A604 Tranny Help!

[Drowned Rat]

Hello iboats friends,

So, I've got this old Chrysler Town and Country with the A604 in it. Over the course of several months, it started slipping enough to put it in limp mode more and more often. I decided to try changing the fluid to ATF+4 and change out the solenoid pack which I've read will often fix the issue. So that's what I did and now there is a new issue. Reverse works fine, but now I have no forward gears. If you put it in drive and accelerate, it will eventually grab and inch forward. When I was changing the oil, I had the supply and return lines disconnected and I put it in reverse to pump the oil out as I added more to replace (saw this on youtube). No oil would come out when you put it in Drive though. Anyway, all I did was change the solenoid pack and oil. Everything is hooked back up correctly and oil is topped off. Nothing else was touched or changed.

Any ideas what I did to screw this up? My guess is there appears to be no fluid flowing when in Drive, but why would that be? Reverse works fine and oil flows well when in reverse.

I don't want to have to junk this car just yet, help!!

 

[Fireman431]

Re: A604 Tranny Help!

Oh! Thank God! When he indicated he need tranny help, my mind went in a totally different direction!

(I read it as a morbid curiosity only...I swear!!)

 

[BuzzStPoint]

Re: A604 Tranny Help!

Did you remove the transmission lines? Reversed?

Did you change the filter? Is the filter secure and sealed correctly in the valve body.
You didn't mention if you tried forward in all the gears.

start engine, Shift to lowest gear for a few seconds and go all the way back to park stopping at each gear selection.

Check the fluid with engine running.
What does it look like? Reddish? Foamy?

 

[Scott Danforth]

Re: A604 Tranny Help!

+1 on the filter?

 

[dolluper]

Re: A604 Tranny Help!

What year you taking here??????????/....2000 and up useATF+4.....1999 and erlier use ATF+3 there design needs to slip.....check your trannie fuse 20 amper..check red wire to solenoids for 12 volts 1999 down ......yellow newer.......pressure test with guage will be over 80 psi when solenoid appys..... Left to Right looking at the front of the trannie.... From the bellhousing toward the rear cover it's
1st port Drive (1,2,3 gear)
2nd Overdrive (3, 4 gear)
3rd Rev input (reverse only)
4th TCC (torque converter control)
5th 2/4 (2,4 gear)
6th L/R (1, rev gear)
Also check your electrial connections,solinoids,grounds
CHECK FOR CODES with a scanner that does trannie codes

 

[stackz]

Re: A604 Tranny Help!

sounds like the forward bands were already worn just about out with larger clearances that were being held together by the old fluid.

then you put in fresh fluid and the clearances in the bands are just too big until you're high enough in rpm that the pump can flow enough fluid to overcome them.

rebuild time.

 

[dolluper]

Re: A604 Tranny Help!

They usually go into LIMP MODE because of a wiring issue....computer gets wrong info or to much info.....bad ground,connectors.....or engine problem,bad charging system....low battery

 

[bigdee]

Re: A604 Tranny Help!

sounds like the forward bands were already worn just about out with larger clearances that were being held together by the old fluid.

then you put in fresh fluid and the clearances in the bands are just too big until you're high enough in rpm that the pump can flow enough fluid to overcome them.

rebuild time.

This is what is scary about changing fluid on high mileage trannys.....the dirty fluid has enough grit in it to keep the clutches from slipping....changing to fresh fluid is a crap shoot,it may kill it!

 

[dolluper]

Re: A604 Tranny Help!

The fuild change could be the problem if he went from ATF+3 to +4 they don't mix well....since from what I read he didn't drop the pan....he did it through the lines with it running in reverse.....my.....so he has reverse....so he should have drive 1 also.....alot of crap should still be floating around in the fuild no filter change from what I read don't know

 

[Drowned Rat]

Re: A604 Tranny Help!

Thanks so much for the help guys,

So, the first thing that I tried with this van was a filter and partial oil change about a month ago. Did nothing, no better, no worse. It was then that I ordered a new solenoid pack and I did the pack change and the "youtube" full oil change a couple days ago. My first clue something was wrong was when I put the car in D and no oil was coming out the radiator supply hose. I put it in reverse and oil flows great. No flow in "3" or "L" either. Anyway, me not being a mechanic, I bolted it all up and big surprise, it doesn't work. Reverse works perfectly, just like before. No D, 3, or L without revving.

The problem that prompted this was the van would enter limp mode at stop lights sometimes, becoming more frequent, worse when cold. Shifted perfectly at moderate and high speeds. The oil that came out looked dark and dirty, but the magnet in the pan had only a very small amount of super fine fuzz (not alot) and the magnet on the speed sensor was 100% sparkling clean. The solenoid screens appeared to be quite clean (I had expected them to be partially clogged). After running the engine and driving in reverse, lol, the oil is bright red, no foam, clean and new. Checked the level again running and warm, it's fine.

