One of the best things that you can do to increase the longevity of your transmission is put a standard filter on it. The OEM unit is about 140 Microns. It's meant to keep large particules out of the system. AC Spark Plug ran tests way back and determined that 140 was good enough to get around 100K on an automatic. Finer filtration would increase the longevity but was deamed unnecessary by the bean counters. All they wanted to do was to get past the warrantee period.

 

I've heard a shift kit, or computer reprogramation was a good idea also do to how mushy the factory shifts are on these transmission. I had no idea exactlly how soft these shifted untill I saw a video on youtube. Wow! No wonder people called these "slush boxes" lol

The vid I saw, someone posted it on Oilburners and at first I thaught it was sliping, but before I had the chance to reply, someone had already writen it sounds like it's slipping, then someone replyed him saying, no that's how E4OD's shift stock. I'm like wow, must be nice and smooth in the cab, but that's abit to smooth for it's own good.

 

putting on an external cooler helps too. when you get your tranny replaced from ford, they install one mandatory now

 

I don't know why these trucks didn't come from the factory with an aux trans. cooler! Any automatic truck should have one!

 

Absolutly!!! The way they have the shjifts set up is nothing short of stupid. Again they were only interested in getting past the warantee period. Marketing people aren't engineers. No matter what shift kit you have in there, an aux filter is still good insurance. The Marketing geniuses did their damage at most of the car companys. My Pontiac Montana has a soft shift.

I did say one of the best things that you could do. Cheap too, only about $20.00. FL1A is approx 25 Micron-$3.67@ ChinaMart.

You can over cool your tranny too. The ideal system: Derale Cooling Products 25719 bypasses fluid until 180 deg, then full flow to cooler. Prevents overcooling.

 

But people with automatics don't want neck snapping shifts.
That would have their morning coffee in their laps and some jury awarding millions to someone that got their leg scorched.

It was all the automaker's fault, the transmission should not shift that firm.

Marketing has to take a back seat, way back seat, to lawyers for doing damage to car companies.

 

i just want mine to shift.lol i actually like a really stout shift ,it reminds me of driving a truck.lol when the new trans goes in it will have a shift kit and an aux cooler

 

But you don't need a slushy shift. A firm diffinete shift would be nice. They came out with superior materials in the clutch material and wasted it with by attempting to mush out the shifts by sliding the clutches. It does need not to be neck snapping to be firm!

 

They should demand an aux filter after the radiator cooler to catch the crap that logded in it.

 

Remember, Gentlemen,

Hard shifts are hard on the whole driveline. When Pepsi went to Allison transmissions from manuals, the hard shifting allisons destroyed driveline and axle after another until they were smoothed out.

Too firm is not good.

Ken

 

Well then how about C6 firm?

It's a pretty firm shifting transmission from the factory, but not firm that you can feel it jerking the vehicle.

 

The 94 ton I have shifts pretty firm. About like a big Allison when I crowd the motor. Ford put this trans in it about 15000 miles ago in 2003. I don't know if it's right or not. The previous owner would have said something if it was not right., I guess, he bought it new........

I know dealing with my wifes Jeep, which I have been through that trans already, they are sticklers for service and flushing. I flush it often.

 

Absolutely - there is a happy medium that you want to aim for. Bangy shifts like that will cause even more damage if you are loaded down since there is more vehicle weight that the rotating mass of the powertrain gets thrown against.

Sounds like what my C6 was like. I always wondered if it was bone stock or had a shift kit to perform like that. Just a nice crisp action without feeling bangy. Under really light throttle the shift was hard to detect, but the shift itself would still take well under one second to complete. Open it up all the way and even after I added the turbocharger, it would launch the truck forward on the 2-3 shift. They really are great transmissions for what they are.

My E4OD shifts the same in the mid range with the help of a shift kit. Light throttle can be a slightly harsh (sort of like the clunk the F150 does with its AOD). WOT is a launch effect though still not quite neck snapping. Scared the crap out of me last time I had the guts to floor the truck. Although I bumped the governor and the engine hesitated just before the shift causing it to slam even harder.......I'll have to tweak that eventually.

Over all, it is possible to have the best of both worlds to an extent. Soft shifts under really light load doesn't really hurt anything. But to try and carry that performance over to hard acceleration while towing is just stupid but marketing departments usually are filled with people that are.

 

I am not trying to steal anyone's thead here i just have a quick question. I am looking at buying a truck that has the E4OD. Is this a good transmission even though it shifts "slushy" It seems like after reading this thread that nobody likes them.

 

You can adjust the firmness of the shifts with the FIPL (TPS), you just don't want to go so far that it causes issues. My donor truck shifted pretty nice, although it had a Banks Transcommand. I'm now using the Baumann controller, so I don't really know what a "stock" trans feels like. Also upgrading to a better torque converter will help.