I recently bought a used 1995 F-250 with a 5.8 and an E4OD tranny. (Automatic) When driving in OD, the unit suddenly shifts erratically, then seems like it goes into neutral. If I slow down and/ or stop, it goes back into the lower gears, where it drives fine. After a min. or so, it acts erratically in 2nd and 3rd gear too. So I had the transmission rebuilt at an aamco, they replaced several mechanical items, including a selinoid (sp?), shift control comp. module, etc. at a cost of almost $1900. Well, after I picked it up, I'm on the way home and I drove it about 20 miles, it started doing the exact same thing again! Does anyone have any idea what could be wrong with it? I am taking it back to aamco (warranty) but if they knew what it was, it seems like they would have fixed it the first time..
If anyone can help, of if I need to provide anymore info. for help info, please let me know! Thank you.
Elton.

 

There is a sensor on the driver's side of the transmission, where the shift cable attaches, called the Transmission Range Sensor. Change it. As it starts to wear out it causes the symptoms you're seeing. It won't set a code until it fails completely, which could take another year!

Mark

 

Ok, your first mistake was going to Aamco. It's like going to
Insta-Lube for a valve job. I don't know anyone that's had a
good experience with them. For $600 more, you could have bought
a bullet-proof Jet E4OD.
I thought mine was shot also, but I took it to Ford. They gave
it a complete service, and changed the lever position sensor.
Now it shifts perfectly, and doesn't slip out of gear.
Take it there first. a complete diagnosis is about $65. Then,
when you go back to Shamco, you can tell THEM what's wrong!

 

Well, 3rd time it has been to aamco, this time towed. They seem baffled. I will be driving down the road, minding my own business, going about 60 or so, and zoom! the rpm's shoot up, and I slow down. I had to drive 10 or so miles in what felt like 2nd gear home, and have it towed back to aamco. Well, needless to say, this is an intermittant problem. Anyway, now they are telling me they are putting in a new selinoid pack.
Are they just grasping here, or could this really be the problem? Wouldn't they have checked/ fixed that when they re built it last week?
Thank you!

 

id check um out with the local better business bureau, see if they have any complaints, further more all they work on is transmissions any they cant figure it out, thats kinda fishy soundin. hope it works out, sounds like something isnt right in the OD area, you didnt say at what speed it usually happened so i am just taking a guess.

 

> Are they just grasping here, or could this really be the
>problem?

I think they are just grasping. I already told you where the problem is.

Mark

 

>I think they are just grasping. I already told you where the
>problem is.

The problem is AAMCO, they are the Earl Scheib of the transmission industry. I learned the hard way with those idiots. They rebuilt a TH200 (or was it 250) I had in a Sunbird SIX TIMES (the last five of them under their warranty)in less than a year and never did get it right. I dumped that POS back in 84 and haven't been back since.

 

Is the "Transmission range sensor" the same thing as the "Transmission position sensor"? If so, that was the first thing they did to it before they tore it down. Black, baseball- diamond shaped sensor.
Well, this morning it did it again. Go down the road, and when it gets to OD, it goes into "limp mode" or something similar. I called "Scam- co", and they said to try new battery connectors. Not getting enough power for the selinoids or something. Hell, I went and bought the high-dollar, gold ones even. Well, I drove the damn thing from 10 this morning until about 1:30, just fine until then, then it jumped out of gear one time (OD)for about 10 seconds. It was like it went to 2nd gear or something. ...I was going to stop, but it went back in gear, and has acted right since then.
I am planning on taking the truck out again tonight. I don't know what else to do, it's how I make my money. I can't see it spending another 3 days in the shop, if it can make me some money until it goes out. (Remember, warranty, 90 days on electronics, 12 months on everything else, unlimited mileage.)
Any more suggestions on what may be causing it? Someone told me something about the possibility of the throttle position sensor might be intermittently malfunctioning.
Thank all y'all very much!

 

I know that the TP sensor does interact with some tranny's but am not real sure about this one. It is easy to check if you have a ohm meter turn the key off and backprobe the plugend on the sensor (I don't remember for sure which wires-just play with it until you figure out the right combination) and slowly, manually open the butterfly while watching the meter. If it reads erratic then the sensor is bad. Otherwise the sensors are under $50 and easy to replace-take two screws out and pay close attention to which way the sensor rotates (before pulling it off), replace with a new one. Hope this helps.

 

check all your electrical connections to the tranny, two on tranny two by the master cylinder. My 92 Bronco was doing the same thing nobody could figure it out until a friend at the Ford dealer told me what to look for, been running great ever since.

 

In September of 2001 I had pretty much similar troubles with my 94 F-350 with a 460EFI with E40D. End of story it was the MLP sensor on the transmission. Since 94 there have been at least 5 upgrades on this part. The problem on mine was it was allowing moisture to "short out" across contacts and cause it to try and downshift. After it was all over i could think back to mostly wet days or high humidity days (I live in La.) when it happened most, but not always. Hope this will help. I have never had another minutes problem since.

 

Oh yeah i forgot to say that the MLP sensor and installation cost $126.00. What a relief.