Looking for advice from anyone who has had a transmision in a 98 or newer overhauled. I have done some heavy towing with mine over the last few years and last night did it in. It reved up, made grinding noises and blew fluid everywhere and quit moving. This morning I unhooked the trailer and started the truck to push it out of the way. I put it in gear and it worked fine. I moved the trailer with my other truck then topped off the tranny fluid (it stinks) and went to town in it. It seemed to drive fine but after two miles at highway speeds the OD light starts blinking, which means, of course, transmission malfunction.

I did alot of pricing and looking today and I think my best bet is an overhaul.

Now to my question. Has anyone just told the shop to fix what was wrong and put it back in? If so how did it work out and how much did you save over a full overhaul? If I can save alot by going a cheaper route I will probably trade it off but if I spend the $1300 plus a shift kit to overhaul it, I am going to keep it. I was also curious to know if anyone had used a shift kit and if you thought it helped out. One shop told me that these were an extremely light duty transmission and he had seen alot of them with a blown front pump. This was disapointing to me because mine has the towing package and Ford rates the automatics at a higher towing capicity than the manual.

Thanks for any help or info you can throw my way.

 

My father's suggestion to me when I burned my manual transmission out on my Mazda B4000 Pick-up: get a rebuilt.

My father tried getting his manual tranny for his jeep fixed when he striped gears hauling a trailer. He actually tried fixing it himself; he bought the appropriate parts to remedy the problem. He ended up taking the tranny in and out three times; the thing kept going out on him again and again when he went for a test drive after repairs. Finally, he gave in and decided to just trade it in for a rebuilt. 250k on it now, still running like a champ.

The thing with trannys is, if one thing goes, it's like a chain reaction with all those rotating gears and various moving parts and it puts hurt on everything else. Even if you did repair one particular damaged area of the transmission, something else is likely to go out in the near future. I'd suggest doing an overhaul and saving yourself the hassle of future problems.

I did a trade in for a rebuilt for the manual tranny on my mazda pick-up (same tranny found in rangers). I had my transfer case traded in for a rebuilt too when that went out a year ago.

Unless you're strapped for cash and just want to get by for now, simply get fixed what needs fixed, fixed. But your damage sounds severe enough, an overhaul is probably the best option.

 

Anyone who repairs automatic transmissions will refuse to do a 'patch' job. It does not make sense to do one. If you need to take it apart to replace part X, you can for very little more in time, labor and material, do a complete rebuild. If you just replace what is bad, all the other parts that get worn, such as clutches and steels and the bands, are still worn when you put it back together. In addition, all of the seals have just as much mileage, are baked just as hard, and leak just as much as they did before you did the 'patch'.
Penny wise and pound foolish.
Sure, I'll do a patch, with no guarantee, and I'll see you in 3 months when the next thing up on the list of failure items lets go.
Not a smooth move....
tom

 

Just have it rebuilt by a reputable shop and make sure and replace the torque convertor. This is the only way to somewhat insure getting a tranny that will last. When they rebuild them the hard parts are not replaced unless worn or damaged. What your are getting is new clutch packs new bands an inspection and cleaning of the valve body. Inspection of the front pump. Go with someone that will offer at least a years warranty.

 

We used to flush the torque converters with 'solvent' using some sort of pump mechanism. The sales guy -Guy, charged my OM so much per flush as he had bought the machine.. In looking back, my dad should have charged Yug for the electricity, and floor space 'his' machine took up in my Dads shop. Most TQs are fine, if they are not plugged with powdered clutch, and their sprag clutches are functional. The new ones mostly have a TQ lockup clutch built in. I guess that would be a good reason to replace with new .. or rebuilt if they are on the market any more.
Most hard parts will last beyond normal transmission life, but some are poorly designed, such as the input shaft on the A4LD, with very little 'there' there to handle the torque passed through. A good trans shop will work with to explain all they are going to do, and why. There are some shops with a lifetime guarantee, but you pay for the guarantee, and MUST come in annually for a fluid change - on your dime, and if you miss it, the guarantee is void. Not withstanding that most people trade their cars in three years (at least used to...) The level of parts replaced is based on the builders experience. Hopefully, you get an experienced builder. You can go to atsgmiami.com and find a manual for your transmission - it would be the same as the MFg manual, I don't know if ATSG writes them or Ford... and do it yourself. That is when you have to come hat in hand to a shop and ask for help - buy parts and a kit from them, and they may help you with the clutch packs and examining the hard parts you may have questions about.
There are a lot of very nice people working in transmission shops, near, but probably not alongside the few who are just out to empty your wallet. AKA, good luck.
tom