Power Hungry Performance Forum  

Go Back   Power Hungry Performance Forum > Ford Super Duty & Excursion > 1999 to 2003 7.3L Power Stroke Diesel

1999 to 2003 7.3L Power Stroke Diesel 7.3L Power Stroke Diesel equipped Super Duty and Excursion

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old Tue, September 6th, 2011, 01:34 PM
ChrisCNC ChrisCNC is offline
ChrisCNC_7.3L
 
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Lebanon, OR
Posts: 33
ChrisCNC is on a distinguished road
Default Recommended Tranny upgrades

2003 F250 SD with the standard upgrades (4" exhaust, Stage II intake, PHP tunes). I'm awaiting 80HP LT tune and will be towing our relatively light 4500lb trailer, 2 kids, gear and a dog around the mountains of Oregon, Washington, California and Idaho. I've got 35" tires.

I've done nothing to the transmission yet, but can feel quite a shudder when taking off from a stop, and it is worse when towing the trailer. I assume it is the transmission slipping and would like to upgrade before I find out I should upgraded and am stranded alongside the road with my family. While I'm waiting for my custom tunes, I've been using the tow safe tune that comes stock on the edge evolution programmer. Using stock tires my tranny temps maxed out at 220 degrees while going to the top of a 4000' pass over 10 miles (max less than 10% grade).

What all should I be considering? From my perusing the forums, I see that an upgraded tranny cooler (truCool or 6.0L ford cooler), BTS Valve body, and aftermarket Torque Converter are all good ideas.

What Torque Converters are 'good' ATS has a whale of a warranty on some of theirs (5 year, 500,000 miles), I've heard good things from Banks. I'd like to hear from one of the PHP crew on this one (Bill, Cody..."if it were me, I'd buy a ______") or anyone else that has an expert opinion.

What would be a laundry list of items I should prepare for?
Torque Converter upgrade
Valve Body upgrade
Tranny Cooler upgrade
???
???
???

I do rod around on occasion, but am more concerned about towing and tranny longevity.

Thank you,

Kevin
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old Wed, September 7th, 2011, 07:19 AM
rammertide07 rammertide07 is offline
God & Guns
 
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Rogersville, AL / Currently in Pollock, LA
Posts: 307
rammertide07 is on a distinguished road
Default

Pretty sure dieselsite does not offer the trucool max anymore. They discontinued it to concentrate more on their products. And I can not find anywhere else to buy it. Your best bet is the 6.0 cooler. You can get a used one and flush it real good or buy a new one with a sound mind, which is what I'd do. I have a BD torque converter and been running it mainly on the 100 tune for a year, then 140 tune after I got my PHP tunes. I've heard sketchy things about ATS products and their customer service...but then again...I've only heard one side of the story. The most bragged about transmissions are from Brian's Truck Stop in Arkansas and John Woods, I think he located in California. I broke down down here in Louisiana shorlty after I moved here. All I know of that the transmission shop did to my transmission is the torque converter (they charged me about $600 for) and shift kit. Not sure what they did about the VB. IMO, banks is over rated. You can by just as good or better products for a cheaper price.
__________________
01 F350 7.3 4x4 CC SRW/3.73/315-75-16/Aeroforce Interceptor/BD Thruster II/ Bellowed Up-Pipes/4" turbo back exhaust/CCV Mod/DIY 6637/FPR Shimmed to 65 PSI/TS chip reburned with PHP tunes (Stock, 40T WITH Whsiper tune, 80DD, 100R, 140Ex, 140SS)/Replaced and Cleaned EBPS & Tube 4-6-12/Zoodad mod/Recon smoked cab lights/MM Hubs/Cowl Hood/HPx
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old Wed, September 7th, 2011, 09:59 AM
ChrisCNC ChrisCNC is offline
ChrisCNC_7.3L
 
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Lebanon, OR
Posts: 33
ChrisCNC is on a distinguished road
Default

Thanks for the info RT!

I found this website,
transmissioncoolers.us

and they've got enough different kinds of coolers it'll make your head spin. There is one called the TruCool Max

transmissioncoolers.us: Tru-Cool MAX transmission cooler with external thermal bypass

for $162 and some change. Do you think this is the same one?

thank you for the information.

Anyone else care to chime in? I'd like to soak up all the information I can.

