Advice and Insight needed
Thread Starter
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Trailering
Joined: Aug 2023
Posts: 19
Likes: 3
From: Stevenson, Wa
Advice and Insight needed
Hello everybody,
I have 2000 f250 Super duty 7.3l power stroke and a few weeks ago my wife and I were hauling a pretty large load and when we put it in 4 low a hole appeared in the torque converter inspection plate, and it started dumping fluid. We didn't lose oil pressure and the trans still sounds fine and shifts fine, but it does lose fluid when the truck is running. I am under the impression that it is either the front input seal or the torque converter that is leaking but honestly those are just guesses. I am going to pull the transmission here soon after I finish up a few other projects. The truck has 378,000 miles on it, and I don't know if I should just try to replace the transmission entirely, fix the original one, or possibly do both and have an extra transmission. I am looking for insight and advice so I can get my ducks in a row before I dive in.
Thanks.
I have 2000 f250 Super duty 7.3l power stroke and a few weeks ago my wife and I were hauling a pretty large load and when we put it in 4 low a hole appeared in the torque converter inspection plate, and it started dumping fluid. We didn't lose oil pressure and the trans still sounds fine and shifts fine, but it does lose fluid when the truck is running. I am under the impression that it is either the front input seal or the torque converter that is leaking but honestly those are just guesses. I am going to pull the transmission here soon after I finish up a few other projects. The truck has 378,000 miles on it, and I don't know if I should just try to replace the transmission entirely, fix the original one, or possibly do both and have an extra transmission. I am looking for insight and advice so I can get my ducks in a row before I dive in.
Thanks.
Hotshot
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 11,278
Likes: 1,658
From: Las Cruces New Mexico
If money is of no concern replace the trans with an upgraded trans. If funds are limited, install a triple disc low stall TC and replace pump seal, if not done already install bellowed up pipes while trans is out.
Fleet Owner
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 25,090
Likes: 1,112
From: Rio Rico, AZ.
Hello everybody,
I have 2000 f250 Super duty 7.3l power stroke and a few weeks ago my wife and I were hauling a pretty large load and when we put it in 4 low a hole appeared in the torque converter inspection plate, and it started dumping fluid. We didn't lose oil pressure and the trans still sounds fine and shifts fine, but it does lose fluid when the truck is running. I am under the impression that it is either the front input seal or the torque converter that is leaking but honestly those are just guesses. I am going to pull the transmission here soon after I finish up a few other projects. The truck has 378,000 miles on it, and I don't know if I should just try to replace the transmission entirely, fix the original one, or possibly do both and have an extra transmission. I am looking for insight and advice so I can get my ducks in a row before I dive in.
Thanks.
I have 2000 f250 Super duty 7.3l power stroke and a few weeks ago my wife and I were hauling a pretty large load and when we put it in 4 low a hole appeared in the torque converter inspection plate, and it started dumping fluid. We didn't lose oil pressure and the trans still sounds fine and shifts fine, but it does lose fluid when the truck is running. I am under the impression that it is either the front input seal or the torque converter that is leaking but honestly those are just guesses. I am going to pull the transmission here soon after I finish up a few other projects. The truck has 378,000 miles on it, and I don't know if I should just try to replace the transmission entirely, fix the original one, or possibly do both and have an extra transmission. I am looking for insight and advice so I can get my ducks in a row before I dive in.
Thanks.
EDIT: Not so much on the driveline, but on the engine/transmission assembly doing all the twisting.
Thread Starter
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Trailering
Joined: Aug 2023
Posts: 19
Likes: 3
From: Stevenson, Wa
Thank you to all the responses.
Here is a little more back story. We are installing a metal barn, and we were pulling the parts of the metal kit to our job site, somewhere around 8000 pounds including the trailer. Pulled it in 2wd to the job site and only put in in 4low to once we were at our build site. We put it in 4low because we had to make an uphill turn in reverse and back down to our build site. Once we were at the build site, we notice we were leaking fluid from the torque inspection plate which appeared to be red. I will check the engine valley to see if it is leaking there as well.
Here is a little more back story. We are installing a metal barn, and we were pulling the parts of the metal kit to our job site, somewhere around 8000 pounds including the trailer. Pulled it in 2wd to the job site and only put in in 4low to once we were at our build site. We put it in 4low because we had to make an uphill turn in reverse and back down to our build site. Once we were at the build site, we notice we were leaking fluid from the torque inspection plate which appeared to be red. I will check the engine valley to see if it is leaking there as well.
