<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2017-06-08</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000033619</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>ESTERLINE TECHNOLOGIES CORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>ESL</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001377581</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>First Pacific Advisors, LLC</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>11601 WILSHIRE BLVD.</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>SUITE 1200</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>LOS ANGELES</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>90025</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001462898</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>FPA Hawkeye-7 Fund</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>11601 WILSHIRE BLVD.</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>SUITE 1200</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>LOS ANGELES</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>90025</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001161993</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>FPA HAWKEYE FUND</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>11601 WILSHIRE BLVD.</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>SUITE 1200</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>LOS ANGELES</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>90025</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001192887</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>ATWOOD J RICHARD</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>11601 WILSHIRE BLVD.</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>SUITE 1200</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>LOS ANGELES</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>90025</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001186259</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>ROMICK STEVEN T</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>11601 WILSHIRE BLVD.</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>SUITE 1200</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>LOS ANGELES</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>90025</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001450268</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Selmo Brian A.</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>11601 WILSHIRE BLVD.</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>SUITE 1200</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>LOS ANGELES</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>90025</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001475492</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Landecker Mark</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>11601 WILSHIRE BLVD.</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>SUITE 1200</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>LOS ANGELES</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>90025</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Call Option (obligation to sell)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>95.00</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2017-06-08</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>34</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>800.00</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2017-06-08</value>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2017-08-18</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>3400</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>34</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>See Footnotes</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F4"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F5"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Call Option (obligation to sell)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>95.00</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2017-06-08</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>21</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>800.00</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2017-06-08</value>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2017-08-18</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>2100</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>21</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>See Footnotes</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F4"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F5"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">On June 8, 2017, FPA Hawkeye-7 Fund, a series of FPA Hawkeye Fund, LLC (&quot;FPA Hawkeye-7&quot;) sold options to purchase an aggregate of 3,400 shares of common stock of Esterline Technologies Corporation (the &quot;Issuer&quot;) with a strike price of $95 per share.   FPA Hawkeye-7 received a premium of $8.00 for each option to purchase one share of common stock.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">On June 8, 2017, FPA Hawkeye Fund, a series of FPA Hawkeye Fund, LLC (&quot;FPA Hawkeye&quot;, and together with FPA Hawkeye-7, the &quot;Private Investment Funds&quot;) sold options to purchase an aggregate of 2,100 shares of common stock of the Issuer with a strike price of $95 per share.  FPA Hawkeye received a premium of $8.00 for each option to purchase one share of common stock.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">First Pacific Advisors, LLC (&quot;FPA&quot;) serves as manager of and investment adviser to the Private Investment Funds.  FPA may be deemed to share voting and/or investment power over the securities of the Issuer held by each of the Private Investment Funds as the manager of and investment adviser to each of the Private Investment Funds. In addition, Mr. J. Richard Atwood may be deemed to share voting and/or investment power over the securities of the Issuer held by the Private Investment Funds as a Managing Partner of FPA. Mr. Steven T. Romick may be deemed to share voting and/or investment power over the securities of the Issuer held by the Private Investment Funds, as Portfolio Manager of such funds, and over the securities of the Issuer held by the Private Investment Funds as a Managing Partner of FPA.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">(Continued from footnote 3) Mr. Brian A. Selmo may be deemed to share voting and/or investment power over the securities of the Issuer held by the Private Investment Funds as a Partner of FPA.  Mr. Mark Landecker may be deemed to share voting and/or investment power over the securities of the Issuer held by the Private Investment Funds as a Partner of FPA.  FPA and Messrs. Atwood, Romick, Selmo and Landecker may be deemed to have a pecuniary interest in a portion of the securities held directly by the Private Investment Funds due to FPA's right to receive performance-based allocations.  In addition, Messrs. Romick, Selmo and Landecker may be deemed to have an indirect pecuniary interest in a portion of the securities held directly by FPA Hawkeye due to their respective ownership interests in such Private Investment Fund.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F5">(Continued from footnote 4) Mr. Romick may be deemed to have an indirect pecuniary interest in a portion of the securities held directly by FPA Hawkeye-7 due to his ownership interest in such Private Investment Fund.  Each of FPA and Messrs. Atwood, Romick, Selmo and Landecker disclaims beneficial ownership of securities of the Issuer held directly by the Private Investment Funds except to the extent of their pecuniary interest therein, and this report shall not be deemed an admission that any of FPA or Messrs. Atwood, Romick, Selmo or Landecker is the beneficial owner of such securities for purposes of Section 16 or any other purpose.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks>First Pacific Advisors, LLC (&quot;FPA&quot;) may be deemed to exercise voting and/or investment power over securities of Esterline Technologies Corporation (the &quot;Issuer&quot;) that are held directly by certain unaffiliated separately managed accounts (the &quot;Managed Accounts&quot;) as FPA serves as investment adviser to such Managed Accounts. FPA only receives an asset-based management fee for serving as investment adviser to such Managed Accounts and therefore does not have any pecuniary interest in the securities of the Issuer held directly by such Managed Accounts. In addition, Messrs. J. Richard Atwood, Steven T. Romick, Brian A. Selmo and Mark Landecker do not have a pecuniary interest in the securities held by the Managed Accounts.</remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>FIRST PACIFIC ADVISORS, LLC, Name: /s/ J. Richard Atwood, Title: Managing Partner</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2017-06-12</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>FPA HAWKEYE-7 FUND, a series of FPA HAWKEYE FUND, LLC, By: First Pacific Advisors, LLC, its investment adviser, Name: /s/ J. Richard Atwood, Title: Managing Partner</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2017-06-12</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>FPA HAWKEYE FUND, a series of FPA HAWKEYE FUND, LLC, By:  First Pacific Advisors, LLC, its investment adviser, Name: /s/ J. Richard Atwood, Title: Managing Partner</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2017-06-12</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>J. RICHARD ATWOOD, Name: /s/ J. Richard Atwood</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2017-06-12</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>STEVEN T. ROMICK, Name: /s/ Steven T. Romick</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2017-06-12</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>BRIAN A. SELMO, Name: /s/ Brian A. Selmo</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2017-06-12</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>MARK LANDECKER, Name: /s/ Mark Landecker</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2017-06-12</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
