What's new
By:
Filters

Truck Trans in Chit Chat

TiTRD said:
Every ZF6 Ford I've driven shifted like garbage. I've driven probably 100 stick shift things and that trans I could just never get right. Glad its not just me.
Click to expand...

Yes, I agree every Ford ZF6 has been a sloppy whore.

Every GM ZF6 has been tight and firm. I cant explain why.

Aisin said:
Best thing I ever did on my 4R100 was change the valve body. If I was on it hard it would chirp 2-3. I knew it was on borrowed time though due to the power I was putting through it.
Click to expand...

Auto is still voodoo and I'm an idiot, but when I had my 4r100 rebuilt I want to say something about accumulators wide open and a .090 restrictor on all of them? Either way, it bangs and I dig it.
 
Last edited:
I had a '00 F250 RCLB 7.3/zf6. After a short throw kit and valair clutch, I thought it was quite decent shifting. My buddy however, managed to put the throwout bearing in backwards... so we had to pull the trans/tcase twice. I do miss that truck.
 
TRINDU said:
Yes, I agree every Ford ZF6 has been a sloppy whore.

Every GM ZF6 has been tight and firm. I cant explain why.



Auto is still voodoo and I'm an idiot, but when I had my 4r100 rebuilt I want to say something about accumulators wide open and a .090 restrictor on all of them? Either way, it bangs and I dig it.
Click to expand...

Yup - D is for Dummy. I know you spin a thing and things happen and power kinda comes out. From what I am told this trans is 'built' valve body upgrade, extra clutch packs bla bla bla. I said I want it to not blow up from hard driving and the ability to tow- I am told that is what I got. We will find out.

My injectors are in, just waiting on the tunes to show up tomorrow via email so they can be loaded.
 
DozerDan82 said:
My injectors are in, just waiting on the tunes to show up tomorrow via email so they can be loaded.
Click to expand...

What did you end up going with?

I try to read as much as I can about other builds, but most are from late 2000s. I feel tech(even though it's an archaic engine) has advanced a bit and theres better options. I want a solid ~400/800 engine tune, have no desire to have 6+ different options.
 
TRINDU said:
Yes, I agree every Ford ZF6 has been a sloppy whore.

Every GM ZF6 has been tight and firm. I cant explain why.



Auto is still voodoo and I'm an idiot, but when I had my 4r100 rebuilt I want to say something about accumulators wide open and a .090 restrictor on all of them? Either way, it bangs and I dig it.
Click to expand...

This was a “stage 3“ valve body. It was almost too harsh on the up shift.
 
TRINDU said:
What did you end up going with?

I try to read as much as I can about other builds, but most are from late 2000s. I feel tech(even though it's an archaic engine) has advanced a bit and theres better options. I want a solid ~400/800 engine tune, have no desire to have 6+ different options.
Click to expand...

Hydra Chip, and Swamp single shot injectors. Forget what CC they are. Not looking to go crazy, think it should be like 340hp ish (unless on a crazy tune) Enough to make it drivable but not blow up is the idea.
 
DozerDan82 said:
Hydra Chip, and Swamp single shot injectors. Forget what CC they are. Not looking to go crazy, think it should be like 340hp ish (unless on a crazy tune) Enough to make it drivable but not blow up is the idea.
Click to expand...

Sticking with the stock turbo?
 
DozerDan82 said:
Yup - D is for Dummy. I know you spin a thing and things happen and power kinda comes out.
Click to expand...

This explains it pretty well:

unnamed.jpg
 
DozerDan82 said:
Hydra Chip, and Swamp single shot injectors. Forget what CC they are. Not looking to go crazy, think it should be like 340hp ish (unless on a crazy tune) Enough to make it drivable but not blow up is the idea.
Click to expand...
You will be happy with the hydra. That’s what I went with. I didn’t go bigger injectors. I just did six tunes and that’s plenty for me. The 25 horse tow is sweet. Makes the motor rev a little higher before shifts. Makes a huge difference! I did 4” turbo back while I had the turbo off to put a new wheel in it so it’s kinda noisy. I did the drive up tune on one. You’ll be surprised how quite the thing is. You’re gonna ask yourself why you didn’t do it sooner.😜
 
TRINDU said:
Sticking with the stock turbo?
Click to expand...

https://kcturbos.com/collections/7-...lanced-assembly-diy-turbo-kit-7-3-powerstroke

Turbo has a KC Turbos set up in it compressor and turbine wheels, Bypassed pedestal, new up pipes, 4" turbo back exhaust.

