2011 F-550 Transmission Issue

griz700rocket · Jun 12, 2017

2011 F-550 welding truck. 50k miles with average use for a 550. Trans has been acting funny for a while now. Other issues convinced me to d-lete a couple thousand miles ago. Ran the preloaded minimaxx tunes for a while and trans seemed better. Started acting up again so I had local diesel shop put in new solenoids. Not sure which ones they replaced but seemed better for a while. Recently tried tunes from no-limit and they are doing basically the same thing. Randomly when it shifts from 3-4 it misses the shift and you have to let off to get it to shift. Once it's in 4th it holds fine and it downshifts from 5-4 fine. Called midwest and they suggested buying one of their built trans or if I wanted to go the cheap route trying a new valve body. I can't see any reason why a 50k mile trans would need to be replaced already. Any insight or suggestions? Plan on giving no-limit a call after they open today and see what they say.

jimdawg185 · Jun 12, 2017

How is the fluid?

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sideactiondiesel · Jun 12, 2017

2011 F-550 welding truck. 50k miles with average use for a 550. Trans has been acting funny for a while now. Other issues convinced me to d-lete a couple thousand miles ago. Ran the preloaded minimaxx tunes for a while and trans seemed better. Started acting up again so I had local diesel shop put in new solenoids. Not sure which ones they replaced but seemed better for a while. Recently tried tunes from no-limit and they are doing basically the same thing. Randomly when it shifts from 3-4 it misses the shift and you have to let off to get it to shift. Once it's in 4th it holds fine and it downshifts from 5-4 fine. Called midwest and they suggested buying one of their built trans or if I wanted to go the cheap route trying a new valve body. I can't see any reason why a 50k mile trans would need to be replaced already. Any insight or suggestions? Plan on giving no-limit a call after they open today and see what they say.

When they replaced the solenoids I hope they updated the proper cal tag id for valvebody.......

If not the damage is already done

The cal id matches the flow characteristics of the solenoid. If not properly done ANYONE'S trans can and will FAIL!

We do A lot of these units as well and see this time and time again.

Also the 6r just doesn't have enough holding power in the OD clutch to hold a forced downshift or up shift in factory form because of its size. My 6.7 has 30k on it and I drove it around with our dual fueler and turbo for one day beating on it in stock form and well it lasted about 5 times like this and it said it has had it.

griz700rocket · Jun 12, 2017

Fluid looks good. This shop said they had never worked on a 6r before so........

sideactiondiesel · Jun 12, 2017

[Fluid looks good. This shop said they had never worked on a 6r before so......../QUOTE]

Awesome.. they might have just help you have an expensive day.. sorry bud

sootie · Jun 12, 2017

Yep. Agree with Brenton, they likely didn't get the truck flashed to the new solenoid pack strategy.

Start there and see if it behaves better, but as said, the damage is likely already done.

griz700rocket · Jun 12, 2017

I know they dropped the pan and checked the numbers on solenoids before they ordered them. Does it still have to be flashed if they replaced with the same ones? How much am I looking at for a new valve body / solenoid pack? Something I can replace myself and then have to flashed? I'm done taking it to get it worked on. I'm a decent mechanic but it's hard to find the time.

sootie · Jun 12, 2017

griz700rocket said:
I know they dropped the pan and checked the numbers on solenoids before they ordered them. Does it still have to be flashed if they replaced with the same ones? How much am I looking at for a new valve body / solenoid pack? Something I can replace myself and then have to flashed? I'm done taking it to get it worked on. I'm a decent mechanic but it's hard to find the time.

Doesn't matter. Any time a solenoid pack is replaced, it needs to be flashed with IDS. Each pack has a unique strategy.

Not a big deal, you could swap the pack yourself and then get it flashed.

Cool.thing is FORScan is working on the ability to do this flash but aren't quite there yet.

griz700rocket · Jun 12, 2017

I have AE and forscan. I was just reading that in the forscan thread. Didn't realize it had to be flashed for any solenoid changes. I'd say that's what happened because its been worse since they changed them.

AirFishAutomotive · Jun 12, 2017

griz700rocket said:
I have AE and forscan. I was just reading that in the forscan thread. Didn't realize it had to be flashed for any solenoid changes. I'd say that's what happened because its been worse since they changed them.

you just said it ran better now your saying it ran worse

Started acting up again so I had local diesel shop put in new solenoids. Not sure which ones they replaced but seemed better for a while.

griz700rocket · Jun 12, 2017

It seemed better when I picked it up but got worse right after that. Talked to no-limit and they recommended taking it to get reflashed and go from there. Hopefully since I haven't driven it much since it didn't hurt the trans.