need some opinions please

[randylamarr]

My dad is looking to do a few upgrades to his 01 stroker. He now has a Tymar intake, gauges, exaust, 6 pos chip, and a regulated oil return. My question is how can he keep the stock tranny but get a good running truck for miles to come. The truck now has 180k on the ticker so what he would like is some mild performance upgrade but not to much. All these parts will be installed later this month for right now the truck is bone stock. we have about 1-2000 bucks to spend.

[stomper2]

Welcome to the site randy. Sounds like he has a good start on it now. Anyways, these guys will have some good options for ya.

[randylamarr]

thanks for the warm welcome

[drmiller100]

save your money up for a new tranny.

at 180k he is past due.

you have pretty much reached the point in peformance where 2k isn't going to get you very much worthwhile.

[Ramsmoker]

Did you say you have all of the above parts waiting to be installed and have another $2000 to spend? If your handy and don't need the truck every day you can do your own trans work. I was $1935.00 into mine. It was a high milage E4OD that was over powered for 105,000mi. I had to make some arms for a puller to apply compression on the clutch packs. That didn't take much. I do wish I had taken photos of the project. I hate to stop and clean up to use the camera.

[randylamarr]

well for the tranny BTS is the way i want to go. so I will just save the money and get the tranny.

[stomper2]

I just talked to BTS randy, don't know if you've got prices from them yet or not but here's what they told me. $3900 is the price of tranny alone, $1000 core, free install if you go to them, around $200 shipped to Ohio. 2 yr. unlimited mile warr. and I can put as much power to it as I wish, and hook it to a sled without any concern. I chose them over ATS because of the $$$.

[mschn99]

Originally Posted by drmiller100

save your money up for a new tranny.

at 180k he is past due.

you have pretty much reached the point in peformance where 2k isn't going to get you very much worthwhile.

while he is probably due for a trans.....the milage is low if the truck was properly maintained.....i would in no way think you were past the point that you can not add to the performance of the vehicle safely and with no excess wear on the motor....as long as you dont go huge. the 7.3 is rock solid, especially when the maintancence is thourough and the motor isnt abused. if you have never sucked dirt past the air filter and have been regular with oil changes....the motor is practically just broke in. i would expect a well maintained motor to go through 4-5 trannies in its lifetime.....roughly 500,000 miles if it is taken care of. you will do multiple sets of ball joints.....probably a few trannies....basically the truck fails before the motor.....as ive said in a previous post i saw a stock 7.3 with over 950,000 miles on it and it ran like a champ....he had put 7 trannies in that vehicle....6 H2O pumps.....all the normal stuff....but the motor ran great with minimal if any blow by and plenty of power. dont buy into the "this is only a 200,000 mile motor theory if you have taken care of it.........Marc

[DJM]

If you wana stick with the stock tranny put a deeper pan under it try and get a bigger tranny cooler from the 2004 on up trucks you can get them on E-bay for pretty cheap. Then get a line pressure kit ( couple springs and new Sonax valve) it wont be as good as one of the high torque rating trannys but it isa good start thats what I did to mine and I got an extra 120hp in my truck no use buyin a new tranny till that one goes out.

[mschn99]

Originally Posted by DJM

If you wana stick with the stock tranny put a deeper pan under it try and get a bigger tranny cooler from the 2004 on up trucks you can get them on E-bay for pretty cheap. Then get a line pressure kit ( couple springs and new Sonax valve) it wont be as good as one of the high torque rating trannys but it isa good start thats what I did to mine and I got an extra 120hp in my truck no use buyin a new tranny till that one goes out.

wow....thats a great idea DJM....i never thought about putting a torqueshift pan on a 4r100... guess i should have since they take the same gasket and thats a pretty obvious thing.....