I'm just trying to find out any information on upgrades on these trans 4r100? My problem is after towing my trailer 10,000 lbs on a pretty steep incline, dirt road. My transmission heats and dumps trans fluid out of the torque convertor area. After loosing 4 qts, I took my truck into the dealer and they said it smoked the torque convertor, front pump, clutch packs, and gears. All under warrentee, thank god. The following weekend my father had the same thing happen to him. We was both in reverse when it happened. Both trucks are 1999 ford sd 4x4 f-350 mine has V-10 his is the psd, both trailer tow package, 285 tires, his 410 gears, mine 373. My father is on his 4 th trans he has 55,000. my 2nd with 51,000 miles. I would apperciate any help!!! Thanks

 

I have written extensively on this tranny and if you search for posts from Fredvon4 you will see most of the threads about transmissions specifically the 4R100.

Heat is the #1 enemy of the auto trans and the hardest condition you can create with it is to backup with a HEAVY load.

You are lucky if Ford honors the warranty and should keep quiet about puking the tranny by backing up a grade with that kind of load and NOT ensuring that the fluid does not get superheated.

That last Para is a little harsh and I do not mean to be highly critical.... but it is your equipment and you are the first line of defense, so to speak, in keeping it in good condition.

A 99 PSD with 55,000 miles and on its 4th trans indicates abuse (or terrible luck) and driving technique should be changed and the trans will last MUCH longer.

For all those who follow these threads on the trans:

Here is what is happening in REVERSE with a heavy load. (And a lot of RVers will confirm my analysis as they spend some fair amount of time backing a trailer into tough places).

The rear differential is designed to rotate a particular direction and the way the pinion and ring gears are designed there is proper contact on the FACE or TOE (front) of the gear teeth. This proper contact is enough to ensure correct transfer of the torque but not so tight as to create binding or torque overload.

The auto tranny torque converter (TC) has very close coupling of the two halves and when it is SLIPPING there is a LOT of heat generated.

Going forward, this heat can eliminated by the cooler about as fast as it is generated and those who have to go up long grades where the TC spends a lot of time unlocked (slipping) should use a temp gage and auxiliary cooler (preferably with a electric fan) and keep the temp BELOW 230F.

Back to backing up (pun intended), The least efficient torque transfer to the rear wheels is when you have the rear end turning opposite of the way it is designed (reverse). The shape of the ring and pinion's teeth do not mesh properly on the BACK of each tooth, they also don't see much time in reverse so they have not been worn smooth in this direction. The amount of torque required to turn the wheels is greatly 2 to 3 times higher than in forward.

Add to this higher torque requirement to the typical "backing a trailer" methods: Which usually include a driver who is trying to SEE where he/she is going so the going is slow, and there is little inertia or momentum happening.

The trailer and truck wheels get down in ruts, up on little rises and the driver uses alot of "throttle" to get moving again. The airflow over the radiator and oil coolers is reduced to engine fan only.

And even if you had a tranny temp gage, you are probably spending a lot more time with you head out the window or eyeballing a mirror... By the time you see the tranny is over 250F it is 20F too late for the fluid.

And if you keep superheating the fluid and Torque Converter you WILL puke the front seal and trash the system.

Last note: If you must do trailer backing, up grades, and it is going to take a LOT of engine to get the trailer placed, use 4 low if you can (4x4 on gravel or grass) do NOT use the 4 low if on hard surface and you need to turn the front wheels lock to lock to get in the space.

On Edit:

Sorry I got so wrapped up in my little soapbox I forgot the original poster asked about upgrades....

There are several truck shops that can effectivly "bullet proof" the 4R100 and if your use of the truck is hard, they are worth investing in... ( a search here and on the diesel site will turn up two or three of the better shops)

Note: An expensive upgraded transmission will not last any longer than a factroy one if you superheat the fluid.

Period, fact of life!

 

Quote:

The amount of torque required to turn the wheels (in reverse) is 2 to 3 times higher than in forward.

REALLY?

I find this a little hard to believe. What are you basing this on, strictly gears "fitting"? The mechanical advantage or driveline mechanics do not vary between forward and reverse that I'm aware of.

As for the tranny problems, I agree, heat is THE enemy.

Waxy

 

Waxy

I agree that maybe 2 to 3 times the torque is stretching the point, and I would be happy if I could definitivly state that it is exactly 1.78% more torque to move a load in reverse vs the same load driven forward.

The truth is that the rear pinion and ring gear are not designed to be QUIET and effecient in reverse.

And if you look at a gear set next time, take a minuet and turn it backwards and see how the teeth mesh... the way they are cut there are great amounts of side and lateral loads applied that are not there in the forward direction.

