46RE Rebuild Cost and What Drives It

"What will it cost to rebuild the transmission in my Ram 1500?" is the question behind most 46RE calls. The truck is usually a 1996-2003 half-ton Ram, a Dakota or Durango with the 5.2L or 5.9L Magnum V8, or a Ram van, and the 46RE behind it is slipping, flaring into overdrive, or has quit moving in reverse. Nobody can quote it honestly over the phone. The bill depends on what is broken inside, and you do not know that until the unit is on the bench and apart.

What we can do is lay out what a 46RE rebuild bill is built from, which parts go on every job, which ones only show up when the truck was driven too long, and the cheap items that decide whether you pay for the job twice. The factory numbers come from Chrysler's 2001 Dodge Ram Truck (BR/BE) service manual, 46RE section. Known weak points come from Sonnax and ATRA's GEARS magazine. Sources are listed at the end.

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Recommended 46RE parts for a rebuild

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46RE Master Rebuild Kit 1998-2002

$307.98View part

46RE Pump 1994-2003

$230.98View part

46RE Valve Body 2000-2001 - Sonnax Updated, Dyno-Tested

$525.00View part

What Makes Up a 46RE Rebuild Bill

Every 46RE estimate breaks into the same six lines:

• Soft parts: gaskets, seals, sealing rings and the filter. Replaced on every rebuild.
• Frictions, steels and bands: the wear items. Replaced on any real rebuild.
• Hard parts: pump, drums, planetaries, sun shell, overdrive parts, sprag, bushings and thrust bearings. Replaced only when worn, cracked or broken.
• Valve body: rebuilt with repair kits, or swapped for a corrected unit.
• Torque converter: replaced or rebuilt, plus a cooler and line flush.
• Fluid, labor and outside items: ATF+4, the drainback valve, and the governor pressure solenoid and sensor if they are suspect.

The first two lines barely move from one truck to the next. The hard parts are where estimates grow, and they grow almost every time because the truck kept getting driven after it started slipping. Labor is the other big number, and it depends more on the shop and your region than on the transmission.

One point that helps gas-engine owners: GEARS writer Keith Clark notes that the RE family's hard parts "stand up to heavy abuse," and that the valve body is where the real assessment happens at teardown. A 46RE behind a stock Magnum V8 sees far less torque than a 47RE behind a Cummins, so a 46RE pulled early often comes apart needing little beyond the kit, a converter and valve body work.

The Fixed Part of the Job

A master rebuild kit covers the gaskets, seals, sealing rings, frictions, steels, and usually the filter and bands. An overhaul kit covers only the soft parts, which is fine for a reseal but not for a unit that slipped. In our store a 46RE overhaul kit for 1990-2003 lists at $118.99, a 46RE/47RE master rebuild kit at $254.99, and a year-specific 1998-2002 master kit at $307.98. Match the kit to the year of the unit; our 46RE kit and clutch module listings are split by year so you can.

The friction stack is small compared with a 47RE. The 2001 manual (page 21-532) lists 3 discs in the front clutch, 4 in the rear clutch, 4 in the overdrive clutch and 8 in the direct clutch. Count what comes out of the case before you trust a kit's stack, because the manual also says overdrive clutch disc and plate counts can vary with the engine and vehicle combination.

Setup is where cheap rebuilds cut corners, and it is labor you want on the bill. From the 2001 manual:

• Input shaft end play: 0.86-2.13 mm (0.034-0.084 in.), measured with the overdrive unit installed. Chrysler says incorrect end play means the transmission is assembled wrong or the selective reaction shaft thrust washer is the wrong thickness.
• Planetary end play: 0.150-1.22 mm (0.006-0.048 in.).
• Clutch clearances: front clutch 1.78-3.28 mm (0.070-0.129 in.), rear clutch 0.635-0.914 mm (0.025-0.036 in.).
• Front (kickdown) band: torque the adjuster to 8 N·m (72 in-lb), back off 2-7/8 turns, and hold it while the locknut goes to 41 N·m (30 ft-lb). If adapter C-3705 is needed to reach the screw, the manual drops the adjuster torque to 47-50 in-lb.
• Rear (low-reverse) band: 72 in-lb, back off 2 turns, locknut to 34 N·m (25 ft-lb), pan bolts to 17 N·m (13 ft-lb).
• Overdrive unit: the intermediate shaft spacer and overdrive piston thrust plate are select-fit parts chosen from measured dimensions.

These band numbers are not the 47RE's. The 47RE uses a 1-7/8 turn front band back-off. A shop that runs 47RE numbers on a 46RE, or guesses, is setting up a band slip or a drag you will pay to have fixed later.

Where the Bill Grows: Hard Parts

This is the part nobody can price until the unit is apart. On a 46RE the likely extras are well known, and the good news is that most of them are not expensive on their own. Our store gives a feel for what one extra part adds: a 46RE sun shell at $61.59, a sprag clutch at $72.26, a clutch drum at $83.98, an input drum at $202.92 and a pump at $230.98.

