I'm new so hope I am doing this right.
Hoping for answer on RFE transmission problem - when cold or sits a while it will not engage right away when I put in drive. Takes a few seconds then is OK. If I just wait 5-10 seconds after startup then is OK too. I understand there are no bands to adjust(which explains why local dealer wanted to charge me $350 to adjust them and flush when I had it in shop last week for broken exhaust manifold bolts).
So, any transmission pros out there that can give me an idea what could be wrong? Aamco did a flush at 50K and I know I need to change fluid now at 100k.
Thanks for any and all help.

 

iam going to assume you have the 4.7 with the 545rfe transmission in it because you said there are no bands.

did you check the fluid level in the tranny? if its low this will happen.

also you may have damaged a seal when you had it flushed, tranny flushes are one of the worst things you can do to a transmission, to simply drop the pan and do a fluid and filter change is better (no it does not change all the fluid but thats fine, if you want to change it all you can purge it, just ask how and we can explain). also the ATF+4 used in your transmission is a 100k mile fluid so touching it at 50k miles was unnecessary.

 

Thanks shrpshtr325. Obviously I find too late that flushing seems not recommended and I won't do it again. Hae to think that Aamco work would screw it up. but anthing is possible. Fluid full, 4.7 with the 4 speed.
Any info on purging would be appreciated. At this point I think I want to get as much old fluid out as I can.

 

the 2003 4.7 came with a 5 speed auto, not a 4 speed.

purging is actually pretty simple, you drop the pan, change the fluid in the pan and the filter, and put the pan back on, fill it up as normal. Next take the return line from the trans cooler off and put it into a bucket, start the truck and put the trans in neutral (trans pump doesnt run in park), and add fluid to the transmission pan as it is pumped out, DO NOT LET THE PAN RUN EMPTY (yes the fluid is added thru the dipstick tube, sucks i know but thats the way it is)

i will also point out that since AAMCO has gone to a shop that offers multiple services their quality has sucked (i cant speak to how they were before hand, but ever since)


i could also see a blocked up filter causing your problem, however Master Tech is the local transmission expert, pm him and he can give you alot more information on transmission work than i can.

 

So I changed filters and fluid yesterday and yes transmission is much better now.
I do believe that when I had serviced at Aamco they did not change filters. Thanks for advice.
Also, per your question about 4/5 speed - I see documentation says should be 5 speed but I any get 3 shifts which is why I assume 4 speed.
any obvious way to determine? Is last shift that smooth I don't feel it?
tranny sticker only says RFE. From what I have read the 5th speed is only a cumputer programming. Is that right?
Thanks again for all.

 

the 45-rfe and 545-rfe (rfe indicates electronically controlled iirc) are the same hardware, the only difference is the TCM software which allows for a 5th gear on the 545. if you can cruise at btwn 75-80 on the highway at 2k rpm then you definitely have the 545 (thats where i cruise at on the highway, and someone on here w/ the 45 said he turn 2k at 65-70iirc)

however you can do a count if you want to

turn off OD (the button in the end of the shift handle)
find a long empty road
stop
accelerate hard up to 45/50 counting the shifts, at this point if you engage OD you should feel 2 more 'shifts' 5th gear, and the tc lockup

(i hope not only that what i said makes sense, but that it comes across correclty to everyone reading)