Ram Transmission Control Module (TCM) users and results

Dennis MacGyver · **Posted:** Tue Sep 04, 2012 2:03 pm

OK, there are bits and pieces about this mod, upgrade woven throughout this forum. Let's try to consolidate the information and those who are doing this and their successes, failures, short comings, and other issues of doing this application.

From what I gather,
The part number for the Ram TCM is 56029053AD .
This TCM is designed to work with the 5 speed transmission, ATS 545RFE.
This TCM was designed for the 5.7 Hemi engine, some say from an '03 made truck (mine came from an '04)
This TCM will lock-up into 5th gear as low as 47mph IF you are a "feather footer"
This TCM will cause problems IF you race our CRD above 3800 RPM's

The objective of using the Ram TCM is to lower the shift point rpm's and hold 5th gear at lower engine speeds/rpm's.

Ok, lurkers let's have some input / observations.
The above list is ready for additions and corrections......

The stock TCM in my 2006 CRD has a part number tag of 56044737AI on it.

striperman36 · **Posted:** Tue Sep 04, 2012 4:37 pm

Racer has stated that 1st - 2nd gear shift with the RAM is over 2000 rpm.

and he feels you need a 'stout' TC

Kgeisler2010 · **Joined:** Sun Sep 04, 2011 9:56 pm **Posts:** 66

I found out if you have a weak tc with gde hot tune and ram tcm the tc will disengage at WOT causing the enginge to rev out to 4500 rpms

warp2diesel · **Posted:** Tue Sep 04, 2012 11:26 pm

Kgeisler2010 wrote:

I found out if you have a weak tc with gde hot tune and ram tcm the tc will disengage at WOT causing the enginge to rev out to 4500 rpms

DO NOT Floor the accelerator, simple.
A Drag Racer learns to modulate the accelerator so he/she does not sit and burn up the tires.
When I first installed the Ram TCM over two years ago, I had the stock converter for several weeks. If you converter shudders it is junk and or your front pump has a bad check valve that both Trandgo and Sonex have fixes for.
Then I installed the Transgo kit and the Suncoast.
Next the Inmotion Stage 2 tune to get the max torque at low end along with the upper end horse power.
To put it mildly I wanted to give the Bean Counter Engineering Retarded F-37 the Bowman's salute (study some English History when they were at war with France).

warp2diesel · **Posted:** Tue Sep 04, 2012 11:34 pm

Training procedure:

First remove the old one, it helps. Here is the Slow Learn procedure you need to follow, forget the Quick Learn, it won't help.
Start the engine and let it run for 30 seconds, hold you foot on the brake, put the selector in Reverse and hold for 30 seconds, back out onto a quite street and drive slow in 1st for a block, then shift to 2nd position on the selector and drive slow for a block, then shift into D and drive slow for another block. Stop and do a easy start on the street and go do some around town driving.
Do some hard accelerating that does not exceed 3800 RPM but do not floor the accelerator or it will cause the engine to hit the rev limiter and shut it off.
The jerky shifting will go away with normal driving as the TCM learns to adapt to the CRD.
To train the TCM to work with boost instead of vacuum, you need to do some hard accelerations like an expressway entrance ramp where you hold the accelerator as far down as you can and keep it at ~3800 RPM with out doing a kick down and over rev. It will take some time like a few weeks to teach the TCM to live with the boost, I can now go up to 20PSI of boost and not force a down shift I don't want.
When the TCM learns, you will love it, before that it will be like a kid who does not want to work, yoy need to be a hard nose coach to make it learn and work like a star athlete.
I have had the RAM TCM for over 2 years, I did a load of research and figured out through trial and error the training routine that works.
If you got it in you and have a smart foot, Go for it Coach!
If you are a digital foot accelerator/brake driver, you won't make it work.

geordi · **Posted:** Wed Sep 05, 2012 1:34 am

Warp may have figured out the training for this, but I dislike the feeling from it that it has crammed the line pressure through the roof in the transmission. Yes, the shifts had started to smooth out, but what is this "don't floor it" nonsense, then you say to floor it on highway entrances?

