Driving on the freeway during rush hour and the tranny goes, temp never went above 180F even though it was 110F outside; fluid level was perfect. Limped it to the stealer and they told me it has a broken/intermittent one way clutch - most noticeable in/out of 2nd gear. Their recommendation, based on mileage (119K,) and beyond warranty status is to rebuild the unit - parts and labor for my tranny run $3700.

Got a second opinion form a reliable shop, recommended a Jasper unit, new cooler and radiator (claimed it was reasonable for proper warranty of the new tranny) and the total bill is $5300. Granted, this tranny is supposed to be a lot beefier - heavier clutches, stronger flexplate and converter and a longer warranty than from F***.

Don't know anyone who has had experience with the Jasper unit, or other non-OEM units or rebuiilds. For $5300, I figure someone could slip a full blown Allison with all of the doo-dads and adapt it to my Powerstroke - anyone ever heard of this? Anybody make a bellhousing adapter for the Allison?

Let me know what your experience is if you've gone through this. I'm kinda torqued about the thought of an unexpected $4k overhaul, which has changed my travel plans for the weekend... got to break out the ol' reliable Toyota.... again.

 

If/when my tranny goes on my X I will lean towards the Jasper and rest easy after than. You go with the rebuild from Ford and what is your trust level going to be in the tranny? My advise is pay for it once and go bullit proof.

 

If you have an E4OD or a 4R100, give this guy a look-see.
I got a valve body from them and was thoroughly impressed.

http://www.factorytechtransmissions.com/

 

Thanks for the thread bryyce, I will give them a call and dig into their units - they sound exactly like what I'm after.

LabCab - I am definitely not even considering a dealer rebuild to stock specs. I already have them looking at what kind of trade they might make me, probably only $10K.

This is my daily driver and I maintain it like a fiend. The guy at the second shop thought I was lucky to get 119K out of the OEM unit, and said there was nothing else I could have done to prolong it. Sounds like the same tale I was told when my unit bearings failed. 5-1/2 years and 119K miles later I'm thinking this truck is more of an overpriced, overhyped testostrone ego boost than a real quality unit. I pop for this and my rear door will still squeak intermittently, and the cup holder will rattle incessantly like it has from the day I drove it off the lot. It's pretty, it's loud, it's fast, it has lots of room and can tow a molehill but it is also the most expensive vehicle I have ever owned form a repair standpoint - maintenance is a given ,but the repairs are ungodly $$$. $700 for a waterpump... a freaking water pump.. not the entire cooliong system... the ford'ing pump and belt and labor.

Dammm, I'm bummed and pissed.

 

http://www.brianstruckshop.com

One of the VERY BEST tranny guys... works specifically on the 4R100. Tranny from BTS is the absolute most popular tranny for guys with highly modded 7.3s out there, and also among the less modded.

 

x2 on BriansTruckShop. This guy knows his stuff.....and his warranty is VERY impressive.

 

I can see getting a new trans cooler but what does the radiator have to do with it, and 5300 seems a little high i asked my mech a while ago and he quoted 3700 for a monsterbox installed

 

Radiator is standard, external cooler is looped through that circuit as well for added cooling. It was explained to me that Jasper won't warranty the transmission for lack of fluid flow. The shop had done a repair in the past where they cleaned the cooler cores out with brake cleaner, etc to remove the deposits and particles. A client munched one about 30 days out - the shop ate a tow bill, the rework, and Jasper nicely explained that even cleaning with solvents and pressure test you can't be sure you have proper flow with an old core. The radiator and cooler only added $500 P&L - so if I'm into it $4800, what's an extra 5 bills for peace of mind I figure...

Maybe I wasn't clear, but this shop quoted a complete rebuild / upgrade of the tranny, converter, replace lines and coolers... about as complete as it gets.

Monster Box has awesome specs - anybody running one, experience, service??

 

I had the same problem last April 2005. My 4R100 automatic bit the dust. I opted for the Ford transmission with the 3 year 36,000 mile warranty. A local tranny shop put it in along with a new converter & they replaced the stock cooloer with a new one since you cannot flush it out. The total bill came to $ 3058.00. I could not afford the $ 5000.00 - $ 6000.00 BTS setup.

I looked at Jasper but I was unsure not to mention I could not find a tranny shop to put one in my truck where I live. They all said ( we don't do Jaspers ).

Well I just got towed back to the transmission shop, it looks like I grenaded the new transmission with only 5700 miles on it. I took it back to the tranny shop & he removed it & installed another new Ford unit, No cost!. I am sure glad I had the warranty. Also while in the tranny shop he had 4 other 99-03 Fords there with grenaded automatics & 1 with a Jasper tranny in it that had blown the trans @ 6000 miles.


Go figure, What is guy supposed to do. Buy a Ford or Jasper trans for around $ 3100.00 & risk grenading it or plunk down $ 5000.00 - $ 6000.00 for a BTS unit or Put a 6 speed in it.

I will go the 6 speed route next time I blow a automatic.

 

I've sworn the next time I have to pull the front end apart to do the unit bearings I will have saved enough cash to plunk down on a Dynatrac unit. Don't know why I would go cheap on this either.

The stealer offered a trade of $15K as it sits with a blown tranny against an '06 in the same configuration - the spiff is about $29K. So I can finance 30K and have a new truck, or I can spend 5k and have my old one with all of the upgrades I have done - lift, fuel tank, Banks kit, Bedlocker, on and on. Then again I'm only 5 years newer with a questionable 6.0, IFS and the tranny that should have been built in the first place. Fool me once... fool me twice I'm thinkin'... they can keep their lot full of opportunities, I'm done with the haggling, the BS and a truck just this side of lemonade.

No truck you spend 40K-50K on should have 'achilles heels' like undersized wheel bearings, or trannies that pop like a ball park frank without recourse against FoMoCo or the dealers.

Probably gonna just bite the bullet and get the BTS unit, and deal with my squeaky door and rattly cup holder for a few months. When I get tired of it, or another $700 repair pops up, I'll put it down the road knowing that whoever gets it, at least has a truck that was well taken care of and no expense was ever spared in maintenance, upgrades or repairs.

Saw my first '07 Shelby GT500 today and I'm thinking what else could be more fun than wringing out the wrinkles in a new 500HP coupe...

 

1BADF350_4XCREW7.3,

Take a look at Suncoast, we have had great service and performance from their trannies. Most folks report a 25-30 HP increase in at the wheel HP just from getting a tranny that puts the HP to the ground instead of into the fluid plus some slight MPG too. Call us if you have any questions on them.

Mark @ DPPI

 

Try ATS out of Utah, they make bomb-proof autos for anyone, any application.

There expensive (like $3,500-$5,000), but they come with a 3-5 year unlimited milage warranty that they stand behind.

Most of the high HP diesel drag racers use these.

just my $0.02 worth.......

 

when mine goes it will be a bts and at 3800 installed it isnt really that much more than a stock ford trans

 

Where did you get that quote for a Brians Tranny?? He's going to do my 5R110 for $3800 complete! Not only that, but if I have it to his shop by 8am, he'll give me the keys back by 6pm! He's been written up in a magazine by David Kennedy who is now the editor of Diesel Power magazine. I wrote to him asking about BTS and he said he wouldn't let anyone else do his Ford tranny.

 

I guess it has been awhile since I talked to him, last I recalled I would need to take my truck to Arkansa from Indiana. So I guess I figured that haul bill in there too!.