-Kevin
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old Wed, September 7th, 2011, 10:14 AM
rammertide07 rammertide07 is offline
God & Guns
 
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Rogersville, AL / Currently in Pollock, LA
Posts: 307
rammertide07 is on a distinguished road
Default

Yes, it looks exactly what dieselsite offered. Thanks for the link. Its been months since I looked for it. Great info
__________________
01 F350 7.3 4x4 CC SRW/3.73/315-75-16/Aeroforce Interceptor/BD Thruster II/ Bellowed Up-Pipes/4" turbo back exhaust/CCV Mod/DIY 6637/FPR Shimmed to 65 PSI/TS chip reburned with PHP tunes (Stock, 40T WITH Whsiper tune, 80DD, 100R, 140Ex, 140SS)/Replaced and Cleaned EBPS & Tube 4-6-12/Zoodad mod/Recon smoked cab lights/MM Hubs/Cowl Hood/HPx
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old Wed, September 7th, 2011, 10:37 AM
ChrisCNC ChrisCNC is offline
ChrisCNC_7.3L
 
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Lebanon, OR
Posts: 33
ChrisCNC is on a distinguished road
Default

Got an email into BTS about the torque converters they use, the Precision Industries "Stallion". Looks like a whale of a T.C. with a 5 year unlimited warranty. I always get nervous when no one puts prices on their websites....

I've heard some good things about the Troyer Tranny cooler:

Troyer Performance

Does anyway have any information on these? They're a good deal more money than the TruCool, they are fan driven, thermostatically controlled which makes logical sense...but is more effort and more things to fail.

-Kevin
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old Thu, September 8th, 2011, 07:18 AM
rammertide07 rammertide07 is offline
God & Guns
 
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Rogersville, AL / Currently in Pollock, LA
Posts: 307
rammertide07 is on a distinguished road
Default

That costs more than the TruCool unit. Have you read user reviews of the TruCool? You can google and find forum links where people have posted their results with the TruCool Max. I think that would get you to what you need. And like you said already, there's less to fail on the TruCool.
__________________
01 F350 7.3 4x4 CC SRW/3.73/315-75-16/Aeroforce Interceptor/BD Thruster II/ Bellowed Up-Pipes/4" turbo back exhaust/CCV Mod/DIY 6637/FPR Shimmed to 65 PSI/TS chip reburned with PHP tunes (Stock, 40T WITH Whsiper tune, 80DD, 100R, 140Ex, 140SS)/Replaced and Cleaned EBPS & Tube 4-6-12/Zoodad mod/Recon smoked cab lights/MM Hubs/Cowl Hood/HPx
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old Thu, September 8th, 2011, 09:07 AM
ChrisCNC ChrisCNC is offline
ChrisCNC_7.3L
 
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Lebanon, OR
Posts: 33
ChrisCNC is on a distinguished road
Default

You're right RT, on other forums I've heard nothing but good things about the TruCool Max. Is yours installed as a replacement, or in series with your stock cooler?

-Kevin
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old Thu, February 16th, 2012, 04:57 PM
garyfink garyfink is offline
Double Whopper
 
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Blue Ball PA
Posts: 29
garyfink is on a distinguished road
Default

make sure you get a good tc. I had a local company build mine and they took me thru the shop and showed me everything they do and the benefits. Improved oiling torrington bearings etc. really to help with heat. The tech told me all ford tenasmissions have problems with heat and if you do alot of heavy towing they advise doubling up on the factory cooler. Great bunch of guys (Landis Torque Converters Leola PA)
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old Mon, March 26th, 2012, 08:35 AM
ZombieSoldier ZombieSoldier is offline
Whopper Junior
 
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Hinesville Georgia
Posts: 4
ZombieSoldier is on a distinguished road
Default

maybe too late already but 6.0 trans cooler, john woods tuned valve body, upgraded torque converter.
__________________
1999 F250- Zombie Intake with Green USA filter, CCV delete, 4" Turbo back to dual 5" powder coated stacks, Magnaflow Cat, Tony Wildman tuned TS chip, 17* HPOP, John Woods valvebody, ProComp Leveled, Bilstein 5100's, 315 BFG A/T KO's on black procomp steel wheels, Smittybilt steps, Extang tonneau cover,
-Proud member of Georgia Powerstroke Diesel Association!
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old Mon, March 26th, 2012, 02:48 PM
rammertide07 rammertide07 is offline
God & Guns
 
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Rogersville, AL / Currently in Pollock, LA
Posts: 307
rammertide07 is on a distinguished road
Default

I was at my Ford mechanics home shop last Chirstmas. He had a 32 row cooler he just handed to me and told me Merry Christmas (LOVE THAT GUY). He's a talker for sure, but will help you out in any situation you have.

My rebuild seems fairly cheap from what i have read other people being charged. Mine was rebuilt with a BD torque converter and shift kit for $2100. I think once I get that cooler installed, I'll be set.
__________________
01 F350 7.3 4x4 CC SRW/3.73/315-75-16/Aeroforce Interceptor/BD Thruster II/ Bellowed Up-Pipes/4" turbo back exhaust/CCV Mod/DIY 6637/FPR Shimmed to 65 PSI/TS chip reburned with PHP tunes (Stock, 40T WITH Whsiper tune, 80DD, 100R, 140Ex, 140SS)/Replaced and Cleaned EBPS & Tube 4-6-12/Zoodad mod/Recon smoked cab lights/MM Hubs/Cowl Hood/HPx
Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 04:46 AM.


All Contents Copyright 2008-2020, Power Hungry Performance