What is the deal the transmissions Ford calls the 4rR100? The deal is that the 4R100 is a good transmission from the factory for most types of heavy duty use, since it comes in the larger Ford vehicles and heavy duty trucks. The biggest issues I have dealt with in my 35 plus year career as a transmission specialist is an explosion of transmission fluid leaking out of the front of the transmission.
This particular problem is avoidable and curable if it happens to you. Here is a scenario of a customer who’s truck we towed in for a terrible leak. We get a call from a man with a commercial work truck that puked the fluid out the front of the transmission on RT.95 while cranking to the job in 95 degree heat. We towed it in so we could look at it and make a diagnosis.
What happened is quite common. The transmission overheated carrying a full load and racing to work in the heat. The overheated ATF (automatic transmission fluid) softened up the rubber in the front pump seal, which allowed ATF to force its way out of the front seal at an alarming rate, causing a massive loss of fluid and a loss of movement.
However, by the time we received the truck it had cooled down and the seal returned to a state where it would now hold the fluid. The issue is that the seal is now weakened and damaged, and as soon as the truck is put back on the road and it gets hot again, the seal will leak. So, by not making the seal important to replace, you most certainly will have another emergency.
That being said, my customer told me to fill it up, he payed for the tow and fluid and hit the road. About an hour later he called me back and told me I was right, he was stranded on the side of the road again. More down time and expense too. He was also going to be late to his job now. We have an emergency.
Well, he ended up turning a relatively simple and affordable reseal job into an expensive rebuild by not following my advise. We ended up rebuilding his transmission because of his poor judgment. He learned an expensive lesson.
I am not in the business of rebuilding transmissions anymore. My recommendation for anyone needing a rebuilt Ford transmission, or any brand of transmission is to call GotTransmissions.com @ 866-320-1182 and speak with someone who will steer you in the right direction the first time.