1998.5-2002 Dodge 5.9L Cummins Transmissions & Parts

Transmissions on the 1998.5-2002 Ram 5.9L Cummins

The automatic behind the 24-valve is the Chrysler 47RE. Think of it as a 727 with an overdrive added and stronger internals: steel planetary carriers and more clutch plates than the 46RE. Gear ratios are 2.45, 1.45, 1.00 and 0.69, with a lock-up torque converter and an electronically controlled governor pressure system working with a hydraulic valve body. Input rating is about 450 lb-ft. To protect it, automatic trucks got a detuned 215 hp, 420 lb-ft calibration through 2000; for 2001-2002 the automatics moved up to 235 hp and 460 lb-ft.

Manual trucks got the New Venture NV4500 five-speed, rated for 460 lb-ft, or from 1999 the NV5600 six-speed, rated for 550 lb-ft. The 2001-2002 High Output engine, at 245 hp and 505 lb-ft, came only with the NV5600. There is no factory HO automatic.

What fails and why

On the 47RE the headline complaint is lock/unlock: the torque converter clutch cycles in and out in third and overdrive at a steady 35-50 mph, and the rpm hunts. The cause is usually electrical noise on the accelerator pedal position sensor (APPS) signal wire, which shares a loom with the alternator charge wire, or a failing APPS. A weak battery or dirty grounds make it worse.

Shift problems like no 1-2 upshift, stuck in first or limp mode commonly trace to the governor pressure solenoid, the governor pressure transducer or the output-shaft speed sensor behind the pan. Bands stretch with use too, and a loose band gives harsh, slipping or late shifts. Past that, the 47RE has limited headroom. A stock unit behind a stock engine with light loads is good for roughly 100,000-150,000 miles; add power or tow hard and slipping, delayed shifts and converter failures show up much sooner.

The manuals have their own known issues. The NV4500's fifth-gear mainshaft nut can back off, often after lugging in fifth, leaving fifth gear popping out or gone; Dodge addressed it with a revised set-screw nut in TSB 21-10-98. Early 1999-2000 NV5600s drew complaints while towing, and 2001 brought an upgraded clutch, input shaft and synchronizers.

Stock replacement vs. upgrade

If your truck is close to stock and you mostly haul light, correct service parts, a fresh filter and the right fluid are the right call. Fix lock/unlock at the source: load-test both batteries, clean every ground, and check the brake switch, APPS and governor pressure parts before you buy anything. If you tow heavy or have added power, plan on the upgrade path: an aftermarket valve body, a stronger torque converter, billet shafts or a fully built 47RE, plus a deeper pan and an auxiliary cooler to add fluid capacity and shed heat.

What we carry

BD Diesel covers the most ground here: complete 47RE transmissions with converters, Build-It transmission kits, valve bodies, billet input and intermediate shafts, the Triple Torqueforce low-stall converter, an in-line filter kit, an auxiliary cooler and lock-up controllers. ATS Diesel Performance adds 47RE and NV4500/NV5600 transmission packages, governor pressure transducers and billet shafts. For heat, you will find Mishimoto universal and Ram-specific coolers plus a radiator and transmission cooler bundle built for 1998.5-2002, a Fleece Performance Engineering cooler and line kit, and a CSF replacement oil cooler. Deep pans come from XDP, Mag-Hytec and PPE, and Mahle supplies a 47RE pan gasket. Flex plates come from XDP and BD, with a DNR Customs install kit. Fluids are from Hot Shot's Secret and Lucas Oil.

Fitment notes

Start by confirming which transmission you have: the 47RE automatic, the NV4500 five-speed or the NV5600 six-speed. A 47RE valve body does nothing for a manual truck, and the two manuals do not even share a fluid spec: the NV4500 needs GL-4, the NV5600 takes MOPAR 4874464. Many 47RE parts here span 1994-2007 Cummins trucks, but complete units are year-split; BD lists separate 47RE builds for 1998.5-1999 and 2000-2002, and some are specific to 2WD or 4WD. Every truck on this page is a Ram 2500 or 3500, since no second-gen Ram 1500 ever had a Cummins. Verify by VIN, or call us, before you order a transmission or converter.

Frequently asked questions

Why does my 47RE feel like it is shifting in and out at highway speed?

That is converter lock/unlock, the torque converter clutch cycling in third or overdrive. On these trucks it is usually electrical noise on the APPS signal from the alternator wire that runs in the same loom, or a bad APPS. Load-test both batteries, clean the grounds and reroute the APPS wires away from the alternator loom before you replace transmission parts.

Can a stock 47RE handle more power?

Not for long. Its input rating is about 450 lb-ft, which is why automatic trucks were detuned to 215 hp through 2000. A stock 47RE behind a stock engine with light loads lasts roughly 100,000-150,000 miles; once power goes up, failures come much sooner. Plan a built transmission, or valve body, converter and shaft upgrades, along with any power increase.

My NV4500 jumps out of fifth gear. What is going on?

The fifth-gear mainshaft nut has likely backed off, a known NV4500 problem often caused by lugging in fifth. Dodge TSB 21-10-98 calls for a revised set-screw nut torqued to 350 ft-lb with threadlocker, and some trucks also need a new gear or output shaft. Never weld the nut.

Do I need a bigger pan and a cooler if I tow?

For regular towing it makes sense. A deeper pan adds fluid capacity and an auxiliary cooler adds heat rejection; synthetic fluid that meets your transmission's spec helps all three gearboxes. Deep pans here come from XDP, Mag-Hytec and PPE, and coolers from Mishimoto, Fleece, CSF and BD.

Not sure what fits? Call the shop at the number in the header, or use the fitment checker on any product page. We install everything we sell.