Torque converter Issue?

[azmike79]

I have a late model 99 Ford F250 4x4 w/auto trans. On one of my recent outings I became stuck in the mud with my 9500 lb travel trailer. After much coaxing I was able to free myself. Once I got the truck parked I let it idled down for a few minutes to allow everything to cool off. I noticed a lot of steam coming from underneath. I looked and noticed that tranny fluid was spraying out from the drain hole underneath the torque converter cover. The spray stopped after I shut the engine down. I let it sit for awhile then checked the fluid which was two quarts low. The tranny fluid was not burnt so I added fluid and drove it home a few days later. On driving I noticed that the tranny would not shift in to 1st gear unless I did it manually and that it would shutter until I came up to speed. It does not shutter in any other gear. Is this a torque converter issue or did I doom the transmission. The truck still drives fine and shifts when it is supposed to it just shutters initially with a load.

[Dietoremain]

Wow im glad I have a tranny temp gauge on my 02. Honestly I dont know how you'd figure out but it sounds like the tranny to me.

[elibenson]

You could *try* to flush the fluid. I think you over heated it. Most likely you will be getting a new transmission in the near future.

I would also recommend a trans temp gauge. If your truck has one on the dash, you still need one. The one on your dash basically tells you if your truck is completely engulfed in flames. That is about the only time that it will even move.