2003 service question, trans question.
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Cross-Country
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 78
Likes: 4
From: Middle of America
2003 service question, trans question.
Hello all, I have a camping trip to the mountains planed this summer and have a couple quick questions. My 2003 has 34 k on it and is bone stock. I serviced the trans last summer and kept up on fuel and oil filter changes is there anything I should check or service prior to my trip, like change out original yellow antifreeze or add anything to it? Also so far my trans is stock, I have tried pulling in od only once and it made the od light blink and trans go to limp mode, but the temp stayed fine and I discontinued pulling in od. Is there anything I should have my local tranny shop do to this trans to reinforce any existing weak links from factory or just don't pull in od and keep it serviced. Its load is me momma three kids and a 23ft 5th wheel camper. One local guy recommended a tugmaster torque converter and shift improvement kit. Is that fact or just a leg humping? Thanks for any insight. SN
Posting Guru
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,327
Likes: 2
From: Las Vegas, NV
Try calling John Wood, He just set me up with his towmaster transmission after blowing my Factory reman with only about 30k miles on it. He sells his own custom billet torque converters and valve bodies, and can give you great advice. here's a link to his website John Wood Automotive - Contact
as far as servicing the yellow anti freeze go to the Ford dealer and purchase Supplemental Coolant Additive, it will recharge the conventional anti freeze, just follow the instructions on the bottle.
as far as servicing the yellow anti freeze go to the Ford dealer and purchase Supplemental Coolant Additive, it will recharge the conventional anti freeze, just follow the instructions on the bottle.
Last edited by 60RatRod; May 20, 2009 at 10:19 AM. Reason: add info
Cargo Master
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 3,292
Likes: 6
From: Ardenvoir, Washington
You should be able to pull your 23' 5th wheel in OD.. The trans is designed to shift down if needed.. If the trans goes back and forth numberous times, then I would remove it from OD.. I have been towing trailers for 10 years now with my 99 and always leave in OD.. no problems yet.. What does your trailer weigh? Do you have extra trans cooler and a temp gauge?
Post Fiend
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 26,966
Likes: 50
From: Texas
The gold coolant is supposed to be good for 5 years/100k miles. No SCA's are needed, but you might think about checking it to see what temperature's you're still good for, of just going ahead and changing it out.
Transgo & Sonnax both make shift kits that upgrade the springs inside the valve body. They will provide firmer shifts which should help increase the life of the tranny. John Woods is on the west coast and uses the sonnax. BTS is in Arkansas and uses the transgo. If you don't want to install the shift kit yourself, both of these guys sell modified valve bodies that you can just drop the pan, unbolt the old valve body and bolt the new one back in.
The other thing you may want to consider is an auxillary transmission cooler to help keep the tranny fluid temps down. The stock cooler is TINY compared to the 6.0 trucks or some of the after market ones.
Transgo & Sonnax both make shift kits that upgrade the springs inside the valve body. They will provide firmer shifts which should help increase the life of the tranny. John Woods is on the west coast and uses the sonnax. BTS is in Arkansas and uses the transgo. If you don't want to install the shift kit yourself, both of these guys sell modified valve bodies that you can just drop the pan, unbolt the old valve body and bolt the new one back in.
The other thing you may want to consider is an auxillary transmission cooler to help keep the tranny fluid temps down. The stock cooler is TINY compared to the 6.0 trucks or some of the after market ones.
Posting Guru
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,327
Likes: 2
From: Las Vegas, NV
I guess I was thinking of the green stuff, regardless chris is right take a lithmus strip and test the coolant.
Post Fiend
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 14,541
Likes: 2
From: Dallas-Ft. Worth
They've got you covered, it looks like.
If it was me, I'd just change the coolant. After 5+ years, it's not a bad idea to change it out. Check out the Red ELC, too. A lot of us have swapped to it and it's good stuff. I've done the tranny mod with the TransGo Tugger, and I think it's a pretty good idea for a tow rig. Your 23' 5'er isn't exactly huge, but it will wear on the crappy-shifting stock tranny. The cooler upgrade I think is absolutely required for pulling. Heat kills trannys...
If it was me, I'd just change the coolant. After 5+ years, it's not a bad idea to change it out. Check out the Red ELC, too. A lot of us have swapped to it and it's good stuff. I've done the tranny mod with the TransGo Tugger, and I think it's a pretty good idea for a tow rig. Your 23' 5'er isn't exactly huge, but it will wear on the crappy-shifting stock tranny. The cooler upgrade I think is absolutely required for pulling. Heat kills trannys...
