Hard shift in transmission

bebey · **Joined:** Fri Oct 22, 2010 3:08 pm **Posts:** 62

My transmission often has a very hard shift around 35(ish) MPH. It has always done it on occasion (GDE tranmission tune did not change it) but it is getting more frequent. I also have the GDE full torque tune (and upgraded TC) if it matters. A couple threads have touched on this but none really addressed it that I could find.

Any idea what is causing this?

Thanks!

2006 CRD

jeepdan · **Posted:** Tue Apr 09, 2013 11:35 pm

Can't tell you why they do it. Mine has always done it at 35mph, if I am driving with very little to light throttle.
I have learned to avoid it by using more throttle if road conditions permit. It doesn't take much and the shift is invisible.
After six years, it comes second nature.

msilbernagel · **Posted:** Tue Apr 09, 2013 11:40 pm

Mileage is around 164k. I think that hard shift is responsible for taking out the rubber parts of the lower control arms, twice now. I'm hoping a trans rebuild fixes the shifts.

CATCRD · **Posted:** Wed Apr 10, 2013 9:49 am

jeepdan wrote:

Can't tell you why they do it. Mine has always done it at 35mph, if I am driving with very little to light throttle.
I have learned to avoid it by using more throttle if road conditions permit. It doesn't take much and the shift is invisible.
After six years, it comes second nature.

Same here. I drive around it in the same way.

truckbouy2 · **Posted:** Wed Apr 10, 2013 5:32 pm

The Princess's started the 2nd to 3rd shift (what your experiencing) at about 49,000 miles. She had the super duper 8/80 warranty. Jeep adjusted the transmission, new valve body, new tcm, euro torque converter. Still does it. Took it in again, they had no idea, "could be an internal seal leak...maybe, can't guarantee it". "Transmission needs to be torn down, Oh, the warranty seems to be over. "Gee, I guess maybe we should have thought of that sooner". The transmission works fine, except the hard shift, like catcrd said, she just drives through it. When I service the transmission, there is rarely any amount of clutck pack material on the magnet. When they replaced the tc they never put in a new series pump and I just wonder if that's the internal leak that's causing the pressure to ramp up making the hard shift. The tech drove it with the drb and said he could watch the pressure ramp up. then came the valve body change. She drives it, when or if something breaks, I'll know what the cause was, it will either be laying in the pan or on the ground. Screw Chrysler and their uneducated speculation. Oops that shouldn't have slipped out.

arengant · **Posted:** Thu Apr 18, 2013 2:07 am

jeepdan wrote:

Can't tell you why they do it. Mine has always done it at 35mph, if I am driving with very little to light throttle.
I have learned to avoid it by using more throttle if road conditions permit. It doesn't take much and the shift is invisible.
After six years, it comes second nature.

X2

Mine happens with light throttle also, the only thing I have tried is greasing the splines on the rear driveshaft. The clunk I feel could be classified as a hard shift, or some slop somewhere.

ebbnflow · **Posted:** Sun May 12, 2013 8:21 pm

Mine just started to do this starting last week. It was never a problem before. It does it going up or going down in the gears. It does not do it on every drive, but if it starts doing it, it does it for the rest of that drive cycle. This blows. I hope someone has some insight on where to look. Fluid level is good and less than 15,000 miles on it. I used ATF+4. I'm going to drop the pan soon and look at filters and check on the state of my transgo kit in the valve body. Thanks.

Hexus · **Posted:** Sun May 12, 2013 11:07 pm

The Transgo Shift kit fixed this problem for me personally. I'm not sure if it's the self-cleaning valve, the stronger springs in 3/4 or the stronger plate on the front of the valve body, but it does fix this issue.

I don't know why you're still having issues.

ebbnflow · **Posted:** Mon May 13, 2013 12:53 am

Hexus wrote:

The Transgo Shift kit fixed this problem for me personally. I'm not sure if it's the self-cleaning valve, the stronger springs in 3/4 or the stronger plate on the front of the valve body, but it does fix this issue.

I don't know why you're still having issues.

