2000 F350 4X4 Auto, chipped, exhaust with 145K



While heading up north for the weekend it started having issues. I had two dirtbikes in the back and two quads on the trailer. After a 1 hour stretch I came to a stoplight and when I left the RPMs jumped before it shifted into second. It didn't slip, it just jumped up about 500 and the shifted fine. The real problem started when we got lost trying to find the campground. When I made another stop/start at a "T" it did the same thing. I took it as easy as possible and kept it at 40mph with teh blinkers on. I had to find a spot with phone service because we got bad directions and it's 11pm at night in the middle of nowhere. Once the GF got a signal we stopped and called so someone could come get us. When I put the truck in gear it did not move...like it was low on fluid and trying to build pressure. Friends came with a Duramax (he loved that), hooked a strap up and towed back to camp.

Parked it and forgot about it until my Dad brought my trailer and his truck up on Sunday. Tried to move it early in the morning and wouldn't move (about 40 degrees) Once we were done riding for the day we tried again and it moved fine (about 70 degrees by now).

Neutral rolled it off the trailer yesterday and it wouldn't move agian. The guy before me had installed a TC lockup switch so I turned it on for shits and giggles. As soon as I did that it lurched forward and died. Started it back up and the truck moved very well.


-Fluid is light gray in color, does not smell burnt and feels good to the touch. Do not feel any grityness. It was about 3/4 qt. low
-When in Park and Neutral you can hear what sounds like a loud fuel pump. When it goes in gear it shuts off.


I know I have to pull the tranny. Can you get to the bolts in the back of the motor by taking the inner fenders out or does all the turbo stuff have to come out

Thanks for any suggestions....

Sounds like a TC or valve body solenoid problem. Mine was just rebuild with 67K on it, smoked 2nd and 4th. Try looking at www.thedieselstop.com there are a lot of Ford guru's on there. Good luck

mines a 6 speed, but it should be similar, to get to the top bolts just take the transfer case off(if there is one) or drop the driveshaft(2wd) then put a jack under the back of the tranny and lift just enough to take the pressure off the mount, now take the crossmember out of the truck, then lower the tranny a little and you should be able to get to those top 2 bolts with a ratchet from underneath the truck. I had to use a really long extension and a wobbly joint, but with a 24" ext then the wobbly they came out fine.

mines a 6 speed, but it should be similar, to get to the top bolts just take the transfer case off(if there is one) or drop the driveshaft(2wd) then put a jack under the back of the tranny and lift just enough to take the pressure off the mount, now take the crossmember out of the truck, then lower the tranny a little and you should be able to get to those top 2 bolts with a ratchet from underneath the truck. I had to use a really long extension and a wobbly joint, but with a 24" ext then the wobbly they came out fine.

thanks... I will try that first.


I am trying to do this as cost effecient as possible ...beacause I am BROKE!!! Just about every shop I have called says to leave it in, they need to check other things, etc...Is that BS or what?

no idea, I dont appreciate all the voo-doo magic that goes on inside an auto, therefore I prefer a stick where I know what each part inside does, and if something goes, It is fairly easy to identify where the problem is

sounds to me like the TC is giving up?...

I would get the fluid flushed a couple times, then change the filter and see what happens. A guy in our club had this happen to him last summer and that was all he did to remedy it. Been about 90% since... he knows a trans is going to be needed, but just didn't have the $,$$$ then.

do you have a real trans temp gauge? if you don't, get one! :)

sounds to me like the TC is giving up?...

I would get the fluid flushed a couple times, then change the filter and see what happens. A guy in our club had this happen to him last summer and that was all he did to remedy it. Been about 90% since... he knows a trans is going to be needed, but just didn't have the $,$$$ then.

do you have a real trans temp gauge? if you don't, get one! :)

yeah its all autometer shit. Why would the Fluid be like that if it was the TC? I hate to half ass it like eveything else I do but fawk this shit always comes at the worst time....:mad3:

sounds to me like the TC is giving up?...

I would get the fluid flushed a couple times, then change the filter and see what happens. A guy in our club had this happen to him last summer and that was all he did to remedy it. Been about 90% since... he knows a trans is going to be needed, but just didn't have the $,$$$ then.

do you have a real trans temp gauge? if you don't, get one! :)


Your buddy should have replaced the converter when he knew it was going out. There is a good possibility he could save the trans that way. I know a couple of people (my dad and a good friend) who have just replaced converters and gotten away with it. My dad has about 40 or 45k miles on his trans since the converter died and my buddy probably has about 35k. So far so good.

yeah its all autometer shit. Why would the Fluid be like that if it was the TC? I hate to half ass it like eveything else I do but fawk this shit always comes at the worst time....:mad3:

The noise you're hearing is something eating itself up inside. Hence the fluid color. It could be the converter making the noise or something more serious.

I own transmission shop, the grey fluid is metal, the sprag in tc let go, you should have TRANSMISSION checked by trans. shop before you pull, that could help avoid other problems after rebuild. good luck with repair.


BIG JOE SSMF

I can understand not having the cash for a good rebuild right now. I also have a lot of experience with the 4r100 trans that you have. The idea of flushing the trans,cooler, and replacing the t/c will only be a temporary fix. There is a lot of junk that will still get left behind and will eventually ruin the trans. The only way to make certain to get it all out is to disassemble and wash all the parts and case out, and replace the cooler with a new one. But it might buy you enough time to save for a good rebuild. I have went through 5 "cheap" or soft parts rebuilds before I took the big step and got a BTS trans. The soft parts rebuilds are not worth it IMO. Places like BTS, Suncoast, ATS have several custom made parts that replace the Ford poorly engineered parts. A regular trans shop does not have access to these custom parts, they are proprietary to those shops alone. Thats why they get $4000+ for a trans.
Good luck with your trans.

I am gonna have a local Jeep guy who owns a tranny shop take a look at it and then I will decide on what to do. I have looked at the high $$ stuff but that is not in the budget right now. From alot of people I have talked to it looks like the TC is gonna have to be replaced regardless of what kind of condition the tranny is in. A stock one is in the $300-$400 range..what is out there that would be a bit better than stock without breaking the bank?

I know some people have used a 5r110 t/c but it requires an adapter from John wood automotive to work. Also it requires some different trans shift programming, the 5r110 has quite a different shifting strategy compared to a 4r100. You can try Suncoast or Precession in Oakland, TN. The problem with a good aftermarket t/c in an old trans is it will ruin the trans faster due to hard engagement, more power transfer, etc. If you have a local builder do the trans, buy a Suncoast tugger kit, t/c and 6.0 or V10 trans cooler. Then have them use that kit and parts to rebuild your trans. That is about as good and cheap as you will get.
I forgot to answer about the trans shop wanting the trans in the truck. Your trans is computer controlled and they can't test it without the truck, also they can't do a proper flush without the rest of the cooling system. So I agree it is best to leave it in, unless you are going to replace the cooler and all the lines with new, and not allow the shop to test the trans before letting you take it.
http://www.converter.com/
http://www.suncoastconverters.com/

Sounds like it's just worn out, and then some judging by the fluid color. I don't really think there's any reason to have somebody check it over before rebuild- once the magnet looks like a chia pet it all needs gone through. Converter, possibly pump, through valve body cleaning and replace the accumulator springs in addition to the soft part work.

We use a trans jack adapter that bolts to the transmission mount pad and pull trans/tcase together. All the bolts are cake to get to on a 7.3. Flexplate nuts are easy too, hell the starter doesn't even have to move. I've seen guys have 'em out in 20 minutes.