Overdrive unit

The factory diagnosis chart for "slips in overdrive fourth gear" (page 21-500) lists low fluid, a worn overdrive clutch pack, a blown-out bleed orifice in the overdrive piston retainer, overdrive piston or seal failure, a 3-4 shift valve, timing valve or accumulator problem, overdrive thrust bearing failure, and an overdrive check valve or bleed orifice failure. The corrections tell you what each costs. A worn pack means removing the overdrive unit and rebuilding the clutch pack. A blown orifice means disassembling the transmission to reach the retainer. A damaged piston retainer also means full disassembly.

Sonnax lists two 46RE overdrive parts that show up on a lot of rebuild invoices: the oversized overdrive sprag pilot bushing 12509-01 for overdrive roller clutch failure, and the oversized piston retainer kit 22754N-02K for loss of lube oil to the planetaries and the reverse drum, retainer and planet failure that follows.

The manual also offers a real cost saver. It says to remove just the overdrive unit if diagnosis points to overdrive problems only, and to pull the entire transmission if the overdrive malfunctioned or the fluid is contaminated. When the overdrive comes off, the manual says to drain it and look at the fluid: if it contains clutch material or metal fragments, overhaul is necessary. So a clean-fluid overdrive complaint can be a smaller job than a full rebuild. A pan full of clutch material cannot.

Forward (rear) clutch retainer and front clutch piston

The forward (rear) clutch retainer shared by the 46RH/RE, 47RH/RE and 48RE is a known weak point. Per Sonnax, the OE retainer (52854149AA) is cast and commonly fails from cracks and wear, especially with added power or towing loads. Sonnax's replacement, 22554-HD, is 4140 billet steel. A 46RE that towed a camper or boat is the one to look at hard. Sonnax also lists a reinforced front clutch piston, 22965A-01, for the cast OE piston. Our 46RE rebuild wear points guide walks through the inspection.

Rear servo and reverse

A burnt rear band or a no-reverse complaint brings its own parts. Sonnax lists the 46RE rear servo piston 22912 for burnt bands, no Reverse and piston sticking or breakage. Our 46RE no reverse guide covers the diagnosis, including why the 46RE's 2.80 in. rear servo is not the 47RE part.

Gear train, bearings and pump

Sonnax lists the bearing and plate kit 12860-01K and bearing kit SBK-C16 for bearing noise and failure on the 46RE. Planetaries, the sun shell and drums get replaced only when worn, chipped or cracked. The pump is replaced when the gears, pocket or bushing are scored. A pump that should have been replaced will bring the truck back, and the manual's Reverse line pressure spec (160 psi at idle, building to 270 psi at 1600 rpm) is one a good shop checks before teardown and again after the rebuild.

The Valve Body Line

On a 46RE this line often decides the whole job. Keith Clark's GEARS article names the four highest-wear areas in the RE valve body: the throttle valve bore (shift timing and cable adjustment problems), the switch valve bore (converter overheating, TCC slip or no apply), the 1-2 and 2-3 governor plugs (shift timing), and the line pressure plug and sleeve (delayed engagement, slip in Reverse, poor converter charge). He also says that once a switch valve is past 100,000 miles, its reliability is questionable.

Sonnax's 46RE page matches those parts to part numbers: the oversized throttle valve kit 22771-04K for shift timing, throttle buzz, poor kickdown and late or oversensitive shifts, the oversized 4-spool switch valve 22771A-13 for lockup shudder, overheated converter, low cooler flow and soft TCC apply, the line pressure plug and sleeve kit 22229-01K for reverse slip and poor engagement, and the Sure Cure kit SC-46-47RHE-OS, which bundles fixes for lockup shudder, low cooler flow, converter bushing failure and lube failures.

You have two ways to pay for that. Rebuilding the original valve body costs the kits plus bench time with reamers and a vacuum tester. A corrected unit costs more up front but arrives done: in our store, 46RE valve bodies with the Sonnax updates and a dyno test run $425.00 for 1996-1999, $525.00 for 2000-2001 and $610.00 for 2002-up push-in units. Match the calibration to the year. Our 46RE valve body testing guide covers the bench checks that tell you which way to go.

The Converter and Cooler Line

Plan on a converter with nearly every 46RE rebuild. The 2001 manual's fluid contamination section lists "failure to replace contaminated converter after repair" as a cause of contamination, and says the converter should be replaced whenever a failure generates sludge and debris, because normal converter flushing will not remove all of it. The same section says to reverse flush the cooler and lines whenever a malfunction generates sludge or debris, including auxiliary coolers, or the new unit gets recontaminated.

The drainback valve belongs on this line too. The manual puts it in the cooler outlet (pressure) line, rates it at about 2 psi opening pressure, says it is serviced only as an assembly, and says not to clean it: if a failure generated significant sludge, clutch particles or metal, replace it. It also warns that a restricted, reversed or misplaced valve causes overheating and possible transmission failure. When the converter goes in, check that it is fully seated: the manual says the converter lugs should sit 1/2 in. behind a straightedge across the bell housing. See our 46RE torque converter shudder guide for the lockup checks.

