2004 F250 Diesel Automatic

I've got close to 300,000 miles on my truck.

I'm not a mechanic, just a man who loves his Ford.

I got my first HARD SHIFT the other day. Accelerating up an interstate entry ramp from a stop light. Didn't feel my momentum decreased or my motor rev but out of nowhere I get a big BANG from the rear end. I've driven another 30 miles, some highway, some in town, without further transmission weirdness.

I did some research on this sort of tranny action since I know I'm about due for a new one just because I'm at around 300k and the obvious first troubleshooting step is to check the ATF levels

I don't see any ATF lost in the driveway, but I decided to check it. Just doing a cold test, warm engine (block heater) in park, engine funning, it appears the ATF only comes up to the bottom of the hatch area. Doesn't go into the hatched area whatsoever There's pink ATF on the 1/4 inch (approx) smooth end of the dipstick. It feels smooth and doesn't smell. But that is saying I'm low on ATF, ain't it?

Is this enough to cause this sort of misbehavior?

If it is, how do I determine how much ATF to ad without over filling and what grade of ATF should I add? The issue for me is that I have some pretty important driving to do tomorrow and I'd like to do that without feeling i might be ignoring a warning sign from my truck by running with my ATF just a little low. (BTW I do NOT have any engine lights on)

I appreciate any help you can give me.

I appreciate your patience.

Thanks

-Allan in WV

 

just keep adding atf until you’re at the middle of the marks, then drive it and see if you feel any difference

 

Thanks for your fast reply.

I have no idea of how much I can add without adding too much

or what grade ATF I should be adding. Am I likely to be able to get the right ATF at Walmart or an autopart chain (without bothering the Ford dealer)?

Thanks

-Allan

 

i’d just keep adding a little at a time until the level is where you want it.

get the atf recommended by Ford for your truck. You can either download the manual online if you don’t have it, or just stop in a parts store and have them look it up.

 

Sorry to be so dense.

If I'm adding ATF, do I have to drive the truck to check the level again?

And how do you clean out the fill tube so that dipstick reads accurately?

Sorry, I've got to ask everything

-Allan

 

no you don’t have to drive the truck.

just pull the dipstick and wipe it with a paper towel



some references:


https://itstillruns.com/fill-transmi...0-6156995.html


https://www.carcarekiosk.com/video/2...luid/add_level

 

So now I find that there were two automatic transmissions for diesel f250s in 04.

Apparently having the VIN isn't enough to identify the transmission.

Is there an 'easy' way to identify which transmission I have? (Each uses a different fluid)

Thanks

-Allan

 

The 2004 diesel had the 5R110W TorqShift transmission. It uses MERCON SP fluid.

Add a pint and check the level. You only need to get the level anywhere in the cross hatch area. You don't need to get to the top of the cross hatch.

I really don't think having the fluid level at the bottom of the cross hatch will cause your problems.

 

Mark (our resident torqushift engineer) and we, need a little more info such as... has this trans ever been serviced? By service, I mean fluid and filter changes every 50K miles or so?
300 is a lot even with regular maintenance.

 

In the beginning I had the ATF changed on the regular schedule (60k?) fileters and all at Ford

I probably haven't haven't changed the ATF for 100,000 miles.

Had my favorite indie shop check it out a couple months back and the foreman thought that the oil looked fine and he thought it best to let it stay in.

Said he'd have pushed to try a change if the oil smelled funny, was black or was gritty.

I've had no trouble with the tranny until yesterday. No slips as far as I know.

This truck has not been used for hauling

I assume its the 04 5speed since I do have the tow control on it

Thanks

 

Boy, it ain't easy finding Mercon SP at AutoZone, Walmart or Legman's on a Sunday in this region! I hope to pick up a qt at Ford tomorrow morning and see what happens if I get my ATF level where it should be.

Cold here today. About 30f when I was driving. I put 20 miles of two land driving on, up and down hills, etc. No slip, no hard shifts. Whew!

Also, I actually checked y Odometer and it's 252,000 I've got on this truck.

Also checked my driving record for the last several years and I'm not putting as much at 5000 a year on this truck nowadays.

So, one has to ask: does an F240 automatic trans have some life left in it at 250,000 miles?

Hope to hear from you.

-Allan in WV