Q: Engine stalls when put into gear

asked by on December 24, 2016

I had my automatic transmission rebuilt a 46RE in a 2002 dodge Dakota 5.9 L.... I put it back in and went through the process of filling the tranny up....put 6 quarts in,went through all gears just fine....put it in neutral,put 2 more quarts in and went to go through the gears again.....dropped it in 1st and it jumped,bogged down and died....started it back up and put it in reverse...same thing happens bogged down and dies..... every time I put it in any gear it dies.....seems lik the torque converter is locked up but it spun freely when I was tightening the flex plate bolts to the converter.....don't no what is wrong...

My car has 140000 miles.
My car has an automatic transmission.

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Hello. Engine stalling can be caused by a wide variety of issues. Anything from transmission issues, fuel problems, to wiring problems can all cause an engine to stall when put into gear. If you recently rebuilt the transmission it may be possible that the issue is related to the service. As you stated, it may be possible that the torque converter is locking up for some reason, perhaps due to a mechanical issue or a fluid pressure issue. It may also be possible that the stalling is being caused by issues with the engine management system. Perhaps an issue with one of the components, such as the fuel pump or idle air control valve is causing the vehicle to stall out when put under load. I would start by trying to determine if the stalling is transmission or engine management related and go from there. If the check engine light is illuminated, scanning for trouble codes will likely reveal some insight into what the problem may be. As these sorts of engine management issues can sometimes be difficult to diagnose, I would recommend having a professional technician, such as one from YourMechanic, come to your location to diagnose what may be causing your stalling.

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