hello all- I am posting a bit of discovery I made today concerning my 2007, auto, 4x4. I had been ran into by a deer about two months ago while delivering a horse to my wife. Soon after the accident my vehicle went for an extended stay at a body shop, both driver side doors being torn up along with from quarter and bed side. After about 5 weeks there and a couple of choices on how to make the truck better, it went to an upholstery shop and got a leather conversion, then off to a local fabricator for a custom flatbed. Needless to say I missed my truck for close to 3 months. Last week fabricator returned it. And I mean to tell you I was satisfied as can be. The bed still needed painting so I removed it and it sat in my shop waiting for but another week. Bed was finished and reinstalled on Saturday.

After standing back admiring the beauty of it all, I had to put it to work. I hooked onto a small gooseneck 4 horse trailer and went to pick up some horses. But what's this, no shift from 1-2 until I reach well over 2000 rpm. And after that significant loss of power. I could not even get it to go over 70 mph. She still got the job done, and upon return home I researched and researched and this all led me to look into the TVA motor. In order to test, remove TVA motor from side of tranny by taking out 2 bolts (13 mm socket and ratchet, short ext), and hold out while a buddy operates the vehicle controls. Begin with key off, turn key on, slotted key end should rotate about a quarter of a turn. Instruct buddy to slowly depress accelerator, slotted end should begin moving back towards key off position in direct relation to howfar pedal is depressed. I understood that if slotted end does not move, TVA motor is smoked. Mine did not move. I uninstalled it and twisted and turned and tapped and prayed. I put it back in and viola, key on, function correctly, key off, function correctly. Cleared codes, and test drove. Normal shift and horsepower returned.

To begin with I had no codes at all, while TVA was out of vehicle I had key on, then codes popped up. I did not take note of which ones, just cleared them after reinstallation of motor. Although it is functioning correctly I plan on installing a new one in a day or two, only 140$ from local dealer.

My biggest issue with all of this was the blatant non concerned dodge diesel technicians I talked to. And they are all over the country. I called 15 different states, five of which had no idea what a TVA motor was. And nobody had any clue if this problem could also derate engine power, the consensus of most was that I was experiencing to seperate, unrelated problems at once.

It is a fact, a failing TVA motor can cause derated motor power. Anybody else with any input on this subject can enlighten me, I am just wanting to understand this a little more than I have today. Vehicle has 130k on it with mostly support mods such as exhaust intake intercooler and only power mod is bully dog triple dog, oh and tranny is purple as well.

 

Wow, I have what sounds like the exact same problem with my 2004 dodge 2500 4x4. It is in the shop as we speek. Looking up TVA next to find out if its on my 2004. I have replaced the TPS, MAP sensors and F-filter but no change. Thanks for the post. It will give me another place to look.