Budget a flow test before the truck leaves, because a rebuild bolted to a restricted cooler is the most expensive line on any estimate: the second one. Bob Warnke's Sonnax bulletin on 46-47RH/RE cooler and converter flow calls cooler restriction the most common issue in this family, and lists TCC slip codes, delayed engagement, slow converter fill and hydraulic noise among the symptoms. Sonnax's 22771A-01 switch valve instructions set the minimum at 1 quart in 20 seconds (0.8 gpm) from the cooler return line in Drive at idle. If the old cooler cannot make that after a flush, replacing it costs far less than a comeback.

Fluid

The 46RE takes Mopar ATF+4, type 9602, per the manual's specification table. The manual's capacity chart puts a service fill (pan and filter) at 3.8 L (4 quarts) and a dry fill at 9-9.5 L (19-20 pints), and notes the dry figure varies with cooler type and line length. That is a lot less than the 47RE, which is worth knowing when you check the fluid line on an estimate. The manual also says that if coolant has circulated through the transmission, an overhaul is necessary, and that the radiator must be replaced because its cooler cannot be serviced. Our 46RE fluid guide has the full fill procedure.

How to Read a 46RE Estimate

California's Bureau of Automotive Repair writes the clearest rules in the country on what a shop owes you on paper, and they translate directly to a transmission job even outside California:

• Get a written estimate naming the condition, the parts, and the estimated price for labor, with your authorization recorded on it before any repair starts.
• Before the shop goes beyond that original estimate or adds charges, it should come back to you for authorization on the additional work first.
• Each part listed on the estimate should be marked new unless it's specifically identified as used, rebuilt, or reconditioned — don't accept an estimate that just says "parts" with no distinction.
• Get the warranty in writing: the time and mileage limits, and where warranty work can be done, vary shop to shop and kit to kit, so don't assume a standard.

A good 46RE estimate lists the kit, the converter, the cooler flush and drainback valve, the fluid, and a separate allowance for hard parts found at teardown. It should also say how the valve body is being handled. An estimate that leaves out the converter and cooler work is not cheaper. It moves that cost to the comeback.

How to Keep the Bill Down

1. Stop driving it when it slips. A 46RE pulled early usually needs the kit, a converter and valve body work. One driven until it quits usually needs drums, a sun shell or a planetary too.
2. Diagnose before tearing down. A limp-mode or no-upshift complaint can be the governor pressure solenoid or sensor, not a rebuild. See our 46RE limp mode guide. If the problem is in overdrive only and the fluid is clean, the manual allows pulling just the overdrive unit.
3. Fix the valve body while it is out. The switch valve and line pressure bores are cheap to correct during a rebuild and expensive to revisit.
4. Fix the cooling. The manual names a bad drainback valve, a damaged cooler, restricted lines and towing without an auxiliary cooler as the causes of burnt fluid.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does it cost to rebuild a 46RE transmission?

It depends on what is broken inside. Every rebuild needs a kit (our 46RE master kits list from $254.99 to $307.98), a converter, a cooler flush, a new drainback valve, ATF+4 and labor. Hard parts found at teardown, such as a pump, drum, sun shell or overdrive parts, add to that, and labor varies by shop and region.

Is a 46RE cheaper to rebuild than a 47RE?

Usually. The 46RE sits behind the gas Magnum V8s, uses a smaller friction stack (3, 4, 4 and 8 discs per the Chrysler manual) and takes about 9-9.5 liters of fluid dry. A 47RE behind a Cummins more often needs input shaft and heavier converter work, which the 46RE rarely does.

Can the 46RE overdrive be repaired without a full rebuild?

Sometimes. The 2001 Chrysler service manual says to remove just the overdrive unit if diagnosis points to overdrive problems only. If the overdrive fluid contains clutch material or metal fragments, or the fluid is contaminated, the manual says the whole transmission comes out for overhaul.

Do I need a new torque converter when rebuilding a 46RE?

Almost always. The Chrysler manual says the converter should be replaced whenever a failure generates sludge and debris, because normal flushing will not remove all contaminants. Reverse flush the cooler and lines and replace the drainback valve at the same time.

What are the 46RE band adjustment specs?

Per the 2001 Chrysler manual, tighten the front band adjuster to 72 in-lb, back it off 2-7/8 turns and torque the locknut to 30 ft-lb. For the rear band, tighten to 72 in-lb, back off 2 turns and torque the locknut to 25 ft-lb.

Related 46RE guides

• 46RE Common Problems and Fixes
• 46RE Rebuild Wear Points
• 46RE Slipping: Causes and Fix
• 46RE Valve Body Problems and Testing
• 46RE vs 47RE Differences
• 47RE Rebuild Cost and What Drives It