93 f-250 7.3 idi. 4x4. I just got home from towing 3,500 lbs to the scrap yard, backed up trailer went to go in drive and nothing. Started playing around revved it up in 1 tranny engages. so now i only have drive. My reverse lights turn on and my diff will lock up, motor just reves. tranny will shift through gears when in drive. I towed 8k lbs twice in the past week over 2 mountains. ever since i bought the truck around 5k miles ago it slammed into 3rd gear. im guessing the tranny is done. how hard is it to replace, truck is 4x4. I can get a used one from a junkyard for 650,with 30 day warranty, on craigslist 400 has 200k miles owner said its not rebuilt, or get a rebuilt for around 2k. I use this truck mainly as a work truck hauling firewood and brush from trees.

 

you've already checked the trans fluid level? red and right on the money or black as coal and hardly on the stick?
maybe ya got her a little hot,blew a seal,and run her low without knowing?
maybe it wasn't slamming into 3rd but actually the "slam" was the converter lockup? the final "action" before 4th gear/OD is felt?
how many miles on the truck? original trans do ya know? no idea about prior maintenance probably?

 

215k on truck, pretty sure its original trans and not rebuilt. Red but smells burnt and little overfilled. Fluid was changed right before i bought it. Dont know about anything other than that, but the original drain plug is snapped off, there is also another one drilled and looks like someone welded it back shut. it would slip a little, couple hundred rpm then go slam into gear

 

yeah she sounds done. once they start slipping the end is near. fluid change right before sales means they were hiding something and now we know what that something was. personally i would get it rebuilt. buying a trans from a JY might put you in the same situation.

 

Sounds like it's on it's way out,
If you do buy a second hand one, get a 1996 to 97, these have had the upgrades to them, and it MUST be a 4X4 type.

 

I can get a 97 powerstroke e4od for 1,100 with 10k on the rebuild. What would i need to change to make this transmission work with my truck? Thanks

 

new or rebuilt solenoid pack for the earlier trans and a new 4 stud diesel converter.
i wouldn't try and use your originals.