# 2003 Ford F-250 Tranny Issues



## EaTmYtAiLpIpEs (Aug 23, 2007)

I have a 2003 Ford F-250. It has a 5.4. I am experiencing transmission issues. It isn't slipping but it is shifting at high rpm's. from 1-2 it shifts at 3500 and same with 2-3. If you step on it, it will shift at 4k rpms. I am wondering if a programmer would reprogram it. If anyone has one and want to rent it out or let me borrow it I will pay the shipping to get it to me and get it back to you.


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## smoore45 (Oct 27, 2007)

A couple of things, I don't think you can use the same programmer on two different trucks. And I don't think that will fix it anyway. I am no trans expert, but if your trans is behaving differently, it is more likely due to the hardware inside wearing. Also, have you properly checked the fluid level?


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## EaTmYtAiLpIpEs (Aug 23, 2007)

smoore45;784462 said:


> A couple of things, I don't think you can use the same programmer on two different trucks. And I don't think that will fix it anyway. I am no trans expert, but if your trans is behaving differently, it is more likely due to the hardware inside wearing. Also, have you properly checked the fluid level?


Fluid level is all good. I am going to change it and clean the filter/screen in it. That might make a little bit of a difference. But I have heard of the shift points can be screwed up and reprogrammed by a dealer.


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## Milwaukee (Dec 28, 2007)

Bad new

you need replace or rebuilt

My friend told me that exact thing you have with transmission in his 01 F250 so he replace with new transmission with transfer case. It happened in summer.

For now I am worry because at 1,500 to 1,800 it act like you need push on gas more to roll better. It different from our 01 F250 V10 it could be different stall speed.


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## EaTmYtAiLpIpEs (Aug 23, 2007)

thanks mil I was expecting the worse. I am gonna buy a new tranny im not into rebuilt trannys.


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## Milwaukee (Dec 28, 2007)

EaTmYtAiLpIpEs;784493 said:


> thanks mil I was expecting the worse. I am gonna buy a new tranny im not into rebuilt trannys.


I been heard lot members like Brian for rebuilt transmission and they were happy.

More tougher transmission.

http://www.brianstruckshop.com/

If it was me I would want HEAVY DUTY transmission instead new stock transmission that would fail in futures.


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## EaTmYtAiLpIpEs (Aug 23, 2007)

ya I never thought about heavier duty. that would be nicer for plowing and heavy towing. And I do some heavy towing so. Now that you brought that up I am going to have to think about it.


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## Flipper (Nov 1, 2001)

Get it rebuilt either by Brian or someone else who will beef it up. A stock rebuild or New from Ford will be built to OEM and will have the same level of strength.

Before I did that though I would change the fluid etc and take it to a transmission service center and pay for the diagnosis. Lots of electronics in them now and it COULD be something simple. Worth $100 even if you have to end up replacing it.


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## EaTmYtAiLpIpEs (Aug 23, 2007)

Flipper;784515 said:


> Get it rebuilt either by Brian or someone else who will beef it up. A stock rebuild or New from Ford will be built to OEM and will have the same level of strength.
> 
> Before I did that though I would change the fluid etc and take it to a transmission service center and pay for the diagnosis. Lots of electronics in them now and it COULD be something simple. Worth $100 even if you have to end up replacing it.


If I find out the thing is shot I am gonna run it till it is dead. but my luck is it will blow up when i go to pull my boat out of the launch at the state boat launch  thanks for the tips guys I am gonna go thru it before I do anything


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## SuperdutyShane (Mar 6, 2009)

Thats what you get for thinking you can run a boat hauling business on the side


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## sefh (Oct 18, 2005)

On my 99 SD w/V10 a few weeks ago I was going into work and the dang thing caught on fire. My seal blew out and leaked all over the exhaust. Mine never slipped but was starting to shift at high ranges. I found that this is common in these trucks when the fluid breaks down. I'm having mine rebuild soon so hopefully that fixes it. The tranny guy told me more than likely it didn't hurt anything just blew the seal. He suggested a trans guage and replace the cooler after.


