i believe i have trans issues....

[jarvis]

good day gents.

 

new to site, so far seems pretty informative.  thanks for that.

 

01 2500 4x4, auto. new to me since 2013.  heres the list of issues i believe to be having;

 

engine knock

delay in shifting to OD

tc lock up hunt.

trans slips on left turns(sometimes)

 

so.....with engine knock....cant remember when it started, but its been at least 9 months.  noise is constant thru rpm range.  i list this as  a trans issue as i cant/hope not/ see the engine knocking for 6 months without failing completely.  oil pressure indicator working and in normal range, 40psi at idle...thereabouts. even after driving around.  ive read flex plate failure is common...perhaps stock tc as well.  i baby this beast in hopes i dont 'find' the problem accidentally.

 

my delay into OD....well, if i let off pedal, completely, is shifts into OD.  otherwise....ill have to wait til at least 55mph.  lately its been closer to 60 before it shifts on its own....just about 2k rpm.

 

the lock up hunt....recently started after a starter replacement.  i disconnected both batteries.  i remember seeing here....that if both are disconnected, an apps reset is a must.  how would i know if it should be reset?  truck seems to respond as usual.  i see a test for tc lock up hunt is to pull the alt. fuse.  i have yet to test this.  im optimistic.

 

the trans slipping on left turns....weird eh.  so on first thought....trans is low on oil.  check dip stick....in neutral...says is at max level.  i do have a mag hytech pan on it.  not sure of size...looks bigger than stock.  dip stick says im good on oil....even with larger pan...and slips when making left turns.  so....i add oil.  about 2 qts.  slip goes away.  doesnt seem to add up to me....trans temp hasnt gone past 180...i believe sensor is in a port on side of trans.  ive read lots about best place for sensor....but thats where it was when i got it.

 

i am new to ....owning ....a diesel.   i havent done much work on truck since ive had it.  starter....fixed a few vacuum leaks.  i didnt drive it much when i got it...but now...i do.  and by much....10...15 miles a day....and im shooting high.

 

anyone have any ideas?  point me in the right direction...please.  thank you.

[Vais01]

good day gents.

new to site, so far seems pretty informative. thanks for that.

01 2500 4x4, auto. new to me since 2013. heres the list of issues i believe to be having;

engine knock

delay in shifting to OD

tc lock up hunt.

trans slips on left turns(sometimes)

so.....with engine knock....cant remember when it started, but its been at least 9 months. noise is constant thru rpm range. i list this as a trans issue as i cant/hope not/ see the engine knocking for 6 months without failing completely. oil pressure indicator working and in normal range, 40psi at idle...thereabouts. even after driving around. ive read flex plate failure is common...perhaps stock tc as well. i baby this beast in hopes i dont 'find' the problem accidentally.

my delay into OD....well, if i let off pedal, completely, is shifts into OD. otherwise....ill have to wait til at least 55mph. lately its been closer to 60 before it shifts on its own....just about 2k rpm.

the lock up hunt....recently started after a starter replacement. i disconnected both batteries. i remember seeing here....that if both are disconnected, an apps reset is a must. how would i know if it should be reset? truck seems to respond as usual. i see a test for tc lock up hunt is to pull the alt. fuse. i have yet to test this. im optimistic.

the trans slipping on left turns....weird eh. so on first thought....trans is low on oil. check dip stick....in neutral...says is at max level. i do have a mag hytech pan on it. not sure of size...looks bigger than stock. dip stick says im good on oil....even with larger pan...and slips when making left turns. so....i add oil. about 2 qts. slip goes away. doesnt seem to add up to me....trans temp hasnt gone past 180...i believe sensor is in a port on side of trans. ive read lots about best place for sensor....but thats where it was when i got it.

i am new to ....owning ....a diesel. i havent done much work on truck since ive had it. starter....fixed a few vacuum leaks. i didnt drive it much when i got it...but now...i do. and by much....10...15 miles a day....and im shooting high.

anyone have any ideas? point me in the right direction...please. thank you.

A knock can be fuel related or mechanical related.

Flexplate can be inspected through the bell housing inspection plate. Make sure you use a good flashlight to see as much as possible. While your there check the tightness of your torque converter bolts. I have heard of them vibrating loose after some time.

Now for the OD situation. From my understanding the torque converter goes into lock-up around 45 MPH and then shifts into OD with the converter locked right around 55 MPH. Now for your torque converter lock-up hunting this is normally caused by AC voltage but loose ground connections can also cause this. More details later.

The slipping your talking about, is it a shift flare (when it revs up before engaging the next gear) or is it a complete loss of drive power?