It's frustrating because I don't know what I could have done to mess this up. I thought it was a simple part change. I really cleaned the area well beforehand so no dirt would go down any of the holes when I had the old pack removed. stacks idea seems to make sense to me which would imply the thing is shot. Maybe I could pour some dirt in there and see if it helps! I'm only joking.

dolluper, maybe I could get it to a shop to check the codes, I will see if I can work that out. The wiring appears to be in good shape and the solenoid harness is tight. I haven't checked the fuse, but I will right now. I don't have a pressure gauge, but guessing there is inadequate pressure based on the symptoms yes? Which would mean what exactly since reverse works ok?

Thanks again for your time, it is much appreciated.

 

[dolluper]

Re: A604 Tranny Help!

You say the fuild came out dark.....close to black maybe?? or brown......black is bad seals rebuid time or take a shot in the dark with Lucas........if brown open port 1 shift to drive one,two,or three and see if fuild flys out[vehicle running} .....if not valve body has some junk in it[soleniod valve in VB }....solenoid replace something went directly to valve body.....on the redneck way [lols] of changing the fuild you should have done it in Drive to get the fuild out off the torque convertor also.....

 

[Drowned Rat]

Re: A604 Tranny Help!

Thanks. It was dark, hard to say if black or brown. I guess dark red is really what it looked like. I'll try your suggestions and see what happens. I was so careful about not letting any junk get in there, but...

Looking more and more like rebuild time. Or in this case junkyard time.

 

[dolluper]

Re: A604 Tranny Help!

Let us know what comes out err what doesn't......on 1 nothing try 6 you may be on the wrong one....did you have alot of parts >particles the first oil change?......these trannies can be saved sometimes with the valve body dismantled cleaned and new upgrade kit put in the one that has the new 2-4 accumulator.....about 25-30 bones

 

[stylesabu]

Re: A604 Tranny Help!

you still didn't say what year. i was a chrysler gold tech, spent loys of time with thr 41te trans aka 604. How many miles on it. most likly is that old fluid had enough clutch material floating around in it that fluid was thick enough that seals would seal.The easist way to tell whats going on inside is with a scanner chysler uses a cvi count,that stands for clutch volume index,the numbers will tell if your clutches are worn out. in which case rebuild or replace.if this was built before 1999 and has over 100k on original unit. odds aren't good that you can do anything too bring it back without an overhaul.for what its worth i own a 2001 grand caravan and i use it to tow my boat with I had a torque convertor modified(kevlare band higher stall speed) and a beefed up planetary that i installed along with trans cooler to keep mine pulling for a couple more years. get cvi numbers an you'll know if it can be fixed without oiverhaul

 

[Drowned Rat]

Re: A604 Tranny Help!

Thanks again guys,

dolluper, the fluid looked dirty when it came out, but no particles and the magnets were almost entirely clean.

stylesabu, this is a '94 T&C but I don't know if it's the original transmission. I'm thinking that it isn't because I'm not certain that the A604 was even available on the '94 models. The manuals don't indicate that it was.

 

[stylesabu]

Re: A604 Tranny Help!

yes it was. that 4spd auto has been around a long time. I had one in my 1990 3.0 lx model. lx was short wheel base loaded voyager. good news is its old enough to find a rebuild cheap. if case is painted then its a rebuild,what color is torque convertor? Get me the CVI readings and I can tell you right off the bat wheater its valvebody or seals.Another way to tell is trans pan,they were painted black on both sides from factory, a Mopar tech or anybody else drops the trans pan we grind off the silicone, this removes paint from sealing surface.if its still painted then never off, also factory rebuilds are always mark reman. Good luck, but once they go into limp in, soliniod pack is only fix i have ever seen work, and that was on a recent rebuild about 10,000 miles. and the fact that it was kicking in and out of limp in fuse is good. no power to tcm, limp in only option available

 

[stylesabu]

Re: A604 Tranny Help!

only trans available in a t and c was 4 spd 604 that year, the 3 speed was available in short wheel base voyagers and caravans, all 4 cylinders and some 3.0, but never behind a 3.3 or 3.8

 

[nwcove]

Re: A604 Tranny Help!

Oh! Thank God! When he indicated he need tranny help, my mind went in a totally different direction!

(I read it as a morbid curiosity only...I swear!!)

rofl me too!!! i was gunna suggest looking for an adams apple!!!......just to be sure that the hen wasnt a rooster!!!!

 

[dolluper]

Re: A604 Tranny Help!

WTF I only rebuilt about a thousand of these Dodge junk plies.....did I say I hate chrysler ,dodge...carp....have fun CANADA OUT

 

[NYBo]

Re: A604 Tranny Help!

WTF I only rebuilt about a thousand of these Dodge junk plies.....did I say I hate chrysler ,dodge...carp....have fun CANADA OUT