ford 7.3 auto trans?

[cypressfarms]

I've just taken a new day job where I'll be commuting a very long way. Next week I'm trading in my Chevy crew cab 2004 to get a small gas saver for the commute.

I want to buy a farm truck for pulling the trailers and everything else. I've been looking for a F250 with the 7.3 diesel.

My question is how good are the auto transmissions in these trucks? I would prefer a standard, but most that I've seen have an auto. I've looked at several 1999 models, all with 100 to 150k miles. I was concerned about the auto trans. lasting. Anyone have any experience or comments?

 

[Triple L]

I have a 97 F250 CREW CAB, right now it has 263,xxx miles on the puppy. It has the automatic trans in it. The only thing I have trouble with was the plate for the four wheel drive. It loacted on the leftside of the tranny. The thing just snapped one day at the hay barn. I have changed the fluid about every 50-70K depending on how much towing I do. I would recommend a new pan some of the older modles don't have a drain plug, and that really makes it easier.

Good Luck
Sam

 

[coolpop]

I will say the tow command on the newer Ford's is nice for pulling trailers of any type.

 

[MillIronQH]

I haven't had any experiace with the new trannys but Myself and half a dozen people I know hhave had trouble with the E4OD...Z

 

[GMN]

We have a 99 F250 7.3 automatic diesel, we haul alot of hay, never had a problem, great truck!

GMN

 

[BlackBaldyMan]

The newer trannies are improved and with proper care can last but dont hold a bar to a manual IMHO, especially since you are pulling a trailer with it alot, just get a manual

 

[Scotty]

We have a 99 F250 7.3 automatic diesel, we haul alot of hay, never had a problem, great truck!

GMN

Had one jsut like it. The only problem i had was the first auto fuel pump went out. After it was fixed they went out about every 11000 miles. Jsut befor the warentee did.

 

[Cowboy 2.0]

I have a '99 with 132,000 on it. It works great for running up and down the road empty, but when you put a load on it, it takes forever for it get rolling, but once you get it going, it will roll. Very comfortable riding truck compared to a Dodge.

 

[GMN]

I have a '99 with 132,000 on it. It works great for running up and down the road empty, but when you put a load on it, it takes forever for it get rolling, but once you get it going, it will roll. Very comfortable riding truck compared to a Dodge.

Ours has only 65,000 iles on it, can't say we have had any starting up load problems with ours.

GMN

 

[dun]

I have a '99 with 132,000 on it. It works great for running up and down the road empty, but when you put a load on it, it takes forever for it get rolling, but once you get it going, it will roll. Very comfortable riding truck compared to a Dodge.

I had the same problem with a '00 and the mileage sucked. I chipped it and now it pulls out of a hole with a load great and the mileage has increased almost 50%. Still sucks but it's a whole lot better then it was.
Had and older E4OD and it was great until I had to make a choice between a deep ditch and the rocks graded to the middle of the road while I was towing a load of cows. Chose the rocks. Big mistake. Crushed the bottom of the transmission and destroyed it.

dun

 

[DiamondSCattleCo]

The Ford autos behind the 7.3 are solid. Don't tow with the OD on, make sure the RPM pickup is working, and watch the goofy ABS connector on the rear diff, and you should have good service from any of the Ford autos.

Rod

 

[Cowboy 2.0]

I have a '99 with 132,000 on it. It works great for running up and down the road empty, but when you put a load on it, it takes forever for it get rolling, but once you get it going, it will roll. Very comfortable riding truck compared to a Dodge.

I had the same problem with a '00 and the mileage sucked. I chipped it and now it pulls out of a hole with a load great and the mileage has increased almost 50%. Still sucks but it's a whole lot better then it was.
Had and older E4OD and it was great until I had to make a choice between a deep ditch and the rocks graded to the middle of the road while I was towing a load of cows. Chose the rocks. Big mistake. Crushed the bottom of the transmission and destroyed it.

dun

I've been thinking about putting a chip on mine, but I haven't decided how much longer I'm going to keep it.