The bridge in Savannah is my highway entrance ramp, and where (without exceeding 3800rpm ever with this tcm) I got yet another over boost code and my lifters / rockers started making unhappy noises. Related to the tcm? Possibly not... But I also don't like the reports of people's trans kicking out entirely with this under hard acceleration, and then the engine bounces hard off the rev limiter. That kind of shock loading is NOT GOOD for the engine internals.

This is the only vehicle I know of that on the STOCK setup, you can't ever floor the throttle, or the factory setup will break expensive things or throw codes and limp mode.

I'm going to take mine out and send it to Keith so he can compare the program to his own tcm tune, but I will not be running this tcm any more. The increased line pressure feels good and solid... But the rest of the risks are too high for me.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

warp2diesel · **Posted:** Wed Sep 05, 2012 7:31 am

If you are a digital foot accelerator/brake driver, you won't make it work.

geordi wrote:

Warp may have figured out the training for this, but I dislike the feeling from it that it has crammed the line pressure through the roof in the transmission. Yes, the shifts had started to smooth out, but what is this "don't floor it" nonsense, then you say to floor it on highway entrances?

The bridge in Savannah is my highway entrance ramp, and where (without exceeding 3800rpm ever with this tcm) I got yet another over boost code and my lifters / rockers started making unhappy noises. Related to the tcm? Possibly not... But I also don't like the reports of people's trans kicking out entirely with this under hard acceleration, and then the engine bounces hard off the rev limiter. That kind of shock loading is NOT GOOD for the engine internals.

This is the only vehicle I know of that on the STOCK setup, you can't ever floor the throttle, or the factory setup will break expensive things or throw codes and limp mode.

I'm going to take mine out and send it to Keith so he can compare the program to his own tcm tune, but I will not be running this tcm any more. The increased line pressure feels good and solid... But the rest of the risks are too high for me.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

The TCM learns the line pressures it needs to have, that is why Suncoast and other performance transmission builders tell you not to use the resistor that comes in the Transgo kit or buy the Sonex resistor.
The rev limiter for the for the 5.7L Hemi is higher than for the 2.8L VM. If you can't learn how to control your foot and your foot operates like a digital device either on or off, you don't have what it takes to use the Ram TCM. If you have a smart foot connected through your neural network to your brain and have the ability to Coach the Ram TCM, it will work great. Those of use who have tried the Ram TCM and have what it takes, love it, those who don't have what it takes should go for other options like the Retarded F-37 or some other permutation.

Rabert · **Posted:** Wed Sep 05, 2012 9:13 am

Back on track here;

1.) How does it behave when the OD Button is depressed? Does it go back down to 3rd?
2.) Can a "weak" TC handle the Hemi TCM if trained and used in daily commuting (feathering)? I have had the F37 performed but don't know which TC was installed as I am the second owner. But, have pulled my 16' camper (Aerolite Cub) with no hint of shutter. I suspect I would find out quickly which TC I have if I install the Hemi TCM

.....however willing to try.

Thanks!

Dennis MacGyver · **Posted:** Wed Sep 05, 2012 11:06 am

Rabert wrote:

Back on track here;

1.) How does it behave when the OD Button is depressed? Does it go back down to 3rd?
2.) Can a "weak" TC handle the Hemi TCM if trained and used in daily commuting (feathering)? I have had the F37 performed but don't know which TC was installed as I am the second owner. But, have pulled my 16' camper (Aerolite Cub) with no hint of shutter. I suspect I would find out quickly which TC I have if I install the Hemi TCM

.....however willing to try.

Thanks!

What's the part number on the tag on top of your TCM (located on the fender wall by the coolant bottle, under the front hood) ?

Rabert · **Posted:** Thu Sep 06, 2012 7:49 pm

P56044737AF

EAB · **Joined:** Tue Sep 06, 2011 9:39 pm **Posts:** 141

Any thought on the TCM from a 2003 liberty 3.7L with the 545RFE?

racertracer · **Posted:** Fri Sep 07, 2012 2:33 am

EAB wrote:

Any thought on the TCM from a 2003 liberty 3.7L with the 545RFE?

