I recently bought this vehicle because other than the tranny problem it is a minty vehicle that only has 133,000 km on it for a 1997, which is 16 years old. It was driven to Arizona a few times and left parked down there because the former/first owner felt it was too costly on gas to drive down as he bought it to pull his fifth wheel camper 22 ft. but then left it down there every spring until the following winter. He did that until he brought it home last last year, then he was only driving it in Canadian winters but only in southern USA (its never seen a Canadian winter) and he decided it was a heck of a lot cheaper to fly down and back all the time because it was quicker and less costly. But I have a dog so I need a place to sleep with a furnace, hot water and all the toys to R&R when I am tired. I'll likely have to wait to fill up with water in winter until I hit Oklahoma or a bit more south but water jugs will work until I get far enough south.

I recently bought a fuel saver chip and have yet to install it but should give me an extra 6 miles per gallon or 2.3 km per litre as I worked it out and will save me a couple of hundred on return trips from November to April every year so it still won't be seeing any snow and salt! (it cost $59.00 US). The problem I am finding/having and haven't put more than a hundred miles on it since I bought it, since I drove my van south for the winter and back again but am going to leave Manitoba and want to make sure that 1) I get decent fuel mileage and 2) a smooth running ride. But what is happening is that when I start it up in order to get it to move I have to gently rev it up a bit for the tranny to catch on but not to a clunk but then it drives and shifts okay. As soon as I leave it parked for a bit it still does it when its warm but I am not sure what the scoop is, I have yet to wait until this long and stupid winter goes away and then check the fluid levels and get the stuff all changed in it first, but that will be in about a month from now.

I also ordered a product called Friction Tech and it comes in a 8 ml. syringe and treats the gears and the metals inside (also bought the engine treatment stuff as well, 8 ml in syringe too so I won't have to relieve any of the fluids in there to put this stuff in just run the engine to operating temp and add and go for a drive. the both were purchased together for a grand total of $97.00 Canadian) but it coats the gears and the metal parts with a ceramic porcelain steel coating 3 though thick and takes and loosens out and treats all of the interior making everything tighter and should according to thier techs that I spoke to, and will remove the lurching problem and restore the tranny to new factory standards and is supposed to be safe to use in all automatic tranny's and mixes with all fluids as I use duralube treatments in all of my engines and have had excellent results (this stuff also meets manufacturer specs also), same as putting in octane boost and injector cleaner in every second fill, basically I mix the two together and add every fill which so far has prevented my O2 sensors and the MAP sensors from clogging up and works fabulously and I have never had the check engine lights come on in any of my vehicles except the one before I started to do this additive stuff as those stupid little balck boxes cost from $100.00 to $200.00 each and by using the additives and keeping the emissions from clogging them up (I took the broken one apart and saw the carbonation which caused it to fail (MAP sensor) and ever since have never had O2 or Map sensor or other black box problems again, but I am wondering what would cause the transmission to lurch ahead like I mention? Thats why I baby it when taking off, but there has to be a good reason why its lurching and have to give it a couple of light revs for the tranny to engage and then move ahead, it does it in reverse too so i just take it easy.

I am waiting for the products to arrive and then they say to take her for about for 5 miles and there should be a difference by that time already and completely fixed by 1250 km but could I be low on tranny fluid? or could my fluid need to be flushed completely and then add a new filter and gasket, remember that it was sitting for about a year before I bought it and then it sat for about 6 months every year through the summers as it was left in Az. for the summer and only driven for about 189 days a year (the legal amount of time that a Canadian can stay in the US without getting thrown out of the country and fined maybe (so thats why there is only 133K km on it) Does anybody know what is going on down there and do you think I am taking the proper precautions?

I am wondering if I should bring it in to get it flushed, new filter and gasket first and then add the tranny treatment in it, as well as have the fuel saver chip installed, which is fully adjustable with a slider that can be lengthened and installed inside of the vehicle to adjust for economy fuel consumption or set to run a full high power when I need to pull a trailer, large load etc and when I am just going for driving it I can set it in economy where after 3 months of driving or about 8 tanks of fuel it will pay for itself, I chose that model because it is fully adjustable where the others aren't and although you get better mileage and hp increases it basically only runs the same all the time where this way I can adjust to the type of loads or driving I am doing getting the most out of the 5.4L engine including a 35 hp increase becaue it unocks the sensor that mixes the air to fuel ratio, plus they say the tranny stuff will also let the tranny run smoother and also increase the mileage a couple of percent, so I should be able to see about 25 to 27 on the highways and about 18 to 22 in the city when I am just running around doing normal stuff plus hauling lighter loads of lumber or whatever, the truck is rated for 8500 lbs of weight over and above the weight of the truck. Plus it runs on Gas which is cheaper than diesel and can be found anywhere, but when I did drive it I found that it has some really wicked power already I laid a patch about 30 ft and then backed off the fuel because i don;t want to burn off my tires but she can really go if I kick it down, she easily smokes the tires but I am not a kid anymore and economy is what I am looking for plus reliability. Ideas on this would be appreciated.

If you have any GOOD ideas I would like to hear them if you have any that is, not bologna but good advice is always appreciated. I want/am planning to get an 18ft to 20 ft fully equipped camper to pull behind the truck, it will have a tandem axle and electric brakes set up so it isn't all laying all that weight on on my truck, its tandem wheels will take all the weight, that way I can put a tool box in the back and then a cap too. I already have the wiring for the lights and the electric brakes so all I need is to plug it in! I mean this truck is a real beauty and looks like the 2000's versions because when they built it in October 1997 that was when they changed the body style that wass prevalent up until the mid 2000's. Plus I will have room for me and my dog CHAMP who is a Bull Mastiff (he's a puppy that is almost 2 and weighs 110 lns already and loves to go for drives, He'll really love where he and I are going to move to in Ontario, lots of country to roam and watchout anyone who wants to fool around with his truck. Actually he is a pussy cat but if I want him to get rid of something he'll help me out that way, I really love him and pitty anyone who wants to fool around with his truck thats why I got the XLT model and going to get the big trailer so he and I can stay warm. PSS: the additives are supposed to be good for 100,00 km by which time the problem willbe fixed and I will likely get the fluids, filter and gaskets changed and the sytem only an oil change on the second go round as as long as i do it every 30-50,000 kms it will keep this baby running great and with my body man experience It will look great for years to come as I clear coat the rockers and door bottoms evewry year just to coat the bottom from rust, that sh*tty salt they use!