#1998 dodge ram pressure solenoid series#

The transmission oil pressure switch is unique in that its sole purpose is to collect data about the pressure found inside the transmission case, which impacts the timing and operation of shifting a vehicle to a higher or lower gear if needed.ĭue to the fact that it's located underneath the vehicle, the transmission oil pressure switch is subject to extreme conditions and working in a harsh environment. Most of today's vehicles have multiple sensors that review aspects of the transmission from oil pressure to heat, RPM, and even some that control the cruise control on your vehicle.

Older vehicles without ECM also utilize a transmission oil pressure switch, but instead of sending data to a computer, the information is displayed on a gauge found on the dashboard, or is sent to a monitoring console that illuminates a light on the dash if a problem is detected. The transmission oil pressure switch is attached to the transmission case and was engineered to monitor and relay the oil pressure inside the transmission to the on board computer found in most vehicles. What is the transmission oil pressure switch? Like any other sensor, it can become damaged or simply wear out over time.

#1998 dodge ram pressure solenoid series#

One of these components is the transmission oil pressure switch, which is designed to monitor the amount of pressure built up inside the transmission case as fluid flows through a series of chambers and channels to permit the transmission to smoothly shift gears. If this is what's happening you should also see oil fouling on the sparkplugs at the rear of the engine.ĭo some more research and let us know how things are going.On most modern cars, trucks, and SUVs, the transmission and components inside are monitored by a series of sensors and switches that relay information to the ECM every millisecond. If the oil level is absent or very low, you have a very dirty engine and the oil is not draining from the heads or the 'valley' area. If the level is acceptable then the problem could be with the guage or with the pick-up/pump assembly. I would remove the dipstick prior to the point of pressure loss, have it wiped clean and ready to measure the oil level as soon as the engine is shut down. Better to have an assistant at the ready because you want to do this as quickly as possible.

As soon as the engine loses pressure, shut it down and immediately check the oil level. There are many reasons for loss of oil pressure, but from the symptoms it seems that the oil is not returning to the pan quick enough. Dodge trucks have an unusually small opening on the oil pick-up tube.The screen becomes clogged over time from buildup ,especially if the oil changes have been neglected or oil changed after excessively long intervals.The best repair is to replace the pick-up tube,but it can be a difficult procedure to do at home.You might try to dissolve some of the sludge,but if there is still more in the bottom of the pan,it will clog again.Having said those encouraging words,you can try some remedies,like changing the oil and using a thinner oil,say 5w30 over 10w30 ,and substituting 1 qt of automatic transmission for 1 qt of oil to loosen up the sludge.I would'nt reccommend driving more than a few days to a week before changing the oil again.AND ALWAYS REPLACE THE FILTER.AND/or you can try something more radical,like draining the oil,and putting a solvent like 1 gal of kerosene in the oil pan and soaking the pick-up tube over night.Some techs even run the engine with this in the pan,ONLY for about 30 seconds and at idle.If you try any of these,I would reccommend early oil changes about two weeks apart for the next couple oil change intervals,and ALWAYS change the filter.Oil is the life blood of an engine,and always cheaper to change than an engine.Good luck!Īny major/minor work done on the engine? Any odd noises when the oil pressure drops? How clean is the inside of the engine? Are your spark plugs fouling with oil?