Preemptive transmission repair?

How much warning to you get when a transmission is about to die? Is it cheaper to have it rebuilt ahead of time?

I have 230K on a 4R100 behind a 7.3 O.E. severe duty prior to my possession ….it has a slushy 2-3 at times under load, but I'm not freaked out about it. It's gonna fail someday.
If you want to be proactive about not having a rural failure, and you don't want to R+R yourself....get with a local shop and have them order a Jasper replacement and do it for you.

We've had good results with Jasper re-mans in severe duty service.

I will add, you really need to stay up on fluid and filter changes especially if you do some towing.

We do it every 25K.....don't go more than 50K without a fluid/filter change imo.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Martinjmpr

I had zero warning when the transmission went out on my Suburban. Rolled up to a stoplight in Kremmling, stopped, when the light turned green the engine just revved, no movement.

The "good" news was that I only lost gears 3 and 4. 1st and 2nd still worked so I was able to "limp" home in 2nd. Which was good because I was pulling a trailer and had the wife, the dog, the trailer and 2 kayaks, plus all our camping gear, to get home.

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This one sounds similar to mine although I had some engagement in the higher gears. My 545RFE had 262,000 when it let go. There were no early issues or warning signs; I came to a stop and that was it. I made it from Dotsero to Battlement Mesa in 2nd.

The intake manifold gaskets wear out and either leak coolant, or allow outside air to enter the engine causing issues. There is a pipe under there that runs from the water pump to the heater core that occasionally rusts out and is impossible to get to without pulling the manifold. New clamps and hoses would be a good idea too. I would do both if you want to keep it. Other than that and the plugs blowing out and eating coils they are great trucks.

Oh yeah, on a 2003 the manifold will be plastic and we replace the whole manifold not just the gaskets.