# Dodge Cummings Auto Transmission Cooked



## Daner (Jan 8, 2006)

Well my old 2002 Dodge let me down yesterday...slipping like a son of a gun.
I almost fell of the chair when I found out how much to rebuild It.

There going to put a shift kit In It to keep It a bit cooler

any one else cook a Cummings trans??

and what was the out come?

Daner


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## blk90s13 (Sep 1, 2005)

Welcome to my world hehe,I bought my 02 in nov 06 feb 07 and 4k miles later trans was toast now I am down again for same reason BUT I was smart enough to purchase an aftermarket warranty from the used lot which cost me $1500 first rebuild was $1800 to them and $100 to me this time I am going with a beefy trans and will pay the diffrence out my pocket beacause next time a trans go I would be out my warranty 

Good luck with your cummins


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## Daner (Jan 8, 2006)

the pan is also roted out...they sugested that they put a trans go kit in...also putting a aftermarket temp gauge


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## Daner (Jan 8, 2006)

I always plow In drive...not low gear or 2nd...wondering now If that was a bad thing...plus the truck stays In 4wheel drive through out storms


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## blk90s13 (Sep 1, 2005)

Daner;460368 said:


> I always plow In drive...not low gear or 2nd...wondering now If that was a bad thing...plus the truck stays In 4wheel drive through out storms


I don't plow in 4x4 unless I have no traction and in drive only very low speeds

Have a trans temp gauge already I am getting a deep pan soon too


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## Camden (Mar 10, 2007)

Daner;460334 said:


> Well my old 2002 Dodge let me down yesterday...slipping like a son of a gun.
> I almost fell of the chair when I found out how much to rebuild It.
> 
> There going to put a shift kit In It to keep It a bit cooler
> ...


What did they quote you to do the rebuild? A new tranny straight from Chrysler is just under $3k installed and you get a 50,000 warranty with it.

After this plowing season I'm going to have mine rebuilt because I have abused it since the day I got it. I plan on spending around $2k because I'm going to install upgraded clutches and a larger pan.


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## db27 (May 25, 2006)

Im not suprised that these tranys cook out on our dodges and other brands to.I watch the trans gauge like a hawk and on the 1st push 50 feet of heavy stuff it will spike to 200 deg in 4 high.
But in 4 low i can push a mountan of snow for hours and the temps run nice and cool.
All auto trucks should come with a trans temp gauge on the outgoing line to the cooler for accurate temp monitoring.Its a cheap way to make the tranny last a long time.


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## xtreem3d (Nov 26, 2005)

do you turn your overdrive off when you plow?


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## Birneyj (Oct 28, 2001)

I have 01 that the tranny whent out @ 120,000 miles. Lasted 3 years with a plow. When I had the tranny done, I went with a DTT tranny. $8000.00 later the tranny will handle anything that is thrown at it.

Bought an 05 3500 brand new and tranny lasted 75,000 miles, truck now ha 150,000 miles on it and tranny getting ready to go again. This time it will be replaced with a DTT tranny just like the other one.... Here goes another $8,000.00


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## TEX (Nov 24, 2003)

xtreem3d;460518 said:


> do you turn your overdrive off when you plow?


wouldnt get going fast enough to hit OD anyway.

if your going to spend the money get a built tranny. from Gorends or suncoast. if one from DC cost $3000 and youll have the same weak tranny. get a good one add a deep pan with amsoil trany fluid and a temp gauge. you will be set.

let me know if you have any questions.


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## jay723 (Sep 23, 2005)

I have had a few dodge trannies rebuilt. If you have a good local shop that knows what they are doing, you can get a good unit. The best way is to buy a suncoast or DTT or something along that line, but money is an option. The best place to invest money on the rebuild is in the torque convertor. That is the major down fall of these trannies. After that is a shift kit and a heavy duty cooler. These convertors are very sloppy, and that is what causes a lot of heat. I hope this helps.


