time for a new 4r100 - Page 3

carringb · 07-07-2016, 07:40 AM

I would do a replacement on the radiator... They are pretty inexpensive for the E-series and plate-style coolers (which the in-tank is.... as well as the external one) are nearly impossible to flush completely.

MadScience · 07-07-2016, 10:07 AM

Thanks Carringb, I had come around to replacing as well.

I had not managed to determine that it was a plate style cooler for certain, but I trust that you managed to figure it out.

Interestingly, the shop that I talked to originally when I tried to get a transmission from JW was convinced that the radiator should stay. At the time I had looked into a full aluminum one which I'm not going to be able to get in time now (though, probably best, that's an upgrade that I don't think the v10 really needs).

Sigh, I didn't take the cheap route here. I'll feel better about this once I'm driving it again.

carringb · 07-07-2016, 11:33 AM

I scoped the inside of mine, and the replacement (original exploded when the cap failed), to make sure the aftermarket in-tank cooler was as effective as the OEM one. I went with another plastic one on mine... If my cap were good I don't think mine would have failed.

Also, being a V10 I know I can always limp to town without coolant, and even if I do have to replace it every 250k it's cheap and really only takes about 30 min of actual wrench work. Most of the time is just draining and getting the air out as it fills.

MountainBikeRoamer · 07-07-2016, 07:42 PM

MadScience --- Wishing you solid performance and longevity from your rebuild!
I'll be following this thread of yours.

(*** I'm in a similar position, had to finally commit trust (and a good chunk of $$$) to have full transmission rebuilding done on my SMB as well. Just now (tomorrow) am picking up my van from the transmission shop, it needed a long laundry list of work done. Full transmission rebuild (mine's a '95, so its the E4OD....) updating all aluminum planetary carriers to steel, brand-new billet-cover lockup torque converter, new auxiliary trans cooler, rebuilt/rebalanced drive shaft....as well as new rear main seal on the engine and new vehicle radiator.....I sure hope it runs pretty.....

The shop that did all the work here (in Orange County, CA) is a shop that (among their many other abilities and clients) has accounts with a lot of the area ambulance companies.....and they have a great reputation for building tough-as-nails transmissions for the abuse those guys throw at 'em....so fingers crossed it translates to a solid SMB build as well.....)

In any event --- best wishes to you, hope you get top-notch performance and longevity from your refreshed geartrain!

MadScience · 07-07-2016, 10:46 PM

Thanks for wishing me well. Same to you with your rebuild!!

So far so good with this shop, if all they are is slightly expensive, I'll be pretty happy.

I choose them, because I'm worried that someone at my usual place would have gotten hurt dealing with the heavy parts involved in this swap.

They are one of the few commercial places on the peninsula, so mostly they get trucks back on the road to make it back to the central valley, but the tech working on the van seemed to care and was excited about the van, so perhaps that'll help. In the end the advice on doing the radiator at the same time was probably correct, so that's honestly a good sign as well.

I should have it back tomorrow. Super curious how it will drive with the BTS torque converter.

MountainBikeRoamer · 07-08-2016, 01:26 PM

MadScience --- pick up your van from the transmission shop yet?

I just picked up mine. Runs great! Hope yours does too.

>>>> Incidentally --- the transmission shop has asked me to put about 300 miles on it, and then bring it back in so they can perform some tests/checks, to be sure all is indeed well with the rebuild. He actually encouraged me to go right ahead, and drive it as hard as I ever plan to drive it....! Told me not to hold back, he's eager to assure me that it's built well and will stand up to fully-loaded long trips and heavy grades/high operating temperatures....

(This particular shop likes having customers take their newly-rebuilt transmissions on these 300-mile "initial drives" to create an opportunity for any possible errors in the build (leaks or build issues) to show themselves. Bringing the vehicle back after this, for the standard-procedure check-over creates a very-welcome extra opportunity for the shop to have their eyes on the transmission *one more time*, and verify the build is sound before fully releasing the rebuilt beast into the wild.)

JWA · 07-12-2016, 04:41 AM

The 300 mile test drive and re-inspection is nothing but great service and attention to detail. They obviously know their do do!

Conventional wisdom always said to baby a new built transmission and/or engine up to 1,000 miles as a breaking in period. Several drag racing friends tend to carefully build those assemblies and after maybe 100 miles or so in simulated drive begin to thrash them----they'll break or not, better in the shop than on the track. Same for street and off-road drive trains.

Good news and thanks for sharing MB Roamer!

MountainBikeRoamer · 07-12-2016, 08:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JWA

Conventional wisdom always said to baby a new built transmission and/or engine up to 1,000 miles as a breaking in period. Several drag racing friends tend to carefully build those assemblies and after maybe 100 miles or so in simulated drive begin to thrash them----they'll break or not, better in the shop than on the track. Same for street and off-road drive trains.

Thanks for that JWA!

In as much as an attempt at full diligence as I'm capable of, I asked the transmission shop owner carefully (several times!) if I shouldn't be respecting some sort of "break-in period" (like one observes with a newly-rebuilt engine as you mentioned)...but he insisted that he had already had three of his techs each go give the van an exhaustive test-drive cycle already (and the odometer/fuel tank levels backed thus up.) In his words, I believe he said it was "ready to rock." (I.e., go ahead and romp on it...and we'll see you again in 300 miles for the check-up, to verify we built this puppy to last.)

(The three transmission shop techs appear to have test-driven the van a combined total of perhaps 80 or 90 miles....so that sounds like it's perhaps akin to the 100 miles of "simulated driving" operation your drag-race friends perform on rotating assemblies before going ahead and properly thrashing them?)

Regardless of what happens with this transmission build, I can say only the best things about the owner and how he conducts business/communicates. Great shop, great guy. And the solid online reviews of the shop really seem to back this up too. I feel if any issues end up developing, he'll be quick to make them right....and that knowledge/feel-good vibe makes the cash that flowed out of the wallet feel not so painful.

(*** Btw ---- still very much hoping to hear a positive report from MadScience with his 4R100 rebuild experience too. We were both picking up our vans with rebuilt transmissions the same day!)

MadScience · 07-12-2016, 11:25 AM

My van should be done as of the end of yesterday as well, but I'm still trying to get together enough of the Schaeffer's 204SAT that BTS likes to get it filled.

Amazon has the fluid and will overnight it, but so far two shipments have been turned around, presumably due to poor packaging. I found a local-ish place that has it in bulk, so now I'm going to try to convince them to sell me some into a to-go container (I'll source a reasonable container).

Fun...

Be carful thrashing the van around. These are still heavy vehicles. I've killed a black bear with mine.

MadScience · 07-12-2016, 04:21 PM

Success on the fluid. Not cheap, but I managed to drop off the fluid at the shop.

They are also still waiting for a seal for the output side of my transfer case (np208 of unknown origin) as well. I think they have ordered a selection at this point.

Really wondering if I'll make it camping this coming weekend. I still need fix up the speed sensor and will likely wire a temperature gauge into the test port at the same time, in addition to the usual van loading...