Changed fuel filter, transmission shifts better...

diesel_guy86 · **Posted:** Mon Jul 13, 2015 9:56 pm

I couldn't make this up if I tried. About 10k miles ago I changed trans filter and fluid, used napa/echlin trans filters. Got it all done and power washed the engine bay. Right after that trans wouldn't shift into o/d or lockup for 2 days. It finally did but it would lock up hard, and have a very rough 2-3/3-2 shift, sometimes seeming like it would grab both gears at the same time for only a second. I took the trans wiring harness plug out of the tcm and cleaned everything up with electrical cleaner, seemed a little bit better but still did it. Must be the half metal/ half plastic filter I got. Well didn't want to waste the brand new fluid so we kept driving it, now, 10k miles later, I changed engine oil/filter, along with fuel filter (was overdue @30k miles on it). Jumped in it afterwards and it's buttery smooth again.

Dont know why,
don't know how,

It just is. Very wierd. Thought I'd share just to log it in case someone else is following my foot steps...

Hexus · **Posted:** Tue Jul 14, 2015 12:42 am

I would guess something got wet (power washing) and cause a P0700 on the Transmission controller. After it dried out, sitting around a few days, now everything is back to normal. Just coincidence.

diesel_guy86 · **Posted:** Tue Jul 14, 2015 7:07 am

This was over a 10k mile, 6 month span, not a couple of days. Time will tell if it comes back or not.

dirtmover · **Posted:** Tue Jul 14, 2015 8:35 am

When you replaced the fuel filter did you remove the filter head from the firewall?

diesel_guy86 · **Posted:** Tue Jul 14, 2015 3:32 pm

Nope, I did put the new gen 2 fuel head on about 30k miles ago, this is an 05 crd. I only touched the oil filter, the fuel filter, and the wif sensor, didn't mess with anything else since I was already pressed for time. Wife even commented how it drove better.

ebbnflow · **Posted:** Tue Jul 14, 2015 5:20 pm

Mine has had this problem for over a year. Some days it will shift like butter, but most days it bangs. I suspect it will return as I have mostly bad days and an occasional good one.

The only repeatable temporary fix that I have found is a quick learn on the TCM. This will make it shift great for a few days to a week, but the symptoms always return.

I hope this a fix for you!

diesel_guy86 · **Posted:** Tue Jul 14, 2015 7:19 pm

Time will tell on this one. If it goes back I'll probably change the trans filters to Chrysler ones.

I remember reading a post awhile back about a guy who traced his problem to a faulty trans temp sensor.

On another note, why isn't the wiring harness end that plugs into the tcm freaking sealed? Everything else is.

user113 · **Posted:** Tue Jul 14, 2015 11:48 pm

My trans had that problem after getting my tranny serviced at one of the better trans shops in my area. I searched and found that many believe the trans dipstick is "off." See:

viewtopic.php?f=5&t=82047&p=866217&hilit=transmission+fluid+dipstick#p866217

viewtopic.php?f=5&t=82569&p=871455&hilit=transmission+fluid+dipstick#p871455

I added an extra quart of ATF+4 and the transmission settled down instantly.

dirtmover · **Posted:** Wed Jul 15, 2015 7:59 am

diesel_guy86 wrote:

On another note, why isn't the wiring harness end that plugs into the tcm freaking sealed? Everything else is.

If you look into the male connector on the module, the orange rubber at the base of the pins is the seal. The flat surface of the female connector on the harness gets compressed against it as you tighten the screw thus forming the seal.

ebbnflow · **Posted:** Mon Jul 20, 2015 1:54 am

Is it still shifting good diesel_guy86?

diesel_guy86 · **Posted:** Mon Jul 20, 2015 5:25 pm

dirtmover wrote:

diesel_guy86 wrote:

On another note, why isn't the wiring harness end that plugs into the tcm freaking sealed? Everything else is.

If you look into the male connector on the module, the orange rubber at the base of the pins is the seal. The flat surface of the female connector on the harness gets compressed against it as you tighten the screw thus forming the seal.

Your right that is the seal, but nothing stops crud from coming in through the back of the plug, the side that the wires go into the pins. I had dust all the way around and through those pins.

As of yet it's still driving better. I've felt a couple of the odd downshifts, but no where near what it uses to be. Have a long, several thousand mile trip coming up, so a trans filter change is coming up, hopefully that fixes it.

Changed fuel filter, transmission shifts better...

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