I have a 2005 f150 supercrew with the 5.4l automatic that I bought on July 4th 2007. It had 23k.

About 35k, the trans started acting up. It seemed as though the filter was stopped up or something. It would rev up and then go into gear. I took it to the shop and had the fluid and filter changed. it cost a bundle. It worked great. Problem solved.

I saw that the maintenance schedule says to change fluid every 30k. So at 60k, i changed it myself. At 80k it started acting up again. This time I flushed it the best I could. Again it ran fine.

I went junk yarding the other day and got into a NASTY traffic jam on I20. it took me almost 4 hours to drive 43 miles. The trans started acting up in the middle of this traffic jam. I babied it as much as I could and made it home. I did the best I could to keep the clunking in and out of gear as minimal as possible. I changed the fluid, stumped as to why this is occurring. I read about this trans as much as i could find and no one seems to be having the same problem as I am. So at 85k and I changed it again.

This time, instead of just eyeballing the fluid to see if it looks good, (which it did), I decided to cut the old filter open to get a better look. I unfolded the element and found metal chips an a large piece of metal about 1/4 by 1/2 inch. bummer. I just put it back together, topped off the fluid and drove it to the gas station. It seems to work just fine.


metal chips and chunks of metal are not good. I know that this trans will need work or I'll have to find another.

My question is why? what caused the trans to act up? was the filter cutting off the flow of fluid intermittingly or what? Why would the filter stop up? Or was it even stopped up to begin with?

I have never pulled anything with this truck. this seems like very premature wear for this trans.

Im stumped. and soon to be even more broke.

 

It might be a bad tranny from the beginning. You said you bought the truck with 23,000 miles on it. You have no clue as to how the previous owner treated the vehicle. I would have a reputable shop or transmission shop flush the tranny and also run a scan to detect what codes are being stored in the PCM. Then you'll have a better idea what's causing the problems. You won't be able to get a freeby scan at a parts store like Autozone because their scan tools won't read tranny codes. Since tranny rebuilds are in excess of $2000, that's what I would do if it were mine. A couple of hundred bucks now may just save you a couple of grand later.

 

fryar_tuc,

I would suggest instead of cutting your filter apart, next time you drain your fluid, strain it through a coffee filter. Then observe what you have for metal particles. it is really not possible to have 1/2" size pieces of metal in your filter and then have your transmission working just fine (even intermittently). Is it possible that the pieces of metal were part of the filter before it was cut apart?

Any time you find excessive metal debris in your transmission fluid, the thing is cooked. Basically remove, disassemble, inspect, and then rebuild. That metal had to come from somewhere.

This does sound a little premature, however anything is possible. You just have to hope you got the one that is going to last 200k miles, and it sounds like you did not. Anyway, good luck. I hope you can get everything resolved.

 

I think your right. It probably was molested in the first 23k. when i purchased, the tires were chewed up like they were driven on rocks alot. it also had red river mud tucked up in there. and the ball joints wore out way too soon.

I should have it scanned, there might be something there.
I strained it through a paper towel instead. It looked like it had disk dust particles, normal amount. saw nothing in the pan. magnet had average gunk. Thats why i decided to open up the filter. I just took some channels locks and un-bent the crimp. no metal from the filter. There was one single piece of hardened steel laying in between the folds of the filter, and small shavings lined the outer age.

Im gonna see if its covered under my extended . If not i'll try to locate another. a trans with broke metal maybe something I dont want to rebuild.

 

Well if its hardened steel its not from the case. Almost sounds like part of a steel, or maybe a thrust washer or something. but it is just strange that you dont have worse symptoms. I would expect some major shifting concerns, noise concerns, or something to that effect.

 

I had shifting issues. That's why I changed it. After changing the fluid and filter, the shifting problems went away.

This last episode, I changed it again. But this time, instead of just eyeballing the fluid , I filtered the fluid through a white paper towel and saw nothing abnormal. Don't mean there wasn't something abnormal.

