65RFE Lucas Transmission Fix

[Lyle Longboat]

Trans has been good but just wondering about the additives. I’ll probably stay away since I don’t have any issues. I have fresh fluid as the fluid was changed in February. How often would
One suggest the fluid changes be?

 

[Burla]

For an aging rfe, I'd say every 30k miles, especially because you cant flush the entire thing. I can usually get 8 or 9 quarts out at best, the system take 14 quarts. Getting a pan with a drain plug can be a huge help, and to take advantage of that look at metal thread and synthetic filter upgrades.

I do like this guys flush..

 

[CVX20]

Personally I wouldn't be putting lucas anything in a properly working engine or tranny. I think that product is more designed to help after you have an issue, basically fluid thickners. And I think using top tier boutique transmission oils is the way to go. In fact, we now see oem's copy boutique formulas as they went to pao based oils. It's just that if you buy oem you will pay more then double if you just ran the boutique oil in the first place. I don't know if using lubegard tranny fix will prevent issues, since they have like many many different treatments, I'd be careful with it if that was what you wanted to do. I'd lean towards either just using a boutique oil or just keeping the clean by changing it often.

The problems common to the rfe are more with design, I don't think any fluid will stop valve body or solenoid issues that can happen. As far as preserving clutches packs, like I said I think have clean fluid is the way to go. It is possible to run a cleaner in the fluid that may help clean clutch packs and prevent them from burning up, but I'm not sure what would be the best product for that, lubegard or autorx, don't really know as far as preventative. I'd invest more in a lower interval as opposed to additives personally. Once a tranny is old and experience problems, then you have nothing to lose then try some additives and have fun. With a newer transmission without issues, I don't see the benefit of additives, just one man's opinion on that.

I agree on not putting these additives in a good trans.
Clutches burn up from lack of apply pressure which is mostly from hardened seals.The additives help soften the seals which in turn builds the apply pressure but If the fibre plates are already damaged then it's obviously too late.It takes very little slippage in a clutch pack to ruin it.Usually by the time you notice it the damage is already done.Just my experience building them for 15 years.I really strongly disagree on flushing a good trans also.Flushing stirs up the crap and has ruined more good tranny's than it's helped.

 

[RLJ10X]

That stinks that your transmission died.... But you got 451,000 miles out of an automatic transmission in a big ol heavy pick-up. That's pretty awesome.

If it was me, I wouldn't put an 8 speed in that thing with the great luck that you've had.

The only thing that would make me consider getting a new Ram, is if they'd put a medium duty MANUAL transmission in it!

 

[TheEnder]

That stinks that your transmission died.... But you got 451,000 miles out of an automatic transmission in a big ol heavy pick-up. That's pretty awesome.

If it was me, I wouldn't put an 8 speed in that thing with the great luck that you've had.

The only thing that would make me consider getting a new Ram, is if they'd put a medium duty MANUAL transmission in it!

For real. I got a new converter installed in her earlier today and she’s back up and fine now. Only issue in 451K miles of driving.


Sent from my iPhone XS Max in my 2013 Magnum 4.7L V8

 

[TheEnder]

I’m debating right now if i should add my other half bottle of LTF, there’s already a bottle in it. Anyone have any thoughts?


Sent from my iPhone XS Max in my 2013 Magnum 4.7L V8

 

[Burla]

I dunno, if the transmission oil is too thick, the rfe misses gears or stays in gear too long, happens a lot in cold places where the oil is thick in the cold mornings all the time to many ram forum members. If the transmission is good, I'd stay put. I think the risk is low because of the post I have up that shows it won't make it too much thicker, and summer is here, but it is what it is. More of a risk in winter.

 

[TheEnder]

I haven’t put the rest of the Lucas in yet, but i’ve observed the transmission a bit more as of recent. It seems like the 65RFE in my truck only acts like a CVT in 4th, and when it’s accelerating from around 20 (20 MPH in 4th gear? doesn’t seem right to me.) I’ve seen on the Chrysler 300 forums about unrelated problems sort of like this but with a wheel speed sensor, as that’s how the vehicle tells itself what gear to be in. Any thoughts anyone? (And yes, i have thought about the dreaded “stuck in 4th” limp mode, but the truck doesn’t stick in 4th at all.)


Sent from my Blue Onyx RAM 1500

 

[TheEnder]

I forgot to add this completely, it’s also kind of intermittent. Yesterday it hit 4th and didn’t act like a CVT at all. It seems like the CVT thing just happens around 80-90% of the time.


Sent from my Blue Onyx RAM 1500

 

[Hemi395]

I haven’t put the rest of the Lucas in yet, but i’ve observed the transmission a bit more as of recent. It seems like the 65RFE in my truck only acts like a CVT in 4th, and when it’s accelerating from around 20 (20 MPH in 4th gear? doesn’t seem right to me.) I’ve seen on the Chrysler 300 forums about unrelated problems sort of like this but with a wheel speed sensor, as that’s how the vehicle tells itself what gear to be in. Any thoughts anyone? (And yes, i have thought about the dreaded “stuck in 4th” limp mode, but the truck doesn’t stick in 4th at all.)


Sent from my Blue Onyx RAM 1500

Yeah I've noticed mine likes to hold 4th gear a lot more than I'd like. It's to the point I'm going to email Jay to see if he can change the downshift point for 4th. Mine will lug 4th all the way down to at 25mph, maybe lower. Way too low for 4th gear with 3.55s, I have to manually downshift it....

But mine has always done this, I just figured it was FCAs way of squeezing an extra .00001%fuel economy out of the truck...

