I read these post when I get time and really enjoy them. I guess I mean to say I enjoy both the humor and the tech. Now that said I have been reading about what a lemon the auto trans are that are behind the diesels. This really torques my lug nuts because I bought one of darn things. I have a 2003 and I have put 6,800 miles on it since buying it in june. I selected the 7.3 for its proven reliability and knew othing bad about the 6.0. Glad I didn't go there. I did however buy one with the auto transmission. I drive this truck only when pulling my camper, less than 6000 lbs. I don't pull in overdrive, right wrong, I would like advice on that issue to. I do service everything I own myself and consider myself above average as a home mech. How do I get this truly lovely truck to live up to my expectation on service life. They are as follows, haul my extremly tolerant 3 year old and his little sisiter 11 months old on family vacations all over this wonderful country. In doing this the truck will average 10,000 a year. It needs to last until they are 16 years old or tell me they have had eneogh. It must do this trouble free, with the typical maintaining one would expect to give any vehicle he loves more than one really should love a vehicle. Yes boys I am a sicko, I keep this thing inside I hope to never need the 4x4 feature other than to reduce trany strain in backing up steep hills. It sets most of the time and just drool all over myself when I look at it as I get in my 1990 model f250 and drive to work. My dad purchased his 1973 camper special with 390 auto new in 73. We took many a vacation in it and it just returned its 69 year old driver from a 2000 mile trip to look at old tractors in Iowa. Thats what I want from my truck. Now how do I get it? I will never spend over 30k again on a truck, this one has to do it all. Help put my worrisome mind to rest. Thanks Sharps-Nut

 

https://www.ford-trucks.com/faq/1999...ance-AutoT.htm Read that. Also most are using synthetic fluid, larger fluid cooler and trans temp gauge. The one Ford supplies is a "too late" gauge meaning by the time it moves it's already too hot.

 

Thanks. Where does one aquire a accurate transtemp guage. Are they hard to install. Is the factory trans cooler big eneogh. I assume every 20,000 miles is a good service interval for these transmissions. What about testing the oil in the motor. Is that a to **** thing to do at less than 7000 miles?

 

Hello Nut, Your trans worries are rather unfounded on your year truck. You have a 4R100 trans, not the problematic E4OD. The comments on larger trans cooler and gage are correct. I have a set of Auto-meter gages, and I am very happy. A aftermarket trans cooler for a 20,000 + gvw rating or better is nice, or one off of a Ford V10 will do the trick. The weight you say you are towing is not heavy at all, so I would not worry. If you change oil at 7000 then I would only do samples every 3 changes.

 

I was under the impression I should change the oil every 3-4k. I use rotella t and motorcraft filter. I kinda thought diesel could be pushed a little farther on oil changes but have stuck to the book due to the cost of the big rattler. My wife gives me crap becuase everytime I drive the thing I never stop smiling. Thanks S-N

 

S-N I believe the book recommends the 3-4k oil interval for severe duty applications. I can not remember what it said for normal use. Since you have the book double check it. You could also start out doing a sample every oil change then after a year or so start extending the test intervals to every other oil change and so on.
BTW very good choice on oil and filter.

 

Personally I change mine religiously every 3,000m, yes I am **** about it. I figure there are few things that I have control over and this is one of those things that I can do and have some peace of mide. These engines are expensive...and so are the injectors which also run off high pressure oil. I figure that if I can keep the inside of the engine/oil system squeaky clean then my eninge is better off.

My $0.02

Mark

 

I installed a Frantz TP By pass filter on my transmission about a month ago. At 500 miles after installation I decided to change the filter element out of the Frantz..You wouldn't believe the metal imbedded in the filter.. when you pull out the element you can inspect it.. Along with being red from the fluid there was a silvery grey tint to the element with blackish streaks on the element..
It's disgusting what flows through your transmission.. Metal is grinding it away! Especially the smallest micronic particles.. Thats why I went with the Frantz after exhausting research on my part
to find the best filtration possible. Oil coolers.. Synthetic fluid.. guages are fine..But the weakest link in the chain is dirty, filthy, metal laden Fluid!! You need to have clean fluid, Oil, fuel, 100% percent of the time! If you have 100% clean polished oil etc... you do not need the constant changing of your fluids..

please read these links

http://gulliver.trb.org/publications...ACulpepper.pdf

http://www.garynorth.com/y2k/detail_.cfm/5359

 

I really thought I read those owners manual thru and thru. I remembered the 3000 miles part but thought that was it. I guess it must have said under severe conditions and I just missed it. I think in ways my worrisime **** mind would be better off not reading all the failure posts. Most everyone who owns one of these beautis is really happy witth it. Thats the part that should be mentioned. I keep reading about the wheel bearing failures and now I am just going to half to find a exploded view of whats in there to satisfy my curiousity. Also I have noted alot of the problemed rigs are the modified rigs. Now I am not bashing on modifying your truck by all means do, its a free country. It does remind me of an old saying I was told when it came to hot rods, "a dog that *hits fast don't *hit long." I don't know that it applies but it sounds like it might. ONe more question for you folks as I do enjoy the conversation. If you were to go out and buy one manual to best explain servicing and maintaining a psd sd ford which one is the best? Have a good day gentlle men. Oh yea just so you don't think I being a a** on the fast shi*ing dog coment. I have made and owned some fast shi8ing dogs before, just not this one. S-N

