Transfix?

[PatsyG]

I had the fluids changed on my 1996 Dodge B2500 van. Now the transmission is having trouble going into overdrive. Someone suggested adding a bottle of Lucas transfix. Any additional ideas/suggestions? I know nothing.

 

[rvpopeye]

Worth a try, I just saw it on closeout at Wally's for $10!
I like the stuff but consider it more of a PM type of thing more than a "super cure".

 

[highdesertranger]

ah, mechanic in a can. I would not get your hopes up. have you checked the fluid level? what did the fluid look like before the service? highdesertranger

 

[PatsyG]

ah, mechanic in a can. I would not get your hopes up. have you checked the fluid level? what did the fluid look like before the service? highdesertranger

It looked thick and smelled burnt.

 

[highdesertranger]

I hate to be the bearer of bad news but your trans needs rebuilding. went way to long between services. most of the time when your fluid is thick and burnt doing a service is the death nail. like I said sorry. highdesertranger

 

[ramblingvanman]

It looked thick and smelled burnt.

Your clutch plates have likely lost all of their friction material. Sounds like time for a rebuild imo.

 

[PatsyG]

I hate to be the bearer of bad news but your trans needs rebuilding. went way to long between services. most of the time when your fluid is thick and burnt doing a service is the death nail. like I said sorry. highdesertranger

I have had it a short while. Don't actually know if it was ever serviced. Thanks for the info.

 

[SoulRaven]

What does the fluid look/smell like now, and how long and how many miles since the service?

A friend had a similar problem with a 91 or 92, and after a few hundred miles everything went back to normal. Not sure whether or not we're talking about an identical transmission...

Also, are you absolutely sure they used the right fluid?

 

[rvpopeye]

The description of your fluid not good.
Agree with the others.
Save the ten bucks.

 

[PatsyG]

What does the fluid look/smell like now, and how long and how many miles since the service?

A friend had a similar problem with a 91 or 92, and after a few hundred miles everything went back to normal. Not sure whether or not we're talking about an identical transmission...

Also, are you absolutely sure they used the right fluid?

Fluid is fine now. It was just done.

 

[SoulRaven]

Fluid is fine now.  It was just done.

Short of killing it totally, I think I'd give it a few hundred miles to see if it self adjusts.

It may be a lost cause, but if it's still driveable and you're not straying too far from a repair shop, I think I'd take the gamble.

 

[SternWake]

Did you have the fluid changed because it was acting funny, Or,
Did you have the fluid changed as a matter of maintenance and now problems with Overdrive have developed?

Dodge transmissions of this vintage are supremely finicky on the transmission fluid they receive. ATF+4 is all that they can handle, and no quickle lube joint and most transmission shops will use a universal fluid with a friction modifier they will claim makes a universal fluid into atf+4 which is a highly engineered synthetic lubricant with a very specific additive package.

Lucas transfix might help prolong the usibility if a dying transmission
Lubegard red bottle is a much more respected transmission additive.

Overdrive is also controlled electrically. Check for stored engine codes.

The transmission can certainly be toast, not worthy of any extra effort but to prolong its usefulness while you save, but if your vehicle speed sensor has failed, or the wiring to the overdrive solenoid is compromised, it could be a simpler fix.

But burnt and brown fluid is usually a death knell, especially on an Overdrive dodge.

After the rebuild, add an additional transmission fluid cooler and insist on ATF+4. If the shop insists on their own magical maximum profit universal ATF, bring in 9 to 12 quarts of licensed ATF+4 and watch them pour it in, or make them film it if they don't let you in the shop.

Ask for them to add a drain plug on the transmission pan too.

 

[PatsyG]

Did you have the fluid changed because it was acting funny, Or,
Did you have the fluid changed as a matter of maintenance and now problems with Overdrive have developed?

Dodge transmissions of this vintage are supremely finicky on the transmission fluid they receive. ATF+4 is all that they can handle, and no quickle lube joint and most transmission shops will use a universal fluid with a friction modifier they will claim makes a universal fluid into atf+4 which is a highly engineered synthetic lubricant with a very specific additive package.

Lucas transfix might help prolong the usibility if a dying transmission
Lubegard red bottle is a much more respected transmission additive.

Overdrive is also controlled electrically. Check for stored engine codes.

The transmission can certainly be toast, not worthy of any extra effort but to prolong its usefulness while you save, but if your vehicle speed sensor has failed, or the wiring to the overdrive solenoid is compromised, it could be a simpler fix.

But burnt and brown fluid is usually a death knell, especially on an Overdrive dodge.

After the rebuild, add an additional transmission fluid cooler and insist on ATF+4. If the shop insists on their own magical maximum profit universal ATF, bring in 9 to 12 quarts of licensed ATF+4 and watch them pour it in, or make them film it if they don't let you in the shop.

Ask for them to add a drain plug on the transmission pan too.

The fluid was changed as a matter of maintenance. It was not brown but red. Thanks for all the info. I will apply it.

 

[PatsyG]

UPDATE: Ended up taking the van to a transmission shop after researching shops on the internet. The problem is the clutch and it needs a total rebuild. Told him about my 18 year old Chevy lumina, 134k miles, that I have only had to spend $700 on repairs in all those years. He said Chrysler products are what they get the most of. I will NEVER buy another Dodge.
Now I HAVE to sell my apartment to pay my credit card.
I hope to use this van lightly for a couple years and then sell it.