Mountain Pass
Joined: Mar 2021
Posts: 149
Likes: 78
My guess is that you overheated your 4R100 trans while you were in reverse. Hot trans from towing and no airflow while in reverse.
A common issue in these trucks. Once the trans cools down, the leak will probably stop. (if the seal is not too damaged from overheating over the years)
Many on here, including myself, have installed the 6.0 trans cooler. This is an easy fix and will solve the issue if this is your leak.
If you do indeed need a new transmission a better trans cooler is a must. The Ford 6.0 cooler fits your truck with no modifications. (low stall converter while you are at it)
Many posts on this exact issue on this site. This happened to me when my 2001 Ex PSD was only a few years old. I bought it new, and it is still in mint condition!
But it now has a built trans with all the upgrades, except the billet input and output shafts. (my 7.3 has always been at stock power level and I don't tow much at all)
Several years passed after "pucking" the trans. A few years later, I had to replace the trans due to the dreaded "mechanical diode" issue. (your trans does not have this weak part if you have a 1999.)
A common issue in these trucks. Once the trans cools down, the leak will probably stop. (if the seal is not too damaged from overheating over the years)
Many on here, including myself, have installed the 6.0 trans cooler. This is an easy fix and will solve the issue if this is your leak.
If you do indeed need a new transmission a better trans cooler is a must. The Ford 6.0 cooler fits your truck with no modifications. (low stall converter while you are at it)
Many posts on this exact issue on this site. This happened to me when my 2001 Ex PSD was only a few years old. I bought it new, and it is still in mint condition!
But it now has a built trans with all the upgrades, except the billet input and output shafts. (my 7.3 has always been at stock power level and I don't tow much at all)
Several years passed after "pucking" the trans. A few years later, I had to replace the trans due to the dreaded "mechanical diode" issue. (your trans does not have this weak part if you have a 1999.)
Fleet Owner
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 25,090
Likes: 1,112
From: Rio Rico, AZ.
So it basically started leaking from the bell housing and no "new hole appeared". I'll go with what Markspsd said, especially given the miles on the transmission.
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Thread Starter
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Trailering
Joined: Aug 2023
Posts: 19
Likes: 3
From: Stevenson, Wa
We noticed it leaking about 5 mins after we put it in 4low and backed up. When I got under the truck, I noticed the hole in the inspection plate with fluid coming out of it. The trans was still shifting fine after this. We still had the second part of the kit to go get and it pulled and shifted fine. We didn't put it back in 4low, but we did put in it in 4 hi and it shifted and ran fine, it was just leaking fluid. Thank you for the insight, I am a novice in this realm, so I appreciate all the advice.
Lead Driver
Joined: Jul 2017
Posts: 6,867
Likes: 2,338
From: WV
I agree with Marc, it sounds like the “leaking after working hard in reverse” scenario which I’ve seen folks post about in the past.
Now for the reason I wanted to post. You mentioned not using 4Low the second time. Low range should actually be easier on the trans and trans temp in this case. High range will work and slip the TC more creating more heat. Low range has much more torque multiplication and would move the load easier with less work from the engine/trans. Just my opinion but I would be using Low range to back a heavy load up a hill.
Now for the reason I wanted to post. You mentioned not using 4Low the second time. Low range should actually be easier on the trans and trans temp in this case. High range will work and slip the TC more creating more heat. Low range has much more torque multiplication and would move the load easier with less work from the engine/trans. Just my opinion but I would be using Low range to back a heavy load up a hill.
Fleet Owner
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 25,090
Likes: 1,112
From: Rio Rico, AZ.
I agree with Marc, it sounds like the “leaking after working hard in reverse” scenario which I’ve seen folks post about in the past.
Now for the reason I wanted to post. You mentioned not using 4Low the second time. Low range should actually be easier on the trans and trans temp in this case. High range will work and slip the TC more creating more heat. Low range has much more torque multiplication and would move the load easier with less work from the engine/trans. Just my opinion but I would be using Low range to back a heavy load up a hill.
Now for the reason I wanted to post. You mentioned not using 4Low the second time. Low range should actually be easier on the trans and trans temp in this case. High range will work and slip the TC more creating more heat. Low range has much more torque multiplication and would move the load easier with less work from the engine/trans. Just my opinion but I would be using Low range to back a heavy load up a hill.
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