Try it and report back.

warp2diesel · **Posted:** Fri Sep 07, 2012 7:34 am

EAB wrote:

Any thought on the TCM from a 2003 liberty 3.7L with the 545RFE?

Been tried with an '02, 5th gear did not engage.
Put the CRD TCM into an older 3.7, the TCM will figure it out and operate the 4 speeds in the retarded F-37 manner.

Some Dakota owners with 4.7L w 545RFE that were TCM neutered to operate as a 4 speed, installed '01 GC 4.7L 545RFE TCMs and it activated their 5th gear.
A bone yard TCM from the '01 4.7L w 545RFE will work in a CRD, can't speak for the rebuilt TCMs that may have been reassigned with a flash to work in the '01 GC 4.7L w 545RFE application. The reason for going with the older TCM is because the newer ones have a multi flash and the TCM figures out what the vehicle is. Use a TCM older than the vehicle, the TCM has to learn to adapt. That is why the Ram & GC TCMs will work.

There are lots of '03 5.7L w 545RFE TCMs in bone yards, good luck finding the '01 GC 4.7L w 545RFE TCM.

striperman36 · **Posted:** Fri Sep 07, 2012 9:26 am

I got mine last night. I am going to put it in the Mule Saturday

striperman36 · **Posted:** Fri Sep 07, 2012 9:55 am

Is there a way to read the code or actions the tcm is taking via the obd II or other interface?

striperman36 · **Posted:** Sat Sep 08, 2012 1:22 pm

How does one mount this? It doesn't match the space exactly

Dennis MacGyver · **Posted:** Sat Sep 08, 2012 1:31 pm

Remove the 2 10mm nuts on the black mounting plate close to the back of the air box, pull the same black plate away from the fender/slot, use a 8mm nut driver to disconnect the wire junction, undo the 3 rapid twist screws on the back of the black mounting plate, change out the TCM, then reverse this order of steps...done !

striperman36 · **Posted:** Sat Sep 08, 2012 2:48 pm

Dennis MacGyver wrote:

Remove the 2 10mm nuts on the black mounting plate close to the back of the air box, pull the same black plate away from the fender/slot, use a 8mm nut driver to disconnect the wire junction, undo the 3 rapid twist screws on the back of the black mounting plate, change out the TCM, then reverse this order of steps...done !

Thanks,
Mongo no brain today

striperman36 · **Posted:** Sat Sep 08, 2012 4:36 pm

This thing is interesting, just don't blow it out in 1st! 47 at 1300!

Dennis MacGyver · **Posted:** Sat Sep 08, 2012 5:15 pm

striperman36 wrote:

This thing is interesting, just don't blow it out in 1st! 47 at 1300!

Be sure to follow warp's training proceedure:

Training procedure per warp2diesel:

First remove the old one, it helps. Here is the Slow Learn procedure you need to follow, forget the Quick Learn, it won't help.
Start the engine and let it run for 30 seconds, hold you foot on the brake, put the selector in Reverse and hold for 30 seconds, back out onto a quite street and drive slow in 1st for a block, then shift to 2nd position on the selector and drive slow for a block, then shift into D and drive slow for another block. Stop and do a easy start on the street and go do some around town driving.
Do some hard accelerating that does not exceed 3800 RPM but do not floor the accelerator or it will cause the engine to hit the rev limiter and shut it off.
The jerky shifting will go away with normal driving as the TCM learns to adapt to the CRD.
To train the TCM to work with boost instead of vacuum, you need to do some hard accelerations like an expressway entrance ramp where you hold the accelerator as far down as you can and keep it at ~3800 RPM with out doing a kick down and over rev. It will take some time like a few weeks to teach the TCM to live with the boost, I can now go up to 20PSI of boost and not force a down shift I don't want.
When the TCM learns, you will love it, before that it will be like a kid who does not want to work, yoy need to be a hard nose coach to make it learn and work like a star athlete.
I have had the RAM TCM for over 2 years, I did a load of research and figured out through trial and error the training routine that works.
If you got it in you and have a smart foot, Go for it Coach!
If you are a digital foot accelerator/brake driver, you won't make it work.

Ram Transmission Control Module (TCM) users and results

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