Attention: TDR Forum Junkies 
DaveHess
TDR MEMBER
Awhile back I posted a thread regarding my O/D shift being very harsh and rapid in conjunction with the converter lock-up. I wasn't happy with the shift and driving a friends 2003 CTD (incidentally is identical to mine just in silver) with the 48RE and his O/D shift was smooth as silk. I had already planned to change out the pan which I did and changed fluid and filter in the process. I had a difficult time reading the dipstick and getting the fluid level right. No, I am not a dummy! One read of the dipstick would read high and the next would be low. These checks were done after driving the truck about 20 miles and checked on a level surface. I finally after draining a little and refilling a little got it to consistantly read about mid-stick. I know the high readings could be due to fluid still in the tube so I did multiple readings all with varying results. Anyhow the point of this post is that my O/D shift is now smooth and "timed" more appropriately. This leads me to believe the fluid was low with the original pan installed. I have the 2003 DC Service Manuals and it does tell you to check fluid level for a harsh O/D shift. I "assumed" the fluid was correct as I had not seen any on the floor and that the dealer would have made sure all fluids were at a correct level before the truck left the dealership. Two faulty assumptions on my part. Just thought I would follow-up on that original post and maybe save another "harsh shifter" some time.
