship.
You refuring to 3rd as a selector position or after going 1, 2 and no 3rd while in 3rd selector position?
The trans should never start directly in third gear.
Were there any particles in the pan when the fluid and filter change was made?
 
No particles in pan or fluid, I leave shifter in D almost always. 1st& 2nd gear shift good, just 3rd & reverse at times. I'll do a band adjustment & see if that fixes it. I also adjusted the T.V. cable to spec. no change
 
Only function related to one component in forward and reverse would be the front clutch. In first and reverse.
But being a cold only occurrence and not occuring all the time suggest possible converter drain back. Especially if it occurs after sitting for periods of time.
 
That sounds like a new problem that I wasn't aware of. I'm gonna try band adjustments first though to see if that helps at all. I was driving to a friends house yesterday (Sunday) and acted up for the first couple of minutes on the way there, then once it did shift to 3rd, it was fine. Oh well. If I have to pull the tranny, I will replace the torque convertor any way. Man this thing is a blast to drive, especially when it's wet out and a sure grip rear! YAHOO! Thank you for your help, I appreciate it.
 
So this is not incurring from a dead stop? If moving and not shifting 2 to 3rd engine just races. It could have a governor problem.
 
No problems at dead stop & shifting from 1st to 2nd. just doesn't shit to 3rd when trans. is not warmed up. Most of the time after that it shifts good. O.D. & lock-up work fine. I'm going to do band adjustment today. Wish me luck.
 
Well I adjusted the tranny today, the one on the outside of the case. (I think it's called the kick down band adjustment from the factory) 72 in/lbs. then back off 2-7/8s of a turn.(specs. for a 95-96 518/ 46rh) Seems to be the answer. Shifts good all gears including reverse. I'll run it again today or tomorrow when it's dead cold to see how it shifts, but felt good right after I did the adjustment. The factory recommends fluid change & adjustments at every 24,000 miles. The truck has 108,000 on it now. Probably has never been done before. I'll do the other adjustment when I drop the pan & re-do the fluid & filter. I WILL install a drain plug at that time too! Why they didn't do that from the factory I'll never know. P.S.- an 11/32" 12 point socket works perfect on the adjuster (it was square drive on mine) if it's not a torx fitting. Either way it's kind of a pain to do on the vehicle even on a lift.
 
I didn't get a chance to drive it yesterday after it was cooled off, but I am taking to work this morning & that will be the test. I can live with the reverse thing if that still acts up, I hope its straightened out. I'll let you know today. Again thanks for your input 7mopar, you sound like you're very up on these kind of things and you help means a lot.
 
Well the band adjustment didn't work out so good. Still acts up when cold but seems better than it was before the adjustment. I've got other things to take care of before the cold weather gets here. The next thing I want to do is replace the rear window gasket. I have tracked down the water leak I have to that area. Common problem? The passenger side floor has rust from the carpet holding the moisture & I also removed all the interior trim so I could track the leak. My question is, how does the trim piece come off the rear window with this option.(solid glass, not sliding) It just looks like a 1 piece item. Is it glued in or clipped in? I don't want to reuse it but I don't want to break it either. Has any one done this before. I would like to have it removed for my glass guy so he doesn't have to deal with it. Any info will help. I have a Haynes manual also. Has SOME good info but I will not get another one. I'll cough up the dough for a factory manual.
 
This may sound dumb, But I had a similar problem and it turned out that it was low on trans fluid. The Dakota has to be in neutral with the engine running to get proper fluid level. Turned out I was low on trans oil-filled it and it shifts great now.
 
Thanks for the suggestions, but I've already checked those things as per dipstick instructions and all. The truck has not been used much before I bought it. It may be valves in transmission sticking etc. I'm going to change fluid & filter again, drain the converter if it has a drain plug, do a band adjustment when the pan is down & add a drain plug to the pan. It probably just needs to be flushed again & run more. I'll see what happens. Maybe add another bottle of Lucas.
 
Don't believe you will find a converter drain. If you get creative their are ways of flushing it but unless you find lots of gunk in the pan it may not be worth the bother. While the pan is off I would drop the valve body and pressure test the clutch packs and band servos. It only requires an air compressor and rubber tip nozzle. I still think the problem is with the front clutch.
 
I didn't find any abnormal material in the pan when I first changed the fluid, so when I drop the pan again I'll do as you suggest & pressure check the clutch packs. I've never done this before but I'll try anything once. I do have a blow gun with a rubber tip. The strange thing is, it doesn't happen all the time with the 3rd gear shift problem. Your right about the convertor drain. I replaced the O ring seal on the speed sensor & the trans mount this morning & checked for a drain on the convertor. They don't have them like the old 727s.
 
You may have trash in some valve body channels, when the fluid is cold it has more viscosity and cant flow past the blockage, warm it can get past and shift better. Maybe a great time to do a shift kit? You'll have access to most of the valve body to clean it real good when doing the separator plate.

Back window is bonded in and a pain.
 
Thanks for the info Scoots, I'll try the valve body etc. cleaning first before I have the trans. remaned & a new T.C. Good to know about the back window also. I do have a guy that does glass only & he has done stuff for me before so I trust his work, he knows the old vehicles & what he's doing
 
he knows the old vehicles & what he's doing
Funny, Dak's were some of the first trucks to have that which is new school, not old. I was a Mazda mechanic and we were still pulling string putting back windows in Mazda p/u's in 1993.
 
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