545RFE Transmission Solenoid Pack Requirements for the 2005 & 2006 Jeep Liberty Diesel Vehicle

Solenoid pack requirements:
Any 545RFE or 68RFE will bolt up to the Jeep Liberty. (5 or 6 speeds is controlled by the TCM)
Later model transmissions used a different solenoid pack (GRAY Connector) that is NOT compatible with the 05-06 model electronics. (TCM)
So, you may have to remove your solenoid pack from your current tranny and install it in any newer 545RFE you purchase.
They are identified by their color.
If you are using a later model Hemi transmission like the 68RFE, you will have to swap the solenoid pack back to the earlier model (WHITE Connector) solenoid pack which is compatible with the Jeep CRD's TCM (electronics). Just make sure to use the one with the white connector.
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More information:
WHITE-CONNECTOR SOLENOID BLOCKS
The white-connector solenoid block (Figure 4) came out in 2004 with an updated (type 2) transmission range sensor plate. You’ll see these solenoid blocks used with the 545RFE and 68RFE transmissions.
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GRAY-CONNECTOR SOLENOID BLOCKS
The gray-connector solenoid block came out in 2009 and has one less solenoid than the white-connector solenoid. It uses the same base gasket as the white-connector solenoid block.
The transmission range sensor plate is where the confusion starts. From 2009 to around 2011, it’ll still use the type-2 transmission range sensor plate, which works with vehicles that have manual 1 and manual 2 positions on the shifter.
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There’s no cutoff day on the change to the type-3 transmission range sensor plate. The type-3 transmission range sensor plate has a pocket depth of 0.158” (4.0mm) and the side of the manual valve slot will be 0.500” (12.7mm). This type-3 plate fits vehicles without manual 1 or manual 2 shifter positions.
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You can replace the gray-connector solenoid block with a white-connector solenoid block, as long as you use the right transmission range sensor plate: Type 2 with vehicles that have both manual 1 and manual 2 on the shifter, type 3 will only have a Drive position on the shifter.
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A little attention to details will help you avoid confusion and additional costs when swapping in later model RFE transmissions into the Jeep Liberty Diesel Vehicle.
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The required solenoid pack looks like this:

Two very important things to be aware of and consider when swapping in later model Ram truck transmissions into the Jeep Liberty Diesel Vehicle.

FIRST: Using a TCM from a Ram (Gas) truck can be detrimental due to downshift points which can cause the little diesel engine to dangerously overrev beyond redline when downshifting under power.
Some LOST members who have installed a Ram TCM have expounded on this issue in the past. Best to use your current TCM with whatever transmission you install if at all possible.

SECOND: Transmission solenoid pack compatibility.

Read this, it covers the issues in great detail:

Hello, WWDiesel:
It is possible to mate up a 6-Speed automatic transmission, (68RFE), to the Liberty CRD? Am I reading this correctly? Is there a smaller jump between the gears, or does the 68RFE provide a taller overdrive for lower RPMs at highway speeds?

Technically the 545rfe is a 6 speed. Same transmission, just different software programing.

Jeff,
I know it gets a little confusing but read on. And there is a lot of reading available online about all these different transmissions and their gear ratios.
The number of gears in the transmission is basically only a function of computer software programing.

The confusion comes in with that 2nd Prime Gear which adds the extra gear ratio in the 545RFE but is not used or counted in normal upshifting but rather is only used when downshifting. Thus the 5 speed designation for the 545RFE. But with the right software programing, the 545RFE could be forced to use the 2nd Prime Gear during normal upshifts which would in essence turn the 545RFE into a true 6 speed transmission.

The 6 speed is only a 1999 4 speed Jeep transmission based on the old tried and true Torque Flight transmission, with a different torque converter & different computer software programing, over the years it has been called a 45RFE, then a 545RFE, now a 65RFE & a 68RFE.
Some of the newer Ram and Jeep powertrains now have a ZF 8 speed transmission.

The 65RFE was used in trucks (behind V8 gas engines). The 65RFE was introduced for the 2012 model year, the 545RFE was recalibrated and introduced as the 65RFE; it appears in the Dodge Durango, Jeep Grand Cherokee, and Dodge Ram 1500 with 4.7L and 5.7L engines.
The 65RFE transmission hardware is identical to the 545RFE, and thus the gear ratios are identical to the 545RFE. The transmission still operates (in Drive) as a 5-speed. But if you use an Electronic Range Select (ERS) shift control, you can manually limit the top gear to any of the six possible ratios:

• 1st gear = 3.000 ratio = ERS "1"
• 2nd gear = 1.667 ratio = ERS "2"
• 2nd Prime gear = 1.500 ratio = ERS "3"
• 3rd gear = 1.000 ratio = ERS "4"
• 4th gear = 0.750 ratio = ERS "5"
• 5th gear = 0.667 ratio = ERS "6"
• Reverse = -3.000 ratio

The 66RFE is a modified gear ratio transmission used in 2500 and 3500 models with V8 gas engines. The 66RFE is a different beast. It actually operates as a 6-speed all the time. It is basically the geartrain from the 68RFE (heavy-duty diesel) transmission with different ratios.

The 68RFE was introduced in 2007 Ram 2500 and 3500 Pickups with the 6.7L Cummins ISB Diesel engine. The basic internal design and operation is the same or similar to the 45 and 545RFE transmissions. But it has a larger bellhousing with different bolt pattern and cutout to accommodate diesel engine and has modified internal components to handle increased torque of the Cummins diesel engine. This transmission WILL NOT bolt up to where any 545RFE transmission was used.

But to use any of these later model different (6 speed) transmissions in the Jeep Liberty behind the 2.8 diesel engine, you would have to use a TCM with the correct software programing and therein lies the problem, as not all TCM's are compatible with the Jeep Liberty's data highway platform.

Have I now thoroughly confused you yet???

Actually, this is a good explanation.
I am still a little confused because you wrote earlier the following... "Any 545RFE or 68RFE will bolt up to the Jeep Liberty. (5 or 6 speeds is controlled by the TCM)" Now you are writing that the 68RFE will not fit because the bell housing is different. Can you change the bell housing, (swap with a 545RFE), on the 68 RFE to make it fit?

My understanding, if it comes out of a gas powered Ram or Jeep, it will bolt up. The housings used on the ones behind the Cummins diesels will not.

This would make sense; thank you, WWDiesel.

Do you know of anyone playing with bell housings and these transmissions and getting a 68RFE to properly bolt up to a CRD engine?

Would anyone have the proper software to download into a CRD TCU to control the 68RFE transmission?

I went down this road about 2 years ago with figuring out what to put behind my compound turbo projects. For ease of the project I wanted to do a built 545rfe. But quickly found out it is essentially impossible to have one “built”. They are already the stoutest they can be due to the physical size of the case. There just isn’t anymore room for bigger clutches. Anyone that claims they can build one for anything more the mild above stock is full of sh*t.

I have since went with a manual swap. Nv4500.

To answer jeff question about bolting up. Our jeep adapter is the small block mopar pattern. So anything that has that will be cheapest and require no adaptor plates

Out of curiosity, who did you talk to?

Do you have any details or a build thread anywhere on the NV4500? I was contemplating that as well. My question there is the shifter and the center console, as well as the transfer case. I can ditch the part time 4WD. Did you use the tease that would have come behind the 4500?


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