I have a 94 F-150 4X4 long box. It has the E40D tranny with a 5.8. Th the truck shifts hard from 1st to 2nd and then shifts a little better as the gears go higher. Tranny fluid and filter just cahnged about 4,000 miles ago. I just changed the MLPS and after hooking the battery back up it drove and shifted perfect for about 10 miles. Shut the truck off and drove it a few hours later and i am back where i started. Hard shifting. My next idea is to change the TPS. Any ideas would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Jamie

 

I am no trans expert but it sounds like you do have a sensor fault. Is your speedometer reading OK?
The MLPS and TPS are good guesses but that is all they are. I think you should the error codes, they can sometimes be a lot of help. If you have an OBD1 code reader then you can use that otherwise go to fordfuelinjection.com for instructions on reading codes from the check engine light using a paperclip. To get the transmission codes I think you have to floor the gas pedal while reading the engine off codes. Give that a try before you buy any more parts.

 

The trans is going into failsafe mode, is your OD light on the shifter blinking? Does it even work? You will need to pull codes from the ECU to tell what is the problem.

 

The OD light does work. It is not on or flashing. I tried to pull codes with a tester from Autozone and it kept erroring out no matter what i did. maybe the tester was bad. I'll try a different reader and see if i can pull some codes.

 

The guy at the tranny shop I took my truck to said the store bought code scanners for these trucks are junk, before I even got to telling him the codes. Best (and cheapest) way to check codes is with a piece of wire in the plugs under the hood and watch the CEL or use a test light.

They found two wires in the transmission harness that were corroded off of a connector (shift solenoid code) and replaced the MLPS which I knew it needed. Tranny has worked like new ever since.

Scott

 

i had a problem like this, turns out it was a junk abs ring in my rear end .

 

I have a 1991 5.8 with the E40d and it shifted super hard and then stopped shifting except for reverse. Rebuilt it but still haven't put it in the truck

 

Is you ABS ligh on? Does your speedometer bounce around? If so, the problem could be your VSS (speed sensor) on the rear differential. When these go bad you will get erratic and harsh shifting.

 

Check those codes as soon as possible. I had a similar circumstance with my truck and ignored it. Eventually I blew the tranny. Very expensive mistake. The tranny guy told me that it was probably the solenoid pack in the trans as there was a code for it in the computer. Apparently, that hard shifting in the lower gears was a sign of solenoid failure.

 

I don't know squat about trans but all i can say is i have the same trans in my 91 f-150 5.0 and it's been hard shifting for as long as i can remember, my dad(previous owner) said it's done it forever and never had a problem, except that it gives you whip lash when it shifts from 1st to 2nd sometimes 3rd if you downshift and get on it real hard.

Kyle

 

Hello,,anyone know if i can swap a e40d from a 2 wheel drive to a e40d 4x4..? Thanks in advance

 

I have an early model 1997 F250 HD 460 with the E40D tranny 135,000 miles bought it new in 97 and the shift is still hard but under load or climbing steep grade it will smooth out. I have had no problems with it just replace the tranny filter & power flush it every other year.