***On the road help needed***

Jim Fulmer

Jim Fulmer

New member
Joined
May 6, 2006
Messages
5,013
I've got a bud of mine (Fellow Chief) that is broken down in Tucumcari New Mexico with a tranny issue pulling a big toy hauler, if any of you know anyone that can help him I'll field the calls.

It's a Dodge 98.5 24V and currently the truck is at a Chevy dealer till tomorrrow morning.

Jim
 
Thanks Jim for getting this thread started for me. I was able to get some internet finally. Here are more details on it.... I was pulling about 12-13,000lb toyhauler into about a 20mph wind up a long hill. All was going good until all of a sudden the tranny temps just started to rise and fast. It ended up hitting 300degrees by the time I could get pulled off safely. As I was pulling over at the top of the hill smoke was billowing out of the truck. When I looked under the truck there was tranny fluid everywhere but more on the passenger side. It took forever to cool down but once it did I started the truck back up and put it into nuetral and it started leaking again. So much fluid everywhere I couldn't really see where exactly it was coming from other than it seemed to be passenger side. Earlier in the AM I checked the tranny fluid and it was low so I added some lucus ATF and some basic ATF. The lucus was so thick I couldn't the level properly after adding it because the whole dipstick was covered. I added about a quart total between the two as I didn't want to over fill it. I then only made it about 20 miles down the road after adding the ATF. Hope this helps and someone can help diagnos the problem as it is at a Chevy dealership right now in this little town. Thanks for any help or suggestions....
 
This happened to me once, while pulling my 5th wheel up a hill towards the lake, the front tranny seal busted and ATF was leaking back onto the cat and lit on fire and it was a disaster from hell. Glad yours didn't get quite that far, and I hope you find some help.

I know one of the ford boys, Helvis, lives in New Mexico, not sure where though... Hell, I didn't even know Tucumcari was a real place LOL.
 
that's in the middle of no where, i got some buddy's south of you in Clovis that own a truck shop for semi's he does own a wrecker service as well.
 
I had to google it. Looks like North Eastern side. About 3 hrs from Albuquerque and Santa Fe. Six hrs from Las Cruces.

Thank you, google maps lol
 
i prolly wont be on here for long but just in case you need them call
R & D Service center 575-769-2215 Ron's the owner but i know about everyone there,tell them Dan from Valair sent you. they might know somebody in tucumcari. hope this helps.
 
Thanks for the replys. Yes I am in the middle of nowhere here. I was actually halfway between here and Santa Rosa when it went and the towing service wasn't sure of any repair shops there and they knew of one here. It is probably thier brothers shop or something and was getting business for them:) I will see what tomorrow brings when it gets light and I can get in there and look closer at it for any split hoses. That would be nice and easy fix. Thanks again guys and keep the ideas flowing please so I know what to look for when I am down there with them. Thanks for the numbers also. I will see if I will need to call them and bounce ideas off of them.
 
If I recal there is a check ball in one of the cooler lines right at the case... Am I right. Thought I read bout it somewhere and it getting stuck in the line, causing fluid not to circulate, causing line pressure to build.... etc... Someone help me out here?
 
Greg you might call DTT in the morning 1-866-504-4002 and talk to Shanti and see if they might know of someone around there.

Jim
 
will do, What time zone are they??? I am going to walk about 1 mile up to where the truck is in the AM so I can be there with them looking it over. Thanks everyone. Please keep the comments/suggestions flowing!!!!
 
Sorry Greg, Pacific time as they are in Canada, they might help you with some knowledge too, I use them for that and parts.

Jim
 
Twisted, I thought of that as I had check the fluid at the start of the day. The dipstick was still in just like I installed it that morning and there wasn't fluid in that area or running down the stick like it was leaking. I am not a very smart diesel person like my buddy Jim but it seemed to be on the passenger side. There was an area that is about the size of a silver dollar on the passenger side that hd smoke blowing out of it. Not sure if that is the vent or not..... Like I said before I am learning on this diesel stuff from all you smart people:) Thanks for the help.
 
Red Sleeper said:
If I recal there is a check ball in one of the cooler lines right at the case... Am I right. Thought I read bout it somewhere and it getting stuck in the line, causing fluid not to circulate, causing line pressure to build.... etc... Someone help me out here?
Click to expand...


Both the dipstick & the rubber cooler line with the anti-drainback valve in it are on the passenger side. If the valve stuck, it could posibly have super heated the fluid, expanding it out the vent, or even forceing it out the fill tube or seal. If you dont find an obvious leak (broken cooler line/hose/fitting) I would certainly get rid of the drainback valve. If an aftermarket valve-less hose is not available to you, you could remove the 6'' long rubber line, & crudely extract the rubber check ball & spring with a drill.
(How we did it back in the day;-)
The rubber line I'm speaking of is conected to the bottom of the tranny cooler/ warmer, which is a long metal tank,just under the exhaust manifold.
Good luck! (If I can be of any assistance, PM me or Twisted, for my phone number)
 
turbomatt1 said:
Both the dipstick & the rubber cooler line with the anti-drainback valve in it are on the passenger side. If the valve stuck, it could posibly have super heated the fluid, expanding it out the vent, or even forceing it out the fill tube or seal. If you dont find an obvious leak (broken cooler line/hose/fitting) I would certainly get rid of the drainback valve. If an aftermarket valve-less hose is not available to you, you could remove the 6'' long rubber line, & crudely extract the rubber check ball & spring with a drill.
(How we did it back in the day;-)
The rubber line I'm speaking of is conected to the bottom of the tranny cooler/ warmer, which is a long metal tank,just under the exhaust manifold.
Good luck! (If I can be of any assistance, PM me or Twisted, for my phone number)
Click to expand...

the valve is in the heat exchangers on these. the steel lines run into and out of the heat exchanger there is not rubber lines there. I went through this a couple years ago and by passed mine without changing the lines. I ran fittings into each line that adapted to 1/2 hose and made a loop, I could then blow through the lines each way to make sure they were clear. I have since removed the heat exchanger when the compounds went on
 
01quadcab said:
the valve is in the heat exchangers on these. the steel lines run into and out of the heat exchanger there is not rubber lines there. I went through this a couple years ago and by passed mine without changing the lines. I ran fittings into each line that adapted to 1/2 hose and made a loop, I could then blow through the lines each way to make sure they were clear. I have since removed the heat exchanger when the compounds went on
Click to expand...

Oh yea... good info. I forgot they moved it up there on the later ones.
If that does turn out to be the problem, do you think he might get away with sliping a piece of rubber tranny hose up on the lines with several clamps to bypass the exchanger & get him home?
(will the threaded fittings slide back enough to allow the hose & a couple of clamps?)
 
Well guys thanks for all the inputs. I was able to find a guy here in the town that the Chevy dealer refered me to that would be cheaper and better for my needs. Him and his buddy used to be Dodge mechanics for about 16 years each and have lots of experience with these transmissions and I am very comfortable with them working on it. Heck they let me hang out and help so I could get my learn on.... We found burnt clutches, leaking neutral switch, leaking pan gasket, another switch cooked that I don't remember and a broken overdrive housing where it meets up with the torque converter. DTT has all my parts being sent here in a hurry so I can get it fixed up right. Master rebuild kit and a new housing. I can't wait to get this all installed and get back to towing west:)
 
Wow. Talk about a trashed tranny. LOL Glad you get everything figured out and will be on the road soon. Tranny work is expensive but my DTT has been the greatest addition to my truck ever.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top