F150 Auto Tranny lost 3rd and OD

tcoots · #1 12-08-2003, 11:17 PM

Preface: I have 2001 F150 SuperCrew Lariat with 5.4L V8, 80k miles. Never had tranny service. Tranny oil looks clean and always at proper levels. Rarly tow anything. I drive very easy.

Normal situation, tranny goes from 1->2->3->OD. But recently, it started slipping between 2 and 3 ... getting a little better as things heated up.

The next day, it skips 3rd. It would go 1->2->OD and usually hit OD a little harder bacause RPM was higher before it shifted. If I turned OFF the OD button, then it never got past 2nd gear. This went on for two days.

Today, it now goes into "neutral" land after 2nd, where it probably wanted to go into 3rd. Once it shifts into "neutral" land, it stays there until my speed drops down to approx 15MPH, where it gets into the 1st/2nd realm, then kicks in one of those gears. It can't reach OD now. So I am limited to 34-40MPH, in 2nd.

I dread taking it to Dealership. They usually want to book the job that has the most hours, then plug in a broken vacuum hose, and say its fixed.

Any suggestions?

-Tim

Register today or sign-in to remove these ads!

p_ferlow · #2 12-08-2003, 11:46 PM

Sounds bad.

Do some reading here: http://www.tccoa.com/articles/tranny/index.html

Here's some diagnostics:
http://www.tccoa.com/articles/tranny...on/page4.shtml

Not looking good though, no 3rd and 4th is probably clutch burnt up. Rebuild time.

If that's your only option (take it to at least 2 tranny shops for diagnosis) think about upgrading it with a cooler and doing the Jerry Mod or Transgo kit.

Read all of the www.tccoa.com articles so you know what's going on so no tranny tech can tell you a BS line.

If you look around there are companies out there offering rebuilt trannies with significant upgrades for the same price as the OE crap from the dealer. Do your homework.

If you have a lot of time, workshop space, and most mechanical tools you can attempt a rebuild yourself.

Good luck.

Rebuild guides.

tcoots · #3 12-09-2003, 12:13 AM

Wow. I was hoping for a response before morning and you gave me the goods. I also had a mild shudder but thought it was normal. I will probably take your suggestion on tranny shopping, and maybe an upgrade. It gets real hot here in Austin, TX.

Thanks for your response and suggestions.

-Tim

p_ferlow · #4 12-09-2003, 03:32 AM

Remember I said your clutch might be shot. Have a couple of local experts take a look first.

Look up Greg Evans who makes the "Factory Tech" valve bodies for the 4R100 and now 4R70W. He also builds bullet-proof trannies.

Brian Herron from www.apten-us.com has also been most helpful and he was the one who originally pointed me to the Cougar Club 4R70W articles as well as some advice.