What trans in a 2005 Ford E450? Trans cooler recommended?

[Baja_Man]

What transmission model is in in a 2005 Ford chassis (Monaco Esquire 31PBS)?

Original window sticker states 4 speed automatic transmission with overdrive.

In addition, if any of you can provide me with information related to the trans that would be much appreciated.

I would like to do some research on this trans and find out how best to maintain and service, especially optimum operating temps during hot ambient temps (90-110 F) while towing 3500#.

Does the trans come equipped with a factory trans oil cooler or is just the standard cooler through radiator?

I wonder if a trans temp gauge and aftermarket trans cooler are in my future? I installed both in my F350/460 gas/E40D trans and they worked great.

Thanks

[pnichols]

CharlesinGA wrote:
Transmissions are expensive, fluid is relatively cheap, change it frequently and keep it cool with extra coolers and deep pans.

In our situation of a premature failure of our 5R110W 5-speed transmission ... we have a small Class C motorhome (~11,800 lbs.) riding on an E450 chassis (14,050 GVRW rated) that has a 4:56 rear differential ratio and not towing ... IMHO, this combination should have provided light enough weight loading and fast enough engine spin speeds such that excessive transmission heating should not have happened under just about any conditions using only the stock Ford transmission cooling and stock transmission pan.

I'm still scratching my head (and my wallet) on the failure we experenced! :h

[pianotuna]

anyone know the obd2 code for the transmission temperature gauge for use with Scan Gauge?

[Baja_Man]

Mark K over on the Forum stated that the preferred spot for a trans gauge sending unit is the "test port" on driver side of trans

[CharlesinGA]

pnichols wrote:
I had a remanufactured 5R110 transmission - supposedly with "heavy duty" options - installed instead of having the original transmission rebuilt. I hope that there is such a thing as a heavy duty way to rebuild the 5R110 5-speed transmission and that we actually wound up with it after dropping $5600.

I can't imagine how the Ford 5-speed transmission can be over-heated pulling only around 11,800 lbs. of motorhome. It seems to me that we shouldn't have to be concerned with over-heating our transmission under these conditions. Are those transmission fluid heat charts above really serious -> one has to keep transmission temperatures way down to 185 degrees or less for 100,000+ mile transmission life??? You could of fooled me!!

Those are recommended pan temperatures, the coolest temps in the transmission, the converter outlet (to cooler) temps can climb higher. Very few people bother to measure the temp at the outlet, and it will be 30-50 degrees higher. Transmissions are expensive, fluid is relatively cheap, change it frequently and keep it cool with extra coolers and deep pans.

Charles

[Baja_Man]

turns out I do have a 5 speed! I called Ford and gave them the VI and they confirmed that chassis is a 2005. Door jamb sticker has a date of 10/04.

So, now I will install a trans temp gauge as I like to monitor trans temps, as I drive in very hot climates most of the time.

[Dusty_R]

We bought a new mh this past





We bought a new mh this past Aug. it has the 5/6 speed transmission.
With cruse set and tow/haul on, button pushed in, when going up a large hill, small mountain, on the second down shift there seems to be a delay between shifts, from when it drops out of 4th and into 3rd. Is this common ?

Thanks,
Dusty

[pianotuna]

DrewE,

Thanks for the information!

[DrewE]

pianotuna wrote:
top gear is still 1:1 in both.

:h The specs I've seen say that 1:1 is the next to the top gear ratio in both, and 0.71 : 1 is the top (overdrive) gear ratio in both.

[pianotuna]

top gear is still 1:1 in both.

[pnichols]

Baja Man wrote:
Is is possible to have a 5 speed with a date of 10/04? I thought ALL 2004 chassis dates were 4R100 4 speed trans.

Yes.

My E450 chassis was built by Ford in September of 2004 and it has the 5-speed transmission in it. Our E450 Ford chassis is a 2005 model year chassis that was built in the Fall of 2004. As I understand it, the 5-speed transmission was introduced in Ford's E-Series cutaway vans beginning in their 2005 model year builds.

Ford used to (and maybe still does) start building it's next year's models in the Fall of the previous year. So yes ... you do have a 5-speed transmission in your chassis that was built in 10/04 ... IF and ONLY IF your chassis is designated as a model year 2005 chassis.

[OLYLEN]

The arm will have a button either 5 or 4 speed. 5 speed tow/haul written on selector arm, 4 speed overdrive on/off written on the selector arm.

[Baja_Man]

I am confused whether I have a 5 or 4 speed.

Inside door jam sticker has a date of 10/04.

The gear selector arm has the TOW/HAUL button.

Is is possible to have a 5 speed with a date of 10/04? I thought ALL 2004 chassis dates were 4R100 4 speed trans.

[pnichols]

carringb wrote:
Those charts are made by transmissions cooler MFGs to scare you into buying their products!

They may have been accurate at one time, but transmissions and fluids have come a LONG ways since the 60s

As for 5R110 upgrades... IMO they aren't really necessary. That transmission is used in applications up to 30,000 and the only difference is the cooler size. Most of the failures seem to be caused by freak electronics issues, such as valves opening out of synch or getting stuck, etc. The Achilles of of the 5R110 is the way it shifts. Certain shifts can lockup the output shaft if the timing isn't exactly right, because it performs a swap-shift during one of the changes. So... failures can happen, albeit rarely, but I'm not convinced more expensive parts would prevent most of those failures.

Bryan ... thanks for the encouraging words!

Both my chassis mechanic and the transmission shop owner were very surprised at our early 5-speed transmission failure. I hope our tranny failure was indeed just a freak thing. I of course don't want this to ever happen out in the middle of nowhere ... although we were able to limp along and get into town after it failed.

I'm debating whether or not to spend the money for a ScanGuage merely to keep an eye on transmission fluid temperature in a vehicle situation where long transmission life should normally be a "given" under just about any conditions - assuming normal maintenance.

FWIW, the remanufactured transmission seems to be smoother and better behaved than the original 5-speed transmission ever was. Especially when in Tow Mode mode ... it does better in hilly terrain with smoother down-shifts and up-shifts. Maybe the original 5R110 was not quite right from Day One ... or maybe the heavy duty reman of the replacement has something to do with it. :h

[carringb]

pnichols wrote:
Are those transmission fluid heat charts above really serious -> one has to keep transmission temperatures way down to 185 degrees or less for 100,000+ mile transmission life??? You could of fooled me!!

Those charts are made by transmissions cooler MFGs to scare you into buying their products!

They may have been accurate at one time, but transmissions and fluids have come a LONG ways since the 60s

As for 5R110 upgrades... IMO they aren't really necessary. That transmission is used in applications up to 30,000 and the only difference is the cooler size. Most of the failures seem to be caused by freak electronics issues, such as valves opening out of synch or getting stuck, etc. The Achilles of of the 5R110 is the way it shifts. Certain shifts can lockup the output shaft if the timing isn't exactly right, because it performs a swap-shift during one of the changes. So... failures can happen, albeit rarely, but I'm not convinced more expensive parts would prevent most of those failures. Exception to the 6.0 Powerstroke E-series owners, who do seem to have cooling problems with the stock setup. The entire cooling system is marginal on that engine.