Hello everyone! I need some suggestions or thoughts on an issue. I have a 82 F150 XLT with 5.0, 3 speed with overdrive automatic. The issue is I recently installed a new 5.0 with a used transmission. The transmission was in a truck that my mom had wrecked and sat for three years. When I first got it all installed, the trans did not shift at all for about three to four blocks. Then it began shifting hard and high. After a little more driving, less than one mile, it began to shift like normal. I drove the truck then about 400 miles and it then sat in my shop for about a month before I drove it again, it is strictly a project truck and not driven regularlly. When I went to drive it again, it shift from 1st to 2nd and seems to try to go into 3rd to the point where the clutch engages but not quite makes it into 3rd. I drove it about 30 miles hoping it would take care of itself which it did not. Any ideas on what I should do at this point? Flush, fluid, and filter change? I know motors but not very knowledgable on transmissions. I have a spare trans mission but I would like to try to see if I can fix this one before going to all the work to change them out. Do you think there is a simple issue I can take care of or should I go ahead and swap them out?

 

Go with a flush and fluid and filter change. If it sat for that long, the tranny fluid is bound to be toast, or even long gone for that matter.

 

What year truck did the automatic come from since the 82 did not come with overdrive?

 

I would drop the pan and then replace that fluid.
Doing a full fluid flush on a old problematic tranny sometimes makes them fail.
The new fluid has detergents, they loosen the crud, all the crud gets lodged somewhere, that's all she wrote.
Either that, or if this is your final attempt, you could do the flush.
You do have fluid in there?

Steve

 

Yes of course I have fluid in there. I installed the engine and trans in one unit so of course I lost some fluid during this process and had to fill it back up. The trans mission came out of the 1981 F100 and the F150 I have has a notation upon the tailgate "automatic overdrive".

So from what I read so far most suggestions are to go ahead and change fluid and filter first before changing transmissions. Should I and does anyone suggest maybe an additive that might help to clean it up since there was a suggetion not to do a complete flush on it?

Steven

 

Bye the way, what exactly is the difference between the F100 and the F150? This is my first Ford as I have always had GM products. They seem to be exactly the same to me by everything I have messed with thus far.

 

The F-150 is a heavier duty version of the F-100. The F-150 has just a few things that are a bit stronger than the F-100, such as a bigger lug nut pattern. If memory serves, the F-100 has a 5x4 1/2 while the F-150 has a 5x5 1/2.

I would just change the fluid and filter out without an additive. The filter is likely clogged up, so just replacing it will probably do the trick.

 

The F150 replaced the F100 in 1982?

 

Yeah, Ford realized they didn't need 2 half ton's in their line-up.

 

Thanks for the lesson. As I have stated, this is my first Ford and I am learning as I go about them. I have had GM's and also now have an old Nissan but the Ford is my playtoy.

 

Hey man, no problem! That's why we're all here! Good luck!

 

Last year for the F100 was 1983. The F100s from 1980 to 1983 that had power brakes I believe had the smaller 5x 4 1/2 bolt pattern. My 82 F100 with manual brakes has the larger 5x 5 1/2 bolt pattern. It was limited in what options you could get. Also the F150's first year was in 1975. F100's had a limited engine option as well in the early 80's. 1982 and 1983 you could get the 3.8 V6. 1980-1983, 4.9 I6, 5.0 V8. 1981 and 1982 4.2 V8. Im sure glad mine got the 300 I6.