6R80 - Tranny Swap - Programming Needed?
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Cross-Country
Joined: Feb 2017
Posts: 71
Likes: 3
From: Southeast US ; NC
Here's where you can download ForScan: https://forscan.org/home.html
you'll need an ELM OBD adapter (usb from computer to OBD on your truck) - lots of options, all the same function and price. Here's one on Amazon that will do the trick:
Will let you know if I can find the videos I made of the process.
you'll need an ELM OBD adapter (usb from computer to OBD on your truck) - lots of options, all the same function and price. Here's one on Amazon that will do the trick:
Will let you know if I can find the videos I made of the process.
Thread Starter
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Cross-Country
Joined: Feb 2017
Posts: 71
Likes: 3
From: Southeast US ; NC
In hindsight, I would suggest to go with Gashog's advice and NOT reprogram the TCU/solenoids if it drives and shifts fine after the tranny swap. In my case, the truck was new to me and I was sorting out other issues so I was super paranoid about an ongoing problem but it drove fine without the reprogram and had no change after. If you had to pay for it, I would not do it (unless it's shifting poorly) - if you can do it for free with ForScan it may still be worth a shot (make sure you save your vehicle profile in/from ForScan before you edit anything so you can revert back if you need to).
Tuned
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 354
Likes: 16
The factory ford manual says driving without programming new Tranny solenoid can cause transmission damage so I’m a little worried.
Did you pull the converter and drain and if so was it worth it, did much come out”?
here’s my thread on tranny solenoid I’d program etc.
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1712608-tranny-id.html
Did you pull the converter and drain and if so was it worth it, did much come out”?
here’s my thread on tranny solenoid I’d program etc.
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1712608-tranny-id.html
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Cross-Country
Joined: Feb 2017
Posts: 71
Likes: 3
From: Southeast US ; NC
When I swapped transmissions, the new used unit came with T/C also. I drained what I could from the T/C but it was very little. I did change the filter in the trans pan. If you're already into this project you probably know about the "lifetime" fluid/ sealed trans - you have to fill it with a siphon pump while running. You can only put a few quarts in with the truck off; running, the trans will pump the fluid through. You also can't properly check the fluid levels without the trans hot - so you have to fill up with approx # of quarts, drive to get it to temp and then check the dipstick while engine still running. The trans dip stick bolt will be hot so have leather gloves handy - I ran a zip tie on the sway bar to create a loop I could run the siphon hose through while pumping out from single quart bottles - that kept the hose off the ground and prevented any debris from getting in the trans. If you're doing it parked on the ground like I did, it's a pain but I did it so much (was super paranoid after blowing up my first tranny due to low fluid) that it became a very quick procedure to hop out, pull dip stick and check, and top off if needed.
Tuned
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 354
Likes: 16
Parabellum, running into another issue, the aluminum bolts that fasten the transfer case to the transmission are aluminum. I reused them but also snapped one when it tried to torque to 30 ft lbs because I couldn’t find torque specs anywhere so I torqued the rest to 25 but now I’m am being told the manual says these bolts are not to be reused they are torque to yield must discard and use new and torque to 12.5 ft. lbs. what did you do ?
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Cross-Country
Joined: Feb 2017
Posts: 71
Likes: 3
From: Southeast US ; NC
Uh oh! I bought the manual so had the torque specs - basically every bolt is said to be replaced but I reused all of them.
Sounds like you're already past this point - but when you put the T/C into the bell housing, there will be 3 distinct positions on the shaft until it's fully seated. Make sure it's totally in place. Also make sure you have the B/H seated against the block - if you try to tighten the bolts to snug B/H to block, it will break off the block (at least that's what happened to me).
Sounds like you're already past this point - but when you put the T/C into the bell housing, there will be 3 distinct positions on the shaft until it's fully seated. Make sure it's totally in place. Also make sure you have the B/H seated against the block - if you try to tighten the bolts to snug B/H to block, it will break off the block (at least that's what happened to me).
Tuned
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 354
Likes: 16
Uh oh! I bought the manual so had the torque specs - basically every bolt is said to be replaced but I reused all of them.
Sounds like you're already past this point - but when you put the T/C into the bell housing, there will be 3 distinct positions on the shaft until it's fully seated. Make sure it's totally in place. Also make sure you have the B/H seated against the block - if you try to tighten the bolts to snug B/H to block, it will break off the block (at least that's what happened to me).
Sounds like you're already past this point - but when you put the T/C into the bell housing, there will be 3 distinct positions on the shaft until it's fully seated. Make sure it's totally in place. Also make sure you have the B/H seated against the block - if you try to tighten the bolts to snug B/H to block, it will break off the block (at least that's what happened to me).
I haven’t fired it up yet and I reused the bolts also but guys on another thread said not to and not to use steel bolts so I don’t know what to do.
Ya I saw your post about torque converter so I let it be, bell housing was nice and flush first shot so I got lucky.
Tuned
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 354
Likes: 16
Just in case anyone runs into this issue, Forscan will work, download it's free, then you upgrade its like 20 bucks and then you get the OBD adapter, it's like 50 bucks, it works amazing, enabled us to remove the factory transmission numbers and enter the new replacement transmission numbers, it even confirmed the transmission had 53k miles like the seller claimed, awesome, truck has been from NY to Florida and back no issues !! Best 70 bucks I ever spent and you'd be surprised how much you can do with Forscan.
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1st Gear
Joined: Mar 2023
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
Long time listener, first time caller.
My output shaft speed sensor is going bad (P0720), so I need to replace the lead frame/connector on the valve body. Those units are "impossible" to find on their own, but you can buy a valve body with lead frame attached ("control assembly") for about twice the price of a lead frame alone if you don't want to wait 6 months (which I can't). I'd like to keep the wrenching simple and just swap control assemblies (valve body + lead frame/connector), but it looks like I'll need to reprogram if I do that, correct?
In either case I'm going to have a valve body/solenoid bank sitting around, so the issue may come up later even if I don't swap them now (might have to change out a solenoid later). I've got a good Ford mechanic a few miles down the road; would it be safe to drive there for the reprogramming?
Update - just talked with a Ford master tech for out of state - he says he never sees valve bodies go bad. So yea I could pay for the reprogramming, but there's not a strong reason to.
My output shaft speed sensor is going bad (P0720), so I need to replace the lead frame/connector on the valve body. Those units are "impossible" to find on their own, but you can buy a valve body with lead frame attached ("control assembly") for about twice the price of a lead frame alone if you don't want to wait 6 months (which I can't). I'd like to keep the wrenching simple and just swap control assemblies (valve body + lead frame/connector), but it looks like I'll need to reprogram if I do that, correct?
In either case I'm going to have a valve body/solenoid bank sitting around, so the issue may come up later even if I don't swap them now (might have to change out a solenoid later). I've got a good Ford mechanic a few miles down the road; would it be safe to drive there for the reprogramming?
Update - just talked with a Ford master tech for out of state - he says he never sees valve bodies go bad. So yea I could pay for the reprogramming, but there's not a strong reason to.
Last edited by Joe_mama; Apr 3, 2023 at 11:47 AM. Reason: Update
1st Gear
Joined: Sep 2023
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
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