41TE "Bullet Proofing"

[Dusty_Duster]

Hmm, I'm thinking of putting one of those on both my Duster and my Ram. All you do is put them in-line with the cooler, right? Nothing else you need to do?

[Vigo]

Nope, just make one cut in the middle of your cooler line, and stick this thing in there and snug down 2 hose clamps and you're good to go..

I think they are directional though so you need to know which way to face it on each line. I would put it on the output of the trans so that it keeps stuff from getting to the cooler as well.

I dont know which one is out off hand but i think i have in some PDF somewhere, or simon might just remember anyway.

What year is your ram? 94-up have a check valve in the cooler line that can clog and burn your tranny up, if you put a filter inline i would remove that check-ball while you're at it. I used to do it to every Ram that came through the trans shop i worked at a few years back.

[turbovanman²]

They say if your cooler is used, to put it AFTER the cooler, if its new, put it in front or WTH and use 2.

Easy to find the feed line to the cooler, just have someone 2 foot it for a few secs and have someone feel the lines, whichever is hotter is the feed or out line.

[turbovanman²]

Planetary's are going to be about $500 a piece, so get inline everyone,

[Dusty_Duster]

Nope, just make one cut in the middle of your cooler line, and stick this thing in there and snug down 2 hose clamps and you're good to go..

I think they are directional though so you need to know which way to face it on each line. I would put it on the output of the trans so that it keeps stuff from getting to the cooler as well.

I dont know which one is out off hand but i think i have in some PDF somewhere, or simon might just remember anyway.

What year is your ram? 94-up have a check valve in the cooler line that can clog and burn your tranny up, if you put a filter inline i would remove that check-ball while you're at it. I used to do it to every Ram that came through the trans shop i worked at a few years back.

It's an '01 Ram. Do you have any more info on that check valve? I haven't had any issues yet.

[SebringLX]

WTF?! You're still using the stock cooler? Are you kidding me?! I'm running an external cooler in my Duster, and I'm only running about 5-10% over stock power levels.

No, I'm not kidding you. The stock cooler on my car is huge and does its job well. Remember I have a 2004, not a pre-96 with all the problems. If you re-read what I wrote, I'm able to keep the temps down around 180. Like I said, I have not had any heat related problems with it ever.

EDIT: If your gauge cluster doesn't have a "TRANS TEMP" light, your computer most likely doesn't know the actual transmission temperature. My Ram has a towing package and has the aforementioned idiot light.

I want to say it does, but I'll have to check when I get the car back on Friday. Like I said, the PCM has a section in it that turns the fans on when the trans reaches a certain temperature, and off after it's dropped below a certain temperature. All 2003+ NGC1 or NGC3 controlled vehicles with an auto trans have this.

I agree, that's suicide, and did you put a filter inline like I keep telling you?

No, the trans already has a filter in it, I don't see what another one is going to do other than restrict the flow of the fluid.

So where are the pictures of the broken 3 pinion front planets that you're trying to address?

Link to pics is in the 1st post. You can't see the front planetary because it's stuck inside the 2-4 hub. I didn't flip it over to get a pic while I was there. If they haven't already tossed all the broken parts by the time I go pick the car up, I'll get some shots of it.

Planetary's are going to be about $500 a piece, so get inline everyone,

No thank you. That's way too high for something that sounds like your friend couldn't make properly because he doesn't have the right equipment. A 5 pinion front planetary for a few Dodge automatic transmissions that use them are only $89. The rear planetary from the 41TE which is already a 5 pinion in 96+ units are only $100. Even looking at some other makes, I don't see any higher than $250 for an after-market part.

I live in a major industrial center, plus I'm only an hour away from Chicago, Milwaukee, and Madison. I'm sure I can find someone to make this stuff locally. There are a ton of machine shops in this area, many with 5 (or more) axis CNCs, and even the companies that make the CNCs and other tools that machine shops use are around here.

[Dusty_Duster]

No, I'm not kidding you. The stock cooler on my car is huge and does its job well. Remember I have a 2004, not a pre-96 with all the problems. If you re-read what I wrote, I'm able to keep the temps down around 180. Like I said, I have not had any heat related problems with it ever.

Is your stock cooler external or part of the radiator? If it's the latter, your radiator may be heating up the trans fluid.

I want to say it does, but I'll have to check when I get the car back on Friday. Like I said, the PCM has a section in it that turns the fans on when the trans reaches a certain temperature, and off after it's dropped below a certain temperature. All 2003+ NGC1 or NGC3 controlled vehicles with an auto trans have this.

You've had that tranny out multiple times now. Does it have a temperature sensor on it?

[SebringLX]

Is your stock cooler external or part of the radiator? If it's the latter, your radiator may be heating up the trans fluid.

IIRC it's actually part of the AC Evaporator core which sits in front of the radiator. Like the top 1/3 of it is trans cooler. I'd have to double check when I get the car back though.

You've had that tranny out multiple times now. Does it have a temperature sensor on it?

