Toasted another "Built" transmission...

Extended Power · May 7, 2019

Lol, no time Monday, or today to work on it.
Don't wanna use the old cooler, so looking for a new one.
Our stealership's want a rediculous amount for it...
So, trying to help out the vendors here.

Also, has anyone bypassed the cooler in the radiator?
My truck never, ever sees winter anymore, and I really don't need 190 degree coolant heating up the transmission oil. (The bypass valve in the external filter helps it get up to temperature.)

Extended Power · May 7, 2019

Thanks to Sean at Sunrise Ford, for hooking me up with a new transmission cooler.
Should have it by next set of days off.
Hope to get my truck back on the road soon!

Jonnydime · May 8, 2019

Extended Power said:
Lol, no time Monday, or today to work on it.
Don't wanna use the old cooler, so looking for a new one.
Our stealership's want a rediculous amount for it...
So, trying to help out the vendors here.

Also, has anyone bypassed the cooler in the radiator?
My truck never, ever sees winter anymore, and I really don't need 190 degree coolant heating up the transmission oil. (The bypass valve in the external filter helps it get up to temperature.)

I believe the cooler in the radiator does most of the cooling.

Zeb · May 8, 2019

Extended Power said:
Lol, no time Monday, or today to work on it.
Don't wanna use the old cooler, so looking for a new one.
Our stealership's want a rediculous amount for it...
So, trying to help out the vendors here.

Also, has anyone bypassed the cooler in the radiator?
My truck never, ever sees winter anymore, and I really don't need 190 degree coolant heating up the transmission oil. (The bypass valve in the external filter helps it get up to temperature.)

I ran the 450 for several days with the heat exchanger in the radiator bypassed after I blew the pump gear apart. That cooler was full of metal, I was waiting on the new radiator, and had work to do. It made little difference on sustained temperature, but did take longer to warm up. The heat exchanger in the radiator seems to add a stabilizing effect.

Jonnydime · May 8, 2019

Zeb said:
I ran the 450 for several days with the heat exchanger in the radiator bypassed after I blew the pump gear apart. That cooler was full of metal, I was waiting on the new radiator, and had work to do. It made little difference on sustained temperature, but did take longer to warm up. The heat exchanger in the radiator seems to add a stabilizing effect.

I based my statement off of this info.

Mark Kovalsky said:
It only makes sense to bypass the radiator cooler if you don't understand how the system works.

Many people, trans shops included, seem to think that the radiator cooler is there to warm the ATF when the trans is cold. THAT IS NOT TRUE!!!!!!!!!!!!! I've tested this as cold as -40F and the radiator cooler ALWAYS cools the ATF. Always. Without exception.

I think that most people miss that the section of the radiator where the trans cooler is located is in the area where the already cooled engine coolant is located. So if the engine is at 200F and the ambient air temperature is 0F, the coolant temperature is going to be near 0F, never anywhere near 200F.

The radiator cooler is a VERY effective cooler. If you bypass it you will lose a lot of cooling capacity.

Derkperk · May 8, 2019

Jonnydime said:
I based my statement off of this info.

I remembered reading Mark’s post but couldn’t dig it up...well done!

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Zeb · May 8, 2019

Jonnydime said:
I based my statement off of this info.

That is excellent info, and I’m not arguing with it. I definitely wouldn’t want to run in the summer towing as heavy as I often tow with the radiator heat exchanger bypassed BECAUSE I KNOW IT ALSO ADDS COOLING CAPACITY, but, in cooler ambient temperatures it warmed up slower with the radiator heat exchanger bypassed.

Extended Power · May 9, 2019

Excellent information for sure.
I will pull the radiator out, and have a shop flush it.
I ripped out all the extra cooler lines that ran to the back of the truck...and the electric fan, and cooler.
Going back to stock location, filter and lines.

FaSSt9602 · May 24, 2019

Well, I got my truck back from the shop after the rebuild. Looks like the previous "performance build" was less than stellar. For one, shop said there is a set of bearings that are a real PITA to replace, so many shops leave them in place. They said mine looked to be factory. They upgraded those bearings. They also said (I believe) that the drum wouldn't pass air test, and they found it to be out of round. They said there is a VERY good chance this was damaged in the original failure of the stock transmission, and not caught on the initial rebuild, which would explain the continuous issues I had with direct drive while under warranty with the other shop. Also, I was supposed to have a billet converter, which was not the case. Looked to be a rebuilt stock unit.

So, transmission shifts AWESOME, and feels like it puts the power to the ground much better now (I'm only tune and KC 63.5 turbo).

But, I was trying to save pennies to get it back on the road and opted to not replace the original 98k mile flexplate, and 2 weeks later, she's going back in the shop to have the flexplate replaced after shearing it off. :cursing: Who woulda though a 400hp truck was testing the limits of the stock flexplate. Trying to decide if a billet flexplate is worthwhile at my power level, or if this was a fluke thing...

