transmission cooler?

twindragons187 · **Posted:** Tue Dec 11, 2007 11:13 am

i'm just curious if all 02 to early 03's with the 45rfe came with the trans cooler and ps coolers??

sleeve84028 · **Posted:** Tue Dec 11, 2007 11:22 am

Look at your radiator... there should be some tranny lines running into it on the passenger side (trans cooler pocket)

The PS cooler should be infront of the AC condensor on the drivers side... It's small and easy to spot through the front grille.

twindragons187 · **Posted:** Tue Dec 11, 2007 11:36 am

my tranny lines don't go into the rad. there's a cooler infront of the ac condensor and runs the entire way across the front. the ps cooler is on the driver's side.

JJsTJ · **Posted:** Tue Dec 11, 2007 12:08 pm

Are you sure about which trans you have?

42RLE gasket looks like the following:

45RFE looks like this:

My 03, made in Dec of 02 has the 42RLE and has both the seperate trans and P/S coolers.

Uffe · **Posted:** Tue Dec 11, 2007 12:59 pm

Mine was regged in Denmark in april 2003 and I am not really sure anyway which tranny I got. Could actually be I have a 45RFE, hard to tell in the dark with only a tiny light and no jacks...

I have a huge tranny cooler in the front, behind the AC cooler. It covers the lower part of the engine radiator in nearly full width.

twindragons187 · **Posted:** Tue Dec 11, 2007 1:02 pm

i have the tcm on the pass fender with 1 plug and the pcm on the driver's with only 3 plugs. also the cross bar on the tranny bends toward the rear and is not straight.

sleeve84028 · **Posted:** Tue Dec 11, 2007 2:46 pm

I couldn't tell you what all those aluminum boxes under the hood were for. The best way I know to tell is by checking the build date on the door. If you are pre April 2003 than you are fine and have the proper transmission (from a Dodge ram)

If you want to know about the tow package... Look to see if you have the factory hitch / 7 pin wire harness plug on the back. If those are missing check under the hood for the HD cooling package which is a mechanical cooling fan.

JJsTJ · **Posted:** Tue Dec 11, 2007 2:52 pm

My Pre-April 2003 has the 42RLE trans. IIRC they started using the 42's toward the end of 02 on the 03 models.

Which pan gasket pic is the same shape as your trans?

Uffe · **Posted:** Tue Dec 11, 2007 3:02 pm

sleeve84028 wrote:

I couldn't tell you what all those aluminum boxes under the hood were for. The best way I know to tell is by checking the build date on the door. If you are pre April 2003 than you are fine and have the proper transmission (from a Dodge ram)

Mine is from 1-03.

What do you mean by "proper transmission" ? Can the 42RLE take more rape than the 45RFE?

I mean is it built more durable? And why is the 45RFE "worse" in your opinion?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chrysler_4 ... ansmission

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ultradrive#42LE

sleeve84028 · **Posted:** Tue Dec 11, 2007 3:46 pm

Both are equal to any challenge as long as the operator knows what they are doing. If you consider the # of liberty's on the road with the 42 series transmission verses the truck transmission, there should be no problems worrying about the reliability.

Uffe · **Posted:** Tue Dec 11, 2007 3:54 pm

Truck transmission is that the 545RFE?

Both are actually used in Dodge RAMs if I read the wiki articles correctly. Wiki might be wrong though.

EDIT: Oh sorry, the 545rfe is used in a dodge ram...

snowsport · **Joined:** Tue Oct 18, 2005 11:52 pm **Posts:** 1211

the 545 RFE is a 5 speed auto used in trucks.
The 45 RFE was used for a year or so in the KJs.
I have come to the conclusion that there was a bit of time, maybe a few months, where there were 42RLE transmissions being set up with separate tcms and pcms. That's the setup I have and a few others have. The only way to be sure is to check out either the tranny itself, side view, or the pan as JJsKJ is suggesting.

jason thompson · **Posted:** Tue Dec 11, 2007 9:47 pm

Funny that this keeps popping up
every thing I see says we have the 45
all but the pics of the pan gasket
looks like the pics of the 42
has the bent cross member the separate tcm all that
I have even gone as far as seeing how well reverse "worked"
on flat ground I can spin both rear tires no issues ,245/75 MTR's
I know that folks with 42 complain of reverse issues so if I have a 42 then they must have something wrong
I have also ran trails in 95* heat with the AC on and no trans temp light
so I can not complain

I give up
the way I figure I will run it till it breaks then adapt a TF999 or even better a 904 ,non electronic 999, to it that will fix any auto problems or best of all have the more robust 999 moded to be fully mechanical so there will be no computer issues
and I will still be able to eat my lunch and wheel at the same time

sleeve84028 · **Posted:** Wed Dec 12, 2007 8:51 am

So in other words, we should just be happy we have a transmission.

Uffe · **Posted:** Wed Dec 12, 2007 10:47 am

Come to think of it - all CRDs have the 545RFE. CRD autos all have 5-speed trannies.

snowsport · **Joined:** Tue Oct 18, 2005 11:52 pm **Posts:** 1211

Jason, I think there's a bunch of us with the 42RLE with no reverse problems.

1300ZUK · **Posted:** Wed Dec 12, 2007 10:43 pm

snowsport wrote:

Jason, I think there's a bunch of us with the 42RLE with no reverse problems.

and some have problems with every gear :lol:

transmission cooler?

Who is online