2003 Ford, Cummins (not that it matters), 4x4 4R100. PCS controller.
I think it's a PCS tq converter too. It's painted blue. Everything related to the transmission is as it was when I bought it, apart from me fine tuning shift points and stuff.

Anyway on to my problems.

Here are the symptoms. It leaks kinda bad only when I'm coming to a stop (like within 20 feet of stopping) and while idling stopped. In gear or neutral or park doesn't matter, it leaks stopped at all times. It does not leak at all while normal driving. Then I replaced the pump seal assuming that was the issue. First drive out (just test drive down the street) after seal replacement it leaked in the exact same manner as before. Second drive out (had to run to town maybe 8 miles) it would start to shift in and out of gear at low speed/stopped when I got to town. Once I got going over maybe 10mph it would stay in drive and operate normally.
Third time I went to drive it (to drive it home), it won't leak but it won't shift in to or out of any gear. I think it is stuck in neutral. Fluid still reads at about the min cold line.

What the heck is going on? If the pump seal isn't what is leaking then what else can leak in there? and why won't it shift anymore?

The trans fluid is bright red and smells like new fluid. The trans has never slipped before

Linkages all seem ok as well.

I thought it was just me but over the last year or 2 the trans seemed to have been taking longer to shift in to gear than it used to. Not sure if that makes a difference in any kind of a diagnosis.

Local trans shop won't help me. lol

 

Maybe Mark Kovalsky will be along. If he shows up, he will have some input as he was the head engineer on the 4r100.

 

That would be awesome.

Hopefully he does then. I did a search but nobody that I found had all the same symptoms as me.

I have 2 questions really. Could the pump have quite? And is there a port somewhere on the transmission that I can hook a gauge up to check pressures?

 

I wish I had more input and I don't think this is your problem, but Mark will tell you the "cold" lines on the dipstick mean squat. The fluid has to be checked hot, and those are the only lines that should be used.
Hopefully Mark shows up to give some insight.

 

Call John Woods or Brian at BTS. Those guys are awesome to talk to and they will help you understand what is going on.

John Woods is in California- (760).356.9421

Brian is in Arkansas- (870).422.FORD (3673)

 

Double post my bad. I'm on my phone and it didn't load thefirst time

 

Scott. Yeah that makes sense. I've always checked it hot except it isn't hot because I can't even get the truck started right now because of the cold weather. It was just a point of reference pointing out that the trans, despite the leak does have fluid in it. It's never been run low.

And I was going to call bts. I hadn't heard of John wood before recently (not big into ford related performance stuff). Local shops are non existent and won't touch anything that came from a performance shop either so...

Probably too late to call them today but maybe tomorrow I'll have to.

 

I would think John is in, he is in California.

 

WOW! I've been promoted, but after I left Ford. Does this promotion come with a raise? How much?

For the record I never even worked in the 4R100 department. I do know a bit about it, but I certainly wasn't the head engineer. But thank you for the vote of confidence!
The pump could have quit. There is a port on the driver's side of the trans, just above the pan, towards the front of the trans. It has a black hex head plug in it from the factory, many people use this port to install a temperature sender. It has a 1/8" NPT dryseal thread. You need a gauge that can read up to 350 PSI.

 

Wow, every time I post with you, I get it majorly wrong.
You SHOULD have been.
I have seen that very thing posted in the past and never did anyone say otherwise. I am sorry to be disseminating disinformation on the internet. I am part of the problem I guess.

 

Thanks. Any thoughts on the leak?

I'm going to have to tow it home and see about checking the pressures. What should they be at idle in each gear selection? PRND21.

I know a fair bit about a few things (not many) , a transmission is one thing I haven't been inside of. Especially ford transmissions.

 

ok I got the truck home and put fluid in the trans. It appears to function fine. More fluid had leaked out than I initially thought

So I think the transmission is ok but it's apparent that the pump seal needs to be done again.

This is the plan

New pump seal
new pump o-ring
new pump gasket
new bushing

New fluid + filter

I know the pump has to come out to do the bushing. Are there any write-up on how to do it? My quick searching led me to realize the job requires a couple specialty type tools as well.

And torque values of the pump bolts would be benficial

And while we're on the topic. The TQ converter stub surface isn't perfect. Is there a sleeve and seal combo that can be sourced for it?

 

Meaning the portion that fits into the pump? Or the portion that fits into the crank adapter? If the latter....I wouldn't worry unless it's rather chewed up.

 

The portion that goes into the pump/rides on the seal

 

Is taking the front pump off really as easy as this?