47RE Identification Guide

A 47RE core shows up on the bench with a paint-marker "47" on the pan and nothing else. Maybe it came out of a Cummins truck, maybe out of a V10, maybe it is really a 46RE somebody guessed at, or a late 48RE that got relabeled to move it. From outside the case the whole RE family looks the same: same bellhousing profile, same pan, same 2.45 / 1.45 / 1.00 / 0.69 gear spread. Ordering parts off a guess is how you end up with the wrong overdrive stack, the wrong valve body, or a governor sensor with the wrong plug.

This guide is the order we work in when a unit shows up unlabeled: read the stamped numbers, confirm the truck it came from, check the throttle linkage, read the valve body, then confirm inside. The factory details come from Chrysler's 2001 Dodge Ram Truck (BR/BE) service manual. Valve body and hard-part identification comes from Sonnax, and model-year history from Engine Builder. Sources are listed at the end.

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Recommended 47RE parts, matched by generation

Early (oval sensor) and late (rectangular sensor) valve bodies, plus the governor solenoid and sensor kit. Secure checkout.

47RE Valve Body 1996-1999 - Sonnax Updated, Dyno-Tested

$425.00View part

47RE Valve Body 2000-2001 - Sonnax Updated, Dyno-Tested

$525.00View part

A518 46RE 47RE Governor Pressure Solenoid & Sensor Kit 4617210

$111.99View part

What a 47RE Is

Chrysler's service manual describes the 47RE as a four-speed automatic with an electronic governor and a lockup clutch in the torque converter. First through third come from the clutches, bands, overrunning clutch and planetaries in the main case. Fourth comes from a separate overdrive unit bolted to the back of the case, which carries its own overdrive clutch, direct clutch, planetary gear set and overrunning clutch. The manual lists the ratios as:

• 1st: 2.45:1
• 2nd: 1.45:1
• 3rd: 1.00:1
• 4th (overdrive): 0.69:1
• Reverse: 2.21:1

Those ratios do not identify anything by themselves. The 46RE shares the exact same table (the 1998 Chrysler Ram Truck manual prints a single "46/47RE gear ratios" list in Group 21), and the 48RE uses the same gear spread (the 48RE manual rounds reverse to 2.20), so a ratio check only tells you it is an RE-family unit with overdrive, not which one.

Per Engine Builder, the 47RE ran from 1996 through 2002 behind the 12-valve and early 24-valve 5.9L Cummins, and it grew out of Chrysler's A518/A618 lineage. It was also used behind the 8.0L V10 in heavy-duty Rams, which is the detail that trips people up: a 47RE out of a gas truck is not a mistake. The unit before it on 1994-1995 Cummins trucks was the 47RH, and the unit after it was the 48RE, starting in 2003.

Step 1: Read the Stamped Numbers

Start at the case. Chrysler's manual says the transmission identification numbers are stamped on the left side of the case, just above the oil pan gasket surface, and tells you to use that information when ordering replacement parts. The stamping has three pieces, per the manual's illustration:

1. Part number: the assembly number that identifies the build.
2. Build date: when the unit came off the line.
3. Serial number: the individual unit.

On a truck that has lived its life in salt, that pan rail is usually buried under scale and ATF grime. Clean it with a wire brush and brake cleaner and read it with a light held low and to the side so the stamping throws a shadow. Take a photo before you start working. If the numbers have been ground off, or the pan rail has been welded or painted over, treat the unit as unknown and move on to the checks below. A unit with a missing ID is also a reason to ask more questions about where it came from.

The part number is the one to take to your parts supplier or dealer parts counter. Match it against the application, not against whatever is written on the pan.

Step 2: Confirm the Truck It Came Out Of

If the unit is still in the truck, the vehicle is your best evidence. A 47RE belongs in a 1996-2002 Ram 2500 or 3500 with the 5.9L Cummins or the 8.0L V10. The Ram 1500 and the 5.2L and 5.9L gas V8 trucks got the 46RE. Confirm the engine from the VIN and the emissions label under the hood rather than trusting a badge or a previous owner.

