I have a 2001 Ram 2500 with just a little under 320,000 miles. When I bought the pickup last year I drove it home and it started doing the rapid torque converter cycling. When I got home I cleaned all the battery terminals. No help. I zip tied the ground wire to the frame of the alternator and it cured it. Then I was getting random dead pedals for about five seconds and I finally just got around to doing the ground relocation on the drivers side of the engine. I left the charge wire to the PDC because I’m not sure how to delete that (if anyone could give me input on that too that would be great). Now that I did the ground relocation I have intermittent dead pedals and torque converter surge again, as well as kicking out of overdrive. I just had the transmission rebuilt about a thousand miles ago too. Any input is greatly appreciated. Thanks!

W-T ground mod needs to be done. You’ll want to add a 150 amp breaker or fuse between the alternator charge wire and the passenger side battery. I recommend the breaker  

 

Edited September 18, 20204 yr by Threadzy

You definitely need to re read the the ground mod by WT. I have to assume thats what you mean by "drivers side ground relocate". Getting the charge wire to the passenger  battery is an important step.

 

Correct, that is the mod I did. I tried following W-T’s thread to a T. I just got confused when it got to the point where he relocated the charge wire. Do you just leave the other side of the 150 amp fuse in the pdc open? I understand there has to be a 150 amp breaker in line to the battery in case of a short or over current, I just get lost when it comes to the PDC. Thanks!

Edited September 18, 20204 yr by Bfranz
Added info

Just take the wire off the pdc, shorten it and install on the passenger battery with your choice of a fuse or circuit breaker. The pdc has power from the drivers battery and you can use the old lug for a power source for any mods you might add.

Check out this link to a post I did when I was going to move my charge wire.  There's some good info in there on lug sizes (from @IBMobile) and some links to some good breakers to use.  I also have some pics of what mine looks like now.  Its super easy to do and shouldn't take more than an hour.  Hardest part is freeing up the charge wire from the loom.

Let us know if you have any other questions about it.

 

Edited September 19, 20204 yr by hdpwipmonkey
better link

Hence why I create the simple version... 

Then the PCM...

 

Sorry it has taken me so long to respond. Today, I installed a 150 amp circuit breaker from the alternator charge wire and ran it to the passenger side battery, away from everything. I also tested my old alternator for AC leakage, and my Fluke read somewhere around 20 mV. I decided I was going to take the alternator in to a parts store and have it tested. Passed. Took it to another parts store. Also passed. I decided I was already that far into it that I just went ahead and bought another alternator. Installed the new alternator, measured AC voltage, same result as the old alternator. I took the pickup out for a run and the same thing is happening. There is torque converter cycling, spuratic downshifting to third and sometimes even second. Now I have noticed this past week that it will happen in cooler weather temperatures (60 degrees Fahrenheit and below) and it seems like when the thermostat on the engine opens the problem goes away until its shut off and cooled back down. I have no clue where to go from here. Thanks guys.

Any fault codes?

Only fault codes present are P0602 and P1693 which both go away when I remove the Smarty tune from the pickup. Pickup still acts the same when the Smarty is removed.

12 hours ago, Bfranz said:

Only fault codes present are P0602 and P1693 which both go away when I remove the Smarty tune from the pickup. Pickup still acts the same when the Smarty is removed.

 

Did you test your current alternaotr for AC ripple? The ground wire mod will not fix a bad alternator. 

I set my volt meter to AC and the voltmeter read 15-21 milivolts if I remember correctly. I replaced it yesterday with a reman and the Reman gave me the same reading as the original.

Personally I think it still the alternator. The only thing I can suggest is measuring while your driving and see if the AC noise is rising while under load. The only thing that causes the AC noise is a alternator. If you pull the field lead and test drive again it should be normal. 

 

 

So you’re saying flip my circuit breaker before I’m driving and see if the issue goes away?

Did you see my post above my mil code post? 

1 hour ago, Bfranz said:

So you’re saying flip my circuit breaker before I’m driving and see if the issue goes away?

Did you see my post above my mil code post? 

No. Unplug the field wires. Drive it and see if the trans issue persists. 

Alternator can generate any power with the field lead unhooked. 

 

 

Alright, I will try it after work. I apologize for my confusion, I’m trying to figure this out. I really appreciate your guys help on this.

Just to be clear you want me to unplug the harness on the back of the alternator?

 

Unplugged the field wires. Same thing with that harness unplugged.

Ok. The only thing I can think of output speed sensor is goofy. Possibly rear axle speed sensor. 

I can change both of those. Like I said above, it seems to go away when the engine thermostat opens and gets to operating temp. If that helps anything. I’m at a loss

For what it’s worth, my abs and brake light are both on due to the right front wheel speed sensor being bad. Would that cause it?

I would have to refer you to @Dynamiche's our site transmission guru. He should be able to tell us why the torque convert is cycling all the time on you. Jon Elford is a good guy. He's built my 46RE to be pretty bulletproof for 5.9L V8 gasser. Even when last winter my 1996 Dodge was dropping to first gear randomly he had the answer. 

 

https://mopar1973man.com/forum/173-dynamic-transmissions/