trans service and stuff

[la2baja]

Hello givers and seakers of knoledge.
Summer brings a break from racing and a chance to get some trans work done. 95 F-150 with 5.8 liter and a a04d (I think thats the #). Stock trans for said motor and year. I need to get a manual valve body and basic service and inspection done. I'm pushing 80,000 miles on the trans and want it checked and upgraded if needed. I'm in LA but 30ish miles of travel is worth it for good work. Suggestions?

[PBR]

culhane is the best!!! it is more than 30 miles but well worth the drive.

909.678.1669

[Racbaja]

Since we are on the subject of this trans, what is the nomal life for these trans and what service needs to be done on a regular basis to make them live.

[Hellfire]

you have an e4od. (there's a ford trans called an aod but I would bet 99% you have the e4od with the 5.8 liter, just like my 92 had.)
Bigger cooler and regular flush/fluid changes. A Shift kit should keep the heat down too.
The life is so variable there's no point in saying. It depends on if it's been maintained, how much towing it's done, etc... Ford upgraded the e4od over the years so your 95 will be better than an earlier one.

[matt_helton]

Since we are on the subject of this trans, what is the nomal life for these trans and what service needs to be done on a regular basis to make them live.


drop the pan and change the filter every 30k.

[Jerry Zaiden]

culhane is the best!!! it is more than 30 miles but well worth the drive.

909.678.1669

I agree 110%. I used a few others in the past that came very recomended but none have had 1/2 what Steve has. Steve will be honest and not cut corners. He will not sell you used parts and say they are new, bottom line he will not waste your time. I feel when Steve does a tranny you get the best.

[steveG]

drop the pan and change the filter every 30k.


If you drive it hard, I think you should service it every 15k. I service my autos every 15k. I alternate between a full flush and dropping the pan and replacing the filter. For example, at 15k replace the filter, at 30k flush, at 45k replace the filter. A lot of people wait until the fluid is starting to break down & discolor. The key is to keep the fluid fresh. By the time it starts to look or smell funny, it's already started to cause damage.

[matt_helton]

well yeah, but i was just talking about regular driving. hell, our (GM) maintanence schedule for trans services is 50k.

[steveG]

hell, our (GM) maintanence schedule for trans services is 50k.

I always cringe when people tell me they follow the factory maintanence schedule....

[matt_helton]

hahaha, i know.

[Tony_Barraza]

My vote: Culhane Trans!!!!

Before this year's TT250, I had an issue with a hard 1-2 shift in my '00 F1. Steve drove it for 5 mins. and diagnosed it as "something in the actuator assembly."

After plugging in a scope and getting no electrical problem codes, Steve confirmed the problem was mechanical. I left the truck with him for a day, and guess what he found? A broken spring from the acuator assembly! He had dropped the pan for a thorough inspection (found no metal shavings) and gave the trans a full service, including replacing the fluid in the converter.

The man can diagnose from the seat of his pants, squeezed me in on a super-busy week AND got me back on the road for WAY less $$$$ than I was expecting.

Culhane ROCKS!!!!

Culhane's Transmissions
18273 Grand Ave # 6, Lake Elsinore, CA 92530
(951) 678-1669

Tell 'em PBR, Camburg and Barraza sent ya! LOL!

[EQuin]

I've had the misfortune of dealing with two bad E4OD's on my 93 Bronco. I'm no tranny expert, but after R&R'ing two of these heavy suckers, I've talked to a few tranny shops and researched as much as I could about why these trannies die all the time. As for how long they'll last - it's impossible to tell. They have a mind of their own and will crap out on you when they feel like it, regardless of how well you maintain them. Sometimes damage is due to a leak in the in-radiator cooler where coolant seeps in without you knowing it.

For added life, I'd install a tranny temp gauge and the biggest, free-flowing tranny cooler you can get, preferably one with a fan. Some of the stacked plate design coolers are too restrictive, and will starve the tranny. E4OD's need the most free flow as possible. I'd also install an inline filter - not the canister kind. Ford dealerships sell the filter for about $65-$80 bucks. If you're going to bypass the in-radiator cooler and go with one or two good tranny coolers, then put the filter before the cooler(s). Otherwise, put it in-line right before it goes in the tranny. But DO NOT flush the tranny with the in-line filter in place!

I agree with the other post that E4OD's should be drained and filled every 15K - if not sooner! These are temperamental, high maintenance trannies that are very expensive to rebuild ($450 to rebuild an AOD - $1800-$200 to rebuild an E4OD), so I think it's worth the extra cost and time of more frequent fluid changes. If you already have 80K miles on yours, it's a toss up on whether you should flush it. Some shops say yes, others are more wary. Like I said, I'm no expert, so I don't know.

Hope this helps.

[Ryno]

Something else to do, get a deeper pan with a drain plug. Most hold 1-2 extra quarts, and have fins on the bottom for cooling. I drain the fluid every 10k. Drop the pan and change the filter every 20k. Cheap insurance.

[la2baja]

OK. CHeck list

I'm heading to Lake Elsinore. Check
High flow radiator, possibly two w/elec. fans. Check
I have e40d. Check
frequent mtce. keeps me running without problems. Check

Thanks very much you guys. Your wisdom always appreciated!