Zeb · May 24, 2019

FaSSt9602 said:
Well, I got my truck back from the shop after the rebuild. Looks like the previous "performance build" was less than stellar. For one, shop said there is a set of bearings that are a real PITA to replace, so many shops leave them in place. They said mine looked to be factory. They upgraded those bearings. They also said (I believe) that the drum wouldn't pass air test, and they found it to be out of round. They said there is a VERY good chance this was damaged in the original failure of the stock transmission, and not caught on the initial rebuild, which would explain the continuous issues I had with direct drive while under warranty with the other shop. Also, I was supposed to have a billet converter, which was not the case. Looked to be a rebuilt stock unit.

So, transmission shifts AWESOME, and feels like it puts the power to the ground much better now (I'm only tune and KC 63.5 turbo).

But, I was trying to save pennies to get it back on the road and opted to not replace the original 98k mile flexplate, and 2 weeks later, she's going back in the shop to have the flexplate replaced after shearing it off. :cursing: Who woulda though a 400hp truck was testing the limits of the stock flexplate. Trying to decide if a billet flexplate is worthwhile at my power level, or if this was a fluke thing...

I would say the flex plate failure was a fluke.

FaSSt9602 · May 24, 2019

Zeb said:
I would say the flex plate failure was a fluke.

I agree...and not really looking to spend another $600 plus labor for a billet if stock would be fine well under 500hp...

Zeb · May 24, 2019

FaSSt9602 said:
I agree...and not really looking to spend another $600 plus labor for a billet if stock would be fine well under 500hp...

I’ve run well over 700 hp thru a stock one on my old 4 door with no issues.

The Excursion has 300,000 miles on the original one and it is close to 600hp.

A new, stock, flex plate is less than $150 from Ford.

FaSSt9602 · May 24, 2019

Zeb said:
A new, stock, fleIx plate is less than $150 from Ford.

That is the route I'm looking. Thanks for the input!

Extended Power · Jun 4, 2019

Well I thought everything was going in too smooth....
Was on the last converter bolt, and when tightening it up, I swear I saw the converter move, but the flexplate stayed put.
Tried to move the converter from behind the oil pan, and sure enough...the ARP bolts are too long.
So I pulled the last bolt out, and grab two thick washers to stack onto it.
Put the bolt back in...STILL too long.
Pulled it out again, and had to use the grade eight bolts that I thought were too short.
Now I had to hustle because the loc-tite was setting up, making it a pita to remove the bolts.
Finally got them all changed out...no more clunk, clunk when I jack the engine clockwise and counter clockwise.

Left to install:
-front driveshaft.
-new exhaust from downpipe back.
-secondary HPOP, and pulleys.
-new column shifter. (Lighted TOW/HAUL did not light up.)
-new transmission cooler. (Need to dump coolant, flush rad.)
-add oil to transmission.

Other stuff to do:
-change out solenoids on AMS 1000 boost controller.
-put wheels back on.
-new grill.
-remove any programs that might still be in the FICM, and return everything to stock, so I can get a new program for my setup.

Then...I might get a couple weeks to drive it this summer.

Extended Power · Aug 13, 2019

Zero progress on this situation.
Truck is still up on jacks.
I was busy before...and then I bought another King Ranch that was a theft recovery....and now I don't have time for anything any more.
I never would have thought that life would get so busy that the things I like to do, would actually have to sit, while addressing other priorities.

Extended Power · Aug 20, 2019

Extended Power said:
Well I thought everything was going in too smooth....
Was on the last converter bolt, and when tightening it up, I swear I saw the converter move, but the flexplate stayed put.
Tried to move the converter from behind the oil pan, and sure enough...the ARP bolts are too long.
So I pulled the last bolt out, and grab two thick washers to stack onto it.
Put the bolt back in...STILL too long.
Pulled it out again, and had to use the grade eight bolts that I thought were too short.
Now I had to hustle because the loc-tite was setting up, making it a pita to remove the bolts.
Finally got them all changed out...no more clunk, clunk when I jack the engine clockwise and counter clockwise.

Left to install:
-front driveshaft. (DONE)
-new exhaust from downpipe back.
-secondary HPOP, and pulleys. (DONE)
-new column shifter. (Lighted TOW/HAUL did not light up.)
-new transmission cooler. (Need to dump coolant, flush rad.) (DONE)
-add oil to transmission. (DONE)

Other stuff to do:
-change out solenoids on AMS 1000 boost controller.
-put wheels back on. (DONE)
-new grill.
-remove any programs that might still be in the FICM, and return everything to stock, so I can get a new program for my setup.

Then...I might get a couple weeks to drive it this summer.

Got to the point where I was able to start my truck today! Hasn't run since last August!
The other truck I bought needs a new oil cooler, so I have to move my truck out, so I can bring in the other one to do the repair. (My Son's '72 Buick GS is in the other bay.)
That's the only thing left to repair on the 2004 King Ranch I bought...then I was gonna just drive it, and get rid of a couple more vehicles...but my Son wants to buy the '04 now.