False Neutral?
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From: Hernando Ms
False Neutral?
Hi Guys,
My 97 F-150 XL(4.2 Automatic) has been giving some erratic issues lately.Today was the second time it did this......Left work(cold @30 degrees outside) and didnt let it warm up
....after about 3 minutes of driving,I got to a stop sign,and of course stopped,gave it the gas,and nothing...still in drive.
Waited a few seconds,and it drove fine. I know the transmission fluid level is good.Its showing about 165000 miles right now.
To my knowledge this is the original tranny,and fluid.Ive heard stories about replacing the fliud/filter this "late in life" and want some suggestions as to what to do now....this is the second time Ive had this happen,but after the incident it shifts/drives flawlessly......Ideas please
My 97 F-150 XL(4.2 Automatic) has been giving some erratic issues lately.Today was the second time it did this......Left work(cold @30 degrees outside) and didnt let it warm up
....after about 3 minutes of driving,I got to a stop sign,and of course stopped,gave it the gas,and nothing...still in drive.Waited a few seconds,and it drove fine. I know the transmission fluid level is good.Its showing about 165000 miles right now.
To my knowledge this is the original tranny,and fluid.Ive heard stories about replacing the fliud/filter this "late in life" and want some suggestions as to what to do now....this is the second time Ive had this happen,but after the incident it shifts/drives flawlessly......Ideas please
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From: N. Fort Myers,FL
Its not the fluid and filter change people say are bad to do if they havent been done in a while, its when you get the transmission flushed. Go ahead and change the fluid and filter, and see if it helps your problem.
Out of curiousity, what does the tranny fluid look and smell like. Is it a dark red and smell a little burnt or is it light pink and smell just like oil?
Out of curiousity, what does the tranny fluid look and smell like. Is it a dark red and smell a little burnt or is it light pink and smell just like oil?
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From: Hernando Ms
Im not too worried about the actual changing the fliud/filter,Ive done it a few times(just recently on the wifes Impala) anyway the fliud is NOT pink,rather a darker red/brown,and smells kinda burnt.Im sure its got alot of clutch material in it,just nursing it until the end.
Ive heard stories about replacing the fluid/filter on a tranny with more than 100k miles on it,and the catastrophic results(in relatively short order),(Old wives tale perhaps?)but Ive also heard that this is B/S and it can only help.Of course if the clutches/bands are shot,nothing is gonna help less than a complete rebuild.
This is kinda like the debate that persists(even now) about the benifits/pitfalls of 100 octane aviation fuel,versus regaular automotive fuel in light aricraft piston engines....50% will swear that 100 octane will be best for the engine,as the other 50% will be adamant that regaulr fuel is best.
Should I go ahead and change the fliud,and filter,or continue on until the tranny goes South?
Ive heard stories about replacing the fluid/filter on a tranny with more than 100k miles on it,and the catastrophic results(in relatively short order),(Old wives tale perhaps?)but Ive also heard that this is B/S and it can only help.Of course if the clutches/bands are shot,nothing is gonna help less than a complete rebuild.
This is kinda like the debate that persists(even now) about the benifits/pitfalls of 100 octane aviation fuel,versus regaular automotive fuel in light aricraft piston engines....50% will swear that 100 octane will be best for the engine,as the other 50% will be adamant that regaulr fuel is best.
Should I go ahead and change the fliud,and filter,or continue on until the tranny goes South?
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Joined: Dec 2008
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From: Clay Country, GA, NE MS
I can relate: I had two truck transmissions flushed, not just changed, at around 100K miles, and both had troubles afterward. If you haven't changed it in a while, I say go ahead and just change the fluid to see if that helps. If not, 165,000 miles on original transmission sounds pretty good to me. Here's hoping it keeps going another 165K!
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From: Broken Arrow, OK
No fluid change or flush ever killed a transmission. If the trans failed after doing one of those it was on its last legs anyway. In practice, there isn't much difference between a flush and a fluid change. The only real difference is that the fluid change doesn't remove all of the old fluid and the flush does.
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From: Hernando Ms
I must agree....I think Im going to change the filter,gasket,and whatever fluid that gets drained out of the pan/tranny.I dont plan to flush the system,as im almost sure Ill be tearing it down this summer to do an overhaul.
"Deluxe" tranny kit on rockauto is about 110 bucks,Torque converter is gonna be 100 or less,and new fluid/filter cheap as well.
Thanks guys!
"Deluxe" tranny kit on rockauto is about 110 bucks,Torque converter is gonna be 100 or less,and new fluid/filter cheap as well.
Thanks guys!
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Not saying any body is wrong but my tranny went only 4000 miles after i changed the fluid and filter at 100,000 miles i dout it was a coincidence. my ford dealer said that with that many miles the oil has grit and particles in it from the clutches that actually make the clutches work.
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Postmaster
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From: Broken Arrow, OK
All of the grit and particles used to be your transmission. The flush didn't kill it, it was dead already. All the flush did was unplug the life support. For every transmission that fails right after a flush there are 100 others that are fine. The difference is usually that the survivors have been flushed regularly instead of neglected.
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From: Hernando Ms
I have absolutely no doubt that the tranny is on its last leg,after all, changing the fluid/filter will obviously not replace the clutch,and band material....just want to REALLY get it to make it until Spring!
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