overdrive question

[jamesw]

1988 dodge ram 50 sport 2.6l
has anyone else ever had this issue
during the summer the overdrive would shift out like it is suppose to.
but now that winter has set in i have notice that the over drive doesn't want to shift till the truck has gotten plenty warm.
i will drive it to town
(around 3-6 miles depending on which way i go)
driving @ about 50-60 mph and it will shift threw all the gears just fine.
all but overdrive.
but after heading back home it will shift out like normal.
is this because the oil is to thick ?
or maybe the filter needs changing?
any thoughts?
would really like some feed back on this.
i have been told that changing the filter out could cause more damage than good.
would changing the fluid out help or hurt?
the tranny isn,t slipping or shifting hard just seems to have trouble going into overdrive when it's cold.
plenty of fluid not burnt smelling.
so leave some feed back thanks

[mitchi]

From what I've been told, there is a little temp sensor on the thermostat housing controls the OD.

Maybe it is going bad, and takes longer to warm up in the winter.

My OD doesn't work at all, and I changed that sensor out. Still no-go.

[pennyman1]

The sensor is by the carb / throttle body, not the thermostat housing. Try grounding that wire to the intake manifold - that should make the O/D work all the time unless you turn it off with the switch on the shifter handle. The sensor uses the coolant temperature to determine when the O/D will work - if it isn't up to temp, it won't let it work. You may have a stuck open thermostat.

[jamesw]

just to clarify.
so what you are saying is the od only works once the water temp get's to a set temp right?
and there is a sensor that tells the od ok your hot enough to slip into overdrive.
i never knew this see knowledge is power in this case overdrive power lol

[pennyman1]

yes that is correct. Most people don't know there is a sensor until it dies and the O/D quits working.

[jamesw]

yes that is correct. Most people don't know there is a sensor until it dies and the O/D quits working.

thanks bud that takes a load off my mind i was starting to think my tranny might be head out lol plus i leared something today so thats makes it all worth while

[jamesw]

now if i could only learn to spell *learned* instead of leared lol

[BradMph]

now if i could only learn to spell *learned* instead of leared lol

Ya, maybe you should go to Skool huh?

[jamesw]

Ya, maybe you should go to Skool huh?

or get some Skinner fingers maybe i,ll start using my toes to type with lol