How to save your transmission?

[darrellx14]

I'm curious about how i could keep my transmission functioning properly and everything. I've heard some people tell me to just not use the o/d on it, to just put it in drive & only manually shift to o/d when cruisin on flat surfaces. i just kinda feel like my truck is a ticking time bomb w/ the auto transmission in these that i've heard so many horror stories about. :navajo:

 

[aldive]

I'm curious about how i could keep my transmission functioning properly and everything. I've heard some people tell me to just not use the o/d on it, to just put it in drive & only manually shift to o/d when cruisin on flat surfaces. i just kinda feel like my truck is a ticking time bomb w/ the auto transmission in these that i've heard so many horror stories about. :navajo:

To keep it happy, ....

keep it cool ( tranny cooler )
fresh fluid ( tranny flush )
synthetic fluid

No reason not to use OD.

Good luck ..........

 

[big_hoovie]

the only time OD isn't really recommended, is if you are towing, or (i've heard) stop and go traffic, but if you are in traffic, it's likely that you wouldn't even get up to speed where OD would kick in.

 

[Glacier991]

All the above is very good advice. You might have the bands adjusted too.

 

[darrellx14]

thanks, i'm just worried because i want this truck to last another 6 months of driving, until i can afford the vehicle i've been wanting (1998 Dodge 1500 4x4)

 

[410Fortune]

keep it cool, monitor the temp, fluid flush and fill yearly = happy trans.

 

[darrellx14]

how can i keep it cool and monitor the temp? should i go up to advance and get a transmission cooler for like a huge towing transmission and put it on that beast? lol

 

[big_hoovie]

The transmission coolers that came stock with the towing package offered by Ford aren't really huge. I think the one on my truck is a bit less than half what you can see in the grill(I don't remember if it goes below the bottom of the grill.

sorry if the description is a bit vauge...my wife has the truck right now, so I can't run out and check.

 

[darrellx14]

well my truck has a transmission cooler on it, but it does not and never has had a tow hitch on it (which could be why it still works, lol)

 

[spindlecone]

well my truck has a transmission cooler on it, but it does not and never has had a tow hitch on it (which could be why it still works, lol)

Might also consider an oversized aluminum finned tranny pan

 

[Glacier991]

Those aluminum pans are sexy, but for the most bang for your buck a trans cooler is way cheaper and does a lot more good (and yeah I want one of those pans anyway).

 

[spindlecone]

Those aluminum pans are sexy, but for the most bang for your buck a trans cooler is way cheaper and does a lot more good (and yeah I want one of those pans anyway).

Chris, has nothing to do with sex Has everything to do with protecting a pricey item, don't know for sure if the PML pan is a good thing or not.
All I know is that the temps run 130/140 on a 70 deg day, has never gone over 150 in 100deg days.
also allows me the benifit of draining 7 Qts of tranny fluid, call it overkill, I do it every 5K miles