Hey Guys,

Haven't been posting much down here lately, guess that's due to my truck running great. Anyways, I have a couple of questions and concerns.

I was backing my dump trailer up a slight incline on wet grass, I put it in 4wd, and it felt as if the tranny slipped a little, I'm not certain it did or it was just the 4wd engaging (I have ESOF FYI), so I pulled off the grass and tried again and couldn't duplicate the problem so I got to thinking about it. I cant even rule out that the tires were just trying to dig in cause I could see where the grass was rubbed up a little, just didn't feel right, but the front tires were on dry pavement and I did have them turned a little, a no no in 4wd I know but I needed the traction.

Last week I was towing the same trailer to the brush dump, towed down the road with no problems, no slipping etc. After I dumped I went to pull ahead and the truck felt like it had a quick shutter when I went to pull away, only did it that 1 time and again towed down the road just fine.

I have always noticed that if I have the trans in tow/haul mode it takes a second maybe less to actually go into gear when its put into drive. There is about a second delay, Normally I don't throw it in drive and give it throttle but some bone head pulled in right behind me and the weight of the trailer pulled me back an I didn't want to hit the guy. When I don't use tow/haul I have no delay when I shift into a gear its right there when the selector is put into position.

So after tonight's issue, even if it is 1, I decided to check the fluid, it was at the proper level, it was nice and clean, didn't smell burnt. I would say that the fluid was flushed maybe 18-20k ago by the dealer they used SP, I changed the external filter at that time as well.

So I'm hoping that I'm making a bigger deal out of this than it is, however I'm getting ready to tow my 5er to Ocean City in a few weeks, so I was going to drain the trans fluid, replace both filters and fill it up. I know its not the proper method but I don't have a flush machine and my plan was to service it this way every 15k from now on.

So please tell me that I'm making a big deal over nothing, and how much fluid does the truck take when you drop the pan.

Thanks and sorry for the long post just trying to get all my info in there.

Sarge

 

Sarge, Don't waste your time changing the internal filter. It stops trees and boulders.

 

Yeah I know but I was gonna drop the pan and see what's in there for my own satisfaction, so I figured after 72k and the pans off anyway...

Hopefully Mark K chimes in and tells me I'm over reacting and I will just do a drain and fill and external filter.

I was just reading some TSB's and I'm wondering if my Line Pressure Solenoid is starting to get flaky.

Sarge

 

I'd be more apt to think differential than transmission. When's the last time you changed the diff fluid?

 

Any engagement that takes less than two seconds is fine. I do think you are making a problem where one doesn't exist.

 

Diff fluid was done probably 20k ago as well, Doesn't mean it was done right. Long story and I will try and shorten it up...

While the truck was under ESP I had the dealer replace the pinion seal due to a leak...yes I'm **** about my truck. Well they short cut it and less than 10k later the rear end began to howl while on a trip. I took it back to the dealer and they wound up replacing all the bearings in the rear, I guess that doesn't mean there couldn't be something going on back there again, nut it didn't feel like a rear end issue or bad LS, but the backing up with the trailer could have very well been.

Like I said I always remember the delay in T/H mode...am I the only 1 that has that?

I think I even remember having it looked at when it was newer and they did a reflash on it.

Thanks,

Sarge

 

Thanks for chiming in Mark,

It makes me a little less stressed, Im still going to drop the pan and replace the filters for my own sanity...I want to see whats on the bottom of that pan and whats on the magnet. Also Id like to see how the toilet paper looks

Sarge

 

Sarge: if you are going to pull the pan anyway... It's all of a hundred bucks or so to step up to the way better '08 pan and filter (you have to do both). A little more volume, but more importantly you now get 100% filtering of the fluid versus 10% at the best of filtering the front filter does. It is optional whether or not you even run a front filter once you do the upgrade (only early '08s ran both then Ford dropped the external filter).

And go ahead and use the LV fluid -- totally miscible with SP. I didn't do a flush, but I did clean the front filter magnet (really mucky) at the bottom of the filter housing -- some folks miss that. The front filter only sees a slipstream of fluid and that is only if the thermostat in the trans stops recirculating the fluid and sends some to the front for cooling (that's where the toilet paper roll filter is).

A marvelous piece of engineering our Transmissions are (thanks Mark), but only enhanced with the '08 update...

My $.02 worth...

 

Ford never ran both filters. The early 80 had the external filter, but not the good internal filter. Later in the year the good internal filter went into production and the external was deleted.

 

Mark, do you have an opinion on whether or not to run both filters or does it matter one way or the other. I'm running the 08+ filter/pan, but left the external filter in place for now.

And does it matter if we use the LV or SP fluid?

 

Thanks Dan,

I have a MagHytech Trans pan on it so I will be keeping that. I put it on there a long time ago when I bought the truck so its been good to me. I have 3 cases of the SP here at the shop so Im going to use that up before I go to the LV. With the drain and fill of 16 qts it wont take long for me to eat up those 3 cases.

Sarge

 

Drain and fill with stock pan is 8 qts. How do you get 16 unless possibly with a heated flush machine?

 

Because the Mag Hytech Pan holds 8.5 quarts more than a stock pan.

Sarge

 

Did you verify it had the filter/pick-up extension installed? All the Mag Hytecs I've seen require one... Just a thought...

 

I assume it does, I cant remember its been so long, but I know that the pan hasn't been down since. And According to the web site it takes a stock FORD filter. Like I said I installed this thing in 07 or early 08. I just looked at the instructions and it said to use a stock FORD filter too...

Sarge