Hi again guys. 95 F250 312,xxx miles with rebuilt auto transmission within the last 10,000 miles. Previous owner said that after the trans rebuild they unhooked the radiator cooler and installed the aftermarket LONG cooler. It is about 11" by 11".

Had problems with some days hard shift 1-2 and 2-3. Also when having hard shift days, it would shift into 4th between 40-45 MPH. Then if I tried to keep it there, it would shutter or shift down or up. I could get it up over 45 and press on the brake and see the RPM change up and then go back down when brake is released. The OD light does not flash, but when pressed, light comes on and truck shifts out of OD. Push it again and it shifts back.

I put a temp sensor in the pressure port and drove 130 miles and the transmission was shifting good that day. It's highest mark was 170* on the hi-way going 70 MPH with air temp around 85-90.

Odometer seemed fine with no bounce except a little quiver at around 50 MPH.

After reading around on forums, I checked and cleaned the VSS and the solenoid wiring on the passenger side of transmission. I never got around to putting a pressure gauge on it.

Fluid smelled a little burnt, but looked clean. I have had worse fluid come out of other trucks that shifted fine. But I decided to change filter and fluid.

The transmission had a cork gasket and some of the pan bolts had fluid drips on them. I dropped the pan and the fluid did seem worse than I had originally thought. Normally when I change fluid I am in such a hurry that I never really inspect things because I am in a hurry to keep the drips from getting on the ground. This time I looked up and noticed the following.

In the pic of the transmission, there is yellow arrow pointing to a nut that has backed off of a stud. I tried to tighten it up, but it seemed stripped out, so I put it back where it was. BTW, it is leaving a mark on the pan. Is this normal?

Also, there is a green arrow pointing to a bolt that has a stack of washers under it. Is this normal?




The torque converter did look clean and new.



I also found that the pan magnet was gone so I put a piece of speaker magnet in there because I was out at my dad's shop and I didn't feel like going into town to find one.

Another question, does AE software read transmission codes? And unrelated, how long does your Check engine light blink on when you turn you key on? Mine does a very quick blink. Way shorter time than my 92 Bronco. Is this normal?

So sorry for the long post, but what do you guys think of the things I found in the transmission.

The truck did drive good on the test drive after the new fluid and on the way home. Hardly noticed the shifts they were so smooth.

Thanks for looking.

Kevin

 

Whoever installed the valve body didn't know what they were doing. There are different length bolts and they got them wrong. That might be a cause of your problems. If the valve body isn't clamped to the case correctly there can be cross leakage that can cause all sorts of problems.

You need to find the right length bolts. The sipped hole can be fixed with a heli-coil.

 

Thanks for the reply Mark.

You are thinking the bolt with the washers is too long and that is why they put the washers there?

The stripped part is where the nut goes on the stud. The stud moves a little back and forth, but the nut on it won't tighten up. I don't know if it is the nut or the stud that isn't right. The nut just spins when put at the top. I didn't know if it was some type of plunger and the nut was the stop point or if the nut should have been tight on it too.

I didn't notice shift problems for the first month I had the truck. Then I let it get low enough on fluid that it stalled the truck in reverse and it has been flaky since and I am paying more attention to how it is acting.

I figured the rebuilder wasn't too good once I saw the cork gasket and the lack of magnet in the pan. I didn't ask the previous owner for the receipt from the proof of the rebuild since the warranty was expired by the time I bought the truck.

Thanks for the response.

 

i doubt there would have been a receipt.i hope you payed for the truck as if the trans was original.looks as if someone who didn't belong inside a trans was there,replacing a torque converter,and perhaps a shift kit and had a hard time figuring out how it went back together.
with workmanship like that,id suspect re-used converter nuts as well.check them.if any are rounded or loose,be sure to replace them so they don't back out.
the trans should probably just be taken in and inspected for mistakes and corrected if this is out of your area.it's possible it could still be saved for a while if the corrections are fixed.

 

FORDF250HDXLT,

Thanks for the reply.

I actually did pay $3500 for it expecting a good transmission. I had been looking in my area for several weeks, and this was the best price extended cab or crew cab 4x4 truck that fit my budget with Powerstroke and automatic. Most around here that were less priced had other problems that would keep it from driving or passing inspections. If I would go to 5 speed or IDI, I could have found some cheaper. Also I was trying to avoid trucks with too many upgrades or from younger owners that in my mind would have been too rough on the truck.

My dad has a 7000# 5th wheel camper and a 2003 F150 4x4 that he shares with me, but it just gets crappy gas mileage with the OD off and I was wanting to get into a diesel to see if mileage and power would be any better. Basically this was an experiment for me. I guess I should have just found one that I could have rented for a week to see if it had enough power so that I could prove to the wife its worth and then my budget could have been doubled.

I expected some repairs, but this will be out of the range. I doubt that I will put 4,000 miles on the truck each year, so the higher mileage didn't bother me.

I drove it again today and it shifted smooth. Maybe I can find someone that knows this transmission locally that can help me. Do you think it needs to come out to be gone over or can they just drop the pan and adjust it?

Thanks again.

Kevin

 

Kevin, please explain unhooking the radiator cooler. Are you referring to main water radiator where transmission fluid flows through the bottom portion or just the external small transmission cooler in front of the main radiator, with a larger replacement?

 

Jim,

The cooler lines for the transmission in the radiator is bypassed. Actually, they just cut the rubber lines that are on the fittings at the radiator and they are exposed to elements.

The only trans cooler the truck has is 1 aftermarket in front of the A/C condenser.

Kevin

 

Kevin, it's common to install aftermarket transmission cooler with larger unit. However bypassing the main coolant radiator is a no no, from what I've read on here and other places.

I'm no transmission expert so maybe Mark will jump in and explain why.

 

Because the transmission cooler in the radiator is a highly effective cooler. If you want to cool the transmission, why remove one of the best coolers you can get?

I don't know that I'd use one that had been left open to the elements like that one was.

 

Mark, Hussler,

I kind of felt the same way about the radiator cooler. I want to use it, but I don't know if they unhooked it because it was full of junk or if they just thought an aftermarket one would be better.

If I ever replace the radiator, I will definitely put it back in the loop.

I have decided to park the truck for a while till I do some more research about how to work on the transmission valve body. I am willing to learn, but I don't want to just jump in and make it worse.

I do appreciate all the information and comments from everyone.

Thank you.

Kevin