Instead of just eyeballing the filter, I "uncrimped" the filter to look inside.
The filter material was folded in half, sanwiched between the two halves. I open up the filter material and found what looked to be a harden steel piece of metal. I say it might be hardened because of the type of break it has and the finish. But it might not be. It has what seems to be a circular shape to it.

Again, a fluid/ filter change cleared up the shifting problem, but I have a feeling it ain't gonna shift right for long.

 

Well, I wish you the best.

What type of shifting issues were you having anyway?

 

My shifting problems seem to always start on the freeway in heavy traffic. Could be just coinsidence though.

It seems like it loses fluid pressure, and the suddenly gains it back.
Under normal acceleration, it would rev up and then go in gear, which probably explains the metal chunk in my filter.

When I change the filter, it runs like nothing ever happened, even after I found the metal piece, it still shifts normal after a filter/pan fluid change.

It's had 4 fluid changes in 85k miles, Premature to me.

Btw, I wouldn't have found the metal had I not opened up the filter. That maybe a good tip to post somewhere if it's not already posted.. It was new to me lol.

 

Are there any tranmission codes stored? An Autozone scanner won't scan tranny. Some of the better scanners will do trannies, though. If you don't have access to a good scanner that will do transmission codes, get a scan done at a reputable transmission or repair shop in your area. The hesitation could be a pump problem, solenoid problem or even a torque converter problem. Unless you are abusing the transmission a flush every 60,000 miles or so should be all that's needed. And that's more then the owners manual calls for. What you described almost sounds like low line pressure. I'd have a reputable pro look into it further. The piece of circular metal in the filter, was it magnetic?

 

I have'nt had a scan ran yet. I threw away the filter and the largest piece of metal is gone, but the small shavings are magnetic. What are you thinking about the magnetism? I dont think the large piece was non-ferrous. It looked like steel.

It could very well be one or all of those problems. It works just fine afteri I change the filter though. Odd huh.

Right now the truck is at the body shop so I won't be able to take it to a transmission shop.

I know this is a little off topic but I wanted to share my months of May and June.

First, My youngest son ,who has juvenile diabetes, went low at school, got rude with the principle, (a common side effect of going low), got suspended and didn't graduate.

Next, he was working on his 77 f150, borrowed my truck to get parts, and wrecked my truck.

Third, i got laid off again, after 13 months of being off from the last job.

2 weeks after my sons wreck, my wife, who has never had a wreck in 28 years of driving, wrecked my truck again.

Then the trans did it's thing.

I have no other choice but to laugh at it all now.

luckily, I found a job within a week.

There, i vented some. sorry about being off topic.

 

Oh, i forgot to mention, my owner's manual calls for fluid changes at 30k.

 

Fryar_tuc,
If you need to vent, this is the place to do it. Glad to see you are taking things in stride. When life throws you curveballs, they come hard, and they come fast. A good friend of my GF's family, successful single guy, 51 years old, good looking, owned a nice house, nice mustang, nice superduty, had a good job, and for whatever reason decided to commit suicide last week. You just never know what will happen I guess. But you have to move on.

As far as the transmission goes, when you get your truck back maybe it will be time for some more diag. It is just not normal for a transmission that is showing debris to work fine, then stop working, then work fine. Usually the debris indicates an internal failure has occured, and changine the fluid will not help. You have an unusual case for sure.

 

Gee, I thought i was the only one that Has Bad Luck Sorry to hear about all that bad luck your having, on your trans, you have High Milage and metal chips in it, its time for a trans overhaul sorry to say, if you can find a trans at the auto/truck wrecking yard, and if the fluid looks clean, you might be in luck, and will get a trans cheap, you will just have to R&R it.

 

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sorry for the late response. And thanks for the ... well you know.
sorry to hear about your friend. I went to two funerals last year, both were suicide. My 30 year old second cousin, and my wifes 26 year old nephew, an Army veteran back from afganistan. un real..

Anyway, i shoud have my truck back by Mon. They are fixing the colision damage and threw in a couple door dings for free. it has a cracked winshield, so it is getting replaced also. He waved both deductables too!

sometimes your the bug sometimes your the windshield.