I just bought a 96 f250 4x4 7.3 psd auto tranny. This is the first diesel I have owned so I will be haveing alot of questions and some of them might sound stupid. My first maybe stupid question is that my truck seems to have no take off power at all. Even if there is loose sand on the road and I punch it I can not spin the tires. I was told win I bought it that was the norm. As soon as it gets moveing I have no problem with power. The only thing I pulled with it is a car on a dolly. It pulled that with little effort. There is 210k on the motor. Do all diesels with an auto have the slow take off.

 

Hi, raydar, welcome to the site. I too am here to learn, suggest doing a search on "10k mod" That will help your low end lack of power and it only costs a few minutes and $1.00 for a 5pack of resisters from Radio Shack. There's other more expensive and far more effective mods to do to your truck, but this will get you started.
Also suggest searching for maintainance recommendations for your truck. The diesel engine has a couple of special requirements like the proper coolant additive and diesel rated oil.
Get ready for a week of crash course reading here on this site. Have fun and most of all enjoy your new truck.

 

Keep in mind that your truck is probably "tired". The mileage may not be terrible for the engine, but keep in mind the rest of the truck has 210K on it too. Things wear out over that many miles and years. I'd change all the fluids and filters to start. Then start from there on a clean slate. Good luck with the truck.

 

You probably have 3.55 gears, and the tranny may be slipping a little too. May want to have trans checked by a good shop. Stock truck is not going to have a great hole shot though, unless you powerbrake it to get the boost up before launch. That's really not good on the tranny though. If you have the money, get a set of gauges, min of 4" exhaust, and an aftermarket intake like Tymar or something. Then maybe later go with a chip. Welcome to the PSD world!

Max

 

when i bought the truck i was told that all the fluids were just changed. I was also told that a new tranny was put in about 80,000 ago and most of those miles were just driveing.

 

I would think that it could at least spin the tires on gravel, but maybe not, its been so long since I drove a stock diesel I fergot. someone else should say something.

I am goin through the same thing with my '96 no power at times other its awesome, I will keep updates on my results.


Diesel Rod

 

I have a stock '96 manual tranny. I cant spin the tires unless im on gravel. Not that I really try anyways.

 

The why is sounds that my problem is not one. I really don't try to spin the tires nether but I just tried it too see if it would. thanks for the replays.

 

I wanted to start a new trend on this topic but ca't figure out how. My tranny is shifting funny. It shifts from 1st to second fine, then from 2nd to 3rd it double shifts. What i mean by double shift is I feel it shift the tac goes down than then after a little while it shifts again. It is still pulling when it does this so I don't think the tranny is sliping. If i take it realy slow when going through the gears it acts like it is a 5speed, there is a larger range of speed between shifts. the harder I push on the gas the shorter the lag shift once in awile it shifts fine. Has anyone else expirenced this? Is this something that can be fixed easy or do I have to bring to a tranny shop? It shifts fine between 3rd and od.

 

An automatic tranmisson has 4 gears. With my truck - 1st, 2nd, 3rd, then torque converter locks, then 4th or overdrive. Makes it feel like a five speed. The TQ locks differently depending on the speed, foot in the pedal, or if towing. Actually shifts better while towing .

 

You may be feeling the TC lockup as the second shift between 2nd & 3rd.

I have an F250 with auto and 3.55 rearend before mods I couldn't spin the tires on anything short of ice. That rear end is just to tall. After mods I can get the tires to rotate if I really work at it but since I dont see any reason to wear my tires out faster and tear the tranny up I don't try.

I am content to pour black smoke over folks

 

thanks for the info I was really thinkings that i might be having a problem? That must be what i'm felling. That must be the reason why it seems to have a little boost after the tc locks. Is this something that bigger trucks do (tc lock)? I have driven many on 1/2 ton trucks and rever noticed it.

 

Pretty much all autos will lock up the TC. Its more noticable in trannies meant for heavy duty use, like the PSD, more so if a shift kit or improved vavles were installed during the rebuild you mentioned.

 

Torque converter lockup is common on more recent vehicles, non-existant on older ones. If I use the pedal just right on my '00 F250, it does feel like a 5-speed.

Raydar, your description of the shifting sounds completely normal, as TC lockup occurs at different speeds depending on load and pedal position. Mine will lock up after the 1-2 shift if I am on it hard enough with a load. If I have little load and little pedal, it won't lockup until after the 3-4 shift, and then not until about 45mph or so.

 

Ok i'm pretty sure that is what i'm felling now. The only thing that is got me wondering is why does the tac drop? with avg to slow starts at about 30-35 it shifts into 3rd(or tc) and the tac drops but not much. Then at 40-45 it shifts or tc, the tac really drops. After that the truck seems to gain speed a little faster with the same amount of pedal. may be the first shift is the tc but why would the tac drop. this is all new to me so if my question sound silly sorry but keep the replays comeing. THANKS