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Joe Pelonio
11-24-2008, 9:31 AM
There's a topic that sounds like a draining bank account.

My question is, do automatic transmissions have some kind of motors or solenoids that cause them to shift from neutral to drive?

Saturday night I got a call from my son, he was stranded about 7 miles from here in his 2WD '94 Dakota. He said it was making a noise and the engine was revving but the truck was not moving. On the way there I figured his automatic was worn out, though it only has 125,000 miles on it.

I have in the last 10 years had 2 other automatics wear out while I drove them, so I am well aware of the slipping that results. This was different.
It was not like slipping, more like not going into gear. Also, there was a whining noise, like a motor. Trying to go backward and forward in the parking lot I found that it did this 8 out of 10 times, the other 2 times it operated normally. I did not go fast enough to see if it would change from 1st to second and so on, as it was small lot.

I thought about the modulator, but thought that was for shifting between gears rather than neutral to drive.

Anyway, we had it towed to my favorite transmission guy and left the key and a note in the door slot. If it is worn out he'll probably be selling it for scrap since it's not worth the price of a rebuild.

Jason Roehl
11-24-2008, 12:17 PM
Joe, I'm not 100% certain on that particular vehicle, but there is a pretty good chance that it has an electronically-controlled transmission. If it does, then there is a solenoid pack that controls the flow of fluid through the tranny, and thus, the shifting. There could be a sticky valve in there, or a loose electrical connector, or you could have a clogged filter or failing fluid pump.

My experience is that tranny repairs are either cheap (<$300), or really expensive (>$1000). When it's cheap, it's because the part can be replaced without pulling the tranny (fluid, filter, sometimes the solenoid pack, rear seal, etc), and its failure doesn't affect the tranny's hard parts. Expensive repairs are the ones that can affect the hard parts, and require removal of the tranny, which can add $300-500 labor to the bill. Not to mention, many shops like to rebuild the tranny if they pull it, whether it really needs it or not, otherwise, they often won't warrant their repairs.

Joe Pelonio
11-24-2008, 2:46 PM
The transmission guy is also a customer of mine and I trust him thoroughly after many years. I authorized him to check it out up to $100 which may include pulling the pan. I hope it is an electronic issue. He did say that it has solenoids but not a modulator like the GMs. We figure the truck is not worth the $2,500 or so that a rebuild would cost so keeping fingers crossed.

Awaiting his call.

Tom Godley
11-24-2008, 3:18 PM
It was the early 90s when transmissions went to electronic clutch packs vs everything controlled by hydraulic valves. We had a lot of the Ford units go in this period before 100k. Not sure when Dakota moved.

Transmissions last a great deal longer today - but for a 94 - 125k was getting close to our average limit.

Normally the high pitched noise is the pump - something is leaking -- it can be a valve but often the pump itself. The leak causes the pump to be unable to maintain the proper pressure.

Often the clutches then overheat. :(

Normally not good!

Joe Pelonio
11-24-2008, 6:05 PM
Turns out that the pan was filled - and I mean filled with sludge from decomposed clutch pack material. In other words it's toast. Price to repair $2,200, bluebook $3,000 if in excellent condition, rough trade-in value $500
but with bad transmission $0.

Time to go shopping.

Jason Roehl
11-24-2008, 6:45 PM
With the price of scrap steel being what it is these days, you might be able to get a few hundred bucks for it at least.

Joe Pelonio
11-24-2008, 7:57 PM
With the price of scrap steel being what it is these days, you might be able to get a few hundred bucks for it at least.
I'd have thought so too. In fact, the salvage metal place would give $300 for it but they are 80 miles away. The wreckers say up to $200 but they have to see it first and are 30-40 miles away. If we towed it there and they said $50 or $100 we'd have to tow it somewhere else. All that towing can use up the money fast.

I'm working on it though, and may have found someone that will give us $100 for it where it sits.

Karl Brogger
11-24-2008, 10:53 PM
I have a 94' 2wd dakota. 3.9 v6? I don't think it has the solenoids for shifting. I had a 92 Daytona with the 3.0 V6, that definetaly had the solenoids. When you'd go from park to reverse or drive there was a "errrrr" sound.

I've regretted every automatic transmission I've ever owned. A lot of vehicles automatic is the standard, and not the option, or in some cases not even an option. I've had to replace one manual transmission, and I can pinpoint what caused it. (Loaned it to a buddy, he tried to do a 5-2 downshift at 60mph. I don't even know how he got it into 2nd gear). One of the syncros ended up going out shortly there after.

way off topic:
A few years ago I was dating a Polish girl who was here as a nanny. I ended up going to Poland for a couple of weeks to see her after she left the US. Her brother raced motorcycles professionally, he had a VW van, same as our EuroVan, for hauling his bikes around, diesel with a 5spd, vinyl floor, two seats. Awesome. It would've made an awesome work truck for me. But, I can't get one here.:mad: Americans are stupid about vehicles.

Joe Pelonio
11-25-2008, 8:02 AM
I have a 94' 2wd dakota. 3.9 v6? I don't think it has the solenoids for shifting. I had a 92 Daytona with the 3.0 V6, that definetaly had the solenoids. When you'd go from park to reverse or drive there was a "errrrr" sound.

I've regretted every automatic transmission I've ever owned. A lot of vehicles automatic is the standard, and not the option, or in some cases not even an option.
Yes, it's the 3.9 V6, and the mechanic told me that those older Dakota transmissions do have solenoids, but the clutch packs are all going at about 120k miles like his.

The good news is that his aunt in CA has been talking about selling her '95 Pathfinder with 90k miles and has made him an offer he cannot pass up, so he'll be flying down there next week and driving it back up.

Justin Leiwig
11-25-2008, 8:05 AM
Yes, it's the 3.9 V6, and the mechanic told me that those older Dakota transmissions do have solenoids, but the clutch packs are all going at about 120k miles like his.

The good news is that his aunt in CA has been talking about selling her '95 Pathfinder with 90k miles and has made him an offer he cannot pass up, so he'll be flying down there next week and driving it back up.

Did you price a used transmission? Unless he got the pathfinder for free I bet you could get a used transmission and put it in over a weekend for less than the cost of the plane ticket. Transmissions are about the easiest part of a 2wd truck to remove and replace.

Joe Pelonio
11-25-2008, 9:06 AM
Yes, actually, while talking to the wreckers about selling the Dakota also explored that option. The best deal was $350 (flight Seattle-Oakland $74) and that was with a 60-day warranty on a trans having close to the same mileage as his dead one.

Edit: just found a better special on the flight, $55.50

Karl Brogger
11-25-2008, 10:55 AM
Yes, it's the 3.9 V6, and the mechanic told me that those older Dakota transmissions do have solenoids, but the clutch packs are all going at about 120k miles like his.

Great news, mine has 124k miles on it. Glad to hear the trannsmission is a time bomb. I payed $500 for the pickup, so no huge loss. We had a massive hail storm two summers ago. The body looks like the surface of a golf ball. Originally I bought the pickup to do a Cummins 4BT swap, I hate the Dakota so much I don't want take the time now.