I did not take it out any of the times it's been out, couldn't tell you for sure at this point. Need to look when I get the car back. I want to say there's a sensor on the line closer to the cooler.

[Reaper1]

Definetely get an external cooler and temp gage ASAP as everyone elese has stated. That stock unit, even with the fans isn't good enough! I preffer B&M coolers.

Another fluid option is made by Redline! They actually have a specific fluid for ATF+4 (we can probably thank the diesel guys for that).

[turbovanman²]

No, I'm not kidding you. The stock cooler on my car is huge and does its job well. Remember I have a 2004, not a pre-96 with all the problems. If you re-read what I wrote, I'm able to keep the temps down around 180. Like I said, I have not had any heat related problems with it ever.

Doesn't matter, stock coolers are marginal at best.

No, the trans already has a filter in it, I don't see what another one is going to do other than restrict the flow of the fluid.

Stock filters are junk, its again, marginal at best but we've given examples so take the info as you will.

No thank you. That's way too high for something that sounds like your friend couldn't make properly because he doesn't have the right equipment. A 5 pinion front planetary for a few Dodge automatic transmissions that use them are only $89. The rear planetary from the 41TE which is already a 5 pinion in 96+ units are only $100. Even looking at some other makes, I don't see any higher than $250 for an after-market part.

I live in a major industrial center, plus I'm only an hour away from Chicago, Milwaukee, and Madison. I'm sure I can find someone to make this stuff locally. There are a ton of machine shops in this area, many with 5 (or more) axis CNCs, and even the companies that make the CNCs and other tools that machine shops use are around here.

R@D and one off stuff cost's money, good luck and let us know how it works out,

The get inline was a joke,

BTW, my friend company makes planetary's for 2000+ ft/lbs impact guns, they use straight cut gears hence no jig for helical gears,

[Vigo]

Sounds like the stock cooler IS external, thats a nice freebie. Im curious to see a picture of it but if the trans temp reading is ACTUALLY coming from the transmission and it never shows much more than 180, that's fine.

Just gotta be sure its not extrapolating that temperature from something only remotely related, like the coolant temp.

[Dusty_Duster]

Definetely get an external cooler and temp gage ASAP as everyone elese has stated. That stock unit, even with the fans isn't good enough! I preffer B&M coolers.

Another fluid option is made by Redline! They actually have a specific fluid for ATF+4 (we can probably thank the diesel guys for that).

Mopar ATF+4 is already a very well-made, fully-synthetic fluid. What is the advantage of using Redline's ATF+4 over Mopar's?

[SebringLX]

R@D and one off stuff cost's money, good luck and let us know how it works out,

The get inline was a joke,

BTW, my friend company makes planetary's for 2000+ ft/lbs impact guns, they use straight cut gears hence no jig for helical gears,

Good for your friends company? I'm sure they make a fine product for impact guns, what's that got to do with transmissions?

The front planetary is low on the list, as I don't think it broke so much as other parts connected to it broke off and got stuck inside of it. There's no R&D involved in copying a part that already exists.

The 46RE/47RE/48RE transmissions use a 5 pinion front planetary. I'm wondering if one for those could be modified for use in the 41TE.

[turbovanman²]

Good for your friends company? I'm sure they make a fine product for impact guns, what's that got to do with transmissions?

The front planetary is low on the list, as I don't think it broke so much as other parts connected to it broke off and got stuck inside of it. There's no R&D involved in copying a part that already exists.

The 46RE/47RE/48RE transmissions use a 5 pinion front planetary. I'm wondering if one for those could be modified for use in the 41TE.

You brought up tooling and stuff so I'd figure I would let you know what they build.

You wanted a 5 pinion planetary vs the stock 3 one, that isn't a simple copy.

That would be interesting, could save alot of energy and time,

[SebringLX]

You wanted a 5 pinion planetary vs the stock 3 one, that isn't a simple copy.

Yeah but the hubs are, as they would just be copied using a stronger material, and that's more what broke or would have a tendency to break I would think.

That would be interesting, could save alot of energy and time,

What's even more interesting is that they have a 6 pinion OD planetary. Then again those are the HD transmissions found in the Hemi and Diesel RAMs.

[Vigo]

The front planetary is low on the list, as I don't think it broke so much as other parts connected to it broke off and got stuck inside of it.

That's what i was going after with my question for pics... I dont think they break much. I wouldnt spend big bucks trying to fix something that you dont know is broke.

[turbovanman²]

What's even more interesting is that they have a 6 pinion OD planetary. Then again those are the HD transmissions found in the Hemi and Diesel RAMs.

Too bad they don't fit A413's,

[Reaper1]

I know some of the A606/42LE internals are directly swappable to the A604/21TE. I wonder if there are some internals to that we might be able to use that are more beefy?

[SebringLX]

I know some of the A606/42LE internals are directly swappable to the A604/21TE. I wonder if there are some internals to that we might be able to use that are more beefy?

They are the same.

[Reaper1]

OK...well, that clears that up now doesn't it! LOL