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Sluggo
Dodge Dakota
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1/06/2005
14:14:54

Subject: "COLD" weather and OD Transmissions
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99 Dakota 3.9 V6 c/w AT OD Transmission. Runs great c/w the usual blah blah gas mileage. In cold weather ( and I mean COLD......minus 30 or 40 degrees !!) the trans delays or wont shift into top gear for quite some time. My question .......I assume that this is due to the escessive cold and that the OD part of the trans is excessively cold as is it attached to the rear of the trans. This NEVER occurs in warmer weather. Is this possibly damaging to the trans ? I always warm this truck up, but I cant "warm up" the trans. Is this just one of those "nature of the beast" things ya have to deal with or is there some kinda fix ? Looking forward to hearing from anyone in the know. I have had a few questions answered on this board and ya'll have been more than helpful. Just looking for a little more of the same again !!

Sluggo



Normal
Dodge Dakota
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1/06/2005
15:10:46

RE:
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It's normal. Sometimes I have to stop, shut the truck off and restart it before it shifts into OD but that's when it get's down to -30 or colder and that is friggin chilly.

Don't worry about it, the tranny is designed to avoid OD until it's warm enough.



Well...
Dodge Dakota
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1/06/2005
15:34:00

RE:
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You CAN warm up the trans. After the engine has been running for a minute or so, firmly engage the parking brake and put the trans in D.
This also warms the engine a bit faster, because there's a load on it.
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Now, there are obvious risks associated with this procedure, as I'm sure you can figure out. Requires parking brakes in good order, and a certain amount of confidence that they will hold, while you're inside finishing that morning cup o'coffee.
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garwood
Dodge Dakota
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1/06/2005
15:53:03

RE:
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This is a function of the emissions control system. The computer prevents engagement of OD untill the ENGINE is fully warmed up to prevent higher emissions. If you think this is unusual from previous operation, I would be looking at a problem in the engine cooling system.



JM_in_TX
Dodge Dakota
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1/06/2005
16:57:46

RE:
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I have an '03 with the auto. It usually takes about 3 miles to warm mine up enough to go to OD at 50 deg. or less.



GraphiteDak
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1/06/2005
17:37:25

RE:
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Garwood said it.

The engine control doesn't go into closed loop until it reaches a certain temp. Most OD tranny's wont go into OD until it reaches a set temp.



JasonB
Dodge Dakota
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1/06/2005
17:43:23

RE:
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When warming rear wheel drive DC vehicles with the 42/44/46/47/RE/RH transmissions, put the shifter in NEUTRAL with the parking brake set. If I recall correctly, little or no fluid is pumped while these transmissions are in PARK, but while in NEUTRAL it is being pumped. I think that is also the reason the fluid level is to be checked while in NEUTRAL.



Joel
Dodge Dakota
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1/06/2005
20:04:38

RE:
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thanks jason
i did not know that.



JasonB
Dodge Dakota
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1/06/2005
20:21:49

RE:
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I urge you to verify my info on this one, I am working from vague and uneducated memory that is influenced currently by Jack Daniels.



slow2dak
Dodge Dakota
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1/06/2005
21:11:38

RE:
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most pcms and trans controllers are programmed to keep o/d off until 160+. it differs from year to year but from most of the stuff i see in the service manuals, its close to 160. sometimes lower and sometimes higher depending on weather conditions.



.boB
Dodge Dakota
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1/06/2005
21:15:25

RE:
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If you read the service manual, you will see that the transmission is not supposed to shift in to OD when it is that cold. That prevents damage to the torque converter when the oil is too thick.

If you have an auxillary cooler - even a factory one - you should cover it during cold months. If you've installed an aftermarket cooler, the oil should travel to the aux cooler first, and then to the radiator tank.

And Jason is right, BTW.

Temps that cold are really tough on a vehicle. Not only engine and trans temps, but transfer case, power steering systems, brakes, differentials, wheel bearings, etc. Let the engine warm up just a little (doesn't take much) and let the trans warm up before driving. The first few miles should be done very slowly to allow those other parts to warm up and the lubricants to flow. Even water in the tires can freeze and it feels like a flat spot.



JasonB
Dodge Dakota
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1/06/2005
22:53:44

RE:
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My point about allowing the vehicle to warm in NEUTRAL was to allow the transmission fluid to warm up while the engine is warming up, which should shorten the amount of road time needed for an OD shift...in case that was not clear...sorry.



GraphiteDak
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1/06/2005
23:34:48

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Actually I too heard on older Dodge tranny's 904's/727's that the fluid didn't pump in park or soemthing. Never did read about it in a manual or anything though.
Not sure about the newer OD ones being like that or not either but I think the 46 is just a modded 727 design anyway.




deaver
Dodge Dakota
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1/07/2005
00:59:55

RE:
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i've heard of guys moving a ? sensor inside the cab, sounds stupid though. My buddy has a 99 and his truck takes a long time to engage OD while i've never had that problem with my 01 . Lets face it dodge is known for tranny problems, why fuk with it. If i don't warm my truck up for at least 15 mins or longer the engine light comes on, but it only happens when its below 40'C. Darn Canadian weather. Oh Jason B try mixin your Jack with Crush Lime (hmmm) awesome.



furball69
Dodge Dakota
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1/07/2005
02:48:05

RE:
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It says right in the owners manual that the tranny won't shift into OD intil the fluid reaches a certain temperature.

deaver:

An oxygen sensor is probably making your CEL come on. Usually nothing serious. Pull the coded and see. idling an engine in the cold for 15 minutes is kinda wasteful and modern engines only need 30 seconds of idling. prolonged idling when the engine is cold also fouls up your oil and thins it out. the engine isn't working hard enough to warm it up efficiently where a couple of minutes of driving will warm it up just fine.



Bob Lincoln
Dodge Dakota
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1/07/2005
08:49:46

RE:
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Lots of misconceptions out there. Read the FSM for the straight story. There is no malfunction with his tranny.

These trannies are designed so that O/D will not engage with coolant temperature below 60F. Torque converter will not lockup with coolant temperature below 140F. This is to prevent stress on the tranny, has nothing to do with emissions.

Also, idling, whether in park, neutral or drive, will never warm up the engine as fast as driving moderately. So your best bet is not to waste gas doing this, but to drive it so that the coolant warms up as fast as possible, so you can engage O/D and lockup TC as early as possible.

If you lock out O/D deliberately with the switch, torque converter will engage in 3rd gear. Otherwise, it engages after O/D is engaged.



deaver
Dodge Dakota
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1/07/2005
23:41:17

RE:
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furball 69... -45'C is so cold that I actually have to run it that long so that the windows are unthawed (Frost sucks) and i can see. Thanks for the advice on the oxygen sensor though, it only happens when its cold enough to freeze the balls of a brass monkey (whatever that means..darn cold man) and not everytime either and never on warmer days



Bernard
Dodge Dakota
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10/13/2005
17:01:27

RE: 1992 dodge dakota
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My 1992 v6 3.9L 2WD automatic trans Dodge Dakota when starting in the morning will rev high then low then high then low until it shuts down. It will start again easily but will continue to rev high and low and shut down until the engine is warm. I have visited sevral mechanics but no one can pin point the problem. Once the engine is warm it will run ok. My last mechanic changed the temperature sensor but I continue to thave the problem. Any suggestions?



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