 

[curtis]

I have a 97 model ford 250 with 140,000 on it without any problems. It pulls the 20 ft. gooseneck stock trailer an hay trailer just fine.

 

[frenchie]

Our neighbor just took the tranny out of his hauling hay. With labour it is a 4000.00 touch( seems awful high to me)

 

[DiamondSCattleCo]

Our neighbor just took the tranny out of his hauling hay. With labour it is a 4000.00 touch( seems awful high to me)

Thats on high side, although it seems like there can be wide variation. Book time on R&R and rebuild is between 11.5 and 15 hours (depending on whose book you read). Parts are awful spendy as well. A good friend hauls livestock and his ZF went out a few days ago. He had quotes anywhere between $3200 and $4900. The $4900 was a screw job (stay away from Midtown Transmission in Prince Albert) as they wanted 30 hours labor. He bought a reman trans with 2 years full warranty for $3500, and my buddy who owns the local tranny shop did the swap in about 6 hours.

Rod

 

[Caustic Burno]

I've just taken a new day job where I'll be commuting a very long way. Next week I'm trading in my Chevy crew cab 2004 to get a small gas saver for the commute.

I want to buy a farm truck for pulling the trailers and everything else. I've been looking for a F250 with the 7.3 diesel.

My question is how good are the auto transmissions in these trucks? I would prefer a standard, but most that I've seen have an auto. I've looked at several 1999 models, all with 100 to 150k miles. I was concerned about the auto trans. lasting. Anyone have any experience or comments?

Well I am on my second one and the first one is in the drive with 325,000 on it. I routinely pull some big loads only thing it has had is routine maintainece a new water pump at 100,00 and the injector pump rebuilt at 275,000. I have never had any tranny problems with either change the fluid every 30,000 miles.

One is a 95 model and the other is an 02

 

[Beef11]

i have a 97 f250 gasser so i don't know if it is the same tranny. Only chronic problems i've seen are the front ends needing rebuilt and the door handles breaking. Might have been fixed in 99.

 

[certherfbeef]

So cypress...did you end up with a truck or not?

I just picked up a beater for the farm (chevy big block blew up). It is a real gem
'85 6.9 diesel 4 speed 4 wheel drive. Havn't a clue how many miles the only gauge that works is the oil pressure.
Runs strong and will walk right up the hill side with the mudders it has.
Just not a town truck.

 

[cfpinz]

So cypress...did you end up with a truck or not?

I just picked up a beater for the farm (chevy big block blew up). It is a real gem
'85 6.9 diesel 4 speed 4 wheel drive. Havn't a clue how many miles the only gauge that works is the oil pressure.
Runs strong and will walk right up the hill side with the mudders it has.
Just not a town truck.

cert - I'm sorry to hear that. I have a 87 350 with the 6.9 4sp, 4wd that I would have been happy to set you up with! :lol: Only 350k on it, barely broken in (down). Been setting on side of the road for a nearly a week now and not a single call, kind of depressing.

cfpinz

 

[DiamondSCattleCo]

Been setting on side of the road for a nearly a week now and not a single call, kind of depressing.

You know, its too bad that the early model 6.9s and non-powerstroke 7.3s are hard to move in some areas. They are solid trucks, if a little underpowered compared to their modern counterparts, but certainly have enough power to be used a ranch work truck.

That 1993 F250 4x4 extended cab I bought has an almost new motor (40,000 klicks), recent trans (30,000 klicks), new front end (<20,000 klicks), brand spanking new transfer case and some other new odds 'n' ends, and I bought it for $5500. A 1993 Dodge with that kind of work on it would sell for $10K in my area without any trouble at all. The Dodge definitely had more pulling power back then and was a tougher truck, but that doesn't make up for the gulf in pricing, especially since the Ford rides much better (pre-94 Dodges ride like lumberwagons) and has a great furnace (pre-95 Dodges would freeze you out of the cab at -30).

Rod