The Ford HD transmission is actually $3800 and change. If there isn't one in a nearby warehouse, you'll pay about $150 shipping as I did. And then there's tax (unless you're in one of the 5 states without sales tax). But I didn't have to pay to ship the old transmission out as a core.

I researched the better known transmission outfits, and lost interest when I stumbled into a relatively recent and long thread on another site, full of sour grapes over delays (measured in months), lack of communication, etc. And it wasn't just one person. Maybe things have changed in that shop. YMMV, as they say. But I've been down that road before more than once in getting stuff done on my race vehicles, and don't want to be reliant on a single shop, especially for that much dinero and being that far from me.

In defense of the dealership experience, I do appreciate that I have several nearby to chose from (hit or miss as it may be, like anything else), timely service, and readily available loaner trucks while mine is out of commission.

 

I ordered a JW Valve Body earlier this year. Needed it by a deadline for a vacation.

I called ahead, they took all the info, took some time to check schedules, "donor" VB stock, etc, and got back to me later to work out the shipping details.

I was very pleased with the service. Granted, that wasn't a full transmission, so simply feedback on the organization. YMMV

 

JW is second to none and works his azz off for his customers. If it's not right, he'll go above and beyond to make it so...personal experience.

 

Well, he didn't even laugh at me! The idea of tearing apart even a small bit of my transmission was intimidating. I've changed plenty when I couldn't get out of it, but never worked inside one myself. Always been "no touch" area for me

 

I am right there with you...until I watched him do mine and got an education. I am way less intimidated now.

 

Sadly, I'm resurrecting my own thread as I deal with a vibration issue I've had from the start with this second HD4r100 transmission, going on almost 2 years now. I mentioned a while back that I have a vibration only in OD, between 52-58 mph, while under load. Not while coasting. Goes away when switching out of OD, and not replicated at the same RPM (about 1500) in other gears. Never had this before the transmission was replaced.

Nonetheless, I took the driveshaft out and had it balanced, hoping for a simple fix, but the vibration persisted. I tried living with it since I only use the truck intermittently, but I now feel like the vibration is worsening. So I took it in to the same dealership that installed the two HD transmissions, hoping the year and half elapsed would allow for a different experience than before. Told the advisor, a nice young lady, the whole story and my findings.

Sure enough, the first call back was asking where I specifically felt the vibration, because their techs couldn't identify it. I got a bad flashback to my poor service experience from my last round with these people.

I redescribed the necessary conditions of being under load in OD between 52-58 mph. Not that complicated. Service advisor called me back a half hour later, and said the techs think there might two different things going on, possibly a front bearing, possibly the rear diff.

I told her I replaced both front bearings within the last 2 years, and informed her that if it were any of those issues, bearings or differential, it wouldn't disappear by switching out of OD. Geez.

I think she started sensing that I have some mechanical experience and that she might be under-equipped with information to blow me off. So she wanted to buy more time and have the techs do their "final" diagnosis by tomorrow morning. She acquiesced by saying that if this definitive "final diagnosis" still didn't make sense to me, that I could come down there and talk to the techs directly. I can see where this is going, and it's not reassuring in the least. Stay tuned...

 

I just reread this thread of mine from the start to refresh my memory of my experience with this dealership the last time. I'm realizing it might be a mistake to take it back there again this time. I'll see what they have to say tomorrow, and it it's not to my satisfaction, I'll take my truck to another dealership instead of pressing the issue.

The one that's closer to me, the one I would have gone to originally had it not burned down completely two years ago, is now fully rebuilt and operational. Maybe I'll try my luck with them.

 

Do you have a chip/ tuner? It's kind of an odd thing for a tranny to give out twice, did you replace the trans cooler? How the truck voltage?

 

Truck has an older Edge monitor/tuner that I always keep in stock mode and use only as a monitor of EGT and boost pressure. Truck has the 6.0 cooler with Magnefine filter upstream, and voltage is fine (stays on a Battery Tender).

I agree that it's odd (and disappointing to say the least) to have two bad HD transmissions in row. Maybe that's why the tech is trying to find an alternative diagnosis. I wonder if the first transmission's locked TC which stalled the engine several times may have damaged something leading to the second transmission's vibration.

 

I've been chasing a vibration under the truck for years, and it got to the point where I'd be slapped down if I brought it up on the forum again. The shops just scratch their heads. Now that I'm towing heavy, the issue is amplified - this issue is no longer going to be tolerated, and I have to do something. If there's a possibility it's my HD4R100, then I need to follow along here.