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## Mark Oomkes (Dec 10, 2000)

What's a Cummings? I've heard of Cummins, before.



blk90s13;460388 said:


> I don't plow in 4x4 unless I have no traction and in drive only very low speeds
> 
> Have a trans temp gauge already I am getting a deep pan soon too


What does driving in 4WD have to do with cooking a tranny?

The Dodge trannies are a known weak spot, for the most part. Get a good aftermarket one, they can be built strong, and you won't have to worry about it again.

Just out of curiosity, what good does a piece of paper that says my tranny will be rebuilt under 50K at no cost at 3 AM in a blizzard? When there are other options available?

Check out TDR for more info on a good tranny.


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## Daner (Jan 8, 2006)

*the ole tranny blues*

Ok I will call It a Cummins for now on

2800 to rebuild and beef it Up

It already has the deep pan on this truck

Iplowed In Drive od on....it would never get up to 40 mph to shift into OD:waving:

Shift kit Is going In plus a temp gauge

I just called them and take a guess what they said------------------------>payup

this Is so much fun

anyway they are fast to get the truck back on the road...

Thanks for the posts guys

The morel of the story*...Keep er Cool*


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## nymustang50 (Dec 15, 2007)

I work at a dodge dealership we get cummings and hemi powered rams coming in all the time with fried transmissions. Its crazy. My friend has an 04 diesel and he blew the transmission up and he can tell the one that was put in by my dealership is going too and hes only got 34000 miles on his truck. I also just did both front axles and hubs for him $4000 in parts.. thank god he has a warranty.. If your under warranty have the dealership do it if you aren't just get one made super strong for your needs. By the way my friend plows so that why theres so much more wear.


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## TEX (Nov 24, 2003)

what do you do at the dodge dealership?


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## Daner (Jan 8, 2006)

I have a Question:

At what temp. should I back off on the plowing?

When we all say that this tranny Is the week link...Would I be wrong saying that's Its the week link, because of the high amount of heat It produces? 

By the way the truck Is still In the shop.


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## TEX (Nov 24, 2003)

you should really get a deep trans pan and some good amsoil atf for your new trans. it will help with the temps as well as other things.


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## schuitb (Nov 19, 2005)

*trans tip*

I was told early in my plowing days, to never shut the truck off if you can.. keep it running to let the engine and tranny cool down.. Hope this helps those just starting out plowing...

l8r


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## kah68 (Jan 16, 2006)

1- A lot of failures have to do with the operators as well, are you stopping before you put it in reverse and backing up, even when you think the wheels have stopped moving forward bump it into N for a sec, then Reverse, makes a big differance. I have a friend with a 3/4 for with 351 W and he slams it into reverse before he even comes to stop, he says his production allows for the cost of a new tranny each year, but I don't buy it.

2- RUN THAT TRANSFERCASE IN LOW RANGE!!! This has worked for me over the years with the old 1st gen trucks. If you have 3.54 or 3.73 gears you need to do this to make the tranny live!

x2 on the Temp Gauge, Deep Pan and Big Cooler!

K


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## blk90s13 (Sep 1, 2005)

schuitb;463989 said:


> I was told early in my plowing days, to never shut the truck off if you can.. keep it running to let the engine and tranny cool down.. Hope this helps those just starting out plowing...
> 
> l8r


yes let it idle in N it cools the trans down


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## TEX (Nov 24, 2003)

yup on the cummins trucks put it in N or your not running any tranny fluid.


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## carcrz (Jun 5, 2006)

Didn't read the thread, but I think the name of the company I keep hearing about on Cumminsforum is Goerend Brothers in Iowa.


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## TEX (Nov 24, 2003)

yup thats it

that just struck me funny, i didnt read the thread, lol its only 2 pages.

not making fun just hit me funny.


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## SnoFarmer (Oct 15, 2004)

TEX;464368 said:


> yup on the cummins trucks put it in N or your not running any tranny fluid.