If the core came off a pallet, ask for the VIN of the donor truck. A seller who pulled it knows what it came out of. A seller who cannot tell you is selling you a guess.

Step 3: Check the Throttle Linkage

This is the fastest way to separate a 47RE from a late 48RE without opening anything. The 47RE takes its throttle pressure signal from a mechanical throttle valve cable. The 2001 manual's 47RE section says the cable positions the throttle valve, which controls shift speed, shift quality and part-throttle downshift sensitivity. Follow the cable from the engine to the throttle valve lever on the left side of the case. The front band adjusting screw lives right there too: the manual puts it on the left side of the case above the manual valve and throttle valve levers.

Sonnax notes that in 2005 Dodge started using a transmission throttle valve actuator (TTVA) instead of a TV cable on 48RE diesel 2500 and 3500 Ram trucks. The TTVA is an electric motor bolted over the throttle shaft. So:

• TV cable and lever: 47RE, 46RE, or a 2003-2004 48RE. Keep going.
• Electric actuator on the throttle shaft: a 2005-or-later 48RE. It is not a 47RE.

One caution from the same Sonnax article: if someone has converted a unit between cable and TTVA control, the pressure regulator bracket may not match. The TTVA needs 0.905 in. between the pressure regulator spring retaining bracket and the inside edge of the adjustment bolt head, while cable brackets can be as short as 0.820 in. A mismatched bracket sets P1751 or P1752. If you are identifying a unit that has been swapped between trucks, check the bracket too.

Step 4: Read the Valve Body

Drop the pan and the valve body tells you the generation, which matters more for ordering parts than the 46 or 47 on the tag. The 47RE uses an electronic governor: a governor pressure solenoid on the valve body regulates governor pressure, and a governor pressure sensor reports it back to the computer. That sensor changed during the 47RE run.

Sonnax's 42RE/46RE/47RE valve body identification guide splits them this way:

• 1999 and earlier ("early sensor"): the governor pressure sensor has an oval electrical connector.
• 2000 and later ("late sensor"): the sensor is plastic and rectangular.

Sonnax also calls out pump inlet size as the second variable for picking the right valve body. That is why its remanufactured valve body listings group the 46RE and 47RE together and split them only by sensor generation and inlet size: CHR129 for a '99-earlier small-inlet unit and CHR131 for an '00-later small-inlet unit. When you order a valve body, a governor solenoid or a sensor for a 47RE, the connector shape is the fact you need. Snap a photo of it before you pull anything.

If there is no governor pressure solenoid and sensor on the valve body at all, you are not looking at a 47RE. The earlier 47RH is hydraulically governed, with a governor on the output shaft instead of the electronic setup.

Step 5: Confirm It Inside

When the unit is apart, the hard parts settle any remaining doubt between a 46RE and a 47RE. These are the checks we use:

• Front clutch: the 2001 manual's assembly note says the 47RE uses four plates and four discs in the front clutch.
• Overdrive section: the heavy-duty units carry more clutch capacity in the overdrive. The manual notes the overdrive clutch disc and plate count can vary with the engine and vehicle combination, so count what comes out and write it down before you pick a kit. Our 46RE vs 47RE comparison has the gas and diesel stack counts side by side.
• Band settings: the manual's 47RE procedure sets the front band by tightening the adjusting screw to 8 N·m (72 in-lb), backing it off 1-7/8 turns, and holding it while the locknut goes to 41 N·m (30 ft-lb). If the adapter C-3705 is needed to reach the screw, the manual drops the screw torque to 5 N·m (47-50 in-lb). The 1998 Chrysler Ram Truck manual lists the 46RE at 2-7/8 turns front and 2 turns rear, against 1-7/8 and 3 turns on the 47RE, so knowing which unit you have decides how the bands get set.
• Input shaft: Sonnax describes the OE Dodge diesel input shaft as a two-piece design that suffers spline twist, shaft breakage and clutch hub failure. Its Smart-Tech input shaft kits (22121B-02K and the big-shaft 22121B-08K) are listed for the 47RE, 47RH and 48RE only, and the big shaft requires a converter with a 35-spline turbine hub. If a unit already has an aftermarket shaft, note the converter spline count before you order a converter.