 

Okay, so the service advisor called and they're sticking to their final diagnosis of front bearing and rear diff.

I had to go there to deal with this in person. Prior to doing so, I called a well-reputed third party independent transmission shop, explained my problem, described the resistance I'm encountering at this dealership. The technician, friendly guy, got a little quiet and confided that he's heard the same from many of his customers about this dealership, and suggested I take the truck to one of two other dealerships in adjacent suburbs to take advantage of the existing warranty. Ugh.

I called the one closest to me (the one that burned down and is now rebuilt), and they had no problem taking a look at the transmission (for a $140 diagnostic fee up front, of course). So I'll keep that in mind if the current place gives me more resistance.

So I went back to where the truck is, on the way thinking I'll just pick it up and go to the other dealership. I re-explained to the advisor how the "final diagnosis" is a misdiagnosis, and they convinced me to take the tech on a drive to make sure we're on the same page. Okay, fine, though I've been through this before with the first failed transmission, to no avail. The tech is a different guy from who worked on it 20 months ago. Seemed nice enough and attentive. I showed him how the vibration starts up, then disappears when switching off OD, or tapping the brake to engage coasting. He finally agreed with me it may be the transmission. He said they'll take another look with their vibration analysis tool. A $5K device that gets used maybe a couple times a year.

He said that there's been a recent change at Ford in that they won't just swap out transmissions anymore if there's a problem, now they have to crack them open to repair them. I don't know if I want this place to lay hands on it, I'll wait and see what they're vibration analyzer tool tells them.

Interestingly, the person who gave me a shuttle ride home from the dealership was the manager of the whole service and parts department. This was good because I had him as a captive audience and I didn't have to raise a fuss or be "that guy" by demanding to speak to the manager. I explained this whole ordeal from the start, and even relayed what the independent transmission shop told me. Not in any mean way, just a "Hey, here's what independent specialists in the community think of your service department, which is is line with my own experience, and knowing this may help you with your job" kind of thing.

He seemed sympathetic. A little defensive when stating how many master techs they have on staff and how many "President's Awards" they've won, but I get it. Natural response. He still seems to want to do right. But realistically I'm not expecting any special treatment.

Currently, all I feel I have left in me to deal with this issue is one more round with the current dealership, then MAYBE a look-see at the closer dealership. If I sense any more of the same old runaround, then I'll probably just say "F-it" and pay out of pocket to have the transmission shop do their thing. Then watch it turn out to be the diff and bearing after all . Stay tuned...

 

I'm curious if this ever got resolved...

 

No, not really. Last May I felt like I had to sort out the O/D vibration issue because I had planned on pulling a heavy enclosed car trailer containing my race car, spares, and tools over several mountain passes, including the Continental Divide, from Seattle to Wisconsin and back the following September. The thought of being stranded somewhere in the badlands in between was stressful. I did what I felt to be my due diligence in having the transmission evaluated several times, and finally gave up. Never mind that it was also staying locked in O/D while coasting at anything above 50 mph, even after tapping the brake. I couldn't spend any more mental energy on it.

I made my trip, truck did fine, and I figured that if it survived the stress test of all those mountain passes while towing heavy, then it should last however many more years I need it. To be clear, it's not a bad vibration, and only occurs in a narrow speed range and seemingly only in O/D. Still bugs me, though. And this new permanent engine braking feature in O/D probably isn't right. I think I started a separate thread on it last year. In it, Mark K mentioned that it might be a PCM issue telling the transmission to stay in O/D when it should be coasting.

I dunno, maybe I got lucky with my road trip, and I'm on borrowed time with this transmission after all...

Couple of pictures from the road trip. I camped at Wal-Marts along the way, and slept in the back seat. I have an air mattress made to take up the whole back seat area including foot well. First pic is somewhere in Idaho or Montana, second one is Minnesota. Took about 35 hours; I made the trip in two and a half days (because I was by myself). Good truck, transmission notwithstanding.

 

There is always engine braking in OD. There is now way to turn it off, it's a feature of the gearset design. It's not switchable. It also will stay in overdrive when coasting if the vehicle speed is high enough.

Maybe you are confusing torque converter lockup with overdrive. Those are two separate items.

The torque converter unlocks when coasting with most software versions. Some did keep the converter locked even if you tapped the brake pedal.

 

You are correct, Mark, I misspoke. Thanks for correcting me. I meant the torque converter remained locked while coasting in OD. Been so long since I've thought about this stuff that I forgot the terminology.