Just trying to rationalize spending 5000$ on a BTS 4R100 transmission rebuild. My 2000 f250 7.3 has 340000 miles and is going strong, but who knows when the party will end. I have 4" straight pipe, egt, boost and trans guages, PHP Hydra, 6.0 cooler, 6637, and usually daily drive on the 120 tune. Usually drive conservatively, but get a wild hair a few times a week and will blow some smoke.... Reverse is going out and need a rebuild.

Anyone think it wouldn't be a bad idea to get a BTS rebuilt transmission for a truck with this many miles? I subscribe to the "buy once, cry once" idea, but just think it may be dumb to get such a nice rebuild for such an old truck.

 

I’m not experiencedpersonally with BTS but I always recommend a new ford transmission or a rebuild where your blowing thousands more than the ford where your actually getting a beefed up unit. Some guy was going to “upgrade” my transmission I saw the parts list is was 375 so I told him I’m not here to upgrade his wallet because there’s no way I’m getting up upgrade w 375 in parts. Would have been nice to get a built one but I’m happy with the ford unit and the 2 year warranty. I have a client met him when he had just over 500 saw him recently at over 600 with a 35ft goose neck hooked up these trucks will run as long as you have the loot keeping them fed.

 

I was thinking about the Ford HD 4R100, but at the end of the day they aren't much cheaper than the BTS and have less of a warranty, less capability, less positive reputation.

Maybe I'll get a junkyard trans for now and try rebuilding my trans while the new junkyard unit is going out. Choices...

 

My 2016 is my first diesel. I was getting Diesel Power magazine for years before I had a diesel. I always heard good things about Brian's rebuilt transmissions in the mag. He's been doing for a long time, so I'm sure he has all the nooks and crannys figured out with those earlier Ford truck transmissions. You obviously don't have a stock 6.oh so why would you want a stock trans? You may drive conservatively, but I'm sure you step on it often when someone challenges you. Plus it's more power than stock and the stock trans is made for stock power. MHO... Is that the original trans? If so, you must have kept up and fluid/filter changes. If you are going to keep driving the truck after spending on a built 4R100, why wouldn't it be worth it? But don't think that be upgrading the trans will bring more money in a sale of the truck. It won't. So if you are going to keep driving her and putting on another 200k miles, I say go for it. But in the near future if a used 6.7 is in your vision, go with a stock rebuild or good used trans.

If you decide to go with the Brian's trans, he can build it for your specific truck. No more or no less...

 

It is the stock transmission. Piece of junk only lasted 340,000 miles. Changed fluid and filter a few times but that's it. I added the chip at around 320,000 and I think the higher torque burned up reverse. Forward gears are good but slip when floored on the 120 tune, but I don't like doing that to the truck too often.

 

I wouldn't call a transmission that lasted 340k miles junk...that's pretty damn good IMHO. Plus with the last 20k miles behind a chipped 6.0... My 96 E4OD was still working when we pulled out the stocker for a Monster Box E4OD. She had 90K some miles and I was plowing commercially with it but I added more cooling,etc. I also flushed it out every year as I had a two way valve on the return line back. Are you the original owner?

 

It's a 7.3 Powerstroke, not a 6.0. It has a 6.0 trans cooler. I was being sarcastic about it being a piece of junk. 340000 is really good for the 4r100. I am the orig. owner.

 

Sarcasm... I can dig it. I've been known to throw some out every once in awhile. You definitely didn't beat that truck with that kind of mileage. Be proud...

 

If you plan on keeping the truck, get the BTS transmission. The HD4R100 is a beefier unit but nowhere near as beefy as the BTS trans. The BTS has a lot of R&D built into it whereas the Ford reman has some lessons learned built in. (In other words, it's what Ford should've done to begin with.)

If you get a junkyard trans, you're only buying time until the next failure. I'm not saying a BTS is impervious but it's highly less likely to fail.

I was in a similar situation back in 2017 when the trans in my 6.0 Excursion failed. I could've gone with a Ford reman, a junkyard trans, or even a 2008 transmission, but I didn't. I only wanted to spend the money once and overcome the failures and short comings of the stock transmission. With a junkyard trans, you don't know the history and may be back to square one before you know it.

 

AGREED...110%...DO IT ONCE AND DO IT RIGHT...

 

I had a BTS in my old 2002 and loved it. The original 4R100 started having issues around 170k miles.

What I like most about BTS is that he spent a lot of time with me on the phone walking me through things to check on my OEM trans. I mean on the phone, while I am looking at the valve body laying under the truck and talking me through it. He didn't have to do that. At that point I wasn't even a paying customer. He just wanted to make sure my transmission was behaving like I described for the reasons he thought before he suggested a course of action. After much diagnosis (several phone calls over a couple weeks) with him and checking the codes I ended up with a BTS. I installed it myself in my garage. That truck never shifted so crisp.

 

Good to see you on the boards again!

 

Keep it if its not rusty n crusty. Get an upgraded HD properly beefed n tuned trans and go another 300K.
Do the math. 5K rolled over 12 months is 416/mo. You'd be hard-pressed to find a used 14-16 with 100K on it for that amount around here.
A new one will be nearly triple that and I lost my taste for the 17 and up. Looks funny with all that chassis, way too narrow.
99-16 is where it's at, personal opinion only.

 

Not to derail the thread but I agree....

These trucks provide the most bang for the buck and don't cost a second mortgage when they break. That's why I have a 2001 Excursion and a 2005 Excursion. When the time and the opportunity presents itself, I'll add a 6.0 F250/350. I like the 6.7 trucks but can't imaging having a mortgage payment for a truck payment.

Provided yours is paid for, a $5,000 transmission that will more than stand the test of time, is more than worth it. You also have an engine that will sit up and beg for more even stock. (it'll do so even better with some Riffraff Diesel parts.)

 

Thanks man. I'm on here every now and then, but life is busy with two kids in high school now. Definitely never a dull moment.