[Tommy R]

Hey y'all,

So yesterday my automatic transmission (47RE) started acting up on me. Here's the scenario....

Cruising at just 45-50 mph barely in overdrive, turning somewhere around 1300-1400 rpm, and with the throttle either steady or just barely accelerating the revs will buck and jump up/down 100-200 rpm until I speed up a bit. I'm not sure, but I think if I feed more throttle, it won't buck at all. It only does it when I'm barely accelerating. It's as if the converter is just locking/unlocking. Now if I get the revs (and speed) up it can be locked up in O/D and I can feed lots of boost in and it'll pull solid and strong with no slippage. So it would seem that the torque converter is capable of functioning properly, but is getting confused when it's barely going fast enough to be in O/D.

Another note that may or may not be related... I've got an Edge Juice with Attitude. I had the "Speed Alert" set for 95 mph (for no particular reason). For those unfamiliar with it, it will chime at me to let me know if I exceed 95 mph (it's adjustable). Well, when accelerating pretty hard it would chime at me to tell me I'd exceeded that speed even though I was nowhere near it. I need to verify that it still has the stock tire diameter programmed into it, but I don't think that's it 'cause it only chimes at me when accelerating hard, not when I exceed XX mph.

So, my questions....

If the programmer thinks I've got really tall tires, could it affect the performace of my transmission? I didn't think an Edge affected the tranny at all. FYI, I'm waiting on a call back from Edge about this...

If the programmer has nothing to do with this bucking/surge issue, then what could it be?

Thanks!
Tommy

 

[TwistedZ]

I am interested in peoples thoughts on this as well. I don't think the surging has anything to do with your Edge. I have a 99 QC SB 2WD same trans that does the same thing. I just started noticing it a couple weeks ago. My truck had the stock tune. I have since reprogramed the ECU with a Superchips "Perf tune" and it still does it. While I didn;t apply the "Perf Tune" in attempt to fix the surging I did notice it before and after.

 

[Tommy R]

I just spoke with Jerry at Edge about this. BTW, kudos to Edge for calling me back! He thinks my programmer may need to be replaced so he's going to take care of me with that. But we also talked about the tranny skipping and he thinks that's just a trait of the older Dodges. The computer is walking a very fine line between locked/unlocked and it can't quite decide what to do as our throttle input changes are so small we don't even notice.....but the computer does. So it just ends up cycling between locked and unlocked. Even his truck with a built converter does it from time to time. I guess it's something in the computer.

Oh, and the Edge programmer does NOT affect the transmission. It only alters the motor.

Tommy

 

[o1dodge]

clean ur battery cables and if needed replace batteries this has happened to me several times hope this helps

 

[m_mcgranahan]

Hi,

My 3500 does the same thing and I don't have a programmer. I think it is some sort of sensor that can't make up its mind about wheter or not to be in OD. I can't remember the name of the trans sensor that controlls/sends shifting info to the computer

God bless...

Mark

 

[Tommy R]

clean ur battery cables and if needed replace batteries this has happened to me several times hope this helps

You're saying that cleaning the battery connections could have an effect on the tranny surging?

Tommy

 

[Russ Roth]

You're saying that cleaning the battery connections could have an effect on the tranny surging?

Tommy

If it's going in and out of lockup it can fix it. I have had mine do that several times and cleaning the battery terminals and all the other grounds has solved it for me. Others have not been quite so fortunate.

 

[Tommy R]

If it's going in and out of lockup it can fix it. I have had mine do that several times and cleaning the battery terminals and all the other grounds has solved it for me. Others have not been quite so fortunate.

Interesting. I do believe my passenger side negative terminal is fairly marginal so I was just going to replace both. Maybe I'll move up the priority on that....

Tommy

 

[nomod_Dodge01]

Tommy R - my 01 did the same thing. Driving along and suddenly trucks surges a few hundred rpm. Had it at the dealer and they could not find a thing wrong with it. I cleaned up terminals with a terminal brush and sprayed with battery spray. Surge all gone! It seems that any little bit of corresion on the terminals gives that surge in the truck. ALso it happened when the batteries were on their way out. My suggestion is change batteries and clean the terminals up good and your problem will be fixed.

 

[SHANE M]

Mine did the same thing. I did a APPS reset and it has not done it for about 8 months.

 

[Tommy R]

Thanks, nomod!

Shane, what's an APPS reset?

Tommy

 

[kmett]

There is a write up around here on the apps reset. but basically all you do is completely disconnect your batteries, turn the key to the on position for like 20min to drain any power in capacitors, then turn key back to off, connect batteries, turn ignition to on(but don't start) slowly press gas pedal all the way down then slowly let all the way off. turn ignition off. then start her up and drive!!

Isn't to bad to do. i've done it and its helped for a bit, but then the prob comes back. i'm going to have to get terminals really clean and then hope that helps. really hoping the apps itself isn't going out. hope this helps

 

[SHANE M]

Do a search on "APPS Reset" and it will come up. One guy one here, I believe it was DieselBeef, put a ferrous yoke around his alternator wire and it made it quit.

 

[24VCUMMINSPWR]

I have a 98.5, and my truck was doing the EXACT same thing yours is doing Tommy R. between 40-45 the rpms would jump roughly 100-200rpms. however if I slammed my foot into it or even just accelerated to get on the freeway it would shift fine. Took it to transmission shop (believe it or not an honest one) torque converter was slowly starting to fail, along with the valve body. and all the bands were shot! ended up costing me @ $2300.00 he did some other work to it also... after 190,000K on theoriginal tranny I wasnt to upset. I dont have the receipt in front of me so not sure what all was done. I do know a new torque converter was installed.

 

[24VCUMMINSPWR]

APPS is accelorater pedal positioning sensor

 

[Tommy R]

Thanks for the info! I hope my converter and the rest of the tranny is okay, though. I *just* bought this thing not a month ago and have already had to do a fuel pump. I'd hate to have to sink money into a tranny, too!

Any thoughts on this band adjustment technique?
94+ Ram AT band adjustment

Tommy

 

[m_mcgranahan]

Hi,

I pulled my trans output shaft speed sensor and found it had a lot of fine metal praticles making a ring around the tip of the sensor. I cleaned off the metal and put it back in, and that did help make it better.

God bless...

Mark

 

[Tommy R]

Well, I picked up some new battery terminal bolts since mine had seen much better days in the hands of the previous owner. Turns out the passenger side negative was loose! Replaced the hardware on both batteries, cleaned the terminals, and sprayed them to prevent corrosion. I took it for a 20 minute drive and it didn't surge at all. I'll reserve final judgement until I get more miles on it, but this looks promising so far.

Thanks to everyone for the suggestions. I'll update the thread later on after some more miles.

Tommy

 

[khass85]

I had the same surging going on with my transmission. I tried the APPS many different times. I finally took it into the dealership. For $150 they reflashed the tranny. No problems since then.

 

[kleenman]

had same problem on my 99. put aluminun foil on ground wire from alt. to bat. on passenger side. one month no problems