F250 Auto Service

Submitted: Saturday, Mar 31, 2007 at 00:08
ThreadID: 123444 Views:5254 Replies:4 FollowUps:4
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I took my F250 in for an auto service this morning to an automatic transmission specalist in Dandenong, Victoria and they found some aluminium shavings on the filter, so it will be going back next week to have the transmission pulled out to see what bit or aluminium is rubbing on what. They believe they know where it will probably be.

As my vehicle has received most of its services at Ford dealers and they have never charged me for or suggested an auto service, it may be a worth while exercise for owners to have their transmission fully serviced prior to the warranty period running out. The Ford authorised service ageant in Broome who happened to be a very nice aboriginal was the only one to suggest changing the fluid, and then I believe they only changed what was in the sump. I have since done this several times but until today it has never had the full contents pumped out or filter changed.

I will report the results next week.

Brian
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Reply By: Bushtracker - Saturday, Mar 31, 2007 at 00:48

Saturday, Mar 31, 2007 at 00:48
Good Advice from Brian,

But Boggers, unless you HATE your transmission, when towing drain the system and the cooler every 30,000 kms, drop the pan, and change the filter pickup in the pan... Or have it done. Personally I think Brian is VERY lucky not to have had the transmission fail in running as long as he did without changing the oil... VERY LUCKY..!

You can stretch that if you run synthetic, and you SHOULD run synthetic unless you have a transmission temperature guage or additional tranny cooler... But I would dump mine at 30,000, cooler drain and all even if you run synthetic... And here is why:

Abuse it, and you can go through a tranny.. Three Bushtracker Owners have, and maybe 7-9 from memory in the horse Industry, just by working them too hard in the heat with regular oil and poor service... Mind you that is out of probably 300 Fords.. However I did with my own, on my old F-350 about 5 years ago, towing a 29' gooseneck horsefloat off-road in very hard going.

That is why I have done a full engineering study on the E4OD and the 4R100 transmissions you have in your Fords.... To the extreme of supervising rebuilds of two, with Aftermarket Tow Package clutches and all...

They need to run on something like Castrol Transmax Z synthetic oil that can take much higher temperatures... It is bad enough not many shops have the capability to flush out the Torque Converter, so you don't get a full change and flush anyways, that is ANOTHER reason to keep it down to 30,000 or so kms between changes.

There are a couple of TIPs on this is any one is an enthusiast like me, or wants to do the best by their horse... LR...
AnswerID: 570944

Follow Up By: Luvntravln - Monday, Apr 02, 2007 at 03:51

Monday, Apr 02, 2007 at 03:51
Steve, if you service your F250 as specified in the manual and continue to service with an extended warranty, don't they do what you have suggested?

Also, if you change to a synthetic oil are you risking voiding the warranty?

We have 70,000K on ours and the only thing I have ever done is to make sure is that all of my required services are prior to the particular kilometer expiration.

Jay
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FollowupID: 847429

Reply By: Luvntravln - Sunday, Apr 01, 2007 at 04:15

Sunday, Apr 01, 2007 at 04:15
Hi

To add to this discussion, Big Red has been as the doctor for two weeks! Something to do with oil pressure and the injectors - something they can't find out about without constant consultation with Melbourne and the USA.

Runs fine on the flats; no power on the hills and stalls.

The "biggy" they have done so far is to change the injector "o" rings which were stuffed and that helped about 50%.

Sure glad I purchased the extended warranty.

Will keep everyone posted when they finally find out what is wrong.

Jay
AnswerID: 570945

Follow Up By: Bushtracker - Monday, Apr 02, 2007 at 18:32

Monday, Apr 02, 2007 at 18:32
Jay,
Not only does Castrol on their Site, per vehicle, tell you what oil to use... But on the Ford part of the Castrol site, look at the asterix ** down below on their recommendations and you will find that for "towing or severe duty" the specifically call out TransMax Z....