Biggest issue (other than the 6spd) was the truck was temperamental, some days you would start it and it would spin the tires off like it was its job, other days could not get out of its own way, and some days a mix of both- randomly while driving.

Most of it started after the 6spd swap, so I figured it was the tune set up (DP for a manual swap) with 171k on it I have been told a funky injector can give similar issues.

We will find out soon if it is fixed or not.
 
rockdog57 said:
You will be happy with the hydra. That’s what I went with. I didn’t go bigger injectors. I just did six tunes and that’s plenty for me. The 25 horse tow is sweet. Makes the motor rev a little higher before shifts. Makes a huge difference! I did 4” turbo back while I had the turbo off to put a new wheel in it so it’s kinda noisy. I did the drive up tune on one. You’ll be surprised how quite the thing is. You’re gonna ask yourself why you didn’t do it sooner.😜
Click to expand...

I honestly don't really know what I am getting. Trusting a buddy who knows more than I do. We will see.
 
DozerDan82 said:
I honestly don't really know what I am getting. Trusting a buddy who knows more than I do. We will see.
Click to expand...
When you buy the hydra you can download tunes specifically for a 7.3 as part of the price. He has a lot to choose from. I just downloaded em to my laptop and then put em on the chip.
 
rockdog57 said:
When you buy the hydra you can download tunes specifically for a 7.3 as part of the price. He has a lot to choose from. I just downloaded em to my laptop and then put em on the chip.
Click to expand...

Yup, that what I was told. Kinda why I went with it, I trust his judgement. More or less most of them are the basics. Guess you get 6 with it, then can add like 10 more if you want. Easy enough from the sounds of it. It seemed like the best buy for now and later should I want to go bigger in the future.
 
Went out and picked the truck up last night. Loaded my Grand Cherokee on the trailer and hit the road. Truck pulls amazing. Kinda odd driving it with a new trans, new injectors, and a new tune. Was a bit easy at first because I was not sure on shift points but it did great.

WAY more power than it has ever had. About to load up the bucket truck on Chris's trailer and head south to my old mans house. That should be a good test, not sure how much it weighs, but prob more than the Grand ha
 
careful you don't burn a hole in a piston like that other guy on here hotrodding his fuckin' pickup :flipoff2:
 
All in all it did very well. Definitely a heavy load, felt it but was never an issue.

Have some small cooling line leak from the trans but will look at that later. Big load, but took it well. Removed the tool box on the trailer for the ride home to get a bit more tongue weight.

Bucket truck was a bit stubborn, had a valve that must have been partially stuck open, so the boom out was not working, got that sorted and then realized the alt shit the bed at some point in the last two years- don't use it enough to know when bc jumping it is kind of the norm. Put a new one on and seems to be charging.

There were drinks drank, pool shot, and the truck towed well. Decent weekend.

thumbnail (21).jpg


thumbnail (20).jpg


thumbnail (22).jpg


thumbnail (24).jpg
 
Found the trans 'leak' The factory cooler was weeping. It was bent years ago in a truck v deer match. Was not hooked up to the manual, I had that to an aux one. So I decided to upgrade... I hope its big enough....

thumbnail (27).jpg
 
I honestly can’t believe your trans lasted this long with the stock cooler. They were way too small. You will see a huge difference in temps now. Mine never gets above 190 now. Money well spent!
 
rockdog57 said:
I honestly can’t believe your trans lasted this long with the stock cooler. They were way too small. You will see a huge difference in temps now. Mine never gets above 190 now. Money well spent!
Click to expand...

Tech it didn't last. Original one went out at about 95k, junk yard replacement went to 135K ish, manual went to 171k where I just put this on in. From 87k when I bought it to 135k it was mostly driven hooked to a trailer that was prob too heavy, and driven like it owed me money. We will see how this set up hold out.

I am also pretty sure it was a horse hauler before I got it, so the first 87K were prob not light miles.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Back Refresh