2001 EX with 190,000 miles Needs Trans

Chargerkid · #1 (**permalink**) 05-10-2008, 11:30 PM

I have a 2001 Ford Excursion with V10 that has 190,000 miles on it. The truck has been very good to me. The 190,000 is alot of travel miles. Not only that, but I tow a 28 ft. enclosed car trailer. I just got back from a trip in Vegas about a month ago. Also a few weeks went to Bowling Green, Kentucky. I live in Michigan. I sell alot of interior items for muscle cars and new carpet for all makes and models. Any way, when I came back to the shop. I unhooked the trailer. Once I got on the road my RPMS dropped like I was shifting the truck in 1st gear. It would do it off and on. So I drove it about 5 miles back to my house. The next morning it barely made it to the next block. It would not go in reverse or forward unless I cooled it off. So I had the truck towed to a tranny shop. After being on the hoist and inspecting, they said the trans needed to be dropped and opened up. They are charging me $500.00 and the amount will be towards the repairs.

I changed the oil and filter at 90,000 miles with amsoil synthetic. I should have did another change and filter miles ago. The trans is the original transmission. I guess I am lucky it lasting that long.

What is my worst case scenario as in price wise?

I don't want to dumb too much money into something with alot of miles.

Thanks,

Chargerkid

1948f1 · #2 (**permalink**) 05-11-2008, 12:34 AM

Probably $2k-$3k to have rebuilt. I would say you could buy a used tranny with decent miles and a warranty for $750 or so. Book labor to install is probably 7 hours or so.

1948f1 · #3 (**permalink**) 05-11-2008, 12:42 AM

A Ford reman tranny is around $2100 with a 3yr/75k warranty. That is the assy only.

Toreador_Diesel · #4 (**permalink**) 05-11-2008, 09:26 AM

Changing the trans filter is what did you in. Mine worked great for a few thousand miles after the fluid and filter change, then I couldn't get out of 1st or 2nd, much less get it to back up. Long and short of it (and $3800 later) I unfortunately got a ford reman when I should've gone aftermarket. If you're gonnna spend the money, go aftermarket.

VaSheriff · #5 (**permalink**) 05-11-2008, 10:51 AM

I have a friend of owns his own tranmission shop. One day shortly after I had bought my Excursion, he and I were sitting around and talking. I asked him how much a rebuild would be on an Excursion transmission. He rambled off what type of transmission it was and said $4,000 to rebuild it properly with top quality parts.

If and when I do have transmission problems, I think I will get a second opinion. $4,000 sounds a tad high.

jjbirish · #6 (**permalink**) 05-14-2008, 03:59 PM

What are friends for...

aklim · #7 (**permalink**) 05-14-2008, 05:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chargerkid

After being on the hoist and inspecting, they said the trans needed to be dropped and opened up. They are charging me $500.00 and the amount will be towards the repairs.

$500 for getting it on the hoist and inspecting it? Were there a couple of hookers to entertain you while they did that? That is BOGUS. I'd run from them as fast as you can. If you plan to keep it and do mods, etc, etc, go with Brians Truck Shop. Warranty is as long as you own your truck and he won't screw you because you modded it or used it for snowplowing. If it is something you are going to sell soon, go to Aamco.

aklim · #8 (**permalink**) 05-14-2008, 05:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VaSheriff

I have a friend of owns his own tranmission shop. One day shortly after I had bought my Excursion, he and I were sitting around and talking. I asked him how much a rebuild would be on an Excursion transmission. He rambled off what type of transmission it was and said $4,000 to rebuild it properly with top quality parts.

If and when I do have transmission problems, I think I will get a second opinion. $4,000 sounds a tad high.

BTS is around that price. But they will warranty it for as long as you own the truck. Now if you wanted a cheapo rebuild so you can get it moving and sell the truck, get something like a cheap Ford Reman or Aamco.

FordCrusherGT · #9 (**permalink**) 05-15-2008, 06:19 AM

I would say you don't need a new transmission, you need a new truck. At close to 200k, you are likely to start having more problems of a more significant nature, plus lots of little items. If seems when people come in here saying that their V10s have died, it tends to be in the 200-250k mile range.

