I have a 2001 Dodge durango 5.9L 4x4. Me and my girl went out to eat and on the drive home i was passing someone and floored it, the limited kicked in at about 4500 to 5000 rpms and kicked back the engine and wouldnt shift so i eased off, anyways went to drop her off and when i went to back out of the drivewar in R NOTHING!!! It engages "clunk" but nothing when i hit the gas, all other forward gears are find. I tried 4lo in reverse and it will kinna back a tiny bit, but still really nothing. I just bought this truck lol, so 1st off any ideas on a fix? i know if i take it to a shop they are gonna say "rebuild" im looking for a DIY fix, we have a local junk yard with a tranny for $100, but is it worth it, ive read that this is a problem with these 46RE trannys. Will some lucas no slip addative work? Im really good under the hood, but have never done a tranny swap is it something a novice can do in a day or so? he key things are i dont wanna pay a shop 2500 for a rebuild, thanx i advance

 

do NOT put any additives in your transmission mopar approved ATF +4 ONLY, anything else and you will shorten the life of your tranny.

however in your situation it sounds like you need to either rebuild or replace it, IMO you are better off rebuilding this way you know what you are getting, with a swapped part you just cant predict what you are getting, it could be good for years and years of trouble free service, or it could be breaking on you again in a weeks time.

 

So here is an update, Walmart usually services all my vehicles, so the guy who claims to be a master mechanic didn't know the truck had to be in neutral to check the fluid. So it was like 2 quarts low. Ya I was pissed. Luckily I check the fluids the way the service manual stated or I coulda done even more damage to it. Added new fluid, still no reverse but no hard shifts anymore. So I'm thinking the band needs to be adjusted or replaced, I have someone who is willing to do it for 500, good deal??? *** Walmart I'm doing all my own work from now on!!!

 

$500 for a band adjustment? Not a good deal at all if it's as simple on the 2001s as it is on the 98s and 99s.

It may very well be the going rate, but for something a good mechanic could do in half an hour I'd have a hard time calling it a "good deal".

 

Give master tech a PM to see if he can give you some advice to adjust the bands yourself and save the $500.00.

 

Not sure about the 2001, but on the 98 both of my manuals list the same procedure.

Tighten the two adjusting screws to 72 inch lbs, then back them off a specified number of turns. Done.

One of them requires removing the pan, so might as well replace the filters while you're in there.

Even if you're starting from scratch and have to buy ALL of the tools you'll need, plus the filters and fluid, this can be done DIY for under a hundred bucks.

I understand that mechanics deserve to be paid for their time and expertise, but any angle I look at this from, 500 bucks seems out of line for this job.

 

Does anyone have a guide to do the bands? Ot can I find it in the service manual?

 

Don't look in the service manual. Its an art on adjusting bands. If you look up the specs, you'll be paying someone to fit it. Just send me a pm and tell you how to adjust bands and the kick down thottle cable.

 

I was backing up and gave it gas
And the back tires spun and I parked it, then 20 mins later I left and got home and went to back up and I had no reverse? No indication that anything happened, I have read to adjust rear bands, I have done many transmission pans and have lots of knowledge with trucks, would u happen to know what I need to do to adjust those bands or how many inch pounds I need to tighten too? Thank you.