On average, with typical routine maintenance, such as fluid changes & flushes, what is the longest anyone has gone with their Expeditions before the transmission needed work done or needing replaced? I have mine flushed annually. My 2002 5.4L Expy is driven daily 60 miles round-trip to and from work, about 40% highway. I do tow a 23' boat a few times a year and often do a lot of around town trips. I currently have almost 122k on the vehicle with no work ever done to the trans, other than the routine maintenance. Just looking for thoughts on how long these will last before needing parts replaced or needing replaced altogether or simply how many miles you have on yours now without needing work. One of our F-250's at work has almost 300k on it and the trans is still the original. I do plan on keeping my Expy until it dies. I love this thing!

 

Much of the lifespan is dictated by how effective the cooling is for the trans fluid. My old '98 model made it 120K miles before the 4R70W had a problem. It was a bearing failure due to fluid overtemp over long term use. That truck did not have an extra trans cooler until I bought it with 107K miles. The previous owner pulled a boat to the lake with it, and never had a second thought about a trans cooler. The 4R70W in my '01 F150 work truck has the OEM external trans cooler on it,and it's at 218K miles now without a single issue. My '01 Navigator is at 165K miles now,and the 4R100 in it has no issues-it also has the OEM external trans cooler. Keep the fluid at a tolerable temperature,and the trans will last a long time.
JL

 

250k on the trans in my 99 F150 work truck. I got 200k out of a 4R100 behind a 7.3 in an F350 work truck, towing and plowing snow all the time.

Is there any easy way to tell which trans is in my Expy? It is a 99 5.4 4x4 with a tow package. Could it have come with the 4R100? Is this the same trans used in the super Duty's?

 

I currently have 196,000 on my trany in my 2000 5.4 EB with no work yet. I change the fluid every 40,000 miles or so. I drive 60 miles/day 40 of which is in stop and go traffic (Dallas traffic stinks).

 

Thanks for all the replies so far. Nice to know these transmissions last. The trans in my 94 Bronco only lasted 100k before needing a complete rebuild, and it was driven under the same situations as my Expy is.

 

122k on my 03 expy. no trans problems. oem cooler with trailer tow pack(though i don't tow anything).

 

Answered my own questions with some looking. The '99 and up 5.4s have the 4r100. No wonder they last. This trans was built to run behind the 7.3 with over 500 lb/ft running through it. With regular maint, I think it would be hard to kill this trans behind a 5.4.

 

I would never slam a fella for performing routine maintanence on his truck. In your case annually equates to about 18,000 miles assuming that you bought your Expy new. Routine flushes on your tranny for normal driving, (which in my opinion is basically what you do) should be every 30,000 miles. Driving 60 miles per day and pulling a 23' boat a few times a year isn't extreme duty. Your flushing nearly twice as often as you need to. I go to the dealer for my flushes and I spend $140.00 each time. I flush every 35k, in fact I'm close to being due as I'm approaching 70k miles. I have much respect for anyone who performs regular servicing.

I can't satnd the guy that buys a truck every three years slogs 100,000 hard miles on it and doesn't do squat but run the pi$$ out of it.

Tim

 

Tim,

No "slam" taken. I appreciate your comment and feedback. I know I probably "overdo" my maintenance. It's just how I was raised. I was always told if you take care of your vehicle, it will take care of you. I checked my maintenance manual and it does, as a matter of fact, recommend 30k trans fluid changes, so you are dead-on accurate there. I think my reasoning for the annual flushes comes from my experience with my Bronco which needed a new trans at 100k. I had the fluid changed every 30k (approx), and I was told by the trans shop that if I changed it annually, my trans probably would have lasted longer. I did buy my Expy brand new and just want her to last. I do 5k oil & filter changes, coolant flush every 2 years, and I do a fuel filter annually. Air filter is as needed. I figure with what the Expy cost me new back in 2002 and what a new EL costs today, I'll spend a little to make this beast lasts me a long time!

Thanks again for your and everyone's replies. I appreciate all the comments and thoughts.

 

I have 110,000 miles on my 00 Expedition and have had no work or problems with my transmission. The thing still runs like new.

 

My 97 with the E40D just rolled 169,000 miles when the transmission finally started to die out. Not too bad with only fluid changes per the manual and towing a 16foot search and rescue trailer.

 

If you're towing on a regular basis, the fluid change schedule in the manual isn't correct for you. Your fluid change interval will be less than what's in the manual.

 

Well, yea...that's my point exactly. The towing was only from about 140,000 miles on.

 

The 4R100 in the 2000 died after 107k miles. The pump gear cracked and came apart. The tranny guy said he only has seen that in trucks that have been used for plowing. Most likely the part wasn't hardened properly from the factor. Until the gear fell apart the tranny was shifting normally and wasn't giving any indication of problems.