Shift Kit for the 5-45 RFE Transmission

marauderer · **Posted:** Sun Apr 09, 2006 10:09 pm

Has anyone installed a shift kit in their CRD? TransGo has one and am considering it as the stock shift points create a Big Vacuum aka SUCK!

RFCRD · **Posted:** Sun Apr 09, 2006 11:49 pm

You might want to give this some time before you try something new. Read some of the threads concerning trans problems. There are a few software updates for both the trans and engine computers, not to mention that they have to communicate with each other to work correctly.

If you are dissappointed with passing power or lack of the traditional "passing gear" try quickly tapping your O/D off and then back on while you stomp on it. It will quickly downshift 5 to 3 and upshift to 4. It will spool-up and sling shot you past most anything. You best be hanging on!

marauderer · **Posted:** Mon Apr 10, 2006 6:59 am

RFCRD wrote:

You might want to give this some time before you try something new. Read some of the threads concerning trans problems. There are a few software updates for both the trans and engine computers, not to mention that they have to communicate with each other to work correctly.

If you are dissappointed with passing power or lack of the traditional "passing gear" try quickly tapping your O/D off and then back on while you stomp on it. It will quickly downshift 5 to 3 and upshift to 4. It will spool-up and sling shot you past most anything. You best be hanging on!

I use the heck out of my o/d button. I have that in my other car. it is the normal shifting from 1-2 and 2-3 shifts that are pitiful. You can feel the band brake come onjust prior to the shift and it is really sloppy. I will see if it can be controlled from the computer a bit better. Power is good

but God made me one of those that always wants a bit more :-)r

Thanks for the input

RFCRD · **Posted:** Mon Apr 10, 2006 9:46 am

I think I know what you are experiencing. The shift response feels hauntingly simillar to a Series 60/Allison B500 combo found in most commercial over the road coaches. Ran so many miles in those that I don't even recognize it as slow or sloppy. What I don't like on the CRD is the lack of shift control. I think they would do better to get rid of the lever controller and replace with a simple Allison touch pad. That set-up gives ability to selectively limit (lockout) each gear and has 2 shift programming modes, one for performance and one for fuel economy.

marauderer · **Posted:** Mon Apr 10, 2006 2:00 pm

RFCRD wrote:

I think I know what you are experiencing. The shift response feels hauntingly simillar to a Series 60/Allison B500 combo found in most commercial over the road coaches. Ran so many miles in those that I don't even recognize it as slow or sloppy. What I don't like on the CRD is the lack of shift control. I think they would do better to get rid of the lever controller and replace with a simple Allison touch pad. That set-up gives ability to selectively limit (lockout) each gear and has 2 shift programming modes, one for performance and one for fuel economy.

The touch pad is an interesting idea.

I ordered the 5-45RFE shift improver kit today. Delivered to my door it was $52.00 US. This is what the ad says

45RFE

1998-2005 45RFE Dodge / Jeep 4.7 to 5.7 engines (15 pan bolts)

Short firm shifts with class never before available. Corrects: Soft 1-2; Heavy throttle long 2-3. Firmer 4th.

The guy said on the phone to replace everything you need to take the trans out of the vehicle. I ain't gonna do that but will replace what I can and post results. It should be interesting.

retmil46 · **Posted:** Tue Apr 11, 2006 12:11 am

I've looked at and considered these as well. Kinda wish they'd come up with a kit so you could do a manual shift conversion on it. Think I'll check with my local tranny guru before I give any serious though along this line.

Are they saying it's necessary to pull the tranny out of the vehicle to install the shift kit? That WOULD be a major PITA.

Hope you have plenty of tranny fluid on hand. Just dropping the pan and changing out both filters takes 9 quarts to top it back up, not 5 as listed by the clueless idiots who wrote the owners manual. Advance Auto now carries Valvoline ATF+4 tranny fluid for $4.90 a quart, might be considerably cheaper than what the dealer wants (about $2.50 a quart cheaper in my case).

Anders · **Posted:** Tue Apr 11, 2006 4:09 am

How about a HP Tuner? Got a Corvette C5 that I tune both engine and gearbox with this tuner. Don´t need to go the Trans Go way. On the Corvette I can program shiftpoints / time for shifts / lockup etc. Noproblem. Must be someone out there who has done this on a Jeep?

