Ford 4r100 auto trans shift kit question

[SeanKroll]

I suspect/ guessing a troublesome shift kit in my trans from old oil making it sticky.

Reverse engages at startup when cold. First gear doesn't want to engage for a short period, then will engage and act normal with full power, as much as I can tell.


I'm guessing the oil warms and thins a bit, somewhere between 20-30 seconds on warmer days.


Fwiw, I either let the transmission warm more before driving to the county road (45mph ++) from my house, or drive it at about 15-20 mph out of my gf's neighborhood for half a mile, then into 35mph roads.


I'm guessing the oil

 

[Cobleskill]

When you change it add a bottle of Lucas. My mechanic bud isn't big on additives, but he really likes that one.

 

[CurSedVoyce]

Your transmission might be ok with new oil. It relies on the friction modifier in it. N eeds Mercon 5. Stay away from " equivelents/compatables" if possible. Dont cheap out.
Dropping the pan, changing the filter, draining what fluid you can that way will tell you a lot. Magnet in pan might have caught some things you might want to see. Same for the filter. Cheap inspection. Might make it go better. Dark fluid is old and got hot from friction. Should change it out about every 50K in my book. Same with your diffs.
I do not recommend a flush as that can cause other issues stirring all the particles up. You can drain the torque converter if it has the drain hole plug, through the inspection plate. You can drain the lines and cooler too if you want to go that far. Not really necessary. Especially if you are going to limp to a replacement/rebuild.. gasket kit and filter are cheap. Best use OEM. Power Torque makes a rubber one for the pan some folks prefer. My cork oem gasket only started leaking after 40k on the rebuild unit and the track sat. Easy enough to tighten the bolt just a touch. Torque spec is pretty light. Just done over tighten, you'll warp the pan and will have to straighten it to get it to seal.

 

[SeanKroll]

Thanks. I've already changed the oil and filter. It was not obviously dirty or glittery.

It's a government surplus truck that I've had for 30-40k. Don't know how long before sending it to surplus that the oil was changed.

135k now.


I was curious if some additive, now (after draining the right amount) might help.

 

[Tree09]

Gov surplus stuff is usually fleet maintained, so it's had an actual mechanic working on it and they usually do pretty good. Fleet vehicles are where it's at for used stuff.

 

[Nutball]

I haven't heard good things about Lucas products. My car won't lock the torque converter or automatic clutch if it's too cold. I don't know why. It could be computer based to intentionally warm the fluid, or it could be the higher viscosity simulating a heavier load, or who knows what.

 

[flushcut]

Gov surplus stuff is usually fleet maintained, so it's had an actual mechanic working on it and they usually do pretty good. Fleet vehicles are where it's at for used stuff.

I don’t know. My buddy was a maintenance tech in the Air Force and he has told me some of the shady shit that goes on. And I have seen him wrench and it ain’t pretty.

 

[CurSedVoyce]

Thanks. I've already changed the oil and filter. It was not obviously dirty or glittery.

It's a government surplus truck that I've had for 30-40k. Don't know how long before sending it to surplus that the oil was changed.

135k now.


I was curious if some additive, now (after draining the right amount) might help.

Only Mercon V

 

[Tree09]

I don’t know. My buddy was a maintenance tech in the Air Force and he has told me some of the shady shit that goes on. And I have seen him wrench and it ain’t pretty.

Military is different than fleet, and i know several mechanics that work fleet and they're some of the best around. Some at utility companies, some for government (local and state), some for construction companies, and some as equipment manufacturer mobile mechanics, almost all good paying union jobs with the accompanying training and tools. They even have guys in the operators that have their own service trucks and tools, they hire out and are paid just like welding rigs are. Ive ran jobs where we had enough welding machines going that the operators had the responsibility of starting them and keeping them running, and as the foreman running the job i had to supply the tools, fuel, parts, etc. so the operators could maintain them, hell i even had them doing the maintenence on my company truck during times when we didn't need him in a hoe I had several operators over the course of the job, but my main one was excellent at both wrenching and operating, and later got me started in tree work for hire. He worked out a deal with a gas station that we would buy fuel exclusively from them (over 100 gallons of gas a week and a bunch more diesel too) but in return we would get free coffee, so the whole crew had free coffee every am, damn that was a good job.

It makes financial sense to maintain vehicles and equipment at the best possible condition, so they spend the money needed to do that because they need that stuff. Some of the really huge construction companies just buy all new stuff for the job, hire rig mechanics from the hall for maintenence, then turn around and sell everything at auction when the jobs done, the loss mitigated from not needing to store, maintain, and ship the stuff. That's the extreme, most hold onto stuff for a predetermined time then sell it off at auction, no matter the condition it goes, never used stuff included. I knew a few army mechanics but they all served in their 20s, i know there's older ones too but i would think the military has a much younger and less trained workforce than the fleet guys i know, most who have decades of experience of doing it for a living.

 

[stikine]

Our fleet mechanic is an ex marine and from what I can tell he is very good. At least our rigs get annual service (minimum) and are sought after in GSA auctions.