Automatic Transmission Longevity
New User
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
Originally Posted by lucas_diesel_fan
This is an infomative thread. Let me chime in and say that based on what I have read, I definitely need a temp gauge and I do not have any common sense. I bought my truck when it had 97,000 miles on it. I pulled a light (6,500 pound) travel trailer through Colorado. On the way home, the O/D light started flashing. I was trying to limp her home to TX when she puked he guts on top of La Veta Pass. Bummer. Had her towed to Pueblo where I was told that the clutches came apart and distributed junk throughout the tranny. So, one week and $2,800 later I was on my way home with a new Ford tranny. I believe the tranny was damaged goods when I bought the truck.
Well, here is where the gauge and common sense thing comes in. Last weekend, I pulled my fiver to a state park about 100 miles from the house. As I got the trailer backed in, I noticed that all of the tranny fluid was running out of it. It is now at the shop. No word as of yet. This tranny only has 20,000 miles on it, and I had it serviced at about 15,000. I also installed an aftermarked cooler (much bigger than stock). This tranny has less than 3,000 miles of towing on it. I tow in O/D, as the owner's manual says I can, at 60-65 MPH, and I am very aware of when the tranny starts looking for gears (I turn off O/D).
Suffice it to say, I am not a fan of automatic tranny's for pulling. I welcome any and all opinions as to what I should do different in the future.
Jeff
Well, here is where the gauge and common sense thing comes in. Last weekend, I pulled my fiver to a state park about 100 miles from the house. As I got the trailer backed in, I noticed that all of the tranny fluid was running out of it. It is now at the shop. No word as of yet. This tranny only has 20,000 miles on it, and I had it serviced at about 15,000. I also installed an aftermarked cooler (much bigger than stock). This tranny has less than 3,000 miles of towing on it. I tow in O/D, as the owner's manual says I can, at 60-65 MPH, and I am very aware of when the tranny starts looking for gears (I turn off O/D).
Suffice it to say, I am not a fan of automatic tranny's for pulling. I welcome any and all opinions as to what I should do different in the future.
Jeff
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Post Fiend
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 5,497
Likes: 7
From: Central, Al
Sounds like the VSS in the rear diff has gone out. Simplified, the ABS module uses it for braking control and the tranny uses it for shift control. They are about 10 bucks at NAPA they call it a rear ABS sensor, but sometimes just cleaning it will do the trick. Follow the harness that goes into the rear pumpkin.
Post Fiend
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 5,584
Likes: 0
From: Millbrook Alabama
234k on original stock tranny, and I tow a 12k 5er most weekends, and spent 6 months in La. towing FEMA campers(6-8k #) after hurricanes.
Lucas diesel fan--- you experienced overflow from backing, not a big deal, tranny should be fine, fluid pukes out of the overflow when backing due to expansion from towing.
Lucas diesel fan--- you experienced overflow from backing, not a big deal, tranny should be fine, fluid pukes out of the overflow when backing due to expansion from towing.
New User
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 13
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Good grief, my post was from March, 2005. How did that get re-posted? Furthermore, I must have posted it incorrectly back then, because my truck is a 95 F-250. That said, I will comment.......
What I experienced (reference in my post) was that when the new tranny was installed the tech did not seat a seal correctly, and it twisted out when the tranny warmed up while backing. I now have about 75,000 miles on the new tranny, along with a tranny temp gauge and a torque converter controller. Now, I can keep an eye on the temp and lock the TC while towing. That TC lock is the biggest improvement I have made to my truck.
Did Ford fix this programming flaw in the 99 - 03 model years? Meaning, does the TC unlock as soon as you release the accelerator pedal in the 99 - 03 model years? (don't mean to hijack this thread, so don't feel compelled to answer this question here)
Thanks,
Jeff
What I experienced (reference in my post) was that when the new tranny was installed the tech did not seat a seal correctly, and it twisted out when the tranny warmed up while backing. I now have about 75,000 miles on the new tranny, along with a tranny temp gauge and a torque converter controller. Now, I can keep an eye on the temp and lock the TC while towing. That TC lock is the biggest improvement I have made to my truck.
Did Ford fix this programming flaw in the 99 - 03 model years? Meaning, does the TC unlock as soon as you release the accelerator pedal in the 99 - 03 model years? (don't mean to hijack this thread, so don't feel compelled to answer this question here)
Thanks,
Jeff
Freshman User
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 49
Likes: 0
From: Mapleton Utah
I just put the biggest Hayden "Tank type" cooler I could buy in series after the OME cooler and in front of the AC condenser. My gauges and pod are "in the mail". When you say that you keep your eye on the gauge, what is the safest high temp on the tranny,(and the EGT for that matter)
Logistics Pro
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 3,788
Likes: 103
From: Georgia
no one has mentioned it yet but i installed a Mag Hytec tranny pan when my truck was new, and the tranny temp guage. The mag Hytec holds a lot more fluid than stock. 8 extra qts. I change fluid at book interval and am at 110K trouble free miles. I only drive it on 5th wheel trips (12,500 lbs) so at least half the miles are under towing conditions. I live and tow a lot in the south and I don't think I've ever had the tranny over about 210 to 215 degrees. I think that big pan helps a lot.
Postmaster
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 2,647
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From: Fulltime RVer
Originally Posted by jonnyo
<TABLE><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top width="100%">did you by chance have the abs lite come on and the speedo stop working when the O/D lite was flashing? This is happening to me now, the abs lite comes on ( not to keen on what the abs has to do with the tranny other than being a computer glitch) and the speedo stops working and the O/D lite flashes and it shifts hard like a super shift kit. I just replaced fluid and filter @ 98,000 although I had this problem right before I changed fluid and filter. anything? PLEZ HELP !!!!!!!!!!!!!
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New User
Joined: Apr 2007
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VSS (abs wheel sensor)
Originally Posted by ernesteugene
As amiller said, the VSS in the diff is most likely the problem, however with 98K on your truck, the magnetic VSS will probably be coated with much metal fuzz from worn carrier bearings. I tow a lot and I'm on my third set of carrier bearings.
Sure enough it was the VSS (abs wheel sensor), there was no metal filings but I could see it got hot and was burnt, the metal casing was discolored. Well $22 later I am a happy camper ! ( LIteraly ) YOU GUYS ARE GREAT ! THANKS ALOT !!!
Last edited by jonnyo; Apr 24, 2007 at 01:54 PM.
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