Regards

marauderer · **Posted:** Tue Apr 11, 2006 6:54 am

retmil46 wrote:

I've looked at and considered these as well. Kinda wish they'd come up with a kit so you could do a manual shift conversion on it. Think I'll check with my local tranny guru before I give any serious though along this line.

Are they saying it's necessary to pull the tranny out of the vehicle to install the shift kit? That WOULD be a major PITA.

Hope you have plenty of tranny fluid on hand. Just dropping the pan and changing out both filters takes 9 quarts to top it back up, not 5 as listed by the clueless idiots who wrote the owners manual. Advance Auto now carries Valvoline ATF+4 tranny fluid for $4.90 a quart, might be considerably cheaper than what the dealer wants (about $2.50 a quart cheaper in my case).

There is a snap ring upgrade that requires the disassembly of the trans. I will pass on that and just modify the valve body. It is just a fix for the shift points at this time. It isn't a kit that you can tune for towing, street/strip, or strictly racing. I am willing to be the guinia pig on this. My other car is an 03 Marauder that has a built trans that is good for 650 hp. The fact that it is built and then could be tuned with the computer is really sweet. I should "get in done" in the next two weeks.

I will be running the Amsoil ATF in it after the Kit install. I am considering putting on the deep pan which increases the volume another 3 qts. but, I may have tomodify the skid plate to do that and it may not be worth the effort. The company that offers the deep pan doesn't mention having a deeper suction pick up which is needed to prevent cavitation but, I will call them and get their take on it.

marauderer · **Posted:** Tue Apr 11, 2006 7:02 am

Anders wrote:

How about a HP Tuner? Got a Corvette C5 that I tune both engine and gearbox with this tuner. Don´t need to go the Trans Go way. On the Corvette I can program shiftpoints / time for shifts / lockup etc. Noproblem. Must be someone out there who has done this on a Jeep?
Regards

I wish there was someone that had a tune for our CRD that would be the way to go. All the performance boxes that are available use input to fool the computer to get the results that they want. But on the other side if you need to take it in for warranty work it isn't a major deal to reinstall the stock tune. That would be sweet but I will be surprised if it ever happens. I might inquire at Superchips Tuning and see if they are doing anything.

RTStabler51 · **Posted:** Tue Apr 11, 2006 7:47 am

Anders wrote:

How about a HP Tuner? Got a Corvette C5 that I tune both engine and gearbox with this tuner. Don´t need to go the Trans Go way. On the Corvette I can program shiftpoints / time for shifts / lockup etc. Noproblem. Must be someone out there who has done this on a Jeep?

Regards

I don't know how it is in the 'Vette world, but in the Lightning world adjusting line pressure shortens the life of the tranny. The other things you noted would be nice to do though.

marauderer · **Posted:** Tue Apr 11, 2006 8:12 am

RTStabler51 wrote:

Anders wrote:

How about a HP Tuner? Got a Corvette C5 that I tune both engine and gearbox with this tuner. Don´t need to go the Trans Go way. On the Corvette I can program shiftpoints / time for shifts / lockup etc. Noproblem. Must be someone out there who has done this on a Jeep?

Regards

I don't know how it is in the 'Vette world, but in the Lightning world adjusting line pressure shortens the life of the tranny. The other things you noted would be nice to do though.

Yea, I know what you mean. Performance and longevity is kinda an oxymoron, but, to some it is an acceptable trade off.

RTStabler51 · **Posted:** Tue Apr 11, 2006 10:01 am

marauderer wrote:

RTStabler51 wrote:

Anders wrote:

How about a HP Tuner? Got a Corvette C5 that I tune both engine and gearbox with this tuner. Don´t need to go the Trans Go way. On the Corvette I can program shiftpoints / time for shifts / lockup etc. Noproblem. Must be someone out there who has done this on a Jeep?

Regards

I don't know how it is in the 'Vette world, but in the Lightning world adjusting line pressure shortens the life of the tranny. The other things you noted would be nice to do though.

