f-150 trans issue

[fmx_guy]

Hey guys i have read countless posts about trans problems cant find what im looking for so here goes. 99 f150 v-6 144,000 miles. engine runs fine the trans. however is... it slips in every gear but when it catches it catches firmly it does not slip out of gear it only slips upshifting.(thats the best way i can explain it) now i am thinking of buying this truck and fliping it. i checked the fluid and it is brownish. im thinking trans. filter and new fluid. along with a basic tune up and cut it loose. so the price for the truck is 1500. Oh yeah its clean and good paint/body. I can replace the trans. but i dont want to fool with it. whats your opinion on the trans. issue.

[jyount]

Originally Posted by fmx_guy

Hey guys i have read countless posts about trans problems cant find what im looking for so here goes. 99 f150 v-6 144,000 miles. engine runs fine the trans. however is... it slips in every gear but when it catches it catches firmly it does not slip out of gear it only slips upshifting.(thats the best way i can explain it) now i am thinking of buying this truck and fliping it. i checked the fluid and it is brownish. im thinking trans. filter and new fluid. along with a basic tune up and cut it loose. so the price for the truck is 1500. Oh yeah its clean and good paint/body. I can replace the trans. but i dont want to fool with it. whats your opinion on the trans. issue.

You can do it if you want, but I have NEVER seen fluid and filter fix any problem. It has a problem, count on replacing it or rebuilding it. Fluid and filter is a maintenance item, not a fix item...

[fmx_guy]

Thank you!! your input is greatly appreciated!!! didnt know if it could have been a soleniod or something eaisly accesible. Thanks again!!!!

[jyount]

It is possible, but especially with 144k don't be suprised if it is more. Also, the burnt fluid shows that it has been slipping for some time, so even if the original problem was small, it probably has wear in all the clutches. You sound like you are competent with a wrench, they aren't to tough to rebuild if you have a good place to do it, but don't pay too much. Especially if you are trying to flip it. Especially in american made cars and trucks you can sometimes find a tranny at a bone yard for cheap enough that it doesn't make sense to rebuild it....
Just don't get hurt in the pocketbook... Trans problems throw a wrench in the mix, you can't really plan for how much they are gonna cost to fix without some diagnostics. You can flip other stuff by crunching numbers....little easier to research how much it will cost, but in the trans dept I would check with bone yards and just figure on a full replacement. You can probably get a trans in the bone yard for around 500, so if you can get the truck at a good enough price it isn't a deal killer, just inform yourself....