I don't know either. I never had this issue before the transgo kit. I put the transgo kit in over a year ago when I put in my euro TC. I'm glad to hear it solved your problem.

ebbnflow · **Posted:** Tue May 14, 2013 1:09 pm

Here is an update. I crawled under the jeep and started tugging on the electrical connectors. When I got to the line pressure sensor, it popped off with ease. I pressed it back in real good and now the problem is much better. I can still feel a slight lag in 2-3 shift, but it is not like it was.

papaindigo · **Posted:** Tue May 14, 2013 4:26 pm

ebbnflow - good to hear. Two added thoughts a) if that fitting was loose it's possible that the fitting is gunked up a bit so I'd suggest a good cleaning with an electrical contact spray cleaner and followed by, after drying of course, application of some Dielectric Grease to prevent/discourage future problems and b) with respect to your continued slight issue (assuming proper fluid levels, ATF+4, and good filters) just a reminder that the 545RFE transmission "learns" as you drive and I suspect if the line pressure signal was erratic and now it's stable that the tranny may have to be driven a bit to "relearn" how to shift properly.

ebbnflow · **Posted:** Wed May 15, 2013 5:32 pm

papaindigo wrote:

ebbnflow - good to hear. Two added thoughts a) if that fitting was loose it's possible that the fitting is gunked up a bit so I'd suggest a good cleaning with an electrical contact spray cleaner and followed by, after drying of course, application of some Dielectric Grease to prevent/discourage future problems and b) with respect to your continued slight issue (assuming proper fluid levels, ATF+4, and good filters) just a reminder that the 545RFE transmission "learns" as you drive and I suspect if the line pressure signal was erratic and now it's stable that the tranny may have to be driven a bit to "relearn" how to shift properly.

Thanks for the reply papa. I'll get under there and make sure the connection is clean.

ebbnflow · **Posted:** Sun Jun 09, 2013 4:36 pm

Hard 2-3 shift is back again. Seems to do it all the time now. I guess I need to find the time to drop the pan and take a look see. Anyone have any other suggestions? Thanks. I'm at 97000 miles and have all the timing belts parts on the shelf. I do not want a new problem when I have this big job to look forward to. :banghead:

truckbouy2 · **Posted:** Sun Jun 09, 2013 7:44 pm

"She drives it, when or if something breaks, I'll know what the cause was, it will either be laying in the pan or on the ground."
I guess ebbn, that would be my suggestion. I chased the hard shift issue, Chrysler chased the hard shift issue when it was under warranty, a few of the boy's chased it here. You can drive thru it with a little altering your driving style. I've owned Chrysler products for 40 years with countless quirks and issues, trust me, if its a serious issue you won't have to wonder what it is or was, the parts or part will be laying in the pan or on the road. Sorry Kid I think if she was going to blow she just might have already.....

ebbnflow · **Posted:** Mon Jun 10, 2013 12:09 am

I can't drive through this. It shifts hard in any throttle position. Light or heavy foot still makes it shift hard only in 2-3 or 3-2.

truckbouy2 · **Posted:** Mon Jun 10, 2013 8:45 am

Don't know what to tell you ebb. The Princess's has had (2) tcm's replaced, (2) valve bodies, solenoid pack, beeen re-learned with the DRB 4 or 5 times. Last word was, it will need to be torn down, could be an internal leak, could be something else, rebuild MIGHT fix it, can't guarantee it. Like I said, if its hard parts, it'll show itself, Chryslers always do and you'll know what blew. Anyway, you look at it an investigative tear down its about the same price as replacing the 545 when or if she lets loose. One other thing, I noticed you have the GDE tune on the TCM, call the Green Diesel boys and ask them if you could possibly have electronics conflict going on to cause the internal pressures to ramp up. These Chryslers are sometimes funky in the computer department and GDE is the absolute best.

CRD Joe · **Posted:** Tue Jun 11, 2013 12:36 am

HA, I never had this problem UNTIL I got the GDE transmission chip! :banghead:

ebbnflow · **Posted:** Tue Jun 11, 2013 12:42 am

CRD Joe wrote:

HA, I never had this problem UNTIL I got the GDE transmission chip! :banghead:

Me neither. I think I might see if GDE will evaluate my TCM while I'm doing my timing belt, so I won't have extra down time. When I unhook the battery and short the leads for a bit, it will shift a little better for a little while.

Hard shift in transmission

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