Transmission Rebuild not shifting properly

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Hondo Lane

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Just had the transmission rebuilt in my 2016 Ram 3500 Megacab. 278k miles. I was told that the overdrive was trashed so had the whole thing rebuilt. So, now it seems to double shift and does not get the mileage I was getting. Dropped from 20 mpg to 15 mpg. I do have tuned and deleted. However. The guy that rebuilt it tells me there's nothing wrong with it. That it's supposed to feel that way. That the torque converter is opening and then shutting again which he says is what it's supposed to do. He says I have a dead spot in my motor or my turbo isn't working correctly. It seems to me that it's still in the transmission.
 

chri5k

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If it is a 68RFE, they do have a bit of shift flare from the factory. The RPM's go up slightly, 100 rpm or so, during the shift as a torque management technique. Does the tuner also have a transmission tune?

I have never heard of a "dead spot" in an IC engine. If the turbo was malfunctioning, there should be a code.
 
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Hondo Lane

Hondo Lane

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Thanks for the reply. No. There is not a transmission tune. I don't understand the "dead spot" term either. The turbo shows to be working as far as the gage shows. I did replace the actuator about 25k miles ago. No codes.
 
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Hondo Lane

Hondo Lane

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Ran into a guy that had her a rebuilt by a different company in a different town. But is having the same exact issues. Not sure what to do now. I've lost 3-5 mpg and still had hesitation and lunge when shifting.
 

Jeepwalker

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You might

1) Consult with another tranny shop. Have them do a test drive. See what they say. Stick to the facts with them...not get into how they're better than the other shop... (which sometimes happens). Maybe don't even mention who re-did it. Maybe it is working normally, or if not, perhaps they can give you a nugget or two of key information that leads you to a path...or you can go back to the original rebuilder and negotiate a resolution. Even if it costs you $50-$100 for a comprehensive diagnosis..doing pressure checks or whatever, it might be worth it. Make sure you know what fluid they used and any other key bits of info, before you go to shop B. Did they put in a new shift solenoid? What brand/type torque converter did they use? Answering transmission questions over the internet is real tricky. How long have you been driving it? Have you tried unhooking your truck's battery cables and tying them together overnight? Did they reset the tranny tune? Sometimes it takes a little while to re-learn too (usually a few days max).

2) Google search something like what you were describing in your first post, then put, Reddit, after the search text and it should search out the Reddit forums, hopefully one used by actual tranny rebuilders. Fine-tune your search till you come upon some tranny rebuilders. Find out what the tricks and gotcha's are on RFE's that you might have going on. There are also Ram and Tuner forms on Reddit that are a bit more specialised in some ways. Worth a try.

Do you know if the rebuilding shop used all/mostly OEM parts? Or aftermarket? Which ones were aftermarket? What fluid he used? I've rebuilt a few automatic transmissions (and manuals) over the yrs... I never had one that *didn't* work right afterwards or crapped out prematurely. A guy has to be real detail-oriented and not skip a single step. And that's the KEY. And even then, there can be the rare hairline cracks and worn item ya missed. A guy who knows his stuff shouldn't miss things but anything can happen, right? But I haven't personally rebuilt an RFE though. Honestly, it's not that difficult to re-do an automatic transmission, but there's a lot of stuff to get right. A little more detail oriented than an engine. But I can tell you for a fact that different brand fluids in GM's and Fords can make a difference in shifting. Lived it first hand.
 
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Jeepwalker

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Also, I suggest reading up in the Ram service manual ..which you can find free on this forum, for 3500's. Read up the transmission section. Start with the "General Information" section which will describe the transmission overview and funnel down to greater detail. It'll tell you exactly what's supposed to happen and when, with the torque converter and shifting. You can compare that to what you are experiencing. Double-check your guy's info. Read up the troubleshooting section too.

There's a lot to read. But you will be armed with a lot more information to ask questions or argue about.
 
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