![]() Taking a look at the clutches first, we find that they are single sided, and the steel core is only. Thin frictions that are prone to warping under heat, and a housing that allows enough flex to increase clearances out of specifications, further contribute to the problem. Add increased engine power, larger tires or a heavy load, and there is a very high probability this will be the first failure of the 68RFE. The OD clutch assembly from OE has significant weak points, even at stock power levels. The most common failure point of the 68RFE is the Overdrive clutches. Failure Point #1: Fragile Overdrive Clutches Overlooking the details will almost always spell trouble in life, though, especially in a transmission. Perhaps it is overlooked because it is more exciting to be bragging to buddies about installing a 6” lift, 35’s and a tuner than telling them about upgrading the input shaft. However, when modifying a vehicle for bigger power, it seems to be a trend to overlook the transmission as a necessary area to upgrade. The diesel aftermarket in general has grown significantly, and the 6.7L is capable of making significantly more power than what it comes with from the factory. The best-known issues with the Chrysler 545RFE transmission are definitely problems with the transmission pump.Although the 68RFE shares similar design features with the 45RFE, it has come a long way in all aspects considering the 45RFE was used in much smaller applications such as the 3.7L Jeep Liberty. Many drivers with pump issues have noticed that their vehicles either creep forward or won't move at all. The issue has been investigated thoroughly, and the culprit is the pump spacer plate. More specifically, the pump spacer plate had two screws that tended to come loose or fall out. When this happened, the pressure in the main line fell significantly. This issue, like many of the issues with this vehicle, is difficult to fix on your own. If you have the skills and the equipment, you can replace the transmission with either a newer pump or a remanufactured pump. The newer transmission pumps were redesigned to deal with this issue by simply removing the screws and casting the holes shut. Most remanufactured 545RFE pumps will be modified to deal with this issue, as it is very well-known. Harsh or Delayed Shifting IssuesĪnother common problem with the 545RFE transmission is harsh or delayed shifting, especially when shifting from third to fourth gear and from fourth gear to fifth gear. If your vehicle hesitates when making these shifts and then jerks into gear, your transmission likely has a problem with its valve body. These harsh shifts are usually caused by a worn checkball that allows fluid to get by and engage the underdrive clutch. You must replace the #2 checkball to solve this issue. This requires you to take the transmission apart and locate the checkball in the valve body. Once you have located the problem checkball, you can replace it fairly easily. The hard part of this job is taking apart and reassembling the transmission. The 545RFE transmission is electronically controlled, so it doesn't have any transmission bands. It instead relies on a solenoid switch pack to send the fluid to the right clutch pack. ![]() If your transmission is old and has a lot of miles on it, the solenoid pack may go bad. If this happens, your vehicle may go into a safety mode that limits the vehicle to very slow speeds. It may even fail to engage gears entirely. If this happens, you have to replace the solenoid packs. ![]() Thankfully, it is relatively simple to replace a bad solenoid pack. All you need to do is remove the fluid container, pop out the old solenoid, and pop in the new solenoid. ![]() Be sure to match the color-coded wires on your new solenoid to the wires on the old solenoid. The 545RFE transmission occasionally has problems with the pressure sensor, which is mounted on the side of the transmission. If it is just starting to go bad, you may notice that your transmission takes too long to get into gear. ![]() If the pressure sensor has completely gone bad, the transmission may stall or overheat. Replacing a bad pressure sensor is relatively easy on the 545RFE transmission, as the pressure sensors are located in an easily accessible location on the side of the transmission. ![]()
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