General tips to increase transmission life
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Joined: Nov 2008
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From: Herndon, Va
General tips to increase transmission life
Besides flushing every 30k with quality fluid what are some tips or mods to increase trans life. I've researched shift kits and have found lots of conflicting info on wether or not they are good. How would a shift kit work if I already have a Gryphon? There is also that mod invented by the ford tech that involves drilling bigger holes around the valve body, how's that for increasing life? Basicaly I want to increase durability and life without sacrificing performance, and hopefuly even increasing performance without paying for a full rebuild to build it stronger. Any ways to do that? Also, I'm looking for hardware tips and mods, no tips like don't tow or change your driving style. Thanks!!
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Joined: May 2010
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Couple of tips to saving the 4R70W (IMHO)
Transmission cooler - cannot go wrong with Hayden 679. Have Fluid flow from transmission ---> stock cooler in radiator ----> Hayden cooler ----> transmission.
USE MOTORCRAFT MERCON V
NEVER shift from "D" to 2nd, without first KNOWING that transmission is in 3rd gear or lower and NOT in OD!!! I am no experts on transmissions, but I listen to the experts and they had some very complicated reasons why it is bad to let the 4R70W shift from 4-2. Best way to do this is use the O/D cancel switch first before down shifting to "2"
As far as valve body mods - I have extensive valve body mods on my transmission and it shifts like the day I had it built 5 years ago. But that is key, I had my transmission built for power. I cannot tell you one way or another on the effects of PROPER valve body mods on a stock 4R70W. There were a lot of shift kit products like "TRANSGO" for the thunderbird that really botched the valve body mods and screwed up transmissions. I had my transmission modified by Darrin Burch at (BCAutomotive I believe). What I can say is that the valve body mods generally make the transmission shift faster, meaning less wear on the transmission, but potentially more wear on the rear drivetrain components - U-joints, rear end/pinion bearing, and in the case of my Thunderbird, destroyed rear subframe bushings.
This, mostly from experience with my Thunderbird - it has a PI 4.6L and the 4R70W and while I do not tow, there is constantly considerably more power/torque going through it then my tired '98 F-150 motor could ever put through its stock 4R70W.
Transmission cooler - cannot go wrong with Hayden 679. Have Fluid flow from transmission ---> stock cooler in radiator ----> Hayden cooler ----> transmission.
USE MOTORCRAFT MERCON V
NEVER shift from "D" to 2nd, without first KNOWING that transmission is in 3rd gear or lower and NOT in OD!!! I am no experts on transmissions, but I listen to the experts and they had some very complicated reasons why it is bad to let the 4R70W shift from 4-2. Best way to do this is use the O/D cancel switch first before down shifting to "2"
As far as valve body mods - I have extensive valve body mods on my transmission and it shifts like the day I had it built 5 years ago. But that is key, I had my transmission built for power. I cannot tell you one way or another on the effects of PROPER valve body mods on a stock 4R70W. There were a lot of shift kit products like "TRANSGO" for the thunderbird that really botched the valve body mods and screwed up transmissions. I had my transmission modified by Darrin Burch at (BCAutomotive I believe). What I can say is that the valve body mods generally make the transmission shift faster, meaning less wear on the transmission, but potentially more wear on the rear drivetrain components - U-joints, rear end/pinion bearing, and in the case of my Thunderbird, destroyed rear subframe bushings.
This, mostly from experience with my Thunderbird - it has a PI 4.6L and the 4R70W and while I do not tow, there is constantly considerably more power/torque going through it then my tired '98 F-150 motor could ever put through its stock 4R70W.
Last edited by 98_XLT; Jul 18, 2010 at 01:26 PM.