 

Another first line of defense to preserve transmission fluid is to use one that has a higher boiling point--synthetic.

Since changing to synthetic in my past Fords ('94 Bronco, '97 & '99 F150's, '01 SCrew, '02 F250, '98 & '99 Expeditions) I have never had a trans failure or boiled the fluid. And I have towed to the max with all of them, and all went over 70K miles, several to 150,000 miles.

Get the trans rebuilt by someone who knows what they are doing and put synthetic fluid in it, get a temp gauge and watch it closely.

 

tblueV10

Excellent point and most of you guys/gals may note that I never talk about synthetic, simply because I don't use synthetics.

I am one of those guys that over changes the fluids and the cost benifit of synthetics is only realized if you can get longer service form them.

Caution !!! The synthetics do indeed have higher temp ranges before break down and oxidation occures. But the range is still well within the HIGH heat that the 4R100 can create.

What I am saying is that NO fluid you can use is scorch proof.

 

I wonder if these are some of the 1999 models that originally came without the oil-to-water (radiator) cooler. Because of the number of failures, Ford later introduced a TSB to replace the radiator with one containing a tranny cooler and add a filter to the tranny line.

 

Good catch NoMo and becaus of it:

I retract the poor initial statement that the owners may have abused the trannys.

My apologies, there was in fact a design defect in the early coolers and that well may be a reason for the failures. And Ford should indeed repair under warranty.

 

Our trip consist of 40 miles 30 miles on highway and 10 on dirt road. About 5 miles of the 10 mile dirt road is a 10 percent grade and then it levels out.
While in reverse we are both backing down hill, this backing up is about 50 feet on gravel in 4 low. tried this in 4 high also but it seems to do it alot easier in 4 low because of gearing. My father is 58 and babies this truck, its dealer maintained, so I don't think abuse is the issue.

 

Fredvon4 is right--many times the cost of a synthetic fluid is not justified unless longer use can be attained. Kind of like the $250 exhausts and $250 FIPKs--its what you like and want that counts.

What got me started on synthetic ATF was using my '94 Bronco to pull a 26' TT up a +/- 7-8% grade for about 2 miles in S Utah in '96--at the end of the pull in 4WLo, when I pulled into the campground, I was surrounded by blue smoke. Scared me to death--thought for sure I'd blown something big time. Turned out the trans fluid boiled out the vent and on to the exhaust pipe.
Cooled everything down and checked the fluid, it was a qt low. Topped it off and finished the vacation ok. Got home and had the trans/tranfer case/both diffs and the engine changed over to synthetic. That Bronco has over 148,000 miles now and still the same trans, and it never boiled over again. Ever since then, when I get a new vehicle, I change everything at about 5K miles and then the engine at 25-30K thereafter, the trans never. Maybe I spend too much, but I feel that its has contributed to no trans or engine problems since then. This doesn't mean that I would have problems had I not used the synthetic. Each to his own.

Hope you can get a trans rebuild that will cure your problems.

 

Hey one thing I did was install a Mag-Hytech trans pan....they hold an extra 8 qts of fluid....and the quality of the product is an A++++++ A buddie of mine and myself are using them and love em..... temps run lower....and wont climb up as fast in certain conditions......just my two cents

 

I appreciate all the help and any other suggestions.
Thanks

 

Well I guess that I found the right area. I ran into a little problem today when I was having a Trans Temp guage installed in my Truck. I have the Autometer Temp guage with the sending unit. It seems that the only installation is drilling and welding a nut inside the trans oil pan. The shop that I was dealing with does not have the capability's to do this. I had thought that I have seen a post in the site somewhere about a plug in the side or bottom of the R4100 Trans that is adapatble to a sending unit. Does anyone have any idea where I can tap into for the sending unit. It looks like a 1/8 NPT plug on the sending unit. I also was trying to find the Mag Hytech pan but was unable to find it on the web. I would be interested in this as part of the trans saving. I looked on the FTE site but didn't find anything.
Also I'm looking at the ATS torque converter for the futher, hoping that I can keep my stock as long as possible. There is an interesting article in the latest/or last month Trailer life Mag about a trans/torque converter upgrade. Hey guys, any information is valuable to someone. I need all the help I can get.

 

Mag-hytech pans come with a plug that you can remove to install your guage....you'll love it......

 

SouthernDually

You do NOT need to drill and braze... I do not know the exact location of the port but there IS one usable on the trans.

I did my own cooled jerry rig( ) and used a bunch of things already in the garage one of which was a 1/8 NPT tee that fit nicely on one of the cooler lines.

Don't do it this way if you have good acces to the port on the tranny. (High potential for leak failure)

Cruise through Eurekaboy.com and see if Stan has a good picture of the extra tranny port.