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## 7.3 Plower (Jan 19, 2009)

I'm gonna recommend the BTS trans as well. They'll turn a wimpy 4R100 into a beefy beast. But they sure don't come free.


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## EaTmYtAiLpIpEs (Aug 23, 2007)

alright i will keep it in mind. because I sure will need a trans by the end of fall before I plowing season. This thing is slipping every once in awhile and it is starting to whine


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## Mark Oomkes (Dec 10, 2000)

BTS for sure, nothing like one that I have had. 

Which tranny is it? I'm assuming the Torqshift? 

mil could be right, but there is a good chance he is talking a whole different tranny.

How many miles and has it ever been serviced?


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## BigDave12768 (Nov 17, 2006)

Tourqe**** tranny is worse than the old Dodge trannys. You Ford guys and your brand loyalty. They are just producing an inferior truck to Dodge now


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## 2COR517 (Oct 23, 2008)

I blew my transmission last year. It's a Chevy but there's some debate on new vs. rebuild.

http://www.plowsite.com/showthread.php?t=74317&highlight=4L80e

If I had it to do over, and money was less of an object, I would probably gone Jasper or a fellow up in western Maine. He wanted $2,800 to build a "bulletproof" unit. He gave like a 30K warranty even for "working" trucks. But time and money were short. I'm happy with what I have, and also prefer to spend local.

If this is your daily driver I would start planning this sooner than later. Explore all your options and ask around. Depending on which way you go, you might only lose the truck for a day or two.


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## Milwaukee (Dec 28, 2007)

BigDave12768;789395 said:


> Tourqe**** tranny is worse than the old Dodge trannys. You Ford guys and your brand loyalty. They are just producing an inferior truck to Dodge now


Well they still tough for me. Would Dodge last long enough by go 45 in reverse and don't stop when change gear?


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## EaTmYtAiLpIpEs (Aug 23, 2007)

well hopefully by the end of next week it is going into the shop to have a tranny dropped in her. I have to order the tranny and bring it there with the truck and there gonna do it. I went with the upgraded heavy duty trans. It has a 6 lug billet torque converter. And better yet it comes with a 5 year transferrable warranty haha.


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## LawnProLandscapes (Nov 15, 2007)

BigDave12768;789395 said:


> Tourqe**** tranny is worse than the old Dodge trannys. You Ford guys and your brand loyalty. They are just producing an inferior truck to Dodge now


yea ok :waving: thanks for the brand biased input, your always good for intelligent helpful post's like this in the ford forum... im surprised the local ford dealers havent asked you to run the service desk because you are just so awesome with this stuff. . .

sorry to hear about the tranny emtp, how many miles you have on that rig now>?


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## nickv13412 (Nov 9, 2006)

BigDave12768;789395 said:


> Tourqe**** tranny is worse than the old Dodge trannys. You Ford guys and your brand loyalty. They are just producing an inferior truck to Dodge now


Im sure they could improve some things if they got a bunch of taxpayer money handed to them. I think the 5R110 is definitely an improvement over the E4OD and 4R100.

My E4OD has been acting up a bit, did a fluid/filter change this weekend and it seems to have improved a lot, still not perfect though. Would love a BTS, but dont have the funds.


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## EaTmYtAiLpIpEs (Aug 23, 2007)

LawnProLandscapes;792890 said:


> yea ok :waving: thanks for the brand biased input, your always good for intelligent helpful post's like this in the ford forum... im surprised the local ford dealers havent asked you to run the service desk because you are just so awesome with this stuff. . .
> 
> sorry to hear about the tranny emtp, how many miles you have on that rig now>?


the truck is a 2003 and has 152k on it as of now. I have a performance thought for the truck too lol. I am thinking about getting rid of the catalytic converter. and put a dual exhuast on it.


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## suzuki0702 (Apr 6, 2008)

how much the trans set you back? whered u get it? bts and factory tech are the shiz. go to ford-trucks.com for a wealth of info brother!!!!


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## EaTmYtAiLpIpEs (Aug 23, 2007)

tranny set me back $1500. I just put in a mass air flow sensor in the truck and a pcm and the truck has so much more power now. But still shifts funny. So the tranny is going in next week.


