Auto tranny?

[61uni]

My little girl is about to outgrow my extended cab truck so i'm looking at a 02 crew cab f350. The tranny fluid seemed to be low in it. I drove it around for 10-15 min and then checked the fluid. The end of the dipstick was white plastic with a little fluid on it. The truck is a 1 owner with 80,000 miles and no gooseneck or fifthwheel so it probably wasn't pulled to much. You think the fluid being low would hurt anything? I am scared of auto tranny's, but 6-speeds in good shape are hard to come buy. How can you tell by driving it if the torque convertor is going bad or the tranny is slipping?

[SmokeyWren]

Originally Posted by 61uni

I drove it around for 10-15 min and then checked the fluid. The end of the dipstick was white plastic with a little fluid on it.

Not an adequate test. Unloaded, in cold weather, it takes at least 10 miles to get the tranny out of the deepfreeze, another 10 miles to get it up to reasonably warm enough to go to work, and about 30 miles total to get it up to operating temp. So don't even try to check the ATF level until at least 30 miles. If dragging a heavy trailer, you can cut those miles in about half.

You think the fluid being low would hurt anything?

You won't know the fluid was low until the tranny is fully warmed up. The fact you saw some pink ATF on the bottom of the dipstick before the tranny was fully warmed up means it may not be low at all. Or it may be only a quart low.

How can you tell by driving it if the torque convertor is going bad or the tranny is slipping?

For the torque converter, drive at least 30 miles, then put it in park with the engine idling and and check the ATF level. You want it full, but not too full, for best performance. Then crawl under the truck with your head near where the tranny connects to the engine. If you hear a sound like a coffee can half full of marbles rolling around inside the can, the torque converter is on its last legs. I don't know how to describe a tranny going south, but if the torque converter goes, it will take the tranny with it.

[61uni]

Well I bought the truck. I had them service the engine and tranny as part of the deal. We'll see it runs and drives great. It likes to change gears alot on country roads though.