02 F250 7.3 Transmission Question (hard shifting)
 

I'm looking to buy an 02 F250 with a 7.3 turbo diesel. The one I'm looking at has an automatic transmission (I forget the name or number) but a buddy of mine says its a good tranny. I've not drove a diesel or truck with that much get up and go before. My question is however does the transmission on those type\year of trucks shift harder than say your average transmission? (like my explorer or my father in laws 150?) There is no hesitation at all when it shifts but it's quite noticable and I'm just wondering if that's common or expected.

The guy selling it says it's common in that type of truck he's sold 2 or 3 in the past 3 years that have done the same thing) and he even set the truck to 'tow mode' of the variable settings via programming.

Any advice is appreciated. Thanks,

I have owned three super duty's (two 7.3 diesels) and all of them shifted somewhat smooth, like any other vehicle.(completely stock)
Some programmers will make the truck shift harder. (my DP tuner does)
You mentioned he set it to tow mode with a programmer? what type of programmer?
Alot of these transmissions (4R100) get rebuilt/replaced around the 100k-200k mark, and improvments are added I.E. shift kits, valve bodies ect.
They both improve slow shifts.
Its possible that its just the programmer shortening the shifts. Its better for the trans anyhow, keeps the clutches from slipping while shifting.
Good luck with the purchase, and check out the 7.3 diesel forums. You will learn quite a bit about these trucks over there.

Thanks Frank,

I'll find out tonight the make of the programmer and also try to find out the make of the tranny. The original owner did have the truck only setup for a 5th wheel camper. He mentioned he had the tranny turned up to 'erractic' (if thats really a setting) shifting for that reason.

It's a Ford 4R100. It was the only automatic you could get in '02 with the diesel.

The Hypertec or superchip programmer will firm up the shifts

And the Edge programmer is notorious for making the tranny shift hard. Ask him to set the truck back to stock and see how the shift feels. If you're unhappy with less power from removing the tunes, we can suggest MUCH better tunes that won't give you such a rough shift and will offer tons more power.

Thanks Chris. My buddy does have an 'edge' programmer. I'm not so familiar with programming these things. Where can I find info on how to do so? Is it dependent on the make of programmer? Is there a setting that is just 'stock' and then it will all be back to original?

Currently I think my buddy said it's set for 40 extra horse power or something but I'm sure that truck will be enough truck even at stock for what I need.

If it's not hard to do over this post please do recommend a better tune for me, I really like the truck and want to get it running and shifting as good as I can. Unless of course the tune you mention is based upon the type of programmer.

Thanks!

Drop a little further down the main forum listing and you'll find the 99 - 03 7.3 diesel section. That's the place to learn about these motors. You'll have your buddy drooling over your truck in no time if that's the route you want to go.

A site sponsor here is DP-Tuner. Other favorites are Total Diesel Performance and lately PHP, Beans, Swamps and some others have started creating a following. The difference with those tunes is they are shift on the fly. If you're driving around in something like a +40 tune and need to pass somenoe on the highway, just turn the switch over to +100 and mash the skinny pedal, then drop back down to the +40 if that's where you like to keep it. The boxed tuners can't do that.

There is a way to hook the programmer back up to the truck and program it back to stock settings. The jerky shifts you're feeling has to do with increased line pressure caused by the tune.

I'll take this thread to that forum, thanks all.

Chris, do you know what Line Pr. PSI for the MAIN transsmission line I want to look for (or is recommened?) I'm going to check it with the edge evolution on the 'tow' setting and then also check it when reset to stock to see if there is a differerence.

No, that's way above my head. I prefer my manual transmissions, but my wife's truck came with an Edge programmer. The added power was only moderate and some of the shifts were way to hard. We put a chip from Tony (Total Diesel Performance) in and it shifts much better, and the truck will run circles around that old Edge stuff.