Yea, I know what you mean. Performance and longevity is kinda an oxymoron, but, to some it is an acceptable trade off.

to a degree, I meant raising line pressures via the ECM shortens life of hte tranny. The valve body / shift kit should actually extend the life of the tranny due to less clutch slippage.

retmil46 · **Posted:** Tue Apr 11, 2006 11:06 am

If you're talking about the deep tranny pan from PML, yes, you will need to lower the skid plate to use one. PML's tranny pan is 4 3/4" deep from the gasket surface to the bottom of the pan, less than 4 1/2" between the gasket surface and the top of the skid plate, I measured on mine. Plus, the skid plate rises up in the back, for about the last 4 to 6 inches of length, to where there's only 3 1/2" clearance.

As far as PML's rear diff cover for the Dodge 8.25 axle, I measured and even with the fuel tank skid plate there'd still be 1 1/2" clearance on average between the diff cover and the skid plate. I still need to verify whether the fill hole on theirs is in the right location, compared to the stock cover, to allow for the proper fill level.

With that deep tranny pan, you'd be talking about needing a full case, 12 quarts, of tranny fluid to fill it back up after doing a filter changeout.

When I picked up a full case of ATF+4 at the dealer, and they charged me $7.50 a quart, you could almost hear a certain part of my body pucker up in reaction - $90 for a case of tranny fluid! :shock:

marauderer · **Posted:** Tue Apr 11, 2006 3:42 pm

I know, I just bought a 5 gal. box of Amsoil ATF.

I need to get my JLL (Jeep Liberty Limited) up on the rack again and see if I can figure a modification that will work.

As far as I know PML is the only source for a larger pan.

Maybe buy the pan and mill an inch out of the sides and weld it back to gether?

I need to do a google/Yahoo search and see if there is another manufacturer that has better demensions.

Man this is like working on a Submarine everything is one off and no parts available.

retmil46 · **Posted:** Wed Apr 12, 2006 12:37 am

marauderer wrote:

Man this is like working on a Submarine everything is one off and no parts available.

Yeah, think maybe DC hired some of the guys that designed the old S5W boats?

Might not be that hard to modify the tranny skid plate. It has two metal tabs/prongs that fit into slots on the crossmember ahead of it, probably to help locate/support it during install. If you were willing to significantly bend or even eliminate these tabs, it'd be no problem, other than lower ground clearance, to add some healthy spacers to the skid plate. In the front at least, I'd say about a 3/4" spacer would do the trick.

In the back though, that's kind of murky. It's not clear from PML's drawing if their pan is 4 3/4" deep all the way back, or tapers down to a shallower depth in the rear. The way that skid plate rises up in back for the last 6 inches or so looks to be the real sticking point.

marauderer · **Posted:** Wed Apr 12, 2006 7:09 am

The pictures of the PML pan show a flat bottom which most that I have seen are flat.

I am concerned about gound clearance. I don't plan to do any serious off roading in the vehicle but, I want to maintain all the ground clearance that I have. So, if I can't find another pan my only option is to modify the PML oneif I want to increase my trans fluid capacity.

retmil46 · **Posted:** Thu Apr 13, 2006 12:01 am

Such is life. Anyway, good luck with the shift kit, and let us know if you think it's a worthwhile mod.

omniphil · **Posted:** Fri Apr 14, 2006 11:12 am

We had the TSB done that gives you new software for the motor and tranny. The sloppy shifting is gone, nice firm shifts now, not lazy at all anymore...

marauderer · **Posted:** Fri Apr 14, 2006 5:04 pm

omniphil wrote:

We had the TSB done that gives you new software for the motor and tranny. The sloppy shifting is gone, nice firm shifts now, not lazy at all anymore...

What is the TSB # please and did it cover all CRD's or just a certain series?

omniphil · **Posted:** Fri Apr 14, 2006 10:00 pm

marauderer wrote:

omniphil wrote:

We had the TSB done that gives you new software for the motor and tranny. The sloppy shifting is gone, nice firm shifts now, not lazy at all anymore...

What is the TSB # please and did it cover all CRD's or just a certain series?

http://www.lostjeeps.com/forum/phpBB3/vie ... php?t=6761

Its for all the CRD's. The software was dated January 2006...

Shift Kit for the 5-45 RFE Transmission

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