Re-Did my Head Gaskets [Pics] + Weird Transmission Issue

[ckyguy68]

I had to re do my head gaskets after my black onyx gaskets failed 6000 miles after I installed them BUY OEM IF YOU ARE STUDDING YOUR TRUCK. I had my heads checked and are straight within .003" and the gaskets still blew. You can see where the water jackets were being pressurized.

Anyway, I did that over the weekend as you can see in the pictures. Instead of taking the cab off, I remove my front end and stand in the engine bay. It's like working on a stand! Not bad at all. I'm also pround to say that I fixed my terrible 3-5 shift flare with a GoGo Direct solenoid! The truck shifts much better now. I also changed the internal and external filters and added 9 quarts of fresh Mercon SP. Drove the truck for a good 70 miles to break the new gaskets in and all was well. Until......

Last night I was getting off the freeway and sometimes I put it in Tow/Haul mode to slow the truck down without using the brakes (just something I do sometimes) and I felt a jolt in the tranmission, a clunk if you will, and it stopped engine braking. Pulled up to a red light, when it turned green I took off and I realize the truck is stuck in either 3rd or 5th gear, it was hard to tell. So I put it back in Tow/Haul mode thinking it was just a hiccup, and then the Tow/Haul light starts flashing! Got to my desitnation, came back out about an hour later, unplugged the batteries and turned on the headlights for a few minutes. Start it up, same thing. Drove it all the way home (15 miles) in the gear it was stuck in and Tow/Haul flashed the whole way home. I was stressing out bad but luckily I know a guy with a dealership scanner so this morning I had him come by and pull the tranny codes. NOTHING. I was confused. I did have a code for brake input switch failure and the truck won't go into 4x4 low... I wonder if that is related. Either way, We decide to drive it until tow haul comes on and try scanning it again. Pull out of the driveway, the thing shifts like a dream and nothing is wrong. I WAS LIKE WTF@#$^!#$!^$

Drove it into work and it's still ok.. Has anyone had this happen? I'm scared it's going to happen again. Other than that its driving like a brand new truck.

[late_99_PSD]

Wow, that sucks! Glad you got your heads fixed anyway. As for the trans,

[WarChild]

Suck to hear about your troubles but Im glad you got it worked out. As far as the trans.....I think your ether going to have to wait till it does it again or go back and open the pan back up and see if anything failed or got sucked into the filter. I would just wait it out if it was me. Might of just been a bit of an air pocket in the lines.

[AMARILLO05]

I have never had anything like that. I just had the black onyx put in mine though. Why the 6.4 banjo's, I see alot of 6.0's running them?

[AMARILLO05]

Bold move to tear it down in your driveway though - good job man!

[shiprek]

Sorry to hear about your transmission. Great job on the heads though. Not sure if it would have made any difference with your tranny but Ford now uses Mercon LV rather than the SP. Could there have been some other type fluid in your transmission? Mercon LV/SP are not compatible with other types of ATF.

[Lilpooh]

How many total miles on the motor? In the one picture you can still see the cross-thatching.

[APEXER]

I had a very similar thing happen with my transmission. It ended up being the clutch fan. I know its crazy, but thats what it was. it caused the tranny to go in limp mode when it was support to kick in. and once it went into the limp mode I had another problem. everything would turn on and it wouldn't crank. but I could get it to fire up when I jumped the starter relay. I know its crazy took me a week to find the problem and after tearing out the entire wiring harness.

basically if it does it again. and its in limp. disconnect your clutch fan wiring. thats how I found my problem.

As for head gaskets when I was doing mine, I originally bought black onyx, but then after reading and reading, I got scared and went with OEM. glad I did. sold the black onyx to a diesel shop.

[dhanna6powerstroke]

Don't know if it would cause the issue but when you drain the trans. and change the filters, it only calls for 7.5 qts. of fluid.

[ckyguy68]

Originally Posted by AMARILLO05

I have never had anything like that. I just had the black onyx put in mine though. Why the 6.4 banjo's, I see alot of 6.0's running them?

Don't be surprised if they give up the ghost on you! The 6.4 banjos supply more fuel to the heads and it is a lost-cost mod for a piece of mind.

Originally Posted by AMARILLO05

Bold move to tear it down in your driveway though - good job man!

Thanks! Got it down to a science, even during December in Michigan

Originally Posted by Lilpooh

How many total miles on the motor? In the one picture you can still see the cross-thatching.

85,000. I was pleased to see those as well. Now we know why oil analysis reports don't call a diesel 'broken in' until 100k.

Originally Posted by APEXER

I had a very similar thing happen with my transmission. It ended up being the clutch fan. I know its crazy, but thats what it was. it caused the tranny to go in limp mode when it was support to kick in. and once it went into the limp mode I had another problem. everything would turn on and it wouldn't crank. but I could get it to fire up when I jumped the starter relay. I know its crazy took me a week to find the problem and after tearing out the entire wiring harness.

basically if it does it again. and its in limp. disconnect your clutch fan wiring. thats how I found my problem.

As for head gaskets when I was doing mine, I originally bought black onyx, but then after reading and reading, I got scared and went with OEM. glad I did. sold the black onyx to a diesel shop.

Wow, bizzare. I will keep that in mind for sure! Thank you and good call on the OEM gaskets You can just tell by looking at them they are better quality and have more layers. The Black Onyx Victor Reinz gaskets are sold at stores like NAPA and Rockauto.

Originally Posted by dhanna6powerstroke

Don't know if it would cause the issue but when you drain the trans. and change the filters, it only calls for 7.5 qts. of fluid.

I checked the fluid level while running and hot and it is right in the middle of the 'H' mark on the dipstick. Keep in mind I also lost fluid when I removed my tranny cooler and external filter, as well as the cooler lines that go to the radiator.