Read TIP # 101 on Ford Transmission Fluid Recommendations.... Castrol... etcetera...

And three of the Ford Contacts I called also recommended Transmax Z at their standard for "Severe Duty" as in towing... For your 4R100 Transmission behind the 7.3 PSD.... So far I have not heard of a single transmission failure when running Transmax Z, as the damage is primarily caused by overheating of normal mineral oil to a foam... The BANG...~ When I do hear of one, best bet would be the damage was done prior to changing over to synthetic.. Ha!

So in answer to your question, would be no... Meets and Exceeds recommendations, but check with your own Ford Dealer to make sure he is on track...
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Reply By: Boystoy - Monday, Apr 02, 2007 at 02:04

Monday, Apr 02, 2007 at 02:04
Steve,
Do your recommendations on auto transmissions also apply to Tojo?
I have 90,000km on my 2003 LC100TD, 58,000km has been pulling our 20'BT. Have had all recommended services & have had transmission fluid changed as per book.

Look forward to tour advice.

Neil
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Follow Up By: Bushtracker - Monday, Apr 02, 2007 at 19:01

Monday, Apr 02, 2007 at 19:01
Hello Neil,
happy to be of help..

I am running Transmax Z in both of my own Toyota Automatics for all the same reasons... Toyota automatics die for all the same reasons... Transmax Z is recommended by Castrol for all the same reasons...

Now in saying that Neil, go to Toyota, to make sure that it is OK for your specific transmission. Read TIP # 101 on the fluids, and they talk about not only much higher temperature tolerance before "foaming", but ALSO "Superior Surface Tension Adhesion."...

In Ranger language it sticks to the moving parts better, providing better lubrication... Ha! No really....

Anyways, make sure that tranmission is the same... My own is a non-electronic GXL with aftermarket turbo and intercooler, 100 Series, and I would assume the recommendations are the same but a blanket call is ALWAYS check with the Dealer... And Call Castrol Technical for confimation...

Regards, Ranger...
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Reply By: Noosa Fox - Friday, Apr 06, 2007 at 05:24

Friday, Apr 06, 2007 at 05:24
Got the F250 back today after the repairs. The circlip that retains the overdrive Piston Return Spring in place became detatched and allowed the Overdrive cylinder to rub inside the torque converter. Everything else inside the transmission is still in very good condition.

While doing the repair they changed the single Retaining Ring to Spring Retaining Ring, and upgraded the clutch to a heavy duty towing clutch.

Apparently the transmissions in the earlier model F250's brought into Australia were not really suited to heavy duty towing.

Cost $1600

Brian
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Follow Up By: Bushtracker - Friday, Apr 06, 2007 at 21:01

Friday, Apr 06, 2007 at 21:01
That seems like good value, if they gave you the heavy duty towing package... But maybe they just gave you part of it. The last one I did, the kit cost $2500, but that was probably more involved, maybe upgrading all clutch packs and servos and such...

As far as I know, all of the F-250's in Australia have the same 4R100 transmission. It was discontinued in 2003 in the U.S. and all the available stock was used up in the Brazilian Factory. As far as I can determine, they are all the same transmission...

They might have been reading information, in that the 4R100 running on mineral oil based fluid is not really recommended for severe duty towing, fluid has to be increased to full Synthetic. The synthetic is superior in many ways and takes higher temperatures before breaking down and munching the tranny. And what they might have been reading is that the transmission since 2003 in the U.S. is the 5R110, that comes designed for full synthetic only. Almost no transmission shops have ever seen a 5R110, and I do not know of any 4R100 transmissions that have failed, when running synthetic. I would switch to the synthetic. About half of the Ford Dealers here in Oz will tell you that, the other half don't know........

It is definitely the way to go. If we hear of a 4R100 tranny dying on synthetic, check to see if it was abused first on the mineral oil befoe switching over...... I have spent long hours to do up two of these, to learn.....

Regards, Ranger
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