Diesel Trucks

JATO_RaT · Dec 18, 2002

Thanks Richard and Bob. I checked out Suncoast, they look pretty deluxe and worthy of consideration if I felt my truck was a long time truck for me. Its hard to think about keeping it forever when the advances in the diesel have been so huge in the last 9 or 10 years. I would probably do as Bob said and ask a friend with a auto repair shop to order a factory rebuilt. He has said much the same thing as you Bob. Thanks again, Rat...

dmccarty · Dec 18, 2002

Rat,

Also check out <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.thedieselstop.com>http://www.thedieselstop.com</A>. It used to
be www.forddiesel.com but Ford went after the site since
they where using Ford's name. There is more info over there
about Fords than you could ever want to know. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

I had to change my fuel filter yesterday and could not decide
where to get the filter so I went to the site and read some
search results. One of the filters I was going to get has had
problems according to the site so I took a different path.
Ford wanted $54 for a fuel filter! International had the exact
same filter for $27. I bought two. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

BTS, which I think stands for Brian's Transmission Shop, gets
lots of praise on the site for rebuilt trannys. Cowboydoc
listed the other company's that have a good rep.

Search the site for the companies in question as well as the
issues with your tranny. Get a case of beer and a long night
to finish reading the results! /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

The Diesel Stop is to Ford Trucks what TBN is to Tractors.
/w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif For the non Ford drivers there are Chevy and Dodge
sites but I don't know off hand their address.

Later,
Dan McCarty

RobertN · Dec 18, 2002

A sales manager, previously a service manager, who has known me and worked for Dodge sisnce I was a little kid said that Dodge was originally in the running for the Allison 5-speed, and lost the conract deal to GM. I have not heard this elsewhere, so don't know if it is true.

A lot of cards usedBorg Warner T5 fspeed trannies; why wouldn't Allison share thiers in pickup trucks. They share with a lot of big truck, fire engine chassis manufacturers.

I agree that Dodge HAS to come up to the plate with a 5 or 6 speed auto.

I have not had any problems with the auto in my 2001 Ram. From talking to my Dad, who has worked a Dodge parts counter for decades, they do not see many problems at his shop. Not to say the tranny doesn't see problems though... For towing, my daul axle trailer and little B8200 Kubota don't amount to much load.

My only beef with the Dodge auto so far, 26k miles, is it has a big jump from 3rd into OD. It shouldn't have that big of a gear spread, IMHO. That, and I did not not need 4.11 gears(my original choosing, would go 3.55 if did it agian, which won't happen for a LONG time).

JATO_RaT · Dec 19, 2002

Robert, the jump from 3rd to OD does seem huge on the Dodge automatic transmissions. It took me a little by surprise when using my brother in laws. The jump and finally the lock up torque converter certainly knocked the RPM's down. The torque converter locking up almost made it seem like a 5th gear. Rat...

cowboydoc · Dec 19, 2002

Ford 4r100 has the same problem. In the newest program they ease that off a bit. I'm going to pick mine up today and I'll let you know if it made any difference. My main problem was towing it really made the tranny temps. jump alot.

RobertN · Dec 19, 2002

How did you add your tranny temp sensor? Did it drill and tap into the pan, or? Seems like a good thing to have in any pickup with a slush-box.

Have you found any particular driving style or load that really sent tranny temps up?

cowboydoc · Dec 19, 2002

Robert,

On the Fords there is a plug you can take out on the side that lets you just screw the sensor right in. Mine is an ISSPRO. When mine got hot was mostly twoing up long grades and it was hunting gears. Ford says to let the transmission decide but I have to lock it out of 4th to not let the temps get high. It will also get hot in stop and go traffic. That's why I added auxillary cooler.

Go to this site http://www.dieselpage.com/gitt.htm. It's alot more complicated to add the tranny temp. gauge for the dodge and chevy.

wroughtn_harv · Dec 20, 2002

My Chevy came with the temperature gauge. I do have a problem with the lighting of that particular gauge though.

I thought it wasn't working. They did a test, loaded the tranny, and it works fine. I just haven't carried the kind of load in the kind of heat that makes it hot I guess.

cowboydoc · Dec 20, 2002

Harv,

The Fords come with one too but they are basically what I call idiot gauges. They only read on or off. They are not a true temp. gauge. I'm not sure on the Chevy's but on the Fords they don't show hot unless it's at 220-230 degrees. Here it goes into the yellow. When it goes into the red you are at 240-260. Most of the transmission articles that I've read say you shorten the life of your transmission to only about 12-24k if that happens. I try to never get mine above 210. That's why I went to a real gauge.

Anonymous Poster · Dec 21, 2002

I once knew a guy that worked in Ford's trans engineering dep't. He told me about those temp guages and said that once they indicated 'hot' it was too late. Guess I'll keep on keepin' on with my clutch. That ATF looks too much like blood on my shop floor. On second thought, maybe it is.