Alright some changes have taken place, as I said before I was driving up a hill unloaded pretty steep hill 10-15lbs boost, Trans light came on as I was cresting hill, no limp mode, no strange shifts, truck still went in overdrive just fine, pulled codes P1728, cleared codes, I've drove over 200 miles since then (the same road as the original occurance thats the road i go back and forth to work on) with no problems. In one of my initial post to this section of the forums I mentioned a miss of sorts occasionally when driving, well I've managed to pin point the miss to a certain speed range, it only occurs when cruising at speeds of 62-64 mph. If I quickly accelerate through that speed range it doesn't happen but hang out in that range it'll feel like you pushed in the clutch and released it really quickly in a manual. Also my speedometer is a little erratic, it doesn't move drastically but it does wobble back and forth about +-2mph on occasion, Moreso between 45-70 mph than at lower speeds, another change I've noticed however this is probably outside temp related is the Trans temp, when it was in the 10's out I didn't see it really get above 100 degrees, now it's about 35+ and I'm seeing 120's with 140 being the maximum unloaded.

Sorry if I seem overly worried I'm not a Trans guy and this is my first automatic besides my 09 focus. I know at some point I'm gonna have to change it to do power mods to the engine I would just really like it to survive until spring 2015 in it's stock configuration. But at the same time I don't want to be left on the side of the road.

 

For the erratic speedometer you can change out or clean the speed sensor located on top of the rear diff. I'm sure it feeds into other points in the ECU besides the speedometer. Not sure if it feeds into the trans computer.

 

1278 is what code for? That will steer your course of action

 

1728 is Trans slip fault

 

My opinion from the speed and shudder you think is a miss that the torque converter clutch is slipping. that's the shudder and the ligh/code.

but that's just my wag on it. do you have a stock converter now? If so it may be a good time to upgrade.

 

im not sure if its stock or not, ive only had the truck about a month, i was planning on replacing or rebuilding (leaning toward replacing) the trans in a year or so when i got ready to go through the engine. i don't really have the money to do that at the moment (4000$) so i was thinking about putting a Orielly torque converter in the thing for the time being and running it for another year as is. have any of you guys used them?

List: Torque Converter - 1997 Ford F-350 | O'Reilly Auto Parts

There are two options available for some reason with a drastic cost difference

 

1FTJW36F6VEC60459 is the VIN

 

One is 4 stud and one is a 6 stud. I am guessing that would be the reason for the price difference.

 

Yea I read that I didn't know how ya tell which one I would need without pulling the Trans prior to getting it

 

Just stating the obvious, but when was the last time you did a filter/fluid change? I put a Transgo Tugger kit in mine last spring and it made a huge difference. When you pull the filter (or if you did already) you can cut it open and see what's inside. Lots of metal would be a bad thing. With no metal in there you might breathe a little easier. Sorry if this is too obvious and you have already done all this stuff.

 

PSD six stud. Gas engine four stud.

 

I ended up buying the converter from Ford, it was actually cheaper with my company discount than the one from Orielly and I know motorcraft/Ford part quality is good

 

I did a fluid and filter change when I bought the truck and there wasn't anything in the pan and the filter media didn't have nothin in it either that's kinda why this surprised me a but but I figure better safe than sorry cause I'm really not wanting to have to change Trans at this point