OD is controlled electronically so check your battery and ground connections first including engine block grounds. Be sure they are all clean and tight. Also check the PCM connector on the passenger side firewall. There are 3 connectors and the connector in question is the one nearest to the engine.

Just be sure they are clean.

Now after this look at the alternator. What I mean is check for AC voltage out put at the alternator. I hope Mike chimes in because he has the spec on the maximum allowable AC voltage thar can be seen.

Edited September 15, 2015 by Vais01

[jarvis]

Thank you sir.

What or where should I be looking when inspecting flex plate? I've check tc bolts, theyre tight.

The slip....all drive power lost. If I take the turn at idle or just above...I'm ok. If it's a normal driving, left turn...chances are good I lose drive power. When turn is over it slams back into gear....if I don't take foot of throttle.

I've check the alternative for ac voltage. What I got was a real high reading that reduced itself to zero in about 3...5 sec.meaning it started high then went low to below zero actually. Measured at both batteries.

I've heard that knocks can be mech. Or fuel related. Noise seems loudest when under the truck...if that paints a clearer pic.

Thanks to all for the replies

[Vais01]

Thank you sir.

What or where should I be looking when inspecting flex plate? I've check tc bolts, theyre tight.

The slip....all drive power lost. If I take the turn at idle or just above...I'm ok. If it's a normal driving, left turn...chances are good I lose drive power. When turn is over it slams back into gear....if I don't take foot of throttle.

I've check the alternative for ac voltage. What I got was a real high reading that reduced itself to zero in about 3...5 sec.meaning it started high then went low to below zero actually. Measured at both batteries.

I've heard that knocks can be mech. Or fuel related. Noise seems loudest when under the truck...if that paints a clearer pic.

Thanks to all for the replies

Could be a fuel timing issue as far as the knock is concerned.

[jarvis]

And how can I diagnose the fuel issue

And repair it?

[Vais01]

And how can I diagnose the fuel issue

And repair it?

Let me ask this first. Is there a tunner or fueling box on the truck? If so remove it as it may be the cause.

If not injection timing is 3 fold. The initial event occurs when the POP pressure is met. At that point high pressure fuel is injected into the piston bowl.

The other part is the timing commanded by the ECM according to what the sensors see.

The VP44 also has the some internal timing mechanisms that mechanically set snd alter timing. This is known as the timing piston or plunger. It is possible for this item to stick in an advanced or retarded state of timing and giving you a knock.

At idle the IAT sensor commands and I'd the biggest factor of timing at idle. It's a good fast thing to check and clean out with a little carb clean. If I remember correctly it is on the intake plenum of the head on the drivers side of cylinder 5. If memory serves me right it is the smaller of the 2 sensors there. Chances are it won't have enough effect on timing to create a knock but it's a good idea to check.

Also valve lash (Overhead) adjustments can effect timing but again this probably won't effect timing enough to cause a knock.

Best bet is to eliminate the injectors as the culprit. Have them POP tested. Cummins injectors are supposed to be set at 310 BAR and plus or minus 5 bar.

If the POP is low the injection event begins early too low and you knock due to inadequate temperature in the cylinder to create good combustion.

Some aftermarket companies set the POP pressure low because they are compensating for a larger injector size and the fuel does not atomize as finely (mist VS droplets concept). Larger droplets mean slower to burn and require more heat to they start injecting fuel earlier to compensate.

If the injectors check out then proceed to the next step which is check fuel supply pressure with an accurate mechanical gauge. If all is well proceed to inspect your VP or replace it.

[440Rat]

I've been experiencing transmission issues for the last month or so, weird shifts, shuttle shifting, torque converter slippage, and a really hard 2nd to 3rd shift which has been going on for 6 months or more.  Anyway I discovered a video on you-tube talking about a transmission wire that runs past the alternator, and it went on to say that if this wire was close to or touching the alternator in any way it could pick up a signal and cause issues with shifting and whatnot. For the heck of it I popped the hood and there was that wire laying across the alternator. I moved it up out of the way and drove the truck, and amazingly all the weird shifting and slipping went away. I still get the hard 2nd to 3rd shift, but for the last 2 days I've been pushing the truck trying to make it repeat what it use to do and it hasn't.

[jarvis]

Let me ask this first. Is there a tunner or fueling box on the truck? If so remove it as it may be the cause.

 

 

 

so i can turn tuner off....or would it require complete removal?

its an edge comp.  aside from air filter and 4" exhaust, no other mods done as far as i can tell...

[Vais01]

so i can turn tuner off....or would it require complete removal?

its an edge comp. aside from air filter and 4" exhaust, no other mods done as far as i can tell...

Turn it off and see if the knocking continues. If so you will need to completely remove it. If it continues after you remove the tunner you may have bigger fish to fry. Edited September 16, 2015 by Vais01

[jarvis]

guess i have to remove it.  ive tried turning it off many times.  made no difference.  and if no changes are noticed after removal?