 

S-N my father used thst saying once in a while. Manuals; I would go on e-bay and do a search in the e-bay motors section for manuals on CD. I paid about $15 and it covers every Ford truck in my model year. I have the Helms shop manuals too and the CD has all the same info. I may be wrong on the severe duty part, but thats what I remember so let me know if I am wrong. I personally used Rotella-T and I changed it 4x a year regardless of mileage, I also did oil analysis once a year and I have 170k, and I drive about 30k/year. I have done the same on my other vehicles and have never had any problems. I still own my 89 F150 300/6 and it has 280k on it and burns 1qt. per oil change using Mobil-1. I am not knocking anybody who does more frequent oil changes, just stating my experience. I have since changed over to synthetic and I am using a bypass filtration with oil analysis.
Mykro the black streaks in your filter would be clutch material. It would be interesting to see what % of the metal is magnetic, the vast majority should be alum. or magnesium. The only caution I would say about bypass filtering anything is to be absolutely certain you are not starving the engine or trans of oil in the process. You might need to put a restriction in the filter system to prevent this. And if you are inline filtering make sure it flows enough and has a bypass function should the filter plug up.
I have been a heavy diesel mech for many years and I used to race gassers circle track and 1/4 mile. I have found a new interest in performance since I bought my 96 PSD and have been Amazed in the potential, and what you can do safely.

 

Guys thanks for the Ideas on manuals and such. The bypass filter intrests me some. My brother rebuilt auto trans for about a 15 year perriod of time with 99% success. ONe failure that the customer lied about how many times it had been in and out and how many different used parts had been installed. Good record anyway and he has always told me three things kill trannies, Heat, lack of service, and just flat out abuse. I am no longer trusting my factory guage thanks to you folks and dieselstop. I think I can control the other two. I never back my trailer into a camp ground that up hill or requires alot of sawing with out using 4low hub are manual so no harm ther. Last I think I service my stuff plenty frequently. So I guess I will be ok. I keep reading the failure lists and it does get me nervous. Last summer out in colorado I saw a guy pulling a monster fifth wheel up into a primitive area in a national forest. He managed to rub into another camper getting up there. The he has to se saw for at least 30 minutes to get this trailer house on wheels into the spot. He had a late model SD with a rattler and 4x4. Never once did he use the low side. You aught to have heard thing rev up before it started to push the load. That over rev is slipage, slipage is heat, heat is death. I bet ford replaces that unit under warranty and it was abuse not use. I guess you would have had to been there to understand but it made me sick to see a rig rammed around and abused that way. Maybe its because I know I may never buy another new one. I also know seeing that episode would make me think twice about a used one without knowing the operator. I think you folks would have puked to. Thanks for putting up with my rants. I will try to check the owners manual tonight or tomarrow night and let you know what the ford eng. have say about oil change. Ahh it will be tomarrow parent teachers conference tonight and I will be here late telling folks how much I love teaching their kids. That wasn't me being a smart a** either I really do. Thanks again S.N.

 

The Frantz on my Transmission is installed as a bypass filter which is restricted...

This is the restrictor here:
https://vs01.tvsecure.com/~vs01037/orders/show05.html
The tranny does shift a bit more smoother since the installation...

The Orifice diameter going into the Frantz on the engine is Appx 1/16 of an inch.. which lets in about a qrt a minute for filtration.. There's plenty or restriction..

The Frantz on the Fuel line is installed as an inline filter..This is where I noticed a difference in engine performance.. It Idles much smoother, quieter.. The engine seems to run smoother in general.. From what I have learned is that diesel fuel collects moisture from the air immediantly after refinement.. and after transfer.. The Frantz is absorbing that moisture.. Not to mention any other submicronic inpurities in the fuel that the stock filtration can't get.. I honestly didn't think that there would be a noticable difference.. But there was!! I'm not concerned about dirty bunky fuel.. The TP element will grab it!
So far I'm impressed with the results. I should have done this 20 years ago..

 

On severe duty any time you hook a trailer behind a truck it is severe duty.I tow a 29ft fifth wheel a lot during the summer months my trans temp will get to about 180-190 in stop and go traffic this is not bad but i still change fluid every 20,000 miles a saying of mine is maintiance is cheap repairs are costly. On the automatics behind the 6.0 they mounted a filter on the frame rail. clean cool fluid is the trick to keeping a transmission alive.

 

Yes.. You are so correct!.. If your fluid stays clean it will dissipate heat more efficiently..