Tranismission Fluid Pouring out of Front of Tranny

iefpro01

Well-known member
Today I picked up my new 3655RD (finally) I drove about 70 miles pulling my 5th wheel. I have a 2001 Ford F250 PSD. I was backing the trailer into my lot. Is a hard S turn woith and extra leg on the S. I put a lot of pressure on the truck at a couple of points. I have read a couple threads that this maybe a situation of over heating. One person called it puking the fluid.

Does anyone know about this and can you give me some tips? Should I refill tomorrow and go on? What can I do to not have this happen again. I am going to get gauges installed soon, I know I need to get them in. But what else can I do?

I did not hear any noises and it seemed to contiune to back-up ok. Also I just had the truck weighed by the axle. I was under thw weight on all axles. My truck's front and rear had 700+# clearance so I was not over weight, but it definitly was heavier than my TT I traded in.

On the diesal shop forums - it appears that it is overheating and suggestion are that I need to get a bigger cooler. I have ordered my gauges and will need to get them installed. So help guys - what cooler should I upgrade to? Some have suggested putting in a PSD 6.0 cooler, some say get one with a fan, and some say both! HELP!!!
 

Uncle Rog

Well-known member
Not good, I know that GMC's have a locked tranny dip stick as when the fluid gets hot it would blow out of the fill tube....not sure about the fords.......
 

DennisZ

Well-known member
iefpro01
I also have a 2001 SD, and puked the tranny at 67K miles (pulling my old 5er at the time). The best thing you can get is a BIG tranny cooler added to your setup (I think mine is a Hayden 1405, rated up to a 26K load), and also put on a tranny temp gage. The trannys and a torque converters (the TC was the weak link) in the 2001 were not the strongest of the models.
Since the rebuild, I have not seen temperatures over 185, and that was pulling a very steep grade. The investment in the cooler and gage is cheap compared to a good rebuild, about $4K.

Good luck with the tranny

Dennis
 

Forrest Fetherolf

Senior Member
iefpro01,

You might want to pull your tranny dip stick and smell it, if the fluid smells burnt, you have a serious problem. Most tranny shops will not replace the burnt fluid, but recommend an overhaul, replacing the fluid will not solve the problem.

You should have the tranny checked anyway, before it disappoints you on the rode. Puking fluid is an indicator of problems to come.
Tranny cooler and gauges will definitely help if the tranny is in good condition.

Forrest
 

timk

Well-known member
I second the gauges. I spent all day yesterday in the trany shop. Its just plain frightening what goes on in there. You got to keep an eye on it, when dragging those big boxes around. An hour after my converter was on the shop floor, you still so hot you couldn't put your hand on it.
 

trdeal

Past North Carolina Chapter Leader
I previously owned a 2001 Ford psd and I had the same problem with puking the fluid. I have some friends with the same year model and the same problem. I had the power chip installed on the truck shortly after I bought it in 2001. I pulled for a couple of years with not problems. On our way home from the beach 3 years ago is when we had our problem. Had the tranny checked and all was well. Had no problems again until the first time we pulled our Landmark to the beach. Again on the way home the tranny puked fluid again. Had tranny checked again also had the plug in chipped checked. The chip was not the tuners like are available now. I was told that the chip was a performance chip and should not have been used for towing. Had the chip removed the pump seal replaced in the tranny and when I traded the truck back in January had not had any more problems. One thing I was told was to let truck idle for a while before I switch it off.Also had a tranny temp gauge installed.One more thing, I also had an extra tranny cooler installed.
 

iefpro01

Well-known member
Update - put in three QTs of fluid. Took it for a spin - no load. Shifts fine and no leaks. I even took a long back-up just to check. So it appears it was the over heat thing.
I am going to take her to the Ford shop tomorrow. I am going to ask for the 6.0 cooler, I have had several suggestions that it is much bigger and can bolt right where mine is, so no special stuff. I am also going to flush the tranny. I am considering running synthetic in her. Been reading that it reduces the temp 20 degrees... Any suggestions here?
Ordered my gauges this morning, if I get them in before the truck leaves the shop, I will take them down and have them install them. I have a 400 mile RT this weekend. No real pulls, other than headwind can be a bugger here in Texas at times. So this weekend is my first break in trip before the big 'un this fall.
 
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Ken Washington

Guest
Not sure what trailer load you have but is this too much trailer for your truck? Also my brother has to back up a steep drive way and he has to put it in four wheel drive to keep his from over heating.