 

[SternWake]

Yep Chrysler trannies need to be babied, kept cool with the proper fresh fluid regularly maintained or they turn the fluid brown and shit your bed.

 

[PatsyG]

Yep Chrysler trannies need to be babied, kept cool with the proper fresh fluid regularly maintained or they turn the fluid brown and shit your bed.

You know, it had a cooler on it and the fluid was red, not brown, but it was still thick and smelled somewhat burnt. The cooler was probably too little too late. I just hope the van doesn't continue to cost me a lot of money. It would be a very expensive lesson I don't need to learn.

 

[Canine]

...bring in 9 to 12 quarts of licensed ATF+4 and watch them pour it in, or make them film it if they don't let you in the shop.

If you don't do this, I promise you they will pour their own stuff in. I don't know why that is, but that statement is so true as to almost be a truism. Also, before you go in, if you want specific fluids for other areas of your vehicle, tell them not to add fluids anywhere else. I doubt that will stop them, but it's worth a try. Many of them mean well by topping off your fluids, but if you use synthetic tranny fluid and they pour cheap power steering fluid in, that doesn't help. You may use pet safe antifreeze, but they will use regular antifreeze or pour Dexcool, which would be bad if you converted to pet safe antifreeze.

Now I put notes in the engine compartment asking not to put fluids in. No one has ever said anything to me about it, but I'm sure I look like an idiot doing that. I don't know if it works, either. That might make them pee into the engine oil for all I know.

I've tried the mechanic-in-a-can thing for various automatic transmissions that were starting to fail and it has never worked. Didn't cause any harm, but didn't help in the smallest way.



When I was a kid I cheaped out and changed only the fluid and not the filter. Apparently, those filters eventually get plugged up and it made the transmission not shift into higher gear. New filter fixed that.

 

[PatsyG]

If you don't do this, I promise you they will pour their own stuff in. I don't know why that is, but that statement is so true as to almost be a truism. Also, before you go in, if you want specific fluids for other areas of your vehicle, tell them not to add fluids anywhere else. I doubt that will stop them, but it's worth a try. Many of them mean well by topping off your fluids, but if you use synthetic tranny fluid and they pour cheap power steering fluid in, that doesn't help. You may use pet safe antifreeze, but they will use regular antifreeze or pour Dexcool, which would be bad if you converted to pet safe antifreeze.

Now I put notes in the engine compartment asking not to put fluids in. No one has ever said anything to me about it, but I'm sure I look like an idiot doing that. I don't know if it works, either. That might make them pee into the engine oil for all I know.

I've tried the mechanic-in-a-can thing for various automatic transmissions that were starting to fail and it has never worked. Didn't cause any harm, but didn't help in the smallest way.



When I was a kid I cheaped out and changed only the fluid and not the filter. Apparently, those filters eventually get plugged up and it made the transmission not shift into higher gear. New filter fixed that.

Thanks. I am making sure they put in the right fluid. The filter was already changed and was indeed nasty, but a new one didn't fix anything. Too far gone, I guess.

 

[SternWake]

Have you checked for stored computer codes?  There are solenoids which can get gummed up or go bad electrically and not be able to enagage overdrive.


Every transmission shop is going to say you need a rebuild.  Whether true, best guess, or hand rubbing greed is the part to then make a decision over.

Dodges will display computer codes without a code scanner by either flashing the check engine light after turning the key on and off 2 times then leaving it on, and later models will scroll a code on the dashboard using the same 'key dance' method.

I once had OD fail on my Dodge because of my vehicle speed sensor, and I was unaware of this simple 25$ part which takes a minute or two to replace.

While A transmission charged me 130 for the part and another hundred for the labor, I later opened up the same part and found all they did was open it, clean out the gunk  from the reed switch and rtv it back together.

I paid something line 250 dollars for a dab of rtv and the knowledge how to do this.

Call me overly suspicious, but I will not, cannot trust any transmission joint.  My experiences with most of them revealed them to be total  lying greedy crooks.

 

[PatsyG]

Have you checked for stored computer codes?  There are solenoids which can get gummed up or go bad electrically and not be able to enagage overdrive.


Every transmission shop is going to say you need a rebuild.  Whether true, best guess, or hand rubbing greed is the part to then make a decision over.

Dodges will display computer codes without a code scanner by either flashing the check engine light after turning the key on and off 2 times then leaving it on, and later models will scroll a code on the dashboard using the same 'key dance' method.

I once had OD fail on my Dodge because of my vehicle speed sensor, and I was unaware of this simple 25$ part which takes a minute or two to replace.

While A transmission charged me 130 for the part and another hundred for the labor, I later opened up the same part and found all they did was open it, clean out the gunk  from the reed switch and rtv it back together.

I paid something line 250 dollars for a dab of rtv and the knowledge how to do this.

Call me overly suspicious, but I will not, cannot trust any transmission joint.  My experiences with most of them revealed them to be total  lying greedy crooks.

I did that, thanks. It was suggested by Gideonw3 that I check the codes. I looked up in the manual how to do it. Nothing. These guys have probably already finished by now anyway. I really did research them thoroughly. They have won awards for best shop in Glendale for 2 years in a row and good reviews from multiple sources, including Angie's list. I know reviews can be faked and am suspicious when they are too long or too short, but I think Angie's list is most likely to be real.