I need some advise concerning my F350 PSD transmission (auto).
It only leaks out of the flywheel cover area (front seal i asume) when i tow my 5er (9000#). so this is what i done so far:
-installed a aux transmission cooler w/fan
-installed banks transcommand
-installed temp gauge
-changed tranny oil and filter in pan
-added magnafine filter
So after all the mods i ran a test drive with the 5er and low and behold after about 5 miles running azround in the area with sto and go traffic but beeing really gentle with the truck, it started leaking again. the temps rose all the way to about 208 and i am sure it would have been higher would i have taken it on a longer trip, because it didn't seem to level out at that point yet.
Now here is my dilema:
A)do i just replace the front seal (cost me about $420)
B)do i replace the torque converter only (responsible for slippage/high heat)
C)replace the whole transmission with a jasper remanufactured ($3600 installed w/ 5year/75000 mile warrenty)
What do the experts think?
The torque converter would be the part that causes slippage right?
Thanks for your help
Desperate in Atlanta
Tony

 

Not real sure but I have heard some bad things about things like the trans command raising line pressure only when towwing a heavy load or something I like internal parts anyway. I have done three converter and shift kits on 4r100 from suncoast and made a different truck out of it. I can emphasize suncoast enough their stuff is great.
www.suncoastconverters.com

 

There are clutches throughout the system that can slip and generate heat as well as the torque converter. If it were me, I would not buy a new $3500 transmission. But I would put some $$$ into the one you have. The 4R100 transmission has some inherent weaknesses in it that need to be corrected. A chip programmer does nothing but increase the line pressure via the epc. That is a band aid fix. You need to replace hardware in the trans in order to fix the weaknesses of the tranny and increase the line pressure and balance the valve bodies for the increase in line pressure.

Shift kits start this process but don't go far enough. I did a reprogramming kit by Transgo in mine. If I ever pull my trans out of the vehicle I will put a transgo stage II kit in which goes into the pump which firms up and fixes the tc lockup problems. Doing these kinds fo mods increases the pressure on clutches with prevents them from slipping and generating heat. They aso shift like a mother to boot.

You can buy also buy accumulator valve bodies and such that you can bolt right in place. they are easy installs. But with your 5er, I think you need an overall solution to your towing needs not a quick little fix. The parts I have mentioned that I would do cost around $150 if you look hard enough. A few hundred in labor and you are under $500.

 

bigslurrp,
What kind of power combination are you running and what exactly have you done to your tranny? I have done various different tranny upgrades and tested them on a pulling track, pulling heavy(30,000 plus) loads, and drag racing and was just curious what kind of things you have found out with yours. What transgo kit did you raun how big did you drill your accumulator plate holes?

 

My V10 Excursion has a 3.73 rear end. I have just recently installed a Transgo Tugger kit 4R100-HD2. I talked to the techs at transgo and they suggested to start at the lower end of the scale for the holes on the accumulator plate. The instructions give you a range of .110-.116 for 2nd, .073-.082 for 3rd and .086-.096 for 3rd. I decided to start in the middle and went .113,.078 and .091, respectively.

The tugger kit comes with some snap rings and a big o rign and valve mod for the pump that I could not install because that requires the trans out of the vehicle.

The mod completely transformed the transmission. It blows my mind to feel it shift. When I get on it, 2nd is very firm. The vehicle literally lurches forward when it shifts. I like it.

 

I don't want to pressure you by any means but one of the greatest parts of the transgo shiftkit are their pump mods. It consists of a valve that goes in your pump and yes it needs to be out of the vehicle and pump needs to be completely disassembled (open heart surgery) but is not to bad just nerve racking, but with it done it will make your converter lock up a lot lot lot quicker instead of just burning and slipping until it wants to lock. Did the rest of the stuff you added help the converter lock up feel?

 

I went out for a drive with my son, and of course I was just stomping on it to see what it would do. I think it takes a few drives to get all the springs settled in the valve bodies. It is shifting a little smoother now. That 2nd gear shift is awesome and I think I could open up 3rd and 4th a lot more. They are smooth as silk.

To answer your question about the lock up, I don't think it did much for the lockup time, which bugs me. I am really tuned into that and it drives me nuts. You know that moment when it shifts and then two seconds or so later the rpm's drop a little when the tc locks? I hate that and I heard that tonight.

I guess sometime when I am bored I am going to have to drop that trans and pull out the pump and put that valve in, as well as purchase the stage II kit that transgo sells that goes in the pump also.

After reading the ATSG manual I bought, it looks like it is a simple thing to pull the pump since it is right there behind the tc. My question is, how deep do you have to go to put those snap rings on the OD?