Ken
 

L'l John

Well-known member
I always put my truck into Low Range 4-wheel drive when backing into my driveway. It is a 90 degree turn from the road just to back into my driveway and pretty steep also.
I barely have to accelerate while doing this. No overheating engine or transmission.
Give that a try.
John
 

DennisZ

Well-known member
iefpro01
I looked into the 6.0 cooler, yes it is bigger than the 7.3, but it is $$$, and the hayden was only about $100, and is bigger, so that along with the factory cooler gives you much better cooling, anyhow thats my 2 cents worth.

Dennis
 

timk

Well-known member
When you get your guage installed, these charts might help you out. At least give you some idea if you might make it home or not.
 

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Chulinw

Guest
I replace my Allison pan with a larger one also and put in Amsoil transmission fluid. I took 3 qtrs more fluid and the transmission does not over heat at all and stays below 200 degrees. You have received a lot of good suggestions.
 

iefpro01

Well-known member
I am confused by the charts - is the mileage the intent that we should get the fluid changed after reaching a tempterture? Average temp is a funny thing isn't it? I don't that much so my average would be low.
 

timk

Well-known member
I think the point is; if it gets real hot its not much good anymore. The hotter you get it the more it looses its ability to do what its supposed to. Not so much if the average temp is what ever, but if it ever gets that hot its toast.
 

iefpro01

Well-known member
Ok - just took first trip and watched the gauge. unloaded she runs at abiut 165, idel 130. Loaded she ran between 180 and 195. Heres the problem, I was backing up and the temp never got over 190 - still poured transmission fluid out the front!

I did notice this time that we had a lot of rain, and one side of the trailer I got in some dirt and the tires sank in a little. The truck "stalled", Engine roaring, no movement for a few seconds and then the fluid started pouring out. Put in 2 quarts this morning and everything is fine. Must be a weak seal. I read somewhere that the pump seals are very weak when fluid is hot and under a lot of pressure... Guess we are back to the shop, or I need to find another place to park the RV...

Also going to put in Syntehtic fluid to reduce the temps.
 
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iefpro01

Well-known member
Update - Well I am back from my 5200 mile vacation - in the mountains of SD, UT, WY, AZ, ID. MT...

As you know I had a new cooler installed - had synthetic tranny fluid installed, and spent about 1500 bucks on the tranny and gauges before the trip. Also had told my Ford dealer about a dragging sound in my rear end. he said no problem - we put some additive in it to fix the issue...

Well now for the rest of the story....

Made it from Dallas to Rapid city SD. About 1k miles. Noticed my fuel mileage began to drop and the truck seemed to begin to lose power. One day while touring around Rapid city (not pulling a load) it seemed that the tranny would not shift into 4th… UHOH! Tranny temp jumped to 220-230 on a flat road and rememebr this is with the truck by itself…. The overdrive light on the stick shift began to flash off and on… Pulled over and the fluid was about 1.5 QTs low. Well I figured better go to the Ford dealer in town.

Dealer pulled codes – said the rear end was reporting that it was stuck on positrack and that the transmission was reporting that it was slipping between 3rd and 4th. He then proceeded to tell me that I needed a clutch kit in the rear end and a new tranny! Oh and we don’t have the parts they will need to be shipped in from Denver. Oh Boy her goes the vacation! Well they over-night shipped the parts – but when replacing the clutches in the rear-end discovered that the original problem was a broken shim. It was this shim that was the problem all along and caused the rear end to float and burn up the clutches. The mechanic said he was surprised I did not drop the rear end somewhere long ago. He said this must have been out for a long time- because the had never seen the clutch completely disappear like it did in my rear end! I asked if this could have start problems with the tranny and he said he could not guarantee it – but yes it was overworking the tranny big time.

He they proceeded to tell me that the other Ford dealer installed the wrong transmission cooler and said he would not guarantee that it would even make it home. They installed a cooler with ½ inch lines and the stock transmission is ¾ inch lines. He showed me where the jury rigged the lines…

So lets see everything that I took the truck into the Denton Texas Ford dealer, completely failed within 1K miles. Spent 1500 dollars with Bill Utter Ford in Denton to fix the issues and 1K later I am spending 4500 more bucks for replacement or rebuild of all of the very same items! Man am I have the luck!

Of course I was very blessed in that it happened in a bigger city where I could get is fixed – instead of in the mountains…

After the repairs the truck performed very well for the next 4K miles in major mountains…
 
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