These checks catch the other common problem too: a unit that has been rebuilt with parts from more than one generation. That happens a lot in this family, since so many parts interchange. Engine Builder notes that builders retrofit 48RE components into 47RE housings. A 47RE case with 48RE overdrive parts in it is not a problem, as long as you know what is in there before you order.

47RE vs 46RE vs 48RE at a Glance

• 46RE: 1500-series and gas V8 trucks. TV cable. Electronic governor. Lighter overdrive section.
• 47RE: 1996-2002 2500/3500 with the 5.9L Cummins or 8.0L V10. TV cable. Electronic governor, with the early oval or late rectangular sensor. Heavier overdrive section.
• 48RE: 2003-2007 Cummins trucks. TV cable on 2003-2004, electric TTVA from 2005. Stronger overdrive and hard parts, per Engine Builder, and a different valve body. See our 48RE identification guide and the 47RE vs 48RE comparison.

Fluid Is the Same Across the Family

Identification does not change the fluid. The 47RE takes Mopar ATF+4, Chrysler specification MS-9602, and Mobil's ATF+4 data sheet lists that approval. Do not use a Dexron-type fluid in any RE unit. If you are refilling after a rebuild, our 47RE fluid type and capacity guide covers the fill procedure.

A Quick 47RE ID Checklist

1. Clean the left side of the case above the pan gasket and read the part number, build date and serial number.
2. Confirm the donor truck: 1996-2002 Ram 2500/3500, 5.9L Cummins or 8.0L V10.
3. Look for a TV cable. An electric actuator on the throttle shaft means a 2005-up 48RE.
4. Drop the pan. Governor pressure solenoid and sensor present means RE, not RH. Oval sensor plug means '99-earlier, rectangular plastic means '00-later.
5. Inside, confirm four plates and four discs in the front clutch and count the overdrive stack.
6. Check the input shaft and turbine hub spline count before ordering a converter.

Order parts off what you find, not off the paint on the pan.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is the 47RE identification number?

Chrysler's service manual says the numbers are stamped on the left side of the transmission case, just above the oil pan gasket surface. The stamping includes the part number, build date and serial number. Clean the pan rail and read it with a low-angle light.

How can I tell a 47RE from a 46RE?

Start with the truck: the 47RE went into 1996-2002 Ram 2500 and 3500 trucks with the 5.9L Cummins or 8.0L V10, and the 46RE went into gas V8 and 1500-series trucks. Inside, the 47RE has a heavier overdrive section and different band back-off specs. The 2001 manual also notes four plates and four discs in the 47RE front clutch.

How do I tell a 47RE from a 48RE?

Check the throttle linkage first. A 2005-and-later 48RE uses an electric throttle valve actuator instead of a TV cable, per Sonnax, so an actuator on the throttle shaft rules out a 47RE. A 2003-2004 48RE still uses a cable, so on those you need the stamped part number and the donor truck's year.

What years used the 47RE?

Per Engine Builder, the 47RE ran from 1996 through 2002 behind the 12-valve and early 24-valve 5.9L Cummins. It was also used behind the 8.0L V10. The 47RH came before it and the 48RE replaced it in 2003.

Do 46RE and 47RE valve bodies interchange?

Sonnax catalogs 46RE and 47RE remanufactured valve bodies under the same part numbers, split by governor sensor generation and pump inlet size. A 1999-and-earlier unit has an oval sensor connector and a 2000-and-later unit has a rectangular plastic one, so match the sensor style when ordering.

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Related 47RE guides

• 46RE Identification Guide
• 46RE vs 47RE: Differences, Interchange, and Which Is Stronger
• 47RE vs 48RE: Differences, Interchange, and Which Is Stronger
• 48RE Identification Guide
• 47RE Valve Body Problems and Testing
• 47RE Common Problems and Fixes
• 47RE Rebuild Cost and What Drives It