If you do buy a new trans, though, don't get a used one, unless you just want to throw it in and sell it immediately. Get something where the reliability is not going to be questionable. It sounds like you do a lot of driving, and the last thing you want is your transmission to go out a second time because you saved a couple bucks.

Chargerkid · #10 (**permalink**) 05-25-2008, 11:36 AM

I am back on the road!!!!

The total cost $2,271.00 for the rebuilt transmission. The $500.00 was for taking the trans out. The trans shop shouldn't have to eat the cost of pulling a trans out for nothing. The $500.00 was the cost for pullling the trans out and putting it back in if I devided I didn't want the work done. I am very happy so far. The shop explained what happened to the trans to me. He showed me all of the parts and how the trans works etc. The owner of the shop is the person that rebuilt the trans. He took 35 minutes of his time to go through it with me. Not some shop saying it needs a rebuilt and will call you when its done. I am going on a 26 hour trip pulling my loaded trailer with automotive interiors that I sell at a swap meet. He wants to look at the trans before I leave on my trip. The shop is highly recommended by many people around my area.

I have to say I am very happy with the Excursion. My Excursion is always pulling a HEAVY trailer. I have pulled 3 times out west already. Thats up and down mountains from Michigan to California. So having 190,000 miles is pretty good for just having the trans done. I have done nothing to the truck except change oil, some belts, and alternator. It just loves pulling trailers with muscle cars.

Mark Kovalsky · #11 (**permalink**) 05-25-2008, 03:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Toreador_Diesel

Changing the trans filter is what did you in.

Bull.

The trans ran 100,000 miles after he said he changed the fluid and filter. If the fluid and filter change is done correctly there is NO reason it would cause ANY transmission to fail. Now if you screw up the change, which isn't easy to do, anything can happen. But to say changing the filter 100,000 miles ago caused a trans failure just doesn't make any sense.

Toreador_Diesel · #12 (**permalink**) 05-26-2008, 12:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mark Kovalsky

Bull.

The trans ran 100,000 miles after he said he changed the fluid and filter. If the fluid and filter change is done correctly there is NO reason it would cause ANY transmission to fail. Now if you screw up the change, which isn't easy to do, anything can happen. But to say changing the filter 100,000 miles ago caused a trans failure just doesn't make any sense.

I guess somehow I missed that.

Everyone I've talked to said that's what did me in when I had Ford change the fluid and filter. Many advised against it, but my filter had 117k on it when I made Ford change it; 10K later, I needed a new trans due to alleged fact that changing the filter is what caused the chain reaction with the one way clutch that killed my tranny. (according to service advisors after the fact) Had I not changed it, things would have been a little different; again according to service advisors after the fact.

Was I "taken for a ride"?

Mark Kovalsky · #13 (**permalink**) 05-26-2008, 08:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Toreador_Diesel

Was I "taken for a ride"?

Yes, you were.

The only way that changing the filter can damage a trans is if the new one isn't installed. How can a new filter hurt anything? That doesn't make sense.

Your one way clutch failed because it was a 2001 mechanical diode. It had NOTHING to do with the filter change.

aklim · #14 (**permalink**) 05-27-2008, 11:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Toreador_Diesel

Everyone I've talked to said that's what did me in when I had Ford change the fluid and filter. Many advised against it, but my filter had 117k on it when I made Ford change it;

10K later, I needed a new trans due to alleged fact that changing the filter is what caused the chain reaction with the one way clutch that killed my tranny. (according to service advisors after the fact) Had I not changed it, things would have been a little different; again according to service advisors after the fact.

Was I "taken for a ride"?

That is an old wives tail.

So my trans failed after 55K because of the diode. I brushed my teeth that morning which probably set off the chain of events too. That is the biggest load of bull manure I have heard. They are just trying to cover their asses.

You were wined, dined and bent over the hood of your car.

Chargerkid · #15 (**permalink**) 05-27-2008, 12:55 PM

I think I should of had my filter and trans oil changed "again" at about 150,000. I actually think doing that actually prolonged my trans. Synthetic trans oil was used.

My trans guy said if I would have towed my vehicle in as soon as the tran slipped....it wouldn't have cost as much. I should have stopped driving right away but was only a few miles from home.

Also..why get rid of it? Who cares about the mileage! The repair was alot cheaper than buying a new vehicle/