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## SuperdutyShane (Mar 6, 2009)

Im glad to hear that. Why havent I seen you on Aim at all? I wanted to tell you about the new trailer Im buying, and other stuff. Where are you going to be this weekend?


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## suzuki0702 (Apr 6, 2008)

whos the manufacturer of the tranny? u just get a ford rebuild? 1500 is pretty cheap!!


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## jadyejr (Nov 29, 2008)

yeah where'd you get it from? Im starting my search now, so that by winter i'll be ready! 1500 sounds really good!


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## EaTmYtAiLpIpEs (Aug 23, 2007)

well I sent the trans back to where I got it from. I brought it to a small garage. He took it for a ride and said that is not the trans. He said cut the catalytic converter off and straight pipe it. So I did. It has tons more power and shifts perfect again. So my truck has a little over 150k on it and still going like new


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## chcav1218 (Jul 31, 2008)

EaTmYtAiLpIpEs;796566 said:


> well I sent the trans back to where I got it from. I brought it to a small garage. He took it for a ride and said that is not the trans. He said cut the catalytic converter off and straight pipe it. So I did. It has tons more power and shifts perfect again. So my truck has a little over 150k on it and still going like new


so do you know what the problem was?


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## Mark Oomkes (Dec 10, 2000)

chcav1218;796606 said:


> so do you know what the problem was?


Ummmmmmm, the catalytic converter?

Just a SWAG, but it seems to make sense.


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## chcav1218 (Jul 31, 2008)

Mark Oomkes;796644 said:


> Ummmmmmm, the catalytic converter?
> 
> Just a SWAG, but it seems to make sense.


just asking because i've never heard of a bad catalytic converter causing a truck to shift weird. I was thinkin maybe after the installing new PCM he was having trouble because the truck was programmed to run without a cat and he still had one on, and once he removed it the situation corrected itself. maybe i'm wrong.


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## EaTmYtAiLpIpEs (Aug 23, 2007)

well the truck got very very doggy. it wouldnt even go up hills it wouldnt shift. so I took it somewhere and he said the cat is clogged. he said I caught it in time because if I let it go anymore the truck wouldnt of started one day. so i took the guts out of the cat friday night and it runs and shifts perfect. truck actually has more balls then my 5.7 did lol. now i have to take the cat and pipe off and have a pipe mandrel bent.


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## Milwaukee (Dec 28, 2007)

You lucky clog cat converter can destroy something 

We have ford dealer replace cat converter and fuel injectors on Grandma's 2002 E350 V8 5.4L thank god it was under warranty. It couldn't go over 45 mph.



Quick question what last time you drive on Highway? Like drive 100 miles or more? Did you see what cause clog cat? carbon? 

Let us know if mpg did improve after you remove cat?


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## EaTmYtAiLpIpEs (Aug 23, 2007)

Milwaukee;796692 said:


> You lucky clog cat converter can destroy something
> 
> We have ford dealer replace cat converter and fuel injectors on Grandma's 2002 E350 V8 5.4L thank god it was under warranty. It couldn't go over 45 mph.
> 
> ...


omg ya mpg improved lol. instead of 9mpg i get 12-13 haha. my truck got so doggy to the point where I had my foot to the floor going up a hill and it wouldnt gain speed it would lose it. It got really bad. And my truck in ny doesnt have to be hooked up to a computer for inspection it is only a safety check. But the cat being gutted doesnt throw a light or anything which is nice haha.


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## suzuki0702 (Apr 6, 2008)

thats good to hear. but whered u get that trans from for 1500? is it a reman or junkyard?


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## EaTmYtAiLpIpEs (Aug 23, 2007)

it was a reman that was from ebay. but it had a heavy duty torque converter and stuff. I was gonna put it in but I dont think it was worth it if mine was fine. so I sent it back and got all my money back.


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## suzuki0702 (Apr 6, 2008)

ok. just curious that sounded like a good price. definatley not worth the money if that wasnt the problem!


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## EaTmYtAiLpIpEs (Aug 23, 2007)

suzuki0702;797584 said:


> ok. just curious that sounded like a good price. definatley not worth the money if that wasnt the problem!


no since in putting something in when you dont need it.


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