yeah, I'm getting at P0732 which is a Gear Ratio Incorrect code. does that have anything to do with the clutches engaging and disengaging?
Automatic Transmission Issue
- Thread starter ManInBlack06
- Start date
If you're asking me, I don't know. I'm not a transmission guy, I was lucky to have been able to get mine apart and back together again without any problems. By the way I did also install a Transgo Stage 1 shift kit for added insurance, it reportedly fixed one or two design issues without also giving it a firmer shift like their other shift kits do. I don't know if it did anything but figured it couldn't hurt and it didn't. Be careful to note where all the little plastic check-valve balls are if you split the valve body, they're located inside the worm tracks. I replaced them too, I took a photo of them before removing them to make sure I put the new ones where the old ones were.
Incorrect gear ratio codes are triggered by the difference in the input shaft speed vs the output shaft speed. The pcm will monitor the the speed coming into the transmission through a speed sensor usually in the front of the transmission the look at the speed of the output shaft of the transmission. The pcm then verifies the speeds are correct with the corresponding gear the transmission has shifted to. It appears the 42RLE uses a series of 4 switches to produce a binary code to notify the pcm of the gear it is in. This along with the trans range sensor the pcm can calculate what the output shaft speed should be in relation to the input shaft speed and the gear it is in. If it is outside the parameters the code will be set.
The pcm is identifying a issue with the transmission. Let’s say first gear ratio is 3:1 and second gear ratio is 2:1 and the allowance is 10% in the pcm transmission table ( these are fictitious numbers ) so the pcm will know the transmission is in first gear by the 4 switches that feedback a binary signal ( on,on,off,on) to the pcm. So If put input shaft speed (essentially rpm) is 3000 rpm then output shaft would be 1000 rpm. Pcm says all good. Then as you increase vehicle speed to the point of needing second gear the pcm will signal the solenoid pack to shift to second gear by turning on or off needed solenoids. When it actuates the solenoids it will see the response through the 4 pressure switches ( on,off,on,on) this will let the pcm know the solenoid actuated and it did open or close and pressure did change to apply or unapply the appropriate clutch pack. When this happens your transmission went into neutral or what appeared to be neutral. The pcm should of seen 2000 input with 1000 rpm output shaft speed but it saw 3000 rpm input with 1000 rpm output in second ( it knows it is in second from the pressure switches). The pcm compares that with its table the output shaft speed is out of the 10% tolerance and it will set the incorrect gear ratio code.
This is basically how it works, these numbers are not actual but can be found in field service manual. There is also a lot more going on the pcm looks at for transmission shifting such as throttle position , vehicle speed, load, temperature, fluid temperature.
You have something going on most likely internally in the transmission. The no reverse concerns me. If you want when I get back to my Jeep ( next week) I can disconnect the electronics and see if I still have reverse that would verify it is something hydraulic or mechanical in the transmission. I want to say when my 06 pcm had the transmission issue it defaulted to second gear with reverse still working. Installing a solenoid pack probably would not be money wasted though as if I had to rebuild the transmission I would probably put one in anyway and you said there was no metal in the pan to contaminate the new one.
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100% agree with the above posts. I also just made the connection in my head that you lost power while in OD and also now don't have 2nd gear. Both gears use the 2/4 clutch so I would absolutely verify (a) the solenoid for the 2/4 apply is working AND that the 2/4 piston will hold pressure. Still can't account for no reverse, other than the fact that the low reverse clutch needs to hold as much as 2x the pressure to apply in reverse vs 1st gear (or P or N, which also use that clutch). It's possible that the piston seal there is not holding enough pressure.
The hydraulic/air tests are discussed starting around page 47 of the FSM, though page 50 is where I'd probably start. Some of the tests involve having the car up so the wheels can spin, although I have always wondered if you couldn't just put the t-case into N and leave the wheels on the ground. I'm not a huge fan of being under a vehicle while the wheels are turning, but maybe my vagina has extra sand.
This isn't the same transmission, but it shows him doing the air test to verify the clutch application.
https://wranglertjforum.com/attachments/42rle-automatic-transmission-pdf.14078/
The hydraulic/air tests are discussed starting around page 47 of the FSM, though page 50 is where I'd probably start. Some of the tests involve having the car up so the wheels can spin, although I have always wondered if you couldn't just put the t-case into N and leave the wheels on the ground. I'm not a huge fan of being under a vehicle while the wheels are turning, but maybe my vagina has extra sand.
This isn't the same transmission, but it shows him doing the air test to verify the clutch application.
https://wranglertjforum.com/attachments/42rle-automatic-transmission-pdf.14078/
Before you rip everything apart, check all the wires going to your transmission. I had a cut/pinched wire in split loom I couldn't see, not sure how, perhaps a stick r rock got up there, but, Same symptoms, only 1st gear (42RLE).
Edit: Check the connectors as well, and while you have them off, put some di-electric grease in them.
Edit: Check the connectors as well, and while you have them off, put some di-electric grease in them.
I believe I did, it was like 3 years ago. I could put in D, 1, 2, and it would only stay in 1st. It was the connection under driver seat area on the transmission, I wish I kept a picture of it.
Reverse is mechanical/ hydraulic is you disconnect the solenoid connector from the transmission you should still have reverse and second.
OP does not have reverse which if all electronics are disconnected it will default to P,R,N,2
@jerrybransford, where did you find the check valve balls online to order. I’m having a tough time finding them.
I can't find my original order for them but from the Mopar parts guide says it's p/n 52118261 and I found a lot of sources for it using Google. Summit is one source, you need four of those check balls.... https://www.summitracing.com/parts/mop-52118261
Amazon has it too but they don't say if four are included in their $12.99 price at https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007NNG0EC/?tag=wranglerorg-20
I can't believe what that little plastic or nylon ball costs lol.
P.S. There's one more check ball listed in the Mopar parts guide, p/n 0104918 and it only uses one of them. I have no idea where that one goes, there were only four check balls inside the valve body.
Amazon has it too but they don't say if four are included in their $12.99 price at https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007NNG0EC/?tag=wranglerorg-20
I can't believe what that little plastic or nylon ball costs lol.
P.S. There's one more check ball listed in the Mopar parts guide, p/n 0104918 and it only uses one of them. I have no idea where that one goes, there were only four check balls inside the valve body.
I’m not getting any results with the second part number, but I was able to find 4 of the 52118261 on an oem mopar parts site for $13 shipped. Thanks for your help on this! Going to tackle the valve body rebuild this weekend.
Having recently done this on the 32RH, the best advice I can give you here is to take TONS of pictures before/during/after disassembly. My particular FSM had a few mistakes, as did the ASG Manual I got from Oregon Performance Transmission. The two manuals together were still a great resource despite the occasional error. More than a few times I went back to my disassembly videos to see exactly how something went back together. It's a bunch of tiny parts that fit in multiple directions. And many of them are spring loaded so when you remove a cover it will want to pop out. Attention to detail is your best friend.
I also took it apart in obvious sections, and then I bagged up & labeled all the stuff from that section. I ended up with like 10 bags, but it was a breeze when I went to reassemble everything. It's generally not hard to know which of 2 or 3 springs goes into which bore if you know exactly which section you're working on. It's much much much harder to know which of the 20 springs goes into any individual bore across the whole thing.
To clean it, I sprayed the fire out of it with brake cleaner and then dried it out with compressed air. It was also 100F+ outside so stuff dried quickly.
You got this, dude. Please post your progress here, the world needs these sorts of things demystified.
X2 take photos, especially of the inside of the valve body showing the channels the check valve balls were in.
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