You definately put yours to the test too Glenn. Holds up well though!

 

I have had it rebuilt two times though. Joseph isn't entirely wrong but I'm not going to be sitting on a hill and starting my load with a manual. Where I screwed up is not buying the best in the first place. The second rebuild so far has been a good one with a thriple disk TC, knock on wood.

 

I know what you mean about starting out on a hill. That can get a little hairy sometimes, but I swear, this '97 ECSB I just bought with the 4.10 gears and the ZF, I think it could get 10k rollin on a hill at an idle! I know you pull a lot heavier than that, and that was probably an exaggeration, but it pulls really well.

 

I didn't mean to disrespect automatic transmissions. I was just meaning to present that as a potential option.

 

I know, I was just putting in a plug for auto's. One suggestion awhile back was to use high idle for starting a load on a hill, that's a good idea!

 

You can always hold your trailer brake till you hit that sweet spot letting the clutch out. Old school truckers have done it for years with the old lever style trailer brakes.

 

Or as it is just step on the go pedal.......

 

I love stick shifts but momma can't drive one to save her life so auto it'll stay......

 

That's it with me also, she drives her five speed manuel bug all the time but wants no part of rolling the big boat.

I got a new brake controller, a Tekonsha P3 and was surprised to see that it has a lever. That would hold it on a hill. Good for panic stops also. Old school and new tech mixed together, also they are made for electric over hydraulic is why I got it for my disk brakes.

Darin, if I hit the go pedal to hard I could tear off the king pin, LOL.

 

I hear ya Glenn. It's just so much easier imo with an auto in these with a big load behind. No boost loss between shifts, easier on takeoff, etc. Nothing wrong with a 5 speed, but not for me and what I do I guess is what I'm saying.

 

I just realized that I'm only 200 miles from John Woods!! The thing about these auto's is, from my experience, it works fine one minute and the next its slipping. I think I got a good rebuild last time but you never really know. Its probably been 40K ago. I was looking at his web site and he uses Shaeffer's oil like BTS does. That's what I use though it doesn't mean my trans will last, LOL.

 

Well, here we are Monday afternoon and it's still in the shop, new non-pwm pump, second torque converter and still has a flashing OD light and in limp mode????? Tearing it completely down again as we speak, looking for a torn seal/something out of the ordinary...... This friggin sucks!!

 

I hate to hear that, but at least the the guy at the shop is hangin in there and trying to get it taken care of. Probably not a lot to say to make you feel any better, but I'm sure they'll get it figured out and get you up and running soon.

 

That sucks but like Bill said, hang in there, it will work out!

 

Well, she came home today after a lot of fooling around at the tranny shop, 3 pumps, 2 torque converters, new solenoid pack and a VSS in the rear to boot, finally the OD light blinking and limp mode went away... Shifts like a dream and actually goes a little faster than it did before at 2k rpm by about 5 mph?? Could be the VSS signal but won't know for sure till I get some time on her... Never had any equipment to pull any codes but the Tranny guy had a Snapon MT2500 red brick scanner, seems my IDM is setting a P1298 code and cylinders 5 and 7 are setting P1275 and 77, any ideas?? New IDM fix this or is this something I don't have to worry about, truck runs fine, all 8 cylinders fire so I don't know what this does??