Trans problem

[jto89]

So last weekend we got slamed with a big snowstorm. my truck ran fine until about 2 hours into the storm and my truck wouldnt shift passed second gear. the overdrive button on the shifter started blinking and the check engin light came on. so i went home and let the truck cool down for a couple of hours and went back out and it was fine for another couple of hours then the same thing happened again. now i have been driving it with no problems with the plow off the truck runs great and shifts fine. with a nouther storm comming this week is there anything i can do to stop this problem. the truck has a trans cooler but should i put a bigger one in. any help would br greatly appreciated. The truck is a 2003 F350 7.3 l

 

[dieselredneckva]

Do you have a transmission temp gauge and if you do what temps is it running when it was doing this? When was the last time the fluid was changed in it? Does it only do it with the plow hanging off the front of it?

 

[jto89]

The temp guage runs were it normally does and yes it only does it when the plow is hanging off the front. i dont know when the fluid waas changed last i was told it was done when i bought the truck 6 months ago.

 

[dieselredneckva]

i would start by checking the level of the fluid (quality, color, smell). Check it to see if it smells burned, is discolored or has metal shavings in it. the easiest way to do this is by using a white paper towel and just wiping it on that. does it slip at all? it sounds like it is possibly a computer problem since it drives fine when it does not have the plow on it. a truck this size should easily be able to handle a plow. i have plows hanging off every truck in my Fleet in the winter time and none have ever experienced a issue like this. i will mention this to my fleet mechanic tomorrow tho as he is a Factory trained Ford diesel technician.

 

[dieselredneckva]

i forgot to put this but one more thing i would recommend is getting a deeper trans pad. i use them in all my trucks i have in my fleet. it allows for more atf to be put in. i think it holds 2qts more so it helps cool it better.

 

[jto89]

thanks for the help i just got off the phone with my mechanic and it is going in for a fluid and filtter change tommorow morning. He seems to think that the fluid is heating up and breaaking down under the stress of plowing and sending a faulse code to the computer to shut the tranny down.

 

[dieselredneckva]

thats kinda what i was i was thinking to at first. i change my tranny fluid at the beginning of plow season and at the end of plowing season in all my trucks. they just run better and it so hard on the transmission. you still might want to check out a deeper oil pan though. a fluid change should run a few hundred dollars so hopefully that is all that it is and you can be back and up on the road plowing soon. glad i could help. keep me posted.

 

[dieselredneckva]

oh i was just wondering i saw in your sig that you have Whelen Liberty led light bar on your truck. how do you like that? i have been thinking about getting one.

 

[Potomacster]

Good morning. I am new to your forums and enjoy reading your blogs. I use to listen to Pat Goss and he recommends the trans flush as well as all the fluids every 25000 or time interval recommendations. I have 122,000 and my f350 is a 2000. My only concern when i go to get the transmission done is was it done? Any suggestions on following up on this situation? Potomacster

 

[jto89]

oh i was just wondering i saw in your sig that you have Whelen Liberty led light bar on your truck. how do you like that? i have been thinking about getting one.

Well the fluid changed helped a little the overdrive light blinked but the trans shifted passed second gear. As for the lightbar i love it, it really looks nice and is very bright. it makes it nice for backing out of driveways in a storm or when im towing my bobcat in the summer.