04 with 260k miles...........how far should i push my luck ?

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lane87

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Thank you very much folks. I have to change the crank case gasket next week ( Rear Main Seal - small oil leak) so I may as well get this mess done. Looks like I have the 4R70W so:
- 4R70W Transmission Solenoid Package Shift Tcc Lock-Up Epc AODE Kit Set 1998-03 Ebay $93
- Valvoline MaxLife Multi-Vehicle Automatic Transmission Fluid, 1 Gallon (How many quarts do I need? All 12?)

Please correct me if I am not making the right purchases here. Thanks again. This forum saves my butt.

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1955moose

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A gallon is four quarts, you will probably be draining out 5-6 quarts on your drain. Do yourself a favor pick up a big plastic cement mixing pan at your hardware store. It's a mess if you try using small pans. Pick up a filter as well for your trans. If you have a full sized dipstick you refill to hash marks when warm, don't over or under fill. Probably going to need about 6 quarts, buy a couple of loose ones along with the gallon.


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Thanks, I'm speaking from experience, it happened to my 2001 F150 with 150k miles on it. I had to replace just about everything in the transmission case. It's better than original with rebuilt pump, all major sub components rebuilt, solenoids, sonnax sure cure kit, tuff seperator plate, tripple locking ring on diode. Heck I even did the u joints while the drive shaft was out.
 

1955moose

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Thanks again ******. It amazes me how many of our members spend big money on every kind of crap available for their rides, but won't do the maintenance that's in their owners manual. That $3,500 that they have to pay some bonehead that doesn't even have a quality rebuilt transmission, they could take their family on vacation, or have in the bank, for something real important, like that new roof their gonna need.


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Get the tuff plate for $35 too. It includes a cap to protect it from the 2-3 shift accumulator denting the stock plate. After 250k miles it may well be damaged. You can pull the valve body and leave everything else in the transmission.
 

Wilson

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Mine is an Early 2003 5.4, with 194,000 miles on it. Been highway driven, always garaged, and always maintained, no dents, paint flawless. It "looks as new". Lots of parts over time replaced, like door seals, seat covers, etc., the stuff that wears out from normal use.

So I feel like buying a new Expedition, and I drive over to the local dealer with mine.

Salesman comes out, he says "What are you interested in buying?"

I tell him a new Expedition.

He takes one look at mine, and says, "Why would you want to buy a new truck, when you have this one?"

I told him I wanted a newer model. . .He asked how many miles were on mine, I told him - he basically said they will run well to about 260,000 miles then everything was subject to change after that.

He told me that he kept his until 275,000 miles (kept it as a ranch car), and then bought a new one.

So if you can imagine, here I am at the Ford dealership with $50k in my pocket, and the SALESMAN is talking me out of buying a new car !

Not sure that I really liked the engine choice anyway, there is nothing like the 5.4 V8 (in my humble opinion), and the ECO Boost new engine I'm really not sure about. One thing I can tell, at least I can work on the 5.4, the new ECO-Boost looks like a very difficult engine compartment to maintain, and although I do 90% of any maintenance myself, the ECO-Boost 2017 looks exceeding difficult under the hood.
 

Wilson

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OK, here it is, I do (almost) all my own work on my Expy and the reason I never touched the trans fluid over 200K is because early on (during warranty days) the service guy at Ford dealership said it was designed to last the life of the vehicle. Hence the no drain plug. Made sense at the time but you all have me certainly thinking otherwise now. Dang. This car looks and drives like it is new and I really wish I would have taken better care of the trans. Very little problems over the last 14 yrs. It has been a gem. Never towed anything much and now I hear an occasional "shutter" shifting into 6 on the freeway.



My exact experience as well. At 20,000 miles, car in warranty, it needed a transmission replacement due to improper parts install at the factory level. After the new transmission was installed, the tech (who was also a race car tranny guy) told me you will never have to change this fluid. Of course I was skeptical, but I must say 150k miles later, when I remove the dipstick on the transmission, the oil seems to be new. No dirt, metal, smells like it's still fresh.

So I haven't touched it yet, gonna do more study on it first before screwing up a good thing.
 

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