 

[TheEnder]

Yeah I've noticed mine likes to hold 4th gear a lot more than I'd like. It's to the point I'm going to email Jay to see if he can change the downshift point for 4th. Mine will lug 4th all the way down to at 25mph, maybe lower. Way too low for 4th gear with 3.55s, I have to manually downshift it....

But mine has always done this, I just figured it was FCAs way of squeezing an extra .00001%fuel economy out of the truck...

Want your BW44-44 to fully lock? Contact @Brandon-w for a locking switch

Yeah that’s just bleh. Personally if they just included 2nd Prime in the regular shifting that’d be so much better imo. there’s only what, a 200RPM difference between 4th and “3rd” at 20MPH?


Sent from my Blue Onyx RAM 1500

 

[Burla]

I haven’t put the rest of the Lucas in yet, but i’ve observed the transmission a bit more as of recent. It seems like the 65RFE in my truck only acts like a CVT in 4th, and when it’s accelerating from around 20 (20 MPH in 4th gear? doesn’t seem right to me.) I’ve seen on the Chrysler 300 forums about unrelated problems sort of like this but with a wheel speed sensor, as that’s how the vehicle tells itself what gear to be in. Any thoughts anyone? (And yes, i have thought about the dreaded “stuck in 4th” limp mode, but the truck doesn’t stick in 4th at all.)

I drove in tow haul for 5-6 years because of this ****, since new. In tow haul seamed to help, for some reason when I went to c+ I no longer had this what I call bogging. Low rpm's in 3 and 4 gear, I hated it. Bottom line, I just hate being in low rpm's, tow haul helps a ton.

 

[TheEnder]

I drove in tow haul for 5-6 years because of this ****, since new. In tow haul seamed to help, for some reason when I went to c+ I no longer had this what I call bogging. Low rpm's in 3 and 4 gear, I hated it. Bottom line, I just hate being in low rpm's, tow haul helps a ton.

I drove for my first time in Tow/haul on a drive where i wasn’t towing and it did help a lot, but i have yet to see if it makes the CVT “issue” go away. I have a hunch that it will.


Sent from my Blue Onyx RAM 1500

 

[Hemi395]

Yeah that’s just bleh. Personally if they just included 2nd Prime in the regular shifting that’d be so much better imo. there’s only what, a 200RPM difference between 4th and “3rd” at 20MPH?


Sent from my Blue Onyx RAM 1500

I just looked it up and the difference between 4th and 3rd/2nd prime is quite a bit. It's the difference between 2nd and 3rd/2nd prime that's about 200 rpm difference. I attached a pic of the gear ratios of the 545/65/66RFE trans.

My custom tune has the 6 speed sequence shift pattern in it and it does help a lot on the upshift. That 2nd prime/3rd gives a nice transition from 2nd to 4th. BUT it still likes to lug 4th way down below 30mph. I feel it should downshift to 3rd/2nd prime when the truck goes below 30mph...

 

[TheEnder]

I just looked it up and the difference between 4th and 3rd/2nd prime is quite a bit. It's the difference between 2nd and 3rd/2nd prime that's about 200 rpm difference. I attached a pic of the gear ratios of the 545/65/66RFE trans.

My custom tune has the 6 speed sequence shift pattern in it and it does help a lot on the upshift. That 2nd prime/3rd gives a nice transition from 2nd to 4th. BUT it still likes to lug 4th way down below 30mph. I feel it should downshift to 3rd/2nd prime when the truck goes below 30mph...

Want your BW44-44 to fully lock? Contact @Brandon-w for a locking switch

God does it ever, i hate hitting 4th after taking off from a stop. It’s like it accelerates beautifully until it hits 4th then it’s just bleh.


Sent from my Blue Onyx RAM 1500

 

[Hemi395]

God does it ever, i hate hitting 4th after taking off from a stop. It’s like it accelerates beautifully until it hits 4th then it’s just bleh.


Sent from my Blue Onyx RAM 1500

Yup! That 2nd to 4th shift is brutal. You wouldn't think 200rpms would make a difference but it really does help. It's much smoother acceleration...

 

[TheEnder]

Yup! That 2nd to 4th shift is brutal. You wouldn't think 200rpms would make a difference but it really does help. It's much smoother acceleration...

Want your BW44-44 to fully lock? Contact @Brandon-w for a locking switch

You and me both know it’s time for me to get a tuner!


Sent from my Blue Onyx RAM 1500

 

[Hemi395]

You and me both know it’s time for me to get a tuner!


Sent from my Blue Onyx RAM 1500

Even if all they do is change the trans shift points and feel it's worth it IMO[emoji106]

 

[Hemi395]

Just got back from driving my truck, it held 4th all the way down to 20mph before downshifting to 3rd and then quickly 2nd. Definitely going to email Jay when he's back from vacation. That WAY too slow for it to be in 4th gear.

 

[RVGuy]

Just got back from driving my truck, it held 4th all the way down to 20mph before downshifting to 3rd and then quickly 2nd. Definitely going to email Jay when he's back from vacation. That WAY too slow for it to be in 4th gear.

I was going to actually say mine will hold 4th to about 15mph if I never touch the brakes. I drive in tow/haul under 45mph (I turn it on at 50 and off at 45 while I drive) but if I coast down to 15 it'll stay in 4th even when I accelerate. I do this daily because my drive into town goes 70mph down to 45mph down to 20mph in steps and I usually just let off the throttle and coast down the whole way. Then my drive through town at 20 it'll hold 4th even accelerating around corners.

Drives me nuts because that's below 1000rpm but it still seems to have enough get up and go in tow/haul. Out of tow mode it falls on its face, but it also holds 5th to 28mph which is even more annoying.

I keep thinking of a tune, but switching tow/haul on and off is working fine for me.