My truck has 57,500 miles and has been running like a slug. It's been idling rough, vibrating under acceleration and various speeds, and shifting gears like a lazy hound dog. It was really starting to run like a big ol' pig. Aside from changing the oil and filter about every 7500 miles I haven't done squat.

I took it to a local shop that does tires mufflers brakes etc. that I trust and have been using for years. They have a lot of experience with heavy diesel pickups of all makes and I had them check out the suspension for any worn out items when they rotated the tires and set the pressures. They didn't find anyhting. I also had them change the transmission fluid. They used a machine that flushed everything out along with all the lines, cooler etc. and added new fluid with some kind of conditioner. They didn't have to drop the pan and claim it is a better process. Cost was $138.

I then took it home and changed the fuel filter (found procedure here) and the air filter and the oil and oil filter. Used all WIX filters too by the way and Castrol Tection Extra heavy duty diesel engine oil. Cost for oil and filters + tax $83.

Now for the holy moly part, the test drive. I felt like it transformed into a 6,000 lb mustang. Or a big block V8 or something. I could feel it chirping the tires at 70 mph when it was shifting into top gear or torque converter lockup or whatever that is. Once I looked down at the tach and saw the needle zing past 3500 when I had the pedal mashed to floor accelerating up a hilly road from a stop sign near my house. It's a nasty climb out of a hole that takes big time torque to climb up out of it in a hurry. The truck now feels like it's going to spin the rims inside the tires or wrinkle the pavement whichever comes first.

I can't believe how much difference a little maintenence makes. The transmission shifts smooth as silk now and there is zero vibration anywhere, especially between 2500-3000 rpm where it was most annoying before. In fact its's so smooth now it's easy to spin up into the redline and I have to watch out for it. I can't imagine what a big exhaust, High performance intake, filter and some kind of module would do for it.

Moral to this post. If your truck is doing some weird stuff maybe it just cant breathe. My filters were almost plugged solid by the way and HEAVY.

 

Cool. I've used that transmission flush on a Jeep I had and it made a world of difference. BUT, Let me make a STRONG recommendation that you take it back to that shop and have them drop the pan and replace the trans filter. All of that garbage/contaminates have been flushed into the pan and may plug the filter. Just my $.02

 

EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY!!!! The flush is a nice option but all that nasty stuff does go right into that filter... make sure that you get that thing changed

 

Changed the fuel filter and Air filter out at 57000 , thats where all of your lost performance was ......

 

Drop the tranny pan and doit yourself, or take it to the dealer and pay then to do it so that it is documented so that if there are any problems later you can prove that a DC dealer did the work.

 

I know I'm a lazy idiot...

 

Trans filters are good usually to 90k.Sold and handled trans flush's on probably a few thousand autos/trucks and NEVER had a stopped filter due to a flush.Drive it 30k more and then change the filter and flush at same time.

 

Last week I changed out my original air filter at almost 14,000 miles. My filter minder was only half way down. Put in a new STP air filter from AutoZone, and made a big difference. Even though the manual tells you to go by the filter minder and not check the filter itself, dont believe it! My filter was filthy! All other filters and fluids are changed according to the manual on my truck.

 

Yea I never go by my filter minder. Everytime ive changed mine out, my filter minder hasn't moved (its probably broke) but my filter was realllllly gross! i try to change mine every oil change or a couple thousand miles after

 

Hey by the was what do they recommend changing the fuel filter? how many miles? I let the mechanic do mine last time, but how hard is it to change it out? is there any site that ives detailed instructions? sorry im not the smartest cookie in the box... i know pretty much nothing about under the hood

 

No bodys mentioned it here. You need to adjust the bands in your trans. The pan needs to be pulled to do that . I believe theres one adjustment on the outside and one inside .

 

lol, i was thinkin the same thing...3 posts......besides this fella is gunna wanna do bombs.....i hope, because if u liked the result of simple maintenance....wait till u put a Box, or tuner to that lil lady...shes gonna turn into a monster..but be careful with the auto tranny, even tho they are tougher now, they still slip if u hammer em

Dom

 

Fuel filter is max every 15k and I believe its mentioned in the owners manual on how to change it.Its a no brainer..The ban adjustment has been mentioned for a number of years.Why I don't know.Any GOOD trans repairman will tell you its NEVER done unless its a complete overhaul.There never out unless ruined already.It goes back to the dinosaur era of the old 727 torque flites.Why its still in the book is anybodys guess.If its on a dealer or independent maintance sheet its more b.s.then anything cause its not needed and hardly if EVER done.Just wait till 90k and service the trans filter.All will be ok until then.

 

the 727...that thing was bullit proof, my pap ran his 400 or so hp Javelin, standard maintenance makes a world of difference, my old chebby gasser had a serious problem, then i changed the tranny fluid, filter, and used a bottle of lucas in it. that thing was great after....good luck gettin the Lucas out.....its like snot!

Dom