[440Rat]

guess i have to remove it.  ive tried turning it off many times.  made no difference.  and if no changes are noticed after removal?

 time for a rebuild?

[Vais01]

time for a rebuild?

We're focusing on the knock first.

[Vais01]

guess i have to remove it. ive tried turning it off many times. made no difference. and if no changes are noticed after removal?

You may need to have your injectors POP tested.

You do have an aftermarket lift pump if remember reading correctly?

Edited September 16, 2015 by Vais01

[jarvis]

You may need to have your injectors POP tested.

You do have an aftermarket lift pump if remember reading correctly?

i do not.  far as i can see...engine is stock as well as its components.  exhaust and air filter are aftermarket. and it has an edge comp tuner on it...the usual gauges...

 

where would i go to have the injectors pop tested?  there arent many diesel tuner shops in my area...

[Vais01]

i do not. far as i can see...engine is stock as well as its components. exhaust and air filter are aftermarket. and it has an edge comp tuner on it...the usual gauges...

where would i go to have the injectors pop tested? there arent many diesel tuner shops in my area...

Have you changed your fuel filter?

An injection shop would be where to have the injectors tested but if you can not pull them yourself you might as well take it to a mechanic shop in general. I'd recommend an aftermarket lift pump. Chances are your tuner is bleeding your VP44 dry and causing you grief. If so you can have surging issues, power loss and eventually kill the VP44 or in this case potentially get a timing plunger stuck. A sticky timing plunger in the VP44 can cause a knock.

Can you localize the sound? What part of the engine has the knock?

[jarvis]

Copy. I'd say noise comes from under engine near flex plate.

My tuner is on level 2 of 5. Maybe even level 1. I think it's 1. I've never had it past 3. I'm curious to see how it moves at level 5....but not interested in 'finding' the source of the noise, ya know. I'm past the point of hot rodding.

I've done it too much when I was younher I guess. Having the power is nice, but I'm not looking for some tuner car to smoke em out. Haha.

I am guilty on the fuel filter. I have not changed it. Previous owner said all changes were made before I got it, good friend of mine....but still, I have no excuse, should've changed it.

Lift pump is on the board of this to get.

Gotta free up 600+bucks for it.

Thank you for the help...any ideas of my other issues with trans? Funny thing...since I R/R battery fuse, hunting seemed to subside. ..

[Vais01]

Copy. I'd say noise comes from under engine near flex plate.

My tuner is on level 2 of 5. Maybe even level 1. I think it's 1. I've never had it past 3. I'm curious to see how it moves at level 5....but not interested in 'finding' the source of the noise, ya know. I'm past the point of hot rodding.

I've done it too much when I was younher I guess. Having the power is nice, but I'm not looking for some tuner car to smoke em out. Haha.

I am guilty on the fuel filter. I have not changed it. Previous owner said all changes were made before I got it, good friend of mine....but still, I have no excuse, should've changed it.

Lift pump is on the board of this to get.

Gotta free up 600+bucks for it.

Thank you for the help...any ideas of my other issues with trans? Funny thing...since I R/R battery fuse, hunting seemed to subside. ..

Still thinking. A turn to create a power loss is very odd. I'm thinking that that may be something other than the transmission. Possibly the truck starving for fuel. I'd recommend you keep the tunner in the off position so you don't risk running the VP44 dry.

[jarvis]

Power loss....as if I put it in neutral, then dropped it in drive.

The most common response see I've seen to that was low fluid. Only dip stick read good. I actually filed it up past max...and slip went away.

[Vais01]

Power loss....as if I put it in neutral, then dropped it in drive.

The most common response see I've seen to that was low fluid. Only dip stick read good. I actually filed it up past max...and slip went away.

Here is a good question. How did you check the level? Simply pulling the dipstick won't show an accurate reading. You need to cycle through all the gears pausing for 3 to 5 seconds to allow fluid to fully fill all the accumulators and components to read it accurately. Start at park work your way down the column and see what you see on the dipstick. Remember there is a cold and hot mark. Edited September 17, 2015 by Vais01

[jarvis]

Sounds familiar....but I'll do it anyway. The going thru gears thing.

Question tho....why would dodge say to check in neutral if going thru gears is more accurate?

I turned off tuner....no change in sound.

Honesty, makes me consider selling it. I do like it....but dropping thousands in a 14yr old.....without mods....doesn't leave best taste in mouth. Know what I mean?

Crap thing to say....I know. Frustration kicks in...knowing a vp44 change could be 1500....stings...and that's with me doing the work.

Nonetheless. I thank you for the insight! I goes very appreciated.