Community Forums

stillamook · 04-17-2015, 10:21 PM

I have a 1999 fleetwood storm,31 foot motorhome on a ford chasis. It has 40,000 miles. It drives and shifts fine on the road but once in a while as I proceed from a stop light I will feel some hesitation and apparent lapse in moving for for a second or so. Also, when I drove it up the steep slope of my drive way, I stopped half way and attempted to re-proceed and all I go was an increase in engine revs and the vehicle would not move forward, like transmission slippage. I backed up a foot or so and restarted up the drive with no further problems. Help.

**JohnRR** · 04-17-2015, 11:02 PM

Good luck with your situation.

walkerkb2 · 04-17-2015, 11:22 PM

It is not uncommon for the Trans Filter to fall out of the Pump on the 4R100 Transmission. Before pulling pan to verify, install a Mainline Pressure Guage, to check Pressures. Pump cavitation from Filter dislodging will cause erratic Mainline. When rebuilding E4OD's and 4R100's, I install a metal bracket to the Valve Body bolt to hold Filter in place.

Kevin & Donna
2014 Tiffin Allegro 36LA
Calgary, Alberta
Good Sam Life Member

sirpurrcival · 04-18-2015, 12:44 AM

It may also be a symptom of impending transmission failure. Having dealt with the issue twice in my 1999, I can tell you that was the first real symptom. Hesitation from a standing stop. The oil was cooked in the first transmission. I ended up installing a supplementary tranny fluid cooler to help with the problem. I hope for you sake I am wrong but if I'm not, then consider doing what I did with the transmission cooler. If you are going to drop $$$ on a transmission repair you might as well add a few hundred more to help keep the transmission cool. Mine has a temperature activated electric fans that kicks in whenever the fluid gets above a certain point.

charliej · 04-18-2015, 06:02 AM

I too have a 1999 Ford, and it did the same thing. Bought used with 47k miles. It would slip bad driving slow through a camp ground, and like yours after a stop. I had the transmission flushed with a machine that uses the MH to push the fluid out and replace with new. After that we took a long trip from Tx to PA, and back. I think the long trip helped the most. I assume the coach set a lot before I bought it.

It seems ok now, however it still hesitates some now and then. I think because I ease on the gas, if I tap on the gas a little it kicks in and drives fine. The more I drive the better it runs.

Deny · 04-18-2015, 07:17 AM

By all means-if you have not already done so-Change that fluid, do it yourself if you can-because the money will be wasted if your slip persists after changing.

MSHappyCampers · 04-18-2015, 07:34 AM

Welcome to IRV2! We're sure glad you joined us!

Hope you get your problem solved! Enjoy the forum!

Good luck, happy trails, and God bless!

TeJay · 04-18-2015, 07:53 AM

We also had the 1999 F-53 chassis. We had a steep incline to back into the drive. From time to time it would grunt, shudder and appear to want to slip. It never had a problem on the open road. We ending up trading it before the tranny got any worse.

Dealing with a problematic transmission is very limited. If the fluid smells burnt that is caused by slippage in the clutch packs which wears off the clutch material and turns the fluid brown to black. The slippage is caused by hard internal seals which can only be fixed by rebuilding.

There is really only one thing we can do short of rebuilding. Sometimes it works and sometimes it does not work. Flush the fluid and change the filter if it has one. That's it.

TeJay

stillamook · 04-18-2015, 10:56 PM

Thanks very much to all for your time and expertise. I did just buy the RV and it had set a lot with the previous owner. The problems were not severe and they did happen on my 250 mile home from the buyer and then when I got home. However, I will have the tranny inspected by our local shop and have the fluid flushed and check that filter. It is an older MH, but my wife and I really like it and will enjoy it.

sirpurrcival · 04-19-2015, 12:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stillamook

Thanks very much to all for your time and expertise. I did just buy the RV and it had set a lot with the previous owner. The problems were not severe and they did happen on my 250 mile home from the buyer and then when I got home. However, I will have the tranny inspected by our local shop and have the fluid flushed and check that filter. It is an older MH, but my wife and I really like it and will enjoy it.

Be warned though that flushing the fluid can do it in as well. Sometimes that over cooked, burned fluid is the only thing keeping it working and when you flush, it may just cause the tranny to let go. That is what happened to me. I had some hesitation, had all the fluids and what not changed as part of having a base from which to start (coach was new to me at the time). I got about 4 miles from the shop and it just went. Have the fluid checked first, if it is a dark brownish color, smells burnt, don't flush. At least don't if you aren't prepared to redo the tranny right away. But you are probably on borrowed time with it so you may not enjoy much comfort if you are driving it anywhere of distance either. Believe me when I say, it is bad enough to break down in a normal car, doing it in a MH when you have far fewer choices of where to pull over, get a tow etc is even less fun (ask me how I know).

TeJay · 04-19-2015, 05:01 AM

Poster #10 is spot on. This is a warning to those who wait to long to do the tranny service as recommended. Yes what happened to poster #10 does happen. It doe not happen every time so don't necessairly be afraid. If your fluid is not to bad go for it. Just be prepared that it just might dislodge some dirt and cause further damage as he stated.

Like I stated in my post. Changing the fluid and filter is the only thing we can do short of a rebuild. so really what have you got to loose???? You're danged if you do and danged if you don't.

TeJay

Medico · 04-19-2015, 06:14 AM

Welcome, glad to meet you!

subford · 04-19-2015, 07:15 AM

I might add when the filter is changed make sure you put a 4X4 filter in it as a 2 wheel drive filter will cause these problems also.
It has been reported that some auto part stores & Ford dealers will try to sell or install a 2 wheel drive filter.
You have a deep pan and it needs the 4X4 filter with the long pick-up tube on it.

Mark Kovalsky · 04-19-2015, 07:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sirpurrcival

Be warned though that flushing the fluid can do it in as well. Sometimes that over cooked, burned fluid is the only thing keeping it working and when you flush, it may just cause the tranny to let go.

I absolutely 100% DISAGREE with that. There is NO WAY that new fluid can destroy a transmission. That has never happened.

I can see how a transmission will fail right after a fluid change. That probably happens every day somewhere.

Many (most?) people never service the transmission. It just keeps going until it has a problem. Then they think that maybe new fluid will fix what's wrong. No, it will not. The problem they see is the first indication that the neglected transmission is about to fail. They change the fluid and it dies. Now it's the new fluid that did it. Right. It's the years and years of neglect that caused it to fail, not the new fluid.

Quote:

Originally Posted by sirpurrcival

Have the fluid checked first, if it is a dark brownish color, smells burnt, don't flush.

That's actually good advice. If the fluid is like that the trans is done. New fluid at this point is a waste of money. It's going to die soon with or without new fluid.