They pump fluid/ circulate fluid in "N" not park.
So when trying to cool down your tranny put it in "n" when you are stopped.


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## Daner (Jan 8, 2006)

Well I got the ole Dodge back yesterday...Runs good so far...and a good solid shift now.
Thats some good info on the "N" I did not know that.
The only problem with plowing In Low range Is...too slow to back up.
I have 373 gears In this truck. When we get some snow then I can give it a real test.


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## TEX (Nov 24, 2003)

glad you got it back and like it. keep us posted on the rest of the season and any probs


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## cet (Oct 2, 2004)

I had a 1998 and a 2000. Never put a tranny in either. Never had the truck in 4 low. One thing I never do is stack snow, that is why they make loaders. Stop and shift and take your time is the best advise I can give. Driver error will take a tranny out of a 2008 truck. My trucks were real work horses. They were 7000 lbs so there is no need to beat them to move snow. I had to put a pan in the 2000 because it was thin but other then that just yearly service and I was good to go. I would also pull a landscape trailer most of the summer with it.


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## Metro Lawn (Nov 20, 2003)

We added aftermarket B&M race car trans coolers to our 94-up Dodge trucks and seems to do the trick. Never get over 180


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## Daner (Jan 8, 2006)

I was talking to a race Buddie of mine last night...who also Is a tranny guy...He told me the same...has to be In N to circulate the trans fluid....wow yaa learn something every day.

Also...he told me keep the OD turned off...It does more than what I had thought.

I did a bit of clean up today and with the new gauge it got up to 200 degrees NP...But all in all...the truck feels good...shifts solid...much better that the stock trans.


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## murphy4trees (Sep 22, 2003)

*looking at clean 2001 cummins 2500*

OK,
I like this truck a lot.. The owner kept it really nice, great paint and interior, no rust. Rugular cab 8' bed.

His father was a mechanic and he kept up with all the service and maintenance. Put a myers plow in in 02, and has a fisher salt spreader, swing away tailgate... I was really surprised at how clean this truck is. This has the 4.10 differentials. Took it for a drive and it runs great, except I noticed the tranny acting a little funny going up a hill in 3rd. I was gassing it up a hill with the O/D off and noticed it jumping or slipping when the rpms got high, almost felt like it wanted to shift into OD ... SO it jumped a little, which makes me nervous... The owner has been keeping up with changing the tranny oil, but with 82K miles how much longer is the original tranny going to last. He made a verbal offer of $13,500, which I AM tempted to take, as I need another reliable truck for the winter, and I can use it to pull the stump grinder, and haul tree gear.

However if the tranny is about to go, then I would need to consider the cost of replacement in the purchase offer. It seemed to shift fine other than pulling up that hill in 3rd. I ran the hill three times and it only acted up on the first two runs.

Also the front axle GW is 5,200 lbs. With the cummins and the regular cab, tat can handle the myers plow for sure, though I might consider putting a blizzard on there if I got some new contracts. Would the front axle handle the blizzard?

Your thoughts are appreciated

Oh and one more question:
I have a cap with boxes and a ladder rack that I think will fit the bed. It is from a '97 dodge 8' bed. The new bed measured 8'3". Is there a difference in bed size between 97 and 2001?

Thanks


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## ticki2 (Jan 10, 2006)

Daner;465831 said:


> I was talking to a race Buddie of mine last night...who also Is a tranny guy...He told me the same...has to be In N to circulate the trans fluid....wow yaa learn something every day.
> 
> Also...he told me keep the OD turned off...It does more than what I had thought.
> 
> I did a bit of clean up today and with the new gauge it got up to 200 degrees NP...But all in all...the truck feels good...shifts solid...much better that the stock trans.


Doesn't circulate in reverse either , that's a big part of the problem . The Transgo kit cures both , good investment .

With OD off it will shift sooner and